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temporal, while the written laws are of eternal consequence. We might go so far as to say that some austere minds delight in setting the two orders of law in antagonism, and purposely violating the latter as the height of subservience to the former. With these ascetics, to steal a gill of aqua-fortis were a sin; to drink a gill of aqua-fortis were but folly: the first act has purely moral, the last has purely physical consequences; the first is a case for conscience, while a man may violate the laws of health, and be a timid and nerveless drone with excellent virtue. There is a blending of truth and falsehood, of wisdom and folly in their system of religion, from a misapprehension of the true policy of virtue, and the true folly of sin. We shall find that in the right conception of the matter all violations of law are equally immoral; that there is no greater good than pleasure, and that there is no right above expediency.

It would seem that an unprejudiced mind could detect no lack of dignity in any creed that promised its votaries eternal pleasure. But a different sentiment prevails in many pure and well meaning minds,—a sentiment which separates purity and pleasure, and puts the latter eternally subservient to the former,—so that not even suffering in this world in order to happiness in the next is conscientious; a truly good soul seeks heaven not for its pleasure, but to comply with God's requirement, which were equally binding whether pain or pleasure were the final result. We think few would go so far as to say they should serve God though they were to be damned for it, but a notion prevails of which this is a legitimate infer-