other machines. It procures us fish, and brings on its surface the treasures of another region.

- How various and innumerable the effects produced by fire! Solid bodies are either melted and made fluid, or become again solid bodies of a different sort. It makes fluids boil, or reduces them to a vapour; and gives heat to all other bodies ; and contributes to give sensation of sight to living

creatures.

It is not only in the natural world that we see - the greatest variety of effects produced by the same cause: In the moral world also, one single disposition of the mind produces no less variety of = effects. Let us, for example, consider the natural inclination we have to love one another. From hence is derived the care of parents for their children; social ties; the connection of friendship; patriotism; goodness in those who govern, and fidelity in those who obey. Thus, one single propensity keeps each individual in the circle prescribed; and forms the bond of human society; is the principle of all virtuous actions, of all laudable pursuits, and of all innocent enjoyments. All these are most evident proofs that the world. is not made by chance; neither are the materials

- which compose it without connection or relation to each other. On the contrary, the world forms a regular whole, which divine power has ordained with infinite wisdom. In each part, in each phenomenon of the visible world, we discover traces of it. Yet there is much more which escapes the deepest observations of the greatest capacities; for we cannot trace it in all its different lights.

JULY XXIX.

SOME MALADIES IN PLANTS.

VEGETABLES are subject to several maladies. Sometimes they are covered with a whitish matter, which sticks to them like dust. It does not proceed from insects, as is generally believed, but from a natural stagnation in the juices, and a beginning of corruption, which attracts the insects, and invites them to lay their eggs upon it. The stagnation of the juices is the first stage of corruption; and it is supposed that this alone is sufficient to attract insects, because they are seen swarming by millions, as soon as the circulation of juices is stopped in a tree, either by natural or other causes. This is the reason that the weakest and worst situated trees are the most frequently subject to this malady. If the insects were the cause of it, it could not be produced by art; whereas if a tree is wounded designedly, or by neglect, it will immediately bring the mildew. On a tree, thus weakened by art, millions of insects settle at once, while the neighbouring trees are free from them. Therefore this corruption should no more be imputed to insects than that of meat; it is caused by the stagnation of the juices, an accide it which many circumstances may oссаsion. There is often something resembling dew, but which is glutinous, sweet and corrosive, that burns and spoils the plants. It was imagined that the insects conveyed this glutinous juice into vegetables, or that the bees carried their honey there. But, after many experiments, it is now allowed to be ascertained, that this matter falls from the air in the form of dew. In some coun

tries, it lies in little drops on a number of vegetables of different sorts, without distinction; and in the space of a night it covers almost all the leaves of a long row of trees, on which there was none before. Perhaps this dew is formed from vapours, rising from flowers and blossoms of trees, out of which the bees extract such good honey; and if it falls more in one place than another, it is owing to the direction of the wind. Perhaps, also, this matter may be the effect of malady in the plants, when the juices are hurt, which may attract insects, like the dust before mentioned; for it is the boughs, branches, bushes, and weak trees, that most frequently suffer from this malady. It is also observed, that the leaves, on which this sort of dew falls, spots, blackens, and spoils; and very possibly this substance may be the cause of it.

Here again we find traces of the wisdom of the Creator; for, as the insects require food to live upon, it is for our benefit they should be obliged to seek it in vegetables, which being spoiled, are become useless or hurtful to us. To this we owe that the animals do not deprive us of food, but choose what would be hurtful to us. It is true, that, according to the course of nature, each plant, each tree, and even each animal, serves to support some kind of animal. We revenge ourselves on the species which hurts us, and seek as much as possible to destroy them. Perhaps we should be more disposed to spare them, if we considered how little real harm they do us.

JULY XXX.

MEANS OF SUBSISTENCE WHICH NATURE AFFORDS TO ANIMALS.

IT is one of the great effects of divine goodness and power, that there is every where food enough to maintain all the living creatures with which the world is filled. It is not indeed wonderful that the countries under the temperate zone should furnish subsistence for those that live there; but that it should be the same every where else, even where it could be least expected to find food and pasture, and that such different kinds of animals should never fail of provisions, can only be attributed to the care of a wise and beneficent Providence.

God has proportioned the food to the number and wants of the animals which are to consume it. It is almost every where to be found in abundance; but not in such profusion as to corrupt, which would be an evil to us. What is most remarkable in this is, that among so many sorts of food, the most useful and necessary are in general the most common, and multiply most easily. As there are a great many creatures which feed on grass, there are great numbers of fields covered with grass, herbs, and salubrious plants, which grow of themselves, and resist the inclemency of the air. Is it not worthy our attention, that corn, the principal food of man, can be so easily cultivated, and so astonishingly multiplied? For example, a bushel of wheat, if sowed in a good soil, may produce an hundred and fifty bushels. Is it not by a most wise direction of the Creator, the taste of animals is so different? that

some love to feed on herbs, others on corn, others on meat, worms, insects, &c. Some are content with a little, others are almost insatiable. If all sorts of animals fed on the same thing, the earth would soon become a vast solitude. This diversity of taste among beasts is a certain proof, that it is not by chance they like such and such food, but is owing to a natural instinct which inclines them to food adapted to the nature of their bodies. By this means all the productions of earth and sea are well disposed of. Not only every thing that breathes is richly provided for, but even that, which, by corrupting, might prove a nuisance, serves useful purposes. For the most wholesome plants would perish, the carcases of fish, birds, and beasts, would exhale a destructive poison, were it not for the wise direction of the Creator, who ordained that different animals should choose these things for their food.

Food spontaneously offers itself to most beasts; but they require the art to discern it, and must be prudent and cautious. Their provisions are so prepared, that what is useful to one species is hurtful to another, and turns to poison. Botanists have found, from several experiments, that cows eat of 276 sorts of grass, but that they reject 218; that goats make use of 449, and that there are 126 which they do not touch. Sheep feed on 387, and there are 141 which they do not eat. The horse grazes on 262, and rejects 212. Swine are content with 72 vegetables, but there are 171 which they will not make use of. Other animals are obliged to seek their food with labour and afar off, to dig for it in the earth, or to collect it from a thousand places where it is scattered about, or even to bring it out of another element. Many are obliged to choose the

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