CONTENTS.—The Subject proposed.—Doubts and Waverings.—Queries not to be answered.—Formation of the stupendous Whole.—Cosmogony; or the Creation of the World:—the Devil—Man—Various Classes of Being:—ANIMATED BEINGS—Birds—Fish—Beasts—the Influence of the Sexual Appetite—on Tigers—on Whales—On Crimpt Cod—on Perch—on Shrimps—on Oysters.—Various Stations assigned to different Animals:—Birds—Bears—Mackerel.—Bears remarkable for their fur—Mackerel cried on a Sunday—Birds do not graze—nor Fishes fly—nor Beasts live in the Water.—Plants equally contented with their lot:—Potatoes—Cabbage—Lettuce—Leeks—Cucumbers.—MAN only discontented—born a Savage; not choosing to continue so, becomes polished—resigns his Liberty—Priest-craft—King-craft—Tyranny of Laws and Institutions.—Savage Life—description thereof:—The Savage free—roaming Woods—feeds on Hips and Haws—Animal Food—first notion of it from seeing a Tiger tearing his prey—wonders if it is good—resolves to try—makes a Bow and Arrow—kills a Pig—resolves to roast a part of it—lights a fire—APOSTROPHE to fires—Spits and Jacks not yet invented.—Digression.—CORINTH—SHEFFIELD.—Love, the most natural desire after Food.—Savage Courtship.—Concubinage recommended.—Satirical Reflections on Parents and Children—Husbands and Wives—against collateral Consanguinity.—FREEDOM the only Morality, &c. &c. &c. Whether some great, supreme o’er-ruling Power Stretch’d forth its arm at Nature’s natal hour, Composed this mighty whole with plastic skill,[122] Wielding the jarring elements at will? Or whether, sprung from Chaos’ mingling storm, 5 The mass of matter started into form? Or Chance o’er earth’s green lap spontaneous fling The fruits of autumn and the flowers of spring? Whether material substance unrefined, Owns the strong impulse of instructive mind, 10 Which to one centre points diverging lines, Confounds, refracts, invig’rates, and combines?[123] Whether the joys of earth, the hopes of heaven, By man to God, or God to man, were given?[124] If virtue leads to bliss, or vice to woe? 15 Who rules above, or who reside below?[125] Vain questions all—shall man presume to know? On all these points, and points obscure as these, Think they who will,—and think whate’er they please!