that Day will I make a Covenant for them with the Beafts of the Field, and with the Fowls of Heaven, and with the Creeping-things of the Ground, who fhall lofe their Malignity, which was employed to fcourge and punish their rebellious Lord; all the Enmity of the Creatures fhall cease; the divided Properties, the discordant Motions of the Elements fhall be intirely fwallowed up in univerfal Harmony, Peace, and Love. And the Glory of the Lord fhall endure for ever: The Lord fhall rejoice in his Works. Pf. civ. 31.

Pardon me, Madam; the Nature of my Subject has infenfibly drawn me into a greater Length, more ferious Inquiries, and graver Conclufions than I at first intended; for which an indifferent Reader would expect an Apology, and which, to any body but yourfelf, I fhould think myself obliged to offer: But your inquifitive Genius, your rational Head, and benevolent Heart, I truft, will eafily excufe, if you cannot intirely approve a well-meant Attempt to vindicate the Wisdom of Providence in the Works of the Creation, and rescue fo great a Part of God's Creatures from the rude Cenfures of weak and ignorant Pretenders to Philofophy. If I have, in any degree, done juftice to my Subject; if I have given you any Light and Satisfaction in this momentous Question, your Approbation will give me a Pleasure equal to the Regard I have for your Perfon, and the Efteem I have for your Judgment: But if the worst I fear should happen; should you think I have undertaken a defenceless Cause, or betrayed it by an injudicious Management; fhould you even tell me, I have miftaken the State of the Queftion, or offered any thing weak or inconclufive in Defence of it, even there

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I fhould humbly hope for your Indulgence, that the Honefty of my Heart may atone for the Weakness of my Head; the Goodness of my Intention, for the Defects of my Understanding: For whatever Cause I may have given you to condemn my Sentiments, or defpife my Judgment, I fhall never give you any to fufpect my Sincerity, when I profess myself, with the higheft Efteem and Regard,