from the grave, and run a new round of beauty, animation, and enjoyment. Is there not hope, then, for the human soul? Shall not the same paternal goodness watch over it in its seeming extinction, and cause it to survive the winter of death? Yes, there is hope here, but there is no assurance. It is from the word of inspiration alone that the assurance of immortality springs. That book of unerring truth informs us, that, after our mortal winter, there comes a spring of unfading beauty and eternal joy, where no cold chills, and no heat scorches; where there is bloom without decay, and a sky without a cloud.

But let it never be forgotten, that the prospect which lies before us is not all bright and smiling. The same book of truth which reveals to us our immortal nature, informs us, also, that, in the unseen world to which we are travelling, there is a state of misery as well as a state of blessedness; that we are now, step by step, approaching the one or the other of these states; and that each successive year, as it passes over our heads, instead of leading us upward to the unchanging glories which belong to the children of God, may be only conducting us downward, on that road which leadeth to destruction."

This is inexpressibly dreadful! And when we think of our own character and qualifications, we shall find nothing calculated to allay our terrors. If, from the elevated spot on which we now stand, at the commencement of a new stage of our journey, we look back on the scenes through which we have passed, and reflect on the transactions in which we have been engaged, what shall we discover that can recommend us to Him "who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity?" If, again, we look forward, what a scene of turmoil and disorder, temptation and danger, do we descry in a world lying in wickedness! When we think of the weakness of our own hearts, and of the enemies we have to encounter-so numerous and so formidable-we cannot fail to be appalled, and to experience the same kind of misgiving which led an apostle to exclaim, "Who is sufficient for these things!"

But when, in the exercise of faith, we turn to the Gospel, a more blessed view opens to us; for it is full of the most encouraging promises to those who will accept of them. It tells us of "the Lord God merciful and gracious, long suffering and slow to anger, abundant in loving kindness and tender mercy ;" and, in proof of this character, it reminds us of the impartial manner in which the Creator employs inanimate nature for the good of His creatures, making His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sending rain on the just and on the unjust;" it reminds us, also, of the parental affection with which His own exuberant bounty has inspired the animal creation, and, taking an example from the inferior tribes, it beautifully declares, that "as an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings," so He watches over His rational offspring, delighting to lead, instruct, and bless them. Rising still higher, it reminds us of the tenderness He has infused into the mind of earthly parents, and says, "If you being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him." Nay, it represents the Eternal as condescending to compare his regard for his people, with that of a fond mother for the infant smiling upon her knee, "Can a mother forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, she may forget; yet will I not forget thee." It does much more; it reveals to us the wonders of redeeming love, presenting to our view the Son of the Eternal humbling himself for our sakes, to assume the form of a servant; becoming a man of sorrows; submitting to ignominy, torture, and death; and then it crowns all, by making this unanswerable appeal, "If God spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not, with Him, also freely give us all things!"

Such is the unspeakable encouragement which the Christian derives from the Gospel of his Divine Master. And shall we not "work out our own salvation, seeing it is God who worketh in us both to will and to do of

his good pleasure?" In this mighty task, we cannot indeed avoid being affected with "fear and trembling," when we reflect on what we have at stake; but we have also every thing to hope, for He who is for us, is greater than all that can be against us; and the value of the prize which is set before us is inestimable..

NINTH WEEK-SATURDAY.

MIGRATION OF THE LAND-CRAB.

As I do not intend to resume, in any other part of this work, the subject of migration, I shall now notice one other migratory animal, which deserts its usual haunts for the purpose of finding an appropriate spot for depositing its eggs, and whose instinct, in this respect, is peculiarly remarkable. I allude to the land-crab. It is noticed by Kirby, but I shall chiefly follow the account given in Goldsmith's Animated Nature,' which contains most of the particulars known of this extraordinary little animal, and from which the description of it, both in the work already mentioned, and in the Edinburgh Encyclopedia, seems to be principally drawn.

The crab is of the same kind with the lobster, which in many particulars it resembles. The residence of the greater part of the species is in the waters; but that which I am now about to present to my readers, is entirely an inhabitant of the land, being found chiefly among the mountainous ranges of the Caribbee Islands; and although it has gills like a fish, it speedily perishes when submerged. There is one occasion, however, and only one, when it seeks the seacoast, and seems to prove, not only by its form, but by its habits, its affinity to its congeners of the ocean; and that is, when it is about to wash off or deposit its eggs. It would seem that the eggs of this creature, which bear a remarkable resemblance to

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VII.

The

the spawn of fish, require to be hatched in the sea. crab is warned of this by its instinct; and, though its usual residence is in mountainous districts, at a considerable distance from the shore, where it lives on roots and vegetables, and where its habits are exceedingly retired, it undertakes a tedious and perilous journey, in obedience to the first law of its nature. The form of this animal is little fitted for travelling. It is thus graphically described by Goldsmith:-"The violet-crab somewhat resembles two hands, cut through the middle, and joined together; for each side looks like four fingers, and the two nippers or claws resemble the thumbs. All the rest of the body is covered with a shell as large as a man's hand, and bunched in the middle, on the fore-part of which there are two long eyes, of the size of a grain of barley, as transparent as crystal, and as hard as horn. A little below these, is the mouth, covered with a sort of barbs, under which there are two broad sharp teeth, as white as snow. They are not placed, as in other animals, cross ways, but in an opposite direction, not much unlike the blades of a pair of scissors. With these teeth they can easily cut leaves, fruits, and rotten wood, which is their usual food. But their principal instrument for cutting and seizing their food, is their nippers, which catch such a hold, that the animal loses the limb sooner than its grasp, and is often seen scampering off, having left its claw still holding fast upon its enemy."*

*[The description given above, of the form of the land-crab, is not of much value; for Goldsmith, though an elegant writer both of poetry and prose, was no naturalist. It is sufficient to say, for the information of general readers, that the land-crab (GECARCINUS) resembles the seacrab, except that its body or carapace is remarkably full and rounded. The writer of this note saw thousands of them in Cuba, and is this moment writing, with one of them, a dried specimen, before him. This is a large individual, of a uniform pale ash color. The main facts which may be relied on, in the history of this curious genus, are given in the following brief summary by Latreille.

"The crabs pass the greatest part of their life on land, hiding themselves in holes, and not coming forth till evening. Some keep about cemeteries. Once a year, when they would lay their eggs, they assemble in numerous bands, and move in the shortest direction to the sea, without caring for any obstacles. After they have finished their deposit, they return much weakened. It is said that they block up their bur

Such is the creature whose extraordinary instinct we are about to describe. Among the mountains, they live in a kind of orderly community, usually burrowing in the earth, in the midst of inaccessible retreats. They choose the month of April or May to begin their expedition, and then sally out by thousands from the stumps of hollow trees, from the clefts of the rocks, and from the holes which they dig for themselves under the surface of the ground. The procession sets forward with the regularity of a well-disciplined army. They are commonly divided into three battalions, of which the first consists of the strongest and boldest males, that, like pioneers, march forward to clear the route, and face the greatest dangers. The main body of the army is composed of females, which never leave the mountains till the rain is set in for some time, and these descend in regular array, being formed into columns sometimes of fifty paces broad, and three miles long, and so close that there is no setting down one's foot, without treading on some of them. Three or four days after this, the rear-guard follows, a straggling undisciplined tribe, consisting of males and females, neither so robust nor so numerous as the former. The sea being the place of their destination, to that they direct their march, with right-lined precision, turning neither to the right hand nor the left, except compelled by absolute necessity, and attempting even to scale the walls of houses which may be in their way, rather than be diverted from their direct course. At this sea

son," says Mr. Barclay, speaking of what happens in Jamaica, in a paper published in the New Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, "it is impossible to keep them out of the houses, or even out of the bedrooms, where, at one time scratching with their large claws, and at another rattling across the floor, they make a noise that would not a little astonish and alarm a stranger.". The night is their chief time of proceeding; but, if it rains by

rows during their moult; and their flesh is then much esteemed, although it is sometimes poisonous. This quality is attributed to the fruit of the manchineel, of which the people think, falsely perhaps, that the crabs have eaten."-Aм. ED.]