circumstance it appears to grow so suddenly, and to be created in a wonderful manner with the rain; as a fresh shower falling on it, when it is withered and invisible, revives and makes it again appear. But there are still more singularities worth observation among ong the vegetables. The whole atmosphere is filled with millions of invisible plants and seeds. Even seeds of a larger sort are scattered by the wind all over the earth; and as soon as the air has carried them to the places where they can thrive, they become plants; and it requires so little for that purpose, that it is difficult to conceive whence they can draw what is necessary for their growth. There are considerable plants, and even trees, that take root and grow in crevices of rocks, without the least earth. Vegetation is sometimes formed inconceivably quick: For example, mushrooms, and water-cresses, if the seed of them is put into wet linen, become a sallad in 24 hours. There are plants which appear to have scarce any life, and yet they continue to exist. We often see willows not only hollow and decayed within, but the outer bark so hurt, that there scarce remains an eighth part of it. These trunks, however, poor as they are, break out again every spring, and shoot into numberless branches and leaves. How wonderful is it, that the nutritive juice of plants is not only supplied by means of the root, but by the leaves also, which draw it from the air, and, in some degree, pump it in; and that there should be plants, the branches of which become roots, and the roots branches, according as they are turned in planting them! The great age also to which trees arrive, how surprising it is! There are apple-trees, which must be above a thousand years old; and, if we calculate in the gross, the E3 fruit fruit which such a tree produces every year, we cannot but admire the fertility of a pippin, which can singly supply all Europe with trees and fruit of that sort. But we should never have done, if we were to pursue these reflections as far as they might lead. Every thing is full of wonders. Every thing marks to us a Being of perfection, whose power, wisdom, and unbounded goodness, all join in heaping upon us continual blessings and enjoyments. Ungrateful as we are, shall we not vouchsafe to reflect on the many wonders that continually surround us! Can we refuse to bless our God, who does such great and admirable things! Shall we not sanctify the pleasures which the country and gardens afford us, by contemplating the wonders of the Lord; by reflecting on them; by looking from the creature to the Creator; from the flower to Him who made it. Lord! How great and magnificent are thy works! what wonders present themselves on all sides! I contemplate them with delight: But I am lost in them. They surpass my comprehension, and I cannot fathom them. It is at thy command that the grass shoots its blade; that the groves are clothed with verdure; that the flowers embalm and adorn the fields and gardens with their colours; that the trees grow and raise their heads to the very clouds. The mountain cedar declares thy glory, and proclaims that thou hast made it. On whatever side I turn, new wonders appear. The country, the vales, and the mountains, the rivers, and the sea, all, from the lowest atom to the highest sphere, is full of the goodness of the Lord! JUNE JUNE XII. MEANS OF HAPPINESS WHICH WE FIND IN NATURE. TO be convinced, that, throughout all nature, every thing tends to the benefit of mankind, we need only consider, in the first place, the close connection and relation between all natural things and us. It is true, that there are several bodies, the use of which we do not see relatively to man; but we must not conclude from thence, that we draw no advantage from them. Many things, which appeared useless to our ancestors, do not now appear so; and it is to be presumed, that our descendants will, in their turn, discover what we are at present ignorant of. Let us acknowledge the Divine Wisdom in this. The real use of many creatures is concealed from us, in order to humble our pride, by making us feel how limited our understandings are, and to exercise our minds, and lead us more and more to the contemplation of God's works. Many things in nature are only indirectly useful to us: Several animals serve as food for mankind, and consequently, all that serves as sustenance for them is beneficial to us. The small fish are the food of the larger: many birds feed on worms and insects; and there are several species which live entirely on prey. The Divine Wisdom manifests itself again in this circumstance; for if the fields and productions of the earth were to feed all the animals, there would not be enough left for the use of man: and what would then be the fruit of his labour? I allow that there are several animals which might be said to be created only to hurt mankind; for example, venomous creatures. Poison is so hurtful to the human body, that it generally causes a painful death; and its effects are sometimes so quick, that there is scarce time to have recourse to antidotes. It is true, that, in this respect, many animals appear in a bad light; but if we consider them on another side, we shall discover traces of God's goodness, and have reason to admire his wisdom. Physicians make use of poison in many excellent medicines. Would mankind have been happier, if there had been no venomous creatures in the world? The poison they have in them had made before a part of those bad vapours which mankind would have breathed, and which would have been prejudicial. In a word, it may be said with certainty, that there is nothing on earth really hurtful to man, unless he makes an improper use of it. But if, in creating our globe, God proposed to himself our happiness, should we not be inexcusable to interrupt his salutary designs, by obstructing our own happiness, instead of labouring for it with all our might ? God's views are all merciful towards us, but we often render them useless by a conduct which must necessarily make us unhappy. Let us be wiser hereafter, and make a better use of the many means of happiness with which God so abundantly furnishes us. And if it is not possible to satisfy all our wishes in this world, let us have recourse to religion, which will amply compensate for any defects in nature, and will explain to us many things which appear obscure. JUNE JUNE XIII THE LOADSTONE. THE loadstone is the most singular of all minerals in its properties. It is a ferruginous stone of a dark grey colour, and has the virtue of attracting iron. This virtue is not equal throughout the whole stone, but resides chiefly in two of its points, called the poles of the loadstone. When this stone is suspended by a string, and unconfined, it constantly points one of its poles to the north, and the other to the south, if first put in motion, and then left to itself. This regular direction, which only varies a little in some particular parts of the earth, has given the name of the northern pole to that which points to the north, and southern to that which points to the south. The two properties of attracting iron, and pointing toward the north, are communicated to iron by rubbing it against the loadstone. This discovery introduced the magnetic needle, so indispensibly necessary to navigators in long voyages;, which proves, that things may become very useful to the world, though at first sight they appear of little importance; and that, in general, the knowledge and study of the magnificent works of the creation is of infinite advantage to the human mind. These virtues in the loadstone prompted the naturalists to examine farther into it, with the hope, not only of finding out the cause of such surprising effects, but of discovering new properties in the stone. They were more fortunate in the latter than in the former. It was observed, that the loadstone does not at all times, and in all places, point to |