MARCH XXIV.

Nothing new under the Sun.

WITH respect to man, no doubt, there are many new things which take place in the earth; in every season we see new flowers spring up, new fruits ripen, and the whole face of nature annually changes. Every day is productive of new events and new revolutions : the situation of objects is continually changing, or they present themselves to our senses under different forms. It is only relatively to the limited extent of our knowledge and understanding that there is any thing new under the sun; and in this light nothing is more true than the saying of Solomon, "What has been will be, and what has been done will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun." God has not thought fit to multiply things unnecessarily; there is every thing which cau satisfy our wants, gratify our desires, and satiate our curiosity. Far from exhausting, we are scarcely able to acquire a superficial acquaintance with the works of the Creator; our senses are not sufficiently acute and powerful to perceive all the works of nature, and our understanding is too weak to comprehend them; so that we can never form a just and accurate idea of the creation, nor of every created being; hence we often believe many things are new under the sun which are only new to ourselves. As the empire of nature is immense, and as we can grasp only a very small part at one view, we suppose every thing we see for the first time to be new; be cause in every part of the world there is an infinite variety of appearance, and diversity of imagery.

Nature does not require a continued and endless creation; it is sufficient that the Supreme Being pre serves the order which he established in the beginning. There is no necessity for a number of springs to vary

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the works already produced; for they succeed each other, and return in regular order, and yet appear so infinitely diversified as to seem always new. The im. possibility of our numbering or conceiving the whole extent of the works of nature, whilst it convinces us of the weakness of our capacity, strongly proves the existence of one great First Cause of all, an Almighty God.

But are there not many recent discoveries, entirely unknown to the Ancients? Are we not now familiar with phenomena in the kingdom of nature of which we formerly had no idea? Most of these discoveries have proceeded rather from the stimulus of want, than that of arriving at truth. As our wants multiply, new means are necessary to supply them; but these existed long before we knew them. Minerals, vegetables, and animals, that have lately been discovered, already existed in the earth, or upon its surface, long before the researches of men brought them to light; and many that we imagine to be modern discoveries were very probably known to the Ancients.

Were the world (what from the nature of things is impossible) the work of chance, the same fortuitous agent that causes its first existence might operate today as well as then; and we should be continually witnessing new productions. But the world and all created things being formed by a perfect Being, every thing that is made bears the stamp and broad impression of an all-powerful God, which established the foundations of the earth with wisdom, and formed in the beginning every thing that was essential to the preservation and well-being of the whole; so that there is no necessity for a new creation, or new laws, but all moves in harmony, guided by eternal sapience. In all, and through all, God is magnified and glo. tified; and to him is due eternal honour and ever. lasting praise.

MARCH XXV.

Of Caves found in Mountains.

CAVES are generally found in mountains, and very seldom in plains. They are frequently caused by the eruptions of volcanoes, and the explosions of earthquakes. But what end do such chasms answer? Though we could discover no certain end in their existence, we may take for granted that they are not formed in vain.

However, the purposes they answer are often evi. dent; they serve as reservoirs for water, which may be had recourse to upon a deficiency of rain. They are also useful for the freer circulation of air through the earth, by more readily permitting its ingress and egress, and thus lessen the frequency of earthquakes. They sometimes fill with water, and form lakes; such is the lake Zirchnitzer, in Carniola, which fills in June, and loses its waters among the neighbouring mountains in September. It is sometimes navigable, and at others so dry, that the inhabitants may plough, sow, reap, and hunt in it. Another use of caves is the shelter and retreat which, during winter, they offer to animals. Hence we find more cause to admire the wisdom and bounty of God; and the deeper our researches penetrate into nature, the less shall we find of useless matter, and the greater reason we shall have to adore the sublimity and perfections of God in his works.

MARCH XXVI.

Circulation of Sap in Trees.

THE trees, which during several months appeared entirely dead, begin gradually to revive, and in the

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space of a few weeks will give much more evident signs of vitality; the buds will sprout, open, and the sweet blossoms expand. Though we have observed this revolution at the commencement of several successive springs, we have perhaps been ignorant of the means conducing to this end. The effects which we perceive in spring to take place in trees and other vegetables are caused by the circulation of the sap, which begins to move in the vessels containing it when acted upon by a milder air and increase of warmth. As the life of animals depends upon the circulation of blood, so does the life and growth of plants depend on the circulation of the sap, which is to them what blood is to animals. To effect this, nature has formed and adapted all parts of vegetables to concur in the preparation, motion, and conservation, of this nou rishing juice.

It is principally by the bark that the sap, in the spring, begins to ascend from the roots into the body of the tree, and that even throughout the year life and nourishment are distributed to the branches and to the fruit which they bear*. The woody part of the tree is composed of small longitudinal fibres, extending in spiral lines, closely united together, from the roots to the summit of the trees. Amongst these fibres, some áre so extremely small and fine, that a single one, scarcely as large as a hair, contains some thousand fibrillæ. There is an innumerable multitude of little tubes, in which the sap circulates, extending through

* From the experiments of Coulomb and Knight, it would appear, that the sap does not ascend through the bark, but through the wood; and it is well known that a plant continues to grow even when stripped of a great part of the bark, which would not be the case if the sap ascended through the bark; and, those who are in the habit of obtaining sap from trees are obliged to carry their incisions deeper than the bark, or they' are unable to procure any sap.-E.

all the body of the tree to the remotest branches; some conveying it from the root to the summit, and others returning it back again. During the heat of the day the sap rises through the ascending tubes, and returns by the descending ones in the cool of the evening. These tubes pass through the leaves, which are also supposed to answer the purpose of respiratory organs, and absorb the dew and moisture of the atmosphere.

The sap then is distributed through every part of the tree; its aqueous part evaporates by the pores of the vessels, whilst the oily, sulphurous, earthy, and saline particles blend together, to nourish the trees and promote its growth. If the circulation of the sap is checked, if the internal organisation of the tree is destroyed, either by a very severe frost, or by old age, or by some accident, the tree will die.

After such reflections as these, we shall no longer view the trees at this season with indifference, nor consider the change they are about to undergo as un worthy of our attention. Neither shall we observe the renovation of nature, without thinking of that God who has given life to all creatures, provided the trees with appropriate juices, given them the power of circulating the sap in vessels, and distributed to them life, growth, and nutriment. Yet how many people, year after year, unregarded let this season pass, and know less of the life and beauty of spring, displayed in plants and trees, than the cattle browsing on the plains. If ever they are blessed with another return of this season, may they begin to feel, and love to enjoy, the beauties of nature; and at length know, that the infinite Creator is near to us in every part of his works, and that each of his creatures proclaims his greatness. And may the Lord God, in his infinite mercy, grant, that whilst all nature rejoicing feels the reanimating influence of spring, we may awaken from our slumber, and walk forth to enjoy his presence,