more or less abundance. In some countries they are very distant from each other; in others they occupy many leagues, and rise majestically into the air. The want of wood in some countries is compensated by its abundance in others; and neither the continual use that men make of it, the destruction of it by accidental conflagrations, nor the great quantities consumed in severe winters, have been able to exhaust this rich gift of nature. In the lapse of twenty years we may see a forest where we before only saw some low copse, or a few scattered trees.

All this ought to convince us of the power and goodness of our heavenly Father, whose wisdom is so superior to that of mortals, and who has foreseen the necessities of men in all possible circumstances. In those countries where the cold is most severe, or where wood is chiefly wanted for the purposes of navigation, the most extensive forests grow; and from their unequal distribution a very lucrative source of commerce is derived, forming a new bond of connexion amongst men. We all participate in the numerous advantages which woods afford; and in creating forests God has provided for the good of each individual. Blessed be our heavenly Father, who has mercifully vouchsafed to interest himself on our behalf, before we even felt our wants, or could represent them to him! In every thing he has anticipated our desires; and may we each individually endeavour, by fulfilling the great ends of our creation, to pay the tribute of gratitude, of love, and of praise, so justly due to the God of all goodness!

It has not been intrusted to the care of man to plant and maintain forests; God has reserved this labour to himself; he plants and preserves the trees, while man has little share in their cultivation. They grow and multiply independently of our cares; they continually repair their losses by new shoots, and are always sufficiently abundant to supply our necessities. To be convinced of this we need only consider the seeds of the lime-tree, the maple, and the elm: from these small seeds vast trunks proceed, whose leafy tops rise into the clouds. It is the Almighty God who alone has established them, and who supports them for ages against the efforts of winds and the shocks of tempests. It is he who sends the dew and rain yearly, to recruit the verdure and preserve their youth.

The earth which bears the forests does not create them, neither, to speak correctly, does it nourish them. The verdure, the seeds, and the blossoms of trees, which they yearly lose, and yearly renew, and the sap which is continually dissipated, are losses which would at length exhaust the earth if it alone supplied them. Of itself it is a heavy, dry, and barren mass, which draws from other sources the juices and nourishment which it conveys to trees and plants. The principles of their growth do not proceed from the earth; the air furnishes in abundance water, salt, oil, heat, and all other matter which trees require.

Let us, thus favoured with so many blessings, contemplate that Being who is the Author of all our good. The forests and the woods

are the heralds of his bounty; and we should be guilty of the basest ingratitude if we did not acknowledge this benefit, which we witness daily in our houses and in our gardens, or wherever we direct our view.

NOVEMBER VI.

THE SENSE OF FEELING IN ANIMALS.

Feeling may be justly regarded as the universal sense of animals, and the foundation of all other sensations; for seeing, hearing, smelling, and tasting, cannot take place without an impression being made. As the sense of feeling operates differently in seeing from what it does in hearing, and in hearing from what it does in the other organs of sensation, we may with propriety distinguish the sense of touch, properly so called, from that universal sensation which we have just mentioned. They are both produced through the medium of the nerves. These, of which anatomists enumerate ten principal pair, resemble small cords or filaments united together, derive their origin from the brain, and are distributed to every part of the body. Wherever there are nerves, there may be sensations; and wherever is the seat of any particular sense, there will also be found nerves that are the general organs of that sensation. There are optic nerves and auditory nerves, olfactory nerves and gustatory nerves, as well as nerves subservient to the sense of feeling, that like it are distributed to every part of the body. These nerves proceed from the brain; whilst others pass off from the spinal marrow, through the lateral openings of the vertebræ, and are then distributed to every part by innumerable ramifications. The nerves subservient to the general sense of feeling are also found in the organs of all the other senses, because, independently of their own particular sensations, each of these organs must be susceptible of feeling. Hence the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, receive impressions that altogether depend upon feeling, and are not produced by the nerves proper to these organs.

That sensation is produced through the medium of the nerves is certain, for each part feels more acutely in proportion as its number of nerves is greater; and there is no feeling in those parts where the nerves are destroyed, or where no nerves exist. Incisions may be made in the fat, bones may be amputated, nails pared, and hairs cut, without any pain being inflicted; or if any is supposed to be felt, it is merely the effect of the imagination. The bones are enveloped in a nervous membrane, and the nails are attached to a part where many nerves intersect each other, forming what is called a plexus of nerves; and pain is only felt when some of these are wounded or irritated. So that when we feel the pain commonly called toothache, the tooth, being a bone, is not susceptible of feeling, but the nerve attached to

it is extremely sensible, and occasions us to feel the most acute pain when it is irritated.

In thus diffusing the sense of feeling over the whole body, the Creator has evidently had our well-being in view. The other senses are situated in those parts where they can most conveniently perform their functions. And as it was necessary for the preservation and welfare of the whole body, that each of its parts should be informed of what might be useful or prejudicial, agreeable or disagreeable, it was necessary that the sense of feeling should be diffused over every part of the body. It is a still farther proof of divine wisdom, that several species of animals have the sense of feeling more acute than falls to the lot of men: for their acuteness of feeling is necessary in their mode of life, and compensates their deprivation of some other senses. The horns of the snail, for example, possess an exquisite sense of feeling, and the least obstacle causes them to be drawn in with extreme celerity. How delicate also is the feeling of the spider, since in the midst of the web which it has so ingeniously woven, it perceives the slightest vibrations which the approach of an insect may occasion! Without dwelling, however, upon the sense of feeling in animals, it is sufficient to consider it in man for our admiration to be abundantly called forth. How can the nerves, which seem to be merely susceptible of more or less length, breadth, tension, and vibration, transmit to the soul so many different impressions and sensations? Is there between the soul and the body such a connexion, that nerves of a determinate size, structure, and tension, shall always produce certain sensations? Has each organ of sense nerves so constituted, so analogous to the small particles of matter which emanate from bodies, that the impressions they receive from them should be always followed by certain determinate sensations? To these questions it may be answered, that our knowledge upon the subject is too limited to ascertain the immediate cause of these effects, and we are obliged with all humility to acknowledge, that the mystery is at present impenetrable.

Let us, then, be content, and give thanks unto God, that with the other senses which he has bestowed upon us, he has also granted us that of feeling. If our bodies possessed less sensibility, of how many pleasures should we not be deprived? We could neither have discerned what would be advantageous to us, nor what would have been prejudicial. Happy would it be if we had as exquisite a sense of what is good for our souls; if we rightly appreciated what is excellent and honest; if our desire for holiness equalled our love of pleasure.

NOVEMBER VII.

REMEMBRANCE OF THE BLESSINGS WHICH WE ENJOYED IN SPRING AND SUMMER.

Let us assemble together, and acknowledge the goodness of our God. Let us gratefully remember the moments that have sweetly glided away, while we reposed on the bosom of joy, and, free from care and inquietude, suffered our hearts to expand with delight at the renewal of nature; when devotion accompanied us to the verdant bower, and every tinge of melancholy was effaced from our abodes; and while we walked along the flowery paths, every where beholding the joyful traces of the Deity.

When from the thick bush, whose leafy shade had attracted the aerial songsters, burst upon our ears melody more ravishing than the sounds of the sweetest flute, and produced those exquisite sensations which fill the heart with delight, and dispose the mind to enjoy the pleasures of friendship, harmony, and peace; smiling nature lavished upon us her sweets, and we inhaled the fragrant breath of the rose; whilst the pink and hyacinth diffused their odours far around; and the zephyrs, gently playing upon the yielding flowers before night had closed their charms, wafted over us the scented gale; then pure delight and soft emotions glowed in our hearts, our souls confessed the sweet transport, and our lips, singing in unison with the warbling of the birds, attuned the praise of the eternal God.

Often when cool breezes had refreshed the burning summer air, and the birds began to be animated with new life and vigour; when the clouds dispersing had left the deep azure of heaven clear, and the sun promised a continuance of his unobscured splendour; pleasure lent us wings, and in sportive mood we quitted the noise and tumult of the town to rove in the green fields, or repose in the shady bower. There no trouble assailed us; wisdom, piety, joy, and innocence attended us, whilst in some sequestered retreat we indulged the love of nature. The leaves, gently breathed upon by the evening gale, while they formed around us a pleasing shade, diffused a refreshing coolness; and nature there drew from the richest springs that contentment which she bestows only upon the pure heart. There our bosoms, filled with the sweetest emotions of our own happiness, and love of our Creator, throbbed with joy, till the ready tear started from our eyes.

The gay songs from the groves poured through our hearts pleasure and gratitude. The joyful bleating of the flocks in the fat pasture, the wild note of the shepherd's pipe, and the buzzing of the beetle as it fluttered among the flowers, all impressed our souls with joy, and elevated our thoughts to the Creator, whose wisdom was thus displayed in the waters, in the air, in the cattle, the insects, and the flowers. The country all cheerful and gay, like the happy abode of our first parents, presented itself before us. Skirting the distant hori

zon, we perceived the dark shade of ancient forests, and hills gilded by the rays of the sun. The beautiful mixture of the most diversified colours, rural flowers, golden harvest; the rich verdure of the carpet wrought by the hands of nature; the treasures of the meadows; the sweet food of the grazing herbs, that yielded us their wholesome milk; the bread of man yet green in the ear; were all objects sufficient to call forth the praise and the gratitude of a feeling heart.

There nature displayed before our ravished senses the majesty and the beauty of her eternal Author; and we then said, This magnificent universe is too beautiful, too grand, to be the abode of men who can regard it without emotion. For man the wings of the wind waft their refreshing breezes; for him the rivulets pour along their murmuring streams, while at noontide he rests from his labours, and seeks the cool retreat; for him the corn sprouts, and the trees bring forth their fruits; all the creation serves him, and he regards it not.

Yet those who love their Lord will discover in the breeze and in the brook, in the fields and in the flowers, in the blade of grass and in the ear of corn, traces of his eternal sapience, and proofs of his unutterable love and power. The vast creation is the sanctuary of God; the world is a temple consecrated to his glory; and man was designed to be as the priest of nature, and not the oppressive, destructive tyrant of defenceless beings.

NOVEMBER VIII.

FOREIGN ANIMALS.

Every portion of the earth has animals peculiar to itself, and the Creator has placed them in one country in preference to another, for the wisest reasons. The elephant and the camel are the most remarkable animals of the southern countries. They surpass all others in size: the elephant, in particular, is like a living mountain, and his legs are like pillars. His head is fixed upon a very short neck, and armed with two weapons of defence, with which he is able to tear the trees up by the roots. With a longer neck he could not have supported the weight of his head, nor have kept it in an elevated position to make up for this he has a very long trunk, which he uses as a hand to reach food to his mouth without being obliged to stoop for it. He can not only move, bend, and turn his trunk in all directions, to perform what we do with our fingers, but he also uses it as an organ of sensation. His eyes are small in proportion to the size of his body, but they are brilliant, full of fire, and very expressive. In a state of nature the elephant, though wild, is neither sanguinary nor ferocious; his disposition is gentle, and he only uses his natural weapons for self-defence. Unless he is provoked, he does no one any harm; but when irritated, and roused by ill treatment, he is terrible; he seizes his enemy with his trunk, shakes him in the air, and puts