Page:Works of Voltaire Volume 02.djvu/197

Rh enough to discover whether matter has been subject to Him from eternity, or whether He created it in time. What have you to do with the creation of matter, provided you acknowledge a God the ruler of matter and of yourself? You ask me where God is? I do not know. I ought not to know. I know that He is; I know that He is my maker; that He makes all, and that we ought to depend on His goodness.

.—His goodness! Are you jesting with me? Did you not tell me to make use of my eyes ? Make use of yours. Glance at the world, and then talk of the goodness of God.

Mr. Freind saw that he had now reached the most difficult part of the dispute, and that Birton was preparing a rude assault. He saw that the hearers, especially the Americans, together with himself, required a little respite. Recommending himself therefore to God, they went on deck for exercise. When tea was served, the disputation was renewed.

.—You must not expect such success, sir, on the subject of goodness as you have had on ingenuity and power. First, I shall touch on the misconstructions of our globe, in many instances opposed to the cleverness so much boasted of; then