children, influenced by such pernicious examples, often imbibe the worst of passions. No animal should be put to death in their presence; much less should they be commissioned to perform a task of such cruelty. Let them always be accustomed to treat animals as beings which have life and feeling, and towards which they have certain duties to observe. Whilst we thus prevent their feelings from becoming brutified, let us guard against their being too much attached to animals, to which they are often very much inclined; but let us teach our children the right method of behaviour to this part of the creation, that they may, from their earliest infancy, be accustomed to ac'knowledge, even in these creatures, the visible impression of the Divine Perfections,

APRIL II.

Motion of the Earth.

WHEN the delightful spectacle of the rising sun renews each morning in our souls the gratitude and admiration which we owe to the sublime Author of the universe, we may at the same time observe that the situation of this magnificent view changes with the seasons. Thus, if we mark the pleace where the sun rises in spring and in autumn, we shall find in summer it is more to the north, and in winter more to the south. It is reasonable to conclude that some motion must occasion these changes; and many naturally suppose it is the sun which moves, and thus occasions us to see it sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other. But as the same phenomena would take place though the sun were to remain immoveable and the earth to turn round it, and that we neither perceived the motion of the sun nor that of the earth, we ought to give less weight to our own vague conjectures than to the repeated observations that astronomers have made in the heavens; which sufficiently prove that the rotary motion of the earth alone effects the changes we remark in the situation of the sun.

In the first place, let us represent to ourselves the immense space in which the heavenly bodies are placed. is either empty, or contains a very subtile flui

ether, in which this globe, and all the planets composing the solar system, move in their different orbits; in the centre of which shines most conspicuously the sun, of whose grandeur above all the planetary system we have spoken in a preceding discourse. The gravity which our globe has in common with all other bodies directs it towards the centre, or the sun attracts the earth by the superior force which greater bodies possess over smaller, and by which the latter are attracted; so that, as the earth tends to fly off from the sun, it is counteracted by the superior attractions of that luminary: by this means the earth is made to describe a circle round the sun, somewhat analogous to the curve described by a cannon-ball; which, though it soon falls to the earth, yet might prolong its course for the space of some miles, if it had been projected from the top of a high mountain. Suppose the elevation were still greater, it would fly proportionably farther; continue adding to this imaginary height, and it would go as far as our Antipodes, in order to return to the point whence it set out.

All these effects take place from the laws of gravitation, or the attractive force of our globe; and in this manner is caused the revolution of the earth round the sun. The orbit it describes is not, however, entirely circular, but an ellipsis, in one focus of which the sun is placed, by which arrangement we are farther from that star at one period than at another. This orbit is 44,000 semi-diameters of our earth and to make its revolution round the sun, the earth employs 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 43 seconds, being the space of time which completes our year, after which revolution we find the sun in the same part of the firmament: for in every part of the earth's orbit we see the sun in the opposite side of the heavens, so that though the earth is continually moving, we imagine it is the sun which is in motion. In spring, the sun being equally distant from the two poles causes the equality of day and night. In summer, it is twenty-three degrees thirty minutes nearer the north, which occasions the greatest length of our days; in autumn, it returns to an equal distance between the poles; and in winter it is as towards the south as in summer it was towards the

thus occasioning our shortest days.

Such being the order and the arrangement of the great works of the creation, we have yet additional cause to admire and adore the wisdom and supreme goodness of the Creator. Each new intelligence that we gain of the Father of Nature, by his works, is precious; we every where discover his greatness, and are led to acknowledge that he has perfected all with consummate wisdom. Let us then, with the fullest assurance and the most entire confidence, commit the conduct of our lives to Him who governs all things in the perfection of his wisdom; let us banish all doubt and mistrust, and surmount every fear, by faith in the Almighty Creator of the heavens and the earth; and may we be permitted to call him by the tender appellation of Father, through the redeeming grace of Christ!

APRIL III.

Abundant Riches of Nature.

To be convinced of the liberality with which nature distributes her gifts, it is sufficient to reflect upon the prodigious number of human beings who receive from this beneficent mother their support, clothing, and comforts of every kind. But as this daily happens, perhaps the impression made upon our hearts is feeble, or we totally disregard the blessings we are continually receiving: we will therefore now consider those creatures which are partly formed for our use, and some of which are the objects of our contempt. This consideration will teach us, that every creature inhabiting the earth displays the merciful goodness of the Creator; and if our hearts are still susceptible of feeling, must call upon us to glorify his holy name.

Innumerable multitudes of creatures inhabiting the air, the earth, and the waters, are daily indebted to nature for their subsistence. Even those animals which we ourselves feed properly owe their nourishment to her. The various species of fish all subsist without the help of man. The forests will produce acorns, the mountains grass, and che fields different seeds, without any culture. Among

the most despicable as well as most numerous t

son to hope that futurity will unfold to us with joy and gladness; and as there is a just and gracious God, who orders and directs the universe, who knows all the events of our lives, and before whose view is continually present the circle of eternity; we may with safety, when we lie down to sleep, commend ourselves to his care, undisturbed as to what may happen during the night; and when the morning sun summons us to our duties we may trust ourselves to his protection, without anxiety for the events which are to befall us during the day. And in the hour of trial, when dangers threaten and destruction seems to impend, let us still remember the goodness of God and repose upon his protecting arm, in perfect assurance that whatever happens is for our good.

MARCH XXVIII.

Gradual approach of Night.

NIGHT is a blessing bestowed upon us by the Creator, and is wisely and mercifully directed to advance by degrees. The sudden transition from the light of day to the gloom of night would be highly inconvenient and terrific. So immediate a change would occasion a general interruption to the labours of men, and terror would be spread over the earth; all living creatures would feel its influence, and the organs of sight must suffer considerably by the suddenness of the transition. Hence it is wisely ordered, that darkness does not surprise us suddenly in the midst of our occupations, but advances by slow gradations, and the twilight which precedes it leaves us time to finish our most pressing affairs, and to make the necessary arrangements. By this timely warning, the approach of night does not interrupt or incommode us.

But whence proceeds that lingering light, which at the end of each day remains to temper and soften the gloomy aspect of night? We no longer see the sun, and yet a degree of lustre still cheers us. The atmosphere which surrounds us refracts the rays of the sun, projected on its su perior surface, and it continues to receive these rays after

the earth by its rotation has withdrawn our sight from the sun; by which means we enjoy the light much longer.

Thus a bountiful Providence has not only regulated the greater revolutions of the seasons, but also the daily alternation of light and darkness in that way which is most beneficial to us, and which demands our most heartfelt acknowledgments and thanksgivings. Let this gradual approach of night remind us of the evening of life, which advances by slow and certain degrees, till almost imperceptibly the hand of death lies heavily upon us. May the Almighty grant, when the period arrives which is to close our eyes in darkness, that as the measure of our days is full, so also may the measure of our good works be completed! Let us work whilst it is day, for the night cometh in which no man can work.

MARCH XXIX.

Magnificence of God displayed in his Works.

WHY are all the works of God so beautiful and magnifi cent? Why do we every where discover various and innumerable objects, each clothed in peculiar charms, and outvying all the rest in beauty? Whence is it that we every where find new subjects of astonishment and admiration? Doubtless that we may be led unceasingly to admire and to adore that Being, who is so infinitely more beautiful, sublime, and glorious, than all that we can discover or delight in throughout nature. We cannot help saying, If the works are so admirable, what must be the Creator of them! If the beauty of the creatures is so excellent, how inexpressible must be the grandeur and nature of the Being who formed them, and who sees the whole creation at a single glance!

If the meridian sun has splendour, the blaze of which dazzles and confounds our sight, we may well suppose, that He who first imparted life and being to this luminary, dwells in light inaccessible, utterly removed from the penetration of finite mortals. We cannot suppose he is less wonderful than the creatures he has formed; and the more striking and marvellous are his works, the more he must excite our astonishment and call forth our admiration: could we com VOL. I.

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