This, Gentlemen, is eloquence.  The thought in itself does not bear a rigorous analysis; but do not think that the lustrous beauty of the language is only a brilliant veil to what in itself is absurd.  We have arrived at darkness, but it is at darkness visible; the cloud is lighted up by the ray that issues from it.  Our goodness, finite creatures as we are, is so much the greater as the object on which it is bestowed is less.  Infinite goodness must create for itself an object.  It does not love nothingness, but a creature which is nothing in itself, a creature simply possible, which, before owing to it the blessings of existence, shall owe to it that existence itself.  The only being that we can represent to ourselves, by a sublime image, as stooping towards nothingness, is He whose look gives life.  The creature is willed for itself, or,—­to quote the words of Professor Secretan, addressed to you last year,—­the foundation of nature is grace.[182] We ask:  What can have been the object of creation?  Our reason answers:  The Infinite Being can only act from goodness, He can have no other object than the happiness of His creatures.

And now I recapitulate.  We ask what is the object of creation; and whereas we cannot transport ourselves into the inaccessible light of the Divine consciousness, we question the work of God in order to discern the intentions of the Creator.  From the fact that humanity prays, we gather the reply that man has a spontaneous belief in the goodness of the First Cause of the universe.  We place reason in presence of the idea of the Infinite Being; reason declares to us that He who is the plenitude of Being could not have created except from the motive of love.  We understand that God has made all for His own glory, and that His glory consists in the manifestation of His goodness.  These thoughts, in their full light, belong to the Gospel revelation, but they appear, under a veil, in the conceptions which lie at the basis of pagan religions.  Without entering the temple of idols, we may bow the knee before the pediment of the ancient sanctuary, and, beneath the open vault of heaven, adore, with the Roman people, that God whose goodness takes precedence of His greatness.

The direct consequence of the principles which we have just laid down is that happiness is the object of our existence.  Created by goodness, we can have no other end than blessedness.

But beware of supposing that we can take for our guide our desire of happiness, and ourselves calculate its conditions.  Happiness is our end; it is the will of our Father; but we must let ourselves be conducted into it.  If, shutting our ears to the voice which lays upon us commands and obligations, we would take our destinies into our own hands; if we made the search after happiness our rule, understanding happiness in our own way, we should be taking for light fantastic gleams which would lead us into abysses of ruin.  The unruly propensities of our heart would lead us