the young one. Nature, however, has conferred upon the insect an instinct suitable to the emergency. As soon as it puts out its head, it elevates it above the water; and worming itself out always perpendicularly, supported only by the inequalities of the skin which it is about to cast off, with no power to balance itself, surrounded by an unfriendly element, it literally becomes a canoe, of which its own body forms mast and sail. The skin floats, and when the observer perceives, says Reaumur, how much the prow of the little bark sinks, and how near its sides are to the water, he forgets at the moment that the gnat is an insect which at another time he would kill; nay, he becomes anxious for its fate, and the more so if the slightest breeze play on the surface of the water; the least agitation of the air suffices to waft the creature with swiftness from place to place, and make it spin round and round. Its body, folded in its wings, bears a greater proportion to the little skiff, than the largest mass of sail to a ship: it is impossible not to dread lest the insect should be wrecked; once laid on its side on the water, there is no escape. Reaumur has seen the surface of the water covered with creatures of this kind which had thus perished at their birth. Generally, however, all terminates favourably, and the danger is over in a minute. After having stood perpendicularly, it draws out its two fore-legs, and bending to the water, places them on its surface, which is terra firma for a gnat's weight; having secured this position, all is safe; the wings dry and expand, and the insect, quitting its natal element, mounts into the air. It is supposed, that from the end of May to that of October, six or seven generations of these insects are born, and each gnat is capable of laying two hundred and fifty eggs. These are found agglutinated into a mass, and swimming about on the surface of water: they are individually olive-shaped, the large end being in the water, the rest in the air. When conjoined, the 1 upper surface of the mass presents to the eye the appearance of an infinite series of points. In arranging and floating this raft of eggs the gnat displays surprising ingenuity. They are discharged one by one, vertically, and not horizontally from the extremity of the insect; for this purpose it generally fixes itself on some solid substance, such as the bank of the water, or on a floating leaf. Standing on its four feet it stretches out the two hindmost legs; these being crossed, form an angle in which the first egg is laid; the second is placed next, and they adhere by means of a glutinous matter surrounding each. The gnat places them thus with the abdomen solely: when a sufficient number of eggs have been placed side by side, to render the base of the mass large enough to balance the height—for it is clear that a few eggs only could not float upright on so narrow a stem as they possess the gnat launches its precious vessel, and fearlessly commits its cherished young to that little ocean which is fraught with so many dangers to itself. Those who quit their proper character to assume what does not belong to them, are, for the greater part, ignorant both of the character they leave, and of the character they assume. POETRY. THE CURSE OF CAIN (Gen. iv. 15, 16.) O the wrath of the Lord is a terrible thing! And lo! like a deer in the fright of the chase, All nature to him has been blasted and banned, The groans of a father his slumbers shall start, And the wife of his bosom-the faithful and fair- And his offering may blaze-unregarded by Heaven; HOME OF THE BLEST Know ye the land, where no pain and no sorrow Where the joys never lessen, the hymns never cease; Where the tear shall not quench the bright beam of the eye, Where hopes here destroyed, meet fruition on high, Where the morn shall arise on the night of the grave, THE RAINBOW. Sweet Mercy's symbol! oft I love to gaze A voice proclaimed that to the end of Time Ages have rolled away-Time's mighty tide When first the Almighty's mandate gave thee birth. LIFE, DEATH, AND ETERNITY. A shadow moving by one's side, That would a substance seem, That is, yet is not,-though described- A tree that's ever in the bloom, A dark, inevitable night, A blank that will remain; A thing we know not, yet we dread,- The vaulted void of purple sky A day that comes without a noon,- SONNET. My times are in thy hand! Delightful thought! All things are mine, and working for my good, One cloud, a sunbeam of my earthly day: Victor of all! The keys of death are thine; Sickness and pain, and dark-winged powers of harm Thou hast subdued them, and the gain is mine, LINES. The dew is on the morning flower, The thrush has charmed his leafy bower, To view thy works and not to know, |