mated beings, who people the air, the waters, and the land, to whom do you owe your existence, your construction, and those instincts, so various and so wonderful, which astonish our reason, and are so well adapted to our nature and way of life? What a multitude of wonders may I not observe in myself? How does a handful of dust become a body well organized? How is it that one of its parts has sight; that another, by means of the undulation of air, is informed of the thoughts of other people? How is it that I have the faculty of communicating ideas and desires? How does a little matter, bruised by my teeth, afford me so many agreeable sensations? I acknowledge the hand of my Creator in all these incomprehensible wonders. His wisdom, power, and goodness, all combine to render us happy.

MAY V.

The Dawn of Day.

THE morning dawn discovers to the world a new and magnificent creation.. The shades of night deprive us of the sight and enjoyment of the earth and sky. But when the light of day returns, we behold all nature renewed and embellished. On a sudden, we see the earth arrayed in all its magnificence; the mountains crowned with forests; the hillocks clothed with vines; the fields covered with their harvests; and the meadows watered with rivulets. The horizon glows; the clouds are all tinged with variety of the liveliest colours; cheerful flowery vales are discovered at a distance; light vapours arise and change to gold; and the dew drops that fall on the flowers, take the mild lustre of pearls. By degrees, as the light increases, the spectacle becomes more magnificent. We go from light to

light, till at last nature presents us with her most glorious object. The sun rises; and the first ray that escapes over the mountain which had concealed it from us, darts rapidly from one end of the horizon to the other. More rays follow, and strengthen the first. By degrees the disk of the sun comes out, and shews itself entire; then advances and runs its course, with a majesty which the human eye can no longer support. Were any one suddenly to see this delightful scene, for the first time, from the top of a hill, what would he think? what would he do? Doubtless, he would prostrate himself, full of sweet emotion and pious respect, to adore that God who is the Author of the sun. Eternal Being! (would he cry) in the beauties of the rising day I acknowledge thy power and wisdom. With the lark, who, towering in the air, salutes the morn, and proclaims its arrival by the sweetness of its notes, I soar towards Thee, O Lord! who art the Father of the whole creation. The joy and gladness of all nature, the animation of every being, invites me also to raise my soul towards Thee with the most lively transports of gratitude and joy. At this moment, while the sun is darting his first rays upon the earth, millions of creatures praise and adore Thee. Can I then be still insensible to all these wonders! From The proceeds each beauty of the morning dawn; from Thee, who art the source of light. It is Thou who hast given it those lively colours, and impressed a sense of them on our souls. Thou hast given us souls of a heavenly nature, capable of tracing Thee in all thy works. Our eyes seem to behold Thee in the splendour of the rising sun. If Thou didst not exist, there would be neither sun, nor dawn, nor creation.

But are not those indolent men much to be pitied, who never gave themselves the heavenly pleasure of contemplating the rising sun? O if

they were but rational enough to indulge in the pure and delightful enjoyment which this magnificent object of nature is so calculated to inspire! If they could but feel, that the sight of beautiful nature must naturally fill the heart with pious de. light, and profound veneration for the Creator! If they could, in fine, comprehend, that one single thought, which rises in the soul, on seeing the dawn of day, may become the happy beginning of a Christian life, would it not be worth giving up some hours of sleep for it.

MAY VI.

Wonders of Vision.

NO objects can become visible to us, unless rays of light proceed from them, and fall upon our eyes. Those rays which enter into our eye, pass through the cornea, through the watery humour, through the pupil, and penetrate at last even into the chrystalline. After having been sufficiently refracted and collected together in this place, they paint on the retina (behind the vitreous humour) the image of the outward objects, and they draw it with a perfect exactness and clearness. The rays then touch the optic nerve, which is as sensible as the finest string of a harpsichord. This nerve, by its motions and vibrations, produces different sensations in the soul, and excites perceptions and ideas in it, conformable to the impressions which the outward objects make upon the brain. What has just been said of the sight, shews that it well deserves some reflection upon it. The image of all our outward objects is painted on the retina upside down, and yet we see them right, and in their real situation. How is it, that the largest objects are painted in our eyes extremely small, and yet we see every thing

according to its real size? How is it, that when we see from a high tower some thousands of houses below us in a great city, that each of them is painted so exactly in our eyes, on a space which is scarce three times as large as the head of a pin? So many millions of rays come through a very little opening, and collect together on the retina which lines the inside of the eye, without confounding with one another, and still preserving the same order which the points of the object from whence they proceeded had amongst themselves. But this is not all. Look from the top of a high mast at a fleet in full sail; contemplate the sea itself, how many millions of waves will you see? Each of them, however, reflects a mass of rays upon our eyes, small as they are. Afterwards, on a calm day, go on a high mountain and look over a country of five or six leagues extent: Each tree, each herb, or even blade of grass, sends rays to us, otherwise it would be impossible we should see a continual verdure on the fields beneath us. Is it not also very astonishing that we do not see double; and, though we have two eyes, that each object appears single? Another cause. of admiration is, that those objects which we see. are not alone visible to us. We are surprised at the number of rays they send to so small a space as the pupil of an eye, yet they convey as much to spaces of that size every where. It is for that purpose, that wherever we go, new rays supply the place of the preceding, and render visible to us the same objects we perceived before we changed place. But all the rays that are admitted into the eye do not take effect. Along with these there are numberless others, which, being much weaker, are effaced by the light of the first, but are always ready to do the same offices when required. If we prick a sheet of paper with a pin, and look through the hole (so much less than our eye), we still, however, see the objects,

But

though they appear much smaller to us. who reflects upon all this? The habit of seeing, as soon as we open our eyes, makes us consider this operation as a thing extremely simple and easy to comprehend. We are, however, far from being able to explain the manner in which we see objects. Indeed, we know how the image forms itself in the bottom of the eye: We also know what all the parts which compose it, contribute to it. But that is not sufficient: For the eye can have no idea of what passes in it. It is therefore necessary that the impression which the rays make upon it should reach to the brain; and that, in order to do so, the rays should paint the image on a coat woven with nerves, which correspond with those of the brain. Thus the motion impressed by the rays on the nerves of the retina, is transmitted by the optic nerve to the brain. But we cannot describe what passes there; because we do not know, either the nature of the brain, or the use of its several parts. These wonders, which are beyond our conception, are evidently the work of a Divine Power, united with infinite goodness, as they are all so many blessings be stowed upon us.

MAY VII.

Spring renews the Face of the Earth.

WHAT a change is there throughout all na ture, and how great is the goodness of that Supreme Being, who causes the seasons to succeed each other so regularly! Our earth, which rested during winter, resumes its ornaments, and its fertility. The whole creation is animated, revived, and full of joy and gladness. A very few months ago, the whole surface of the earth was barren and desert. The valleys, the prospect