continual storms. When I reflect on the enormous mass which composes our globe, I have new reason to admire the supreme wisdom. If the earth was softer, or more spongy than it is, men and animals would sink into it. If it was harder, more compact, and less penetrable than it is, it would resist the toil of the labourer, and would be incapable of producing and nourishing that multitude of plants, herbs, roots, and flowers, which now spring out of its bosom. Our globe is formed of regular and distinct strata; some of different stones, others of several metals and minerals. The numerous advantages which result from them, particularly in favour of mankind, are evident to all the world. Where should we have sweet water, so necessary to life, if it was not purified, and in a manner filtered, by the strata of gravel which are sunk a great depth in the earth? The surface of the globe offers a varied prospect; an admirable mixture of plains and valleys, of little hills and mountains. Who is there that does not see clearly the earth would lose if it was an even plain! Besides, how fa vourable is the variety of valley and mountain to the health of living creatures! How much more convenient to lodge so many creatures of different sorts! How much more proper to produce the various species of plants and vegetables! If there were no hills, the earth would be less peopled with men and animals! We should have fewer plants, fewer simples and trees: we should be totally deprived of metals and minerals: the va pours could not be condensed; and we should have neither springs nor rivers.

Who can help acknowledging that the whole plan of the earth, its form, its exterior and interior construction, are regulated according to the wisest laws, which all combine towards the pleasures and happiness of living creatures?

Supreme Author of Nature, thou hast ordered

every thing on earth with wisdom! Wherever I turn my eyes; whether I examine the surface, or penetrate into the interior structure of the globe thou hast appointed me to inhabit, I every where discover marks of profound wisdom and infinite goodness.

JAN. XX.

Short Meditations on the Works of God, drawn from the Holy Scriptures.

"HEARKEN unto this, stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God." "He hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his direction: for he is the former of all things t."

"And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. And God saw the light that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness: And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night." "Thou, even thou, art Lord alone: Thou hast made the heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host: the earth, and things that are therein; the seas, and all that is therein; and thou preservest them all ; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee §." "O Lord my God, thou art become exceeding glorious Thou art clothed with majesty and honour. Thou coverest thyself with light as with a garment, and spreadest out the heavens like a curtain: Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: Who maketh the clouds his chariots: Who walketh on the wings of the wind. Who maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a flaming fire. Who laid the foundations

Job xxxvii. 14. + Jer. x. 12, 16.
? Jer, ix. 6.

Gen, i. 3, 4. 5.

of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a a garment: The waters stood above the moun tains *." "He stretcheth out the north over the empty space, and hangeth the earth upon no. thing. He bindeth up the waters in his thick cloud, and the cloud is not rent under them. He divideth the sea with his power; and, by his understanding, he smiteth through the proud t." "For he maketh small the drops of water: They pour down rain according to the vapour thereof; which the clouds drop, and distil upon man abundantly. Also, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his ta bernacle? Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the seat." "It is from thence, as from a throne, that he sometimes judgeth the people, and sometimes scatter. eth abundance on the earth." "God thunderethi marvellously with his voice; great things doth he, which we cannot comprehend: For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise, to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. Out of the south cometh the whirl. wind, and cold out of the north. By the breath of God frost is given; and, the breadth of the waters is straitened. Also, by watering, he wearieth the thick cloud: He scattereth his bright cloud; and, it is turned round about by his counsels, that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them, upon the face of the earth. He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or an effect of his favour and mercy towards man §." "God is wise in heart and mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered! Who removeth the

Psal, civ. 1, 7. + Job xxvi. 7, 8, 12. Job xxxvi. 97, 4€. Job. xxxvii. 5, &c.

mountains, and they know not; who overturneth them in his anger: Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble: who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and realeth up the stars; who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea; who maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south; who doth great things, past finding out; yea, and wonders without number." "Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: Thou driedst up mighty rivers. The day is thine; the night also is thine; thou hast prepared the light and the sun thoa hast set all the borders of the earth; thou hast made summer and winter t." "He causeth an east-wind to blow in the heaven; and, by his power, he brought in the south wind t." "He watereth the hills from his chamber. The earth is satisfied with the fruit of his works. He caus eth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man, that he may bring forth food out of the earthy." "He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry." --The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season ¶." "Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer, and he that, formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things, that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself**." For, thus saith the Lord that created the hea. vens, God himself that formed the earth, and made it, he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited, I am the Lord, and there is none else tt." "Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is

Job. ix. 4, &c.
Psal. civ. 13, 14.

"Isaiah xliv. 24.

+Psal. lxxiv. 15, &c.
Psal, cxlvii. 9.

++ Ib. xlv. 18.

Psal. Ixxvii. 26.

Psal. cxlvi. 15.

none else; I am God, and there is none like me." "I form the light, and create darkness: I the Lord do all these things t."

JAN. XXI.

Wonders of the Human Voice.

THE human voice is the greatest master-piece of the Creator. Whether we consider its principle, its variations, or its organs, it is impossible to fathom its admirable mechanism. Let us how try to reflect silently upon it. What is it that enables us to utter sounds? That faculty depends on the construction of the windpipe. The little opening that is in it, occasions a sound, when the air we have breathed is expelled with quickness. The windpipe is composed of circular gristles, which are held together by an elastic membrane. At the entrance is a little lid, which opens to let the air out from that passage. It opens more or less, to modify and multiply the tones of the voice; and it closes when we swallow in order to keep out the food, which must pass over it, in its way to the stomach. Experience tells us, that the extent of the human voice is twelve full tones. To produce this variety, then, it was necessary that the windpipe should be divided into twelve equal parts. And, as its two sides, when stretched, are distant from each other the tenth part of an inch, one may calculate from thence, that each tone of the voice may be subdi vided into an hundred others; also, that a man is able to produce 2400 different tones, which may all be distinguished by the ear. However, in regard to these properties, though so sur.