JANUARY XXI.

Of the Human Voice.

THE human voice, both in its principles, its variations, and its organs, is certainly most adinirable, and its nature difficult to be explained. Let us first consider the organs by which we are enabled to emit sounds. The air is received into the lungs through a tube called the trachea or windpipe: this is chiefly formed of cartilages nearly circular, united by an elastic membrane. The entrance from the mouth is singularly formed, so as to admit the passage of air into and from the lungs; but as the smallest particle of food getting into the trachea would be productive of the worst consequences, a valve is placed over the mouth of the tube, which is shut whilst we eat or drink, and only opens to admit the passage of air. The air being then expelled through this tube into she larynx with a certain degree of force, and thence into the mouth, occasions the voice, which is formed when the air is quickly expelled through the contracted glottis into the larynx, from which the sound arises. The particular formation, and the different degrees of contraction and motion of the larynx, glottis, &c. and the manner in wh.ch the air is expelled through their parts, principally conduce to occasion the great variety of sounds and difference of voice we meet with.t

Speech consists in the pronunciation of letters, which

*This valve is called the epiglottis, and the orifice over which it is placed the glottis, there are, besides, cartilages called thyroid, two arytenoid, and the cryeoid, all togther constituting the larynx, which is the part most essential to the voice.-E.

The author divides the trachea into four equal parts, which he says produce the twelve full tones that he asserts the human voice is possessed of; these he subdivides into one hundred more, and hence sets down that a man may produce 2400 different tones of voice, which may all be distinguished by the ear. To say nothing of the very little we yet know respecting the tones of the human voice; which, however, we have reason to believe, if accurately investigated, would be found to be very few, though suscep tible of infinite variation, I have only to observe, that so far from the trachea producing these tones. it may be divided, or wounded, without the voice suffering, whilst the slightest injury done to the larynx will materially affect The voice..

are of two kinds: those which are pronounced without the tongue moving against any part of the mouth are called vowels; those which require collision of the tongue with some other part of the mouth, lips, and teeth, are consonants. The communication between the nostrils and the mouth much facilitates our pronunciation; hence when this channel is obstructed we experience a great change of voice.

Having thus generally considered the parts necessary to the formation of the voice let us reflect a little upon its beauties and advantages. By the means of the voice we have been enabled to become a civilized people, and have obtained al! the blessings peculiar to that state. We find when it pleased God to confound the impious builders of Babel, he had only to render their language unintelligible to each other, and the work could not proceed. Consider it in all its consequences with regard to society, and it will be found that, without the means of rendering ourselves understood by our companions, social intercourse must cease. Besides there is something so fascinating in some of the modulations of the voice that they penetrate our souls, and we acknowledge their influence from the bottom of our heart. A pleasing and soft voice, tuned to the language it utters, is irresistible; and we often, from the tone of the voice, judge of the temper of the mind. Let us then, since experience teaches us this pleasing gift may be improved by attention, spare no pains in its cultivation, and offer up our thanks to the Almighty for bestowing upon us a treasure without which life would not be desirable; a treasure which by our own exertions we can make still more estimable: and may we never be found amongst the number of those who misapply this heavenly gift, but ever convert it to the benefit. and pleasure of our fellow-creatures!

JANUARY XXII.

Necessity of reflecting upon God.

I

I ADDRESS myself to those who seek with laudable solicitude, to derive edification from every occurrence. wish to induce you, by regarding the different changes of

nature at this season, to be led to reflect upon the wonders of God whose glory shines now equally manifest as at every other time. Whilst you behold the earth covered with snow, rivers arrested in their course by the frost, the trees stripped of their foliage, and all nature wild and desolate, think of the reasons which alone can influence Providence in this change, which you will find to be for the benefit of the whole creation. If, from the contraction of your mind, the narrow limits of your faculties, you can scarcely comprehend the smallest part of the designs of God, let it satisfy you to know that the snow, the ice, and all the phenomena which winter presents, are comprehended within the plan of Supreme Wisdom for the wellbeing of created nature.

You can no where cast your view, but objects present themselves to call forth your piety; when you see the snow melt, the ice dissolve, and day after day glide with rapidity, you may reflect upon the short and uncertain span of life. If all the comforts which ease and affluence can impart are within your possession, think of those unfortunate people who, destitute of the common necessaries of life, are sinking beneath the rigours of the season, and whom you are loudly called upon to assist with a portion of your superfluities. But above all, cultivate your mind; supply it with those rich materials of knowledge which no earthly power can bereave you of; and whilst you thus enlarge your mind, keep alive all the feelings of your heart, let it ever pulsate to the happiness of your fellowcreatures, and never die but from the misery you cannot relieve You will then be able to regulate your passions, to disregard sensuality, and rise superior to all trifling and sordid emotions. You will never have occasion to fly to dissipation to enable you to pass the tedious length of the day; whilst others are indulging in debauch, and in sinful pleasures, you will, from the workings of your mind, and from the contemplation of the works of God, whether you are in the privacy of retirement or in the company of those whom you love and esteem, find pleasures the most exquisite, because they are pure and unalloyed, and permanent, because they are furnished by the mind, which lives for ever. Whatever tends to abstract our thoughts from the petty occurrences of terrestrial objects, and fix

them upon God and the effects of his wisdom, advances the dignity of our nature, renders our minds noble and eleva ted, and diffuses over the soul a sensation of that felicity which we have reason to believe is the portion of the angels of light; and the continuance of which, according to our several degrees of merit, we may hope to experience in the blessed regions of eternal purity and truth.

JANUARY XXIII.

The Fear of Apparitions.

DURING the long dark nights of winter many people are troubled with a ridiculous fear of apparitions. At the pe riod when the natural imbecility of man was more a prey to superstition than it is in this more enlightened age, such idle fears were less reprehensible, because they were imbibed in childhood, and communicated through the impressive medium of religion. But that such notions should still disgrace an intellectual people is remarkable. It shews how ready the invention of man is to be employ ed in conjuring up mensters, and in tormenting himself: as if there were not already enough of real evils to afflict him, he creates imaginary ones, and becomes wretched be cause he thinks he is so. How wretched is the miser through his fear of thieves; the misanthrope, from his doubt and mistrust of all who surround him; and the dis contented man, from dissatisfaction with his condition, and anxiety for the future! Hence let us learn to guard against the illusions of the imagination, which not only during the night presents spectres to our view, but also, in the day-time, often deceives us by painting vice in alluring forms and attracting colours. Happy should we be if we were as eager to fly from the temptations to evil as we are from the imaginary terrors of an apparition.

Whence is it that some people whose courage in real danger never shrinks, are violently affected by these chimeras? Because their imagination clothes its objects in colours much more glowing than they really possess, and in this case, being perverted before reason can operate, terror has completely possessed the mind. Admitting the existence of spectres, why should the return of one from

the dead so horribly shake our nature, when we live in the certainty of being one day transported into a world of in corporeal beings? Though we are convinced that every moment brings us nearer to the presence of the eterna! God, we feel no fear from such a conviction; yet were an apparition at midnight to interrupt our repose, and announce the decree that we must soon follow it to an unknown country, the boldest amongst us would feel an emotion of terror, and await the event with the utmost torture of suspense. Yet we regard not the voice of the Most High, which cries, Prepare, O Israel, to meet thy God! Let us not give up our minds to unnecessary alarms, buc rather fear that Being at whose coming the hearts of the bravest will be appalled, and the wicked shall call upon the mountains to hide and the hills to cover them. Fear to do that which is contrary to the will of God, and you may banish every other fear, and sing with David, The Lord is my light, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my soul, of whom shall I be afraid?"

JANUARY XXIV.

Subterraneous Fires.

THERE are certain phenomena occasionally observed which strongly prove the existence of subterranean fires. Terrible eruptions of inflammable matter, from time to time, take place. The two most known and most considerable mountains which produce these effects are Etna in Sicily, and Vesuvius in the kingdom of Naples. The accounts given of these two volcanoes are very terrible. At different intervals vast eruptions of fiery matter issue Sometimes only a black vapour is seen to arise, and at the same time are heard hollow rumbling noises. often succeeded by strong flashes of fire, and peals like thunder, accompanied with the sensation of an earthquake. The vapour then becomes luminous, and showers of stones and lava are evolved, part of which falls again within the erater, though enough of them fall without to lay waste the neighbouring country, and they are sometimes whirled to a considerable distance. These terrible explosions are sometimes even more violent. With the noise of thun