tered in the hour of your distress, and in the moment of your tribulation; remembering that God has declared he is a God of justice, and will not be mocked.

He is merciful and long suffering; he spares the rebellious, but he will not spare for ever. He is just, and before his holy tribunal we must all appear. What is the thunder that roars over our heads in comparison of that awful day, when we shall hear the sound of the trumpet; when the elements themselves shall be dissolved by fire: and the earth and all that it contains be consumed with ardent heat?

AUGUST IX.

Contemplation upon a Meadow.

YE gloomy and majestic woods, where the fir-tree rears its stately head, where the tufted oaks spread their thickening foliage; and ye rivers, whose clear silver streams roll among the blue mountains, or gently glide through the vales below; with you I love to roam, and mark the landscape lessening on my sight, till all is wrapped in shade!

But now other beauties invite me forth; the verdant mead, all gay with flowers, attracts me. Vegetables of a thousand kinds refresh the air; millions of insects, their painted wings glittering in the sun, are flying from flower to flower in sportive mood; whilst others are winding through the dark labyrinths of the tufted grass; all varying in beauty, and each seeking for food and pleasure.

How soothing is the murmur of yon limpid stream, as its waters gently wash the flowers that, bending over the grassy bank, oft kiss the dimpling wave, or dance reflected on its surface!

See those waving plants! what a mild lustre the sun beams on the different shades of green! Some delicately entwine with the grass, and mingle with it their beautiful foliage; others proudly rear their heads above the rest, and display flowers without perfume; whilst the lovely violet, in lowly modesty drest, dwells beneath the bank, and scents the air

with fragrant odours. Thus we often see the man of worth and integrity, obscured by poverty, unnoticed, and unregarded, diffuse blessings round his humble sphere; whilst the slave of ignorance and villany, shrouded in the all-protecting garb of riches, consumes in idleness the fruits of the earth, and receives the applause of millions.

How beautiful is nature! The grass and flowers grow luxuriantly; the trees are covered with leaves; the soft zephyr refreshes us; the flocks wanton in the pastures; the little lambs declare their joy by a thousand sportive skips, and frisk lightly over the mead. The green grass, tipped with sweet dew, adorns the field; the leaves tremble in the breeze, and the melody of the nightingale rises from yonder bush. Every thing is joy, every thing inspires love; it reigns on the hills and in the valleys, on the trees and in the groves.

Nature is beautiful even in her least productions. The sporting insects pursue each other in the grass; sometimes lost in the verdure, then rising and displaying their gilded wings, dancing in the sun-beam. The butterfly hovers over the clover, flutters its wings, and seems proud of its charms. The buzzing of a swarm of young bees now meets my ear. See the flowers bending under them! They have gaily flown from their distant home, and dispersed themselves over the fields and gardens, where they collect the honied nectar of the flowers, and riot in luxurious sweets, and ever-varying charms.

Happy is the man whose life of innocence smoothly flows embosomed in nature's sweetest treasures. The creation smiles to him, and joy gilds his glad moments; whether reclining in the evening shade, or brushing with hasty steps the morn ing dew. Pleasure springs for him from every fountain; every flower yields its charms, and every grove welcomes him to its hallowed shade. For him wild concerts warble in the air; and his mind, serene as a summer's day, knows no corroding, heart-consuming care: his affections are pure as the untainted breath of morn, sweet as the dew-washed flowers;

in the beauties of nature he sees his God, and to him devotes his willing soul.

AUGUST X.

Mischiefs caused by Animals.

It is distressing to see some of the finest productions of nature exposed to the ravages of animals. Every summer we observe the mischievous effects of the rapacity of birds and insects in the vegetable kingdom! How many trees are destroyed, and fruits consumed, by worms and caterpillars! And how much necessary sustenance we are deprived of by the insatiable sparrow and greedy raven! These and similar complaints are often uttered by men who seem to imagine that certain animals only exist to torment mankind. I is true, there is some foundation for such complaints; and it must be granted that some creatures do occasion much mischief. It is more easy to exterminate wolves, lions, and other wild beasts, than to extirpate insects, whose numerous swarms cover a whole country. In Peru a species of ant, called chako, is a terrible scourge to the inhabitants; and their lives would be endangered if they did not use precautions to get rid of these formidable insects. The devastation made by caterpillars on our fruit trees, and by mice in our fields, is well known.

But however great these inconveniences may be, they do not authorize such bitter complaints as some people make. We are pleased to see the animals which are mischievous to us destroy one another: we think we may without injustice deprive animals of life, either for our food or any other purpose; but we cannot bear that they should take any thing from us. But have we more right to take away the life of a gnat, than it has to take a drop of our blood? Besides, in complaining of the voracity of animals, we do not consider that this arrangement of nature is not so disadvantageous as it may at first sight appear. To be convinced of this, we have only to consider the auimal kingdom in an enlarged

point of view. We shall then find, that many species of aninials, birds, or insects, apparently hurtful, are on the contrary of great utility. Several years ago, the inhabitants of the then English colonies of America endeavoured to extirpate the tribe of jays, because they imagined that these birds did great injury to the corn. But the number of jays was scarcely diminished, when immense numbers of worms, caterpillars, &c. ravaged their corn-fields. They immediately stopped the persecution of the jays; whose numbers again increasing, soon put an end to the plague, the consequence of their destruction.

Some time ago a project was formed in Sweden to destroy all the crows; but it was observed, that these birds were not only fond of seeds and plants, but they devoured a great number of worms and caterpillars, which live upon the leaves and roots of vegetables.

In North America great exertions were used to drive away the sparrow tribe; and in consequence of their success, the flies and gnats multiplied to such a degree in the marshy countries, that large tracts of land were left uncultivated.

Pheasant-hunting is so considerable in the island of Procita, that the king of Naples prohibited the use of cats to the inhabitants. In a few years the rats and mice becoming extremely numerous, caused so much mischief, that his Neapolitan majesty was obliged to revoke his decree for the annihilation of cats.

Why should we be so selfish as to wish to deprive animals of the provisions necessary for their subsistence? Are we able ourselves to consume all the fruits of the earth? And do we find any deficiency in our sustenance or our pleasures, because birds, insects, and a few animals, partake with us of the blessings which God has so bountifully bestowed, and of which a part must spoil if these creatures did not make use of it? Instead then of indulging in unjust complaints, let us rather acknowledge the wisdom of our Creator. Every thing is connected in the vast kingdom of nature; no creature is useless, or placed there without an end, though we

are ignorant of the destination of many animals. It is sufficient that they exist, for us to suppose that they are created for the wisest purposes.

Thus, the consideration of the apparent disorders and imperfections of nature leads us to God, who has created nothing in vain, who preserves nothing without reason, and who, when he permits any thing to be destroyed, does not do it without some useful design. If we were sufficiently convinced of these truths, all the works of God would excite us to glorify and to bless his Divine power and goodness.

AUGUST XI.

Variety of Colours.

WHEN We consider how dull and gloomy our fields and gardens would be, and how indistinct every object would appear, were there only one colour, we must acknowledge the wise goodness of God, who by causing such a diversity of hues, has increased and varied our pleasures. Objects which are designed to be seen at a distance are painted in glowing colours, and are striking by their grandeur; such are the heavens whilst those objects which we contemplate nearer, as birds, flowers, &c. have a peculiar lightness, fineness, delicacy, and elegance."

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But whence proceeds the difference of colours? Each ray of light appears to be simple, but by refraction it is divided into several, and hence arises the diversity of colours. glass filled with water, and exposed to the sun, reflects certain colours upon white paper; and angular glasses, or prisms, reflect still more vivid colours. By holding a prism towards the sun, we may see the colours of the most beautiful rainbow or it may be done by receiving a ray of light on the prism, through a small hole in the window-shutter of a room closely shut. As the refraction of the rays is more or less strong, the colours will be more or less vivid. The most refrangible ray is the violet, and consequently it is the weakest. Next to it is the indigo; then the blue, next the green, then