in the ear; this membrane, thus shaken, communicates vibrations to the air which resides in the cavity of the drum; and that strikes the hammer; the hammer, in its turn, strikes the other little bones; the stirrup transmits to the nerves, through the oval orifice, the motion it has received; and they then vibrate like the strings of a fiddle. This motion gains strength in the labyrinth, and reaches to what is properly called the auditory nerves. The soul then experiences a sensation proportionable to the force or weakness of the impression received; and, by virtue of a myste. rious law of the Creator, it forms to itself repre sentations of objects and of truths.

God, in order to make us more sensible of his general goodness towards mankind, permits, now and then, that some should be born deaf. Must it not teach us to value highly the sense of which they are deprived? The best way to prove onr gratitude for so great a blessing, is to make a good use of it.

APRIL VI.

The Milky Way.

WHEN we examine the sky at night, we per ceive in it a pale and irregular light over our heads; a certain quantity of stars, whose mixed rays form this light. This apparent cloud, or la. minous tract, is commonly called the milky way. These stars are too far from us to be perceived separately by the naked eye; and between those which are visible through a glass, there are spaces discoverable, which, to all appearance, are filled by an immense quantity of other stars, which even the telescope cannot make visible. It is true, that the number already discovered is proligious; but if we could make our observations

on another side of the globe, from a part nearer the antarctic pole, we should then make still. more discoveries: we should see a great number of stars which have never appeared on our he misphere. And even we should not know half, perhaps not a millionth part of the radiant bodies which the immense expanse of the heavens contains. The stars which we see in the milky way, appear to us no more than shining specks, yet they are much larger than the globe of the earth. Whatever instrument we make use of, they still appear as before. If an inhabitant of our globe could travel in the air, and could attain the height of 160 millions of leagues, those bodies of fire. would still appear only like shining specks.-However incredible this may seem, it is not a chimerical idea, but a fact which has actually been proved; for, towards the tenth of December, we were more than 160 millions of leagues nearer the northern part of the sky, than we shall be the tenth of June; and, notwithstanding that difference, we did not perceive any difference of size in those stars. The milky way, so inconsi derable in comparison of the whole space of the heavens, is sufficient to prove the greatness of the Supreme Being; and every star discovered in it teaches us the wisdom and goodness of God. What are those stars in comparison of the immense quantity of globes and worlds which roll in the firmament! A late ingenious astronomer, by the help of a telescope of remarkable power, has confirmed, beyond conjecture, this account of the milky way, and says, “That even our sun, and, in consequence, our whole solar system, formis bat a part of the radiant circle. Many small specks in the heavens, unseen by mortal eye, he discovers to consist of myriads of stars; being, as he supposes, entire systems of themselves." Here reason stops and is confounded to admire and adore is all that remains for us to do.

Every time that the starry sky shall strike my eyes, grant that I may raise my thoughts to Thee, O Lord. Adorable Creator! I confess, with shame and regret, how little I have thought of Thee at the sight of the heavens; how little I have admired thy greatness, or praised thy power. Pardon this insensibility, this ingratitude. Raise this soul, encumbered with earthly ties; raise it to Thee, O Creator of heaven and earth. Grant that a lively sense of my unworthiness may incline me to humility: then vouchsafe to raise me up again, by this sublime thought, that one day my redeemed spirit will soar above the region of the stars.

APRIL VII.

Reflections on the Seeds of Plants.

THE vegetable kingdom, to an attentive observer of the works of God, is a school where he learns the profound wisdom and unlimited power of that Supreme Being. Though we were to live an hundred years upon earth, and could devote every day to the particular study of one plant, there would still remain, at the end of that time, many things we either did not observe, or were not capable of perceiving. Let us reflect on the production of plants: let us examine their interior construction, and the formation of their several parts: let us consider the simplicity and variety of them, from the blade of grass to the highest oak: let us try to learn the manner in which they grow, in which they propagate, in which they are preserved, and the different uses they are of to men and animals. Each of these articles will sufficiently employ the mind, and make us sensible of the infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, of the Creator. We shall every here discover, with admiration, the most asto

nishing, incomprehensible order, and the most excellent design. Though we were to know no more of plants than those phenomena visible to every eye; though we were only to know that a grain of corn sown in the ground, shoots first a root down into the earth, and then shoots upwards a stem, which bears blossoms, branches, leaves, and fruit, and wherein are contained the seeds of new plants; this alone would be sufficient to prove the wisdom of the Creator. Let us consider for once with attention, all the changes which a grain of wheat goes through: we sow it in the ground at a certain time; this is all we can do. But what are the operations of nature, after we have thus left it to itself? As soon as the earth supplies it with sufficient moisture, it swells and Hursts open the outer coat, which had till then concealed it in the root, the stalk, and the leaves. The root pierces through, and sinks deep into the earth, and prepares nourishment for the stem, which makes efforts to rise even with the earth. When it has arrived at this, it grows by degrees till it has attained its proper height. It opens its leaves, which at first are white, then yellow, and at last tinged with green.-If we confine our observations to this grain of wheat alone, which is 30 necessary to our subsistence, what wondrous wisdom do we not discover in it! As soon as the outer skin is bursi, and the root has shot into the earth, the stem ventures to spring up in the form of a very slender stalk; yet, weak as it appears, it is already strong enough to bear the intemperance of the seasons. By degrees it grows up, and becomes an ear of corn, the sight of which is so pleasing to mankind.-The wheat is inclosed with leaves, which serve as a coat for it till it is strong enough to break through them, and is armed with points to defend it from the birds.

The fields of corn ought naturally to make us

remember those fields where God lays up another seed. The human bodies deposited in the earth. are as seed sown, whose destination is to grow and ripen for the harvest of eternity. We had as little reason, on looking at the grain of wheat, to expect it to produce an ear of corn (though the essential parts of it were in grain), as we have to believe that our bodies, reduced to dust, will one day become glorified bodies.

The time will come, when the seed will burst forth, my dust will be raised again, and I shall live through Jesus Christ. My body must decay and turn to dust, but I shall not be eternally in the grave. My soul shall rest, after the labours of this life, in the bosom of my God. The eye hath not seen, neither hath the ear heard, any thing on earth equal to such salvation.

AFRIL VIII.

The Blue Colour of the Sky.

TO judge simply by our senses, we might ima gine the sky over our heads a great vault painted blue, and the stars so many little brilliant nails stuck in it. It is true, that such an idea could hardly be formed, but by the common people and children; yet there are many people who think themselves superior to those, who form very ab surd notions of the sky, and its blue appearance by day. The reason of it is, that our atmosphere is not quite transparent. If we were raised very high above the surface of the earth, we should find that the air becomes more and more subtile the higher we go, till we could no longer breathe in it; and at last it would end in pure æther. The higher we climb on mountains, the more light the atmosphere grows, and the more pale the bright azure of the sky appears. If we could