produced highly interesting and instructive works on Moral Science; and the present Treatise is a humble attempt to pursue the same plan, with the aid of the new lights afforded by Phrenology. I confine my observations exclusively to Man as he exists in the present world, and beg that, in perusing the subsequent pages, this explanation may be constantly kept in view. In consequence of forgetting it, my language has occasionally been misapprehended, and my objects misrepresented. When I speak of man's highest interest, for example, I uniformly refer to man as he exists in this world; but as the same God presides over both the temporal and the eternal interests of the human race, it seems to me demonstrably certain, that what is conducive to the one, will in no instance impede the other, but will in general be favorable to it also. This work, however, does not directly embrace the interests of eternity. These belong to the department of theology, and demand a different line of investigation: I confine myself exclusively to philosophy.

Since the first Edition of this work appeared, on 9th June 1828, additional attention has been paid to the study of the laws of Nature, and their importance has been more generally recognised. In 'A Discourse on the Studies of the University, by Adam Sedgwick, M. A., &c.' of which a third edition was published at Cambridge in 1834, the author remarks, that 'we are justified in saying, that, in the moral as in the physical world, God seems to govern by general laws.' 'I am not now,' says he, 'contending for the doctrine of moral necessity; but I do affirm, that the moral government of God is by general laws, and that it is our bounden duty to study these laws, and, as far as we can, to turn them to account.' If there be a superintending Providence, and if his will be manifested by general laws operating both on the physical and moral world, then must a violation of these laws be a violation of his will, and be pregnant with inevitable misery.' 'Nothing can, in the end, be expedient for man, except it be subordinate to those

laws the Author of Nature has thought fit to impress on his moral and physical creation.' 'In the end, high principle and sound policy will be found in the strictest harmony with each other.'

These are precisely the views which it is the object of the present work to enforce; and it is gratifying to me to see them so ably and eloquently recommended to the attention of the students of the University of Cambridge.

23. CHARLOTTE SQUARE, EDINBURGH,

7th August, 1835.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

GENERAL VIew of the CONSTITUTION OF HUMAN NATURE,

AND ITS RELATIONS TO EXTERNAL OBJECTS, 1-26

Man compared with the lower animals, page 1-Opposite phases of his

character, 2-The world seems constituted on the principle of slow and

progressive improvement, 4-Light thrown by geology on the physical

history of the globe before the creation of man, 5-Death and reproduc-

tion existed long before his creation, 6—The world arranged so as to af-

ford him every inducement to cultivate and exercise his understanding, 7

-Power of man to control and turn to account the capabilities of the

physical world, 7—Barbarism and civilization compared, 9-Progressive

improvement of man apparent from history, 10-Reasons for anticipating

a vast future increase of the happiness and intelligence of our race, 12-

Mental philosophy hitherto very imperfect, 13—do the physical and moral

worlds contain within themselves the elements of amelioration, or is hu-

man improvement to be expected from spiritual influences? 13-The

capabilities of physical and human nature have hitherto been ignorantly

undervalued, 15-Errors of theologians on this subject, 15-Light

thrown upon the question by Phrenology, 17-Constitution of the human

mind, and its adaptation to the external world, blinked in the Bridge-

water Treatises, 21-Natural laws, physical, organic, and moral, 21—

The independent operation of these very important in relation to the moral

government of the world, 21-The present work not hostile to religion,

23-Philosophy and revelation cannot be at variance, 24-Physiological

preliminaries of moral and religious conduct must exist before preach-

ing can produce its full effects, 25.

Man's faculties capable of ascertaining what exists, and the purpose of what

exists, but not the will of the Deity in creation, page 27—All the depart-

ments of nature act according to definite constitutions and fixed laws,

imposed by the Deity, 28-The term law defined and illustrated, 28—

A*

Man's pleasure and pain depend, in this world, upon observance of and

obedience to these constitutions and laws; an opinion supported by Bishop

Butler, 30-The Natural Laws divided into Physical, Organic, and

Moral, and obedience or disobedience to each asserted to have distinct

effects; while the whole are universal, invariable, unbending, and in har-

mony with the entire constitution of man, 31, &c.-Death in certain

circumstances appears desirable, 36-Full and universal obedience not

supposed to lead to perfect happiness on earth, or to interfere with the pros-

pects of futurity, 37-Benevolence not the exclusive, or immediate, but

the ultimate principle on which the world is arranged; evil in no case the

ultimate, but only in certain instances the immediate, principle, and that

for wise and benevolent ends, 39-The will of the Deity in designing evil

inscrutable, but the mental constitution of man shown by Phrenology to

bear relation to it, 41.

CHAPTER II.

ON THE CONSTITUTION OF MAN, AND ITS RELATIONS TO

42-87

EXTERNAL OBJECTS,

The constitution of man, on the principle of a subjection of the whole to

intellect and the higher sentiments, shown by Bishop Butler to be con-

formable to the constitution of the external world, p. 42-(1.) Man con-

sidered as a physical being, and the evils resulting from breach of the

physical laws shown to be only exceptions from the benefits habitually

flowing from those laws, 43, &c.—(2.) Man considered as an organized

being, and the rules for the enjoyment of bodily health explained, 46,

&c.-(3.) Man considered as an animal, moral, and intellectual being,

and his mental constitution detailed, 51, &c.—(4.) The mental faculties

compared with each other, 57, &c.-Their uses and abuses, 58-The

propensities designed for good, when acting harmoniously with, and

guided by, the higher sentiments and intellect; otherwise lead to evil, 59

-True happiness of individuals and societies found ultimately to consist
in a habitual exercise of the higher sentiments and intellect, with the
propensities acting subordinately, 60—(5.) The faculties of man compar-
ed with external objects, and the means of their gratification specified,
79-87.

CHAPTER III.

ON THE SOURCES OF HUMAN HAPPINESS, AND THE CON-

DITIONS REQUISITE FOR MAINTAINING IT,

88-101

All enjoyment arises from activity of the different parts of the human con-
stitution, p. 88-Creation so arranged as to invite and encourage exercise
of the bodily and mental powers, 88-The acquisition of knowledge