This is the practice of the
French Protestant churches. And although the office of forming
supplications to the throne of Heaven is, in my mind, too great a trust
to be indiscriminately committed to the discretion of every minister, I
do not mean to deny that sincere devotion may be experienced when
joining in prayer with those who use no Liturgy.
We were favoured with Sir James Colquhoun's coach to convey us in the
evening to Cameron, the seat of Commissary Smollet[981]. Our
satisfaction of finding ourselves again in a comfortable carriage was
very great. We had a pleasing conviction of the commodiousness of
civilization, and heartily laughed at the ravings of those absurd
visionaries who have attempted to persuade us of the superior advantages
of a _state of nature_[982].
Mr. Smollet was a man of considerable learning, with abundance of animal
spirits; so that he was a very good companion for Dr. Johnson, who said
to me, 'We have had more solid talk here than at any place where we
have been.'
I remember Dr. Johnson gave us this evening an able and eloquent
discourse on the _Origin of Evil_[983], and on the consistency of moral
evil with the power and goodness of GOD. He shewed us how it arose from
our free agency, an extinction of which would be a still greater evil
than any we experience. I know not that he said any thing absolutely
new, but he said a great deal wonderfully well; and perceiving us to be
delighted and satisfied, he concluded his harangue with an air of
benevolent triumph over an objection which has distressed many worthy
minds: 'This then is the answer to the question, _Pothen to Kakon_?'
Mrs.
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