imagine that the sun was disgusted with: illuminating spots from whence virtue is+ banished,-even there the air is a thick unwholesome mass, while here 'tis light, pure, and salutary."

How frequently do people who travel through uncivilized spots, or even live entirely in the country, complain of dulness, want of society, books, company, or other amusement; yet surely if they would but study the great and instructive book of: nature, which is ever before them, they could never want employment,-their curi-osity would be gratified, their minds more engaged, and their ideas more enlarged than by the perusal of all the works of the learned. Nature is a most infallible library, it contains no erroneous doctrines, maintains no contradictory opinions, holds no controversial debates, harbours no rancour, but is ever plain and open before us;

and

and if we do but make use of our eyes, and of the reason which God hath endowed us with, we may rest assured of having our pains greatly repaid.

ON

ON FIRE..

WHEN the sun is at the

greatest distance from us, in the gloom of night, and chilling cold of winter, we have the use of fire at our command.-Inestimable blessing! without which, how dreary and comfortless would be the life of man! Let us gratefully acknowledge the providence of God, which gave us power over light, by placing oily substances under our direction, by the use of which we form an artificial day, and supply the absence of the sun,

Man,

Man, by being master of fire, is sovereign of all upon earth;-by its power, stones are dissolved, metals liquified, and iron rendered pliant and subservient to his desires. Whenever man forms the intention to protect or destroy, fire presents. him with means either to defend his invaded property, or to overthrow towers and castles; to force gates of iron and destroy animals even at a distance from him. Fire, in his skilful hands, illuminates the firmament, revibrates in the air, and echoing in unison from hill to hill proclaims aloud the power of God intrusted to his creatures.-. Yet, alas! how frequently does he forget his benefactor's intentions, by prostituting the intended blessing; and admires his own dexterity in the destruction he can spread! around him.

ON

ON YOUTH AND BEAUTY.

SHOULD your body be

more- gracefully formed, your features be more perfect, or your complexion bettercoloured than those of many of your acquaintance, remember that even the most perfect beauty is of a very short date ;-in a few years the bloom vanishes, the lustre decays, wrinkles replace the fascinating dimples of youth, the lilly and the rose fade on the cheek, the eye loses its sparkling brilliancy, and the form, once moulded by the most exact symmetry, becomes either clumsy and heavy, or lean and

withered