ture. The Utility of Forests. 229 out, proves how much they adorn and embellish naWhilst reflecting upon the utility of woods, we should not forget the fruits which the numerous species of trees produce; for though there are some trees whose fruits do not appear to be of any use to man, the trees which bear them are always useful, whether for their beauty only, or the advantage of their foliage and wood. And if we properly reflect, we shall acknowledge that those trees which are called barren are nevertheless of great use; they nourish and support a variety of insects, which serve as food for those birds which afford us sustenance and the most exquisite dainties. The acorns of the several species of oaks, chesnuts, and various other productions of trees, are the favourite aliment of swine and wild boars and have we not sometimes known these fruits become the food of man? And they are further useful in being the seed which perpetuates the forests. How many animals find a shelter and an existence in the woods, which without them must perish! and of how many conveniences, utensils, and medicines, should we not be deprived, if we had no wood, bark, or roots! and how dull and sterile would the earth appear, if no trees waved their verdant heads above its surface, and if no groves diversified its plains! Forests then being of the most essential use to mankind, Nature herself has the care of perpetuating them. If their preservation and increase had been abandoned to the casual vigilance and industry of men, they would long since have perished. But the Creator himself has preserved the trees of the forest; he alone has planted and supported them. He disperses the small seeds over the country, and gives them wings, that they may be more easily wafted by the winds to the distant places destined to receive them. He alone has caused those large trunks to rise up majestically in the air, and meet the clouds with their spreading foliage; it is he who has established them firmly in the earth, where their branching roots enable them to defy the winds and brave the storm; and he waters them with his dew, and refreshes them with his rain; their beautiful verdure yearly returns, and they seem to preserve a perpetual life. Merciful Father! thy goodness extends over all the earth; every-where the traces of thy beneficence and the effects of thy wisdom appear; in the fields and in the groves, in the wild desert and in the flowery mead, thou hast erected monuments of thy goodness, and placed memorials of thy bounty; and the season is now approaching when I can sit beneath the shade of the spreading oaks, and, whilst my heart swells with love and gratitude, pour forth the feelings of my soul in songs of joy and hymns of adoration in praise of thee, and in celebration of thy holy name. APRIL XXIX. Pleasures derived from the Contemplation of Nature. NATURE, with maternal kindness, offers to all her children the most delightful and universal, as well as the least expensive, of all pleasures. Such our first parents enjoyed in Paradise, and it is only depravity which leads men to delight in other recreations. Mankind are accustomed to despise the blessings which they daily enjoy, and seek for amusements that afford them pleasure from their variety, and a succession of delight from their novelty: while the pleasures of nature exceed all others, are open to every one, and their enjoyment never leaves behind it the sting of re. morse, or the tears of repentance. But we are so selfish as to disregard the charms of nature, because Pleasures of contemplating Nature. 231 they are alike open to the eyes of the poor as to those of the rich; and so foolish as to despise them, because of their cheapness: whereas nothing should gratify us more than to know, the same objects which caused our delight constitute the happiness of millions. Compared with the noble and affecting pleasure such a consideration excites, how frivolous and deceitful are all those costly amusements and magnificent entertainments, which delight the rich and please the foolish! their enjoyment often ends with disgust, and leaves as its portion a painful vacancy of soul; whilst nature, ever rich and bountiful, continually varies her charms, and offers new beauties to the admiring observer. All the pleasures which are the effects of art are of short duration, and fleeting as the dream, the illusions of which vanish when we awake. But the exercise of reason, and the ever-varying pleasures of the imagi nation, last for ever, and derive new strength from contemplating the works of nature, which calls forth all the finer feelings of the heart. To see the starry heavens, the earth variegated with flowers, a thousand different landscapes, and prospects vying with each other in beauty; and to listen to the evening song of the nightingale wafted on the breeze, whilst all nature is retiring to repose; will ever fill our souls with de light, and gratify all our feelings. If any one is insensible to these beauties, and unaffected by their charms, it must be owing to his depravity, or the stupidity which he has acquired from inattention. The great science of Christianity consists in the innocent enjoyment of every good which surrounds us; and he who practises this, possesses the art of deriving the means of happiness from every circumstance that does not injure his virtue, his intellect, or his feelings. Beneficent Creator! thou art mindful of us in this beautiful scason, and providest us with abundant sources of pleasure! Thou continually causest new springs of delight to open, and our hearts are filled with joy and gladness! If we desire to elevate our hearts to thee, to indulge in holy meditation, and to enjoy celestial bliss, nature offers us the most ample means. May we ever prefer this exalted satisfaction before all the pleasures of sense! In these sweet days of spring, may the enjoyment of nature's purer pleasures be more grateful to us than the allurements of sensual gratifications, which neither dignify the mind nor, purify the heart! Teach us, O Lord, to acknowledge thy divine power and goodness; for it is by seeking to know thee in the varied and numerous works of thy creation, that we open to ourselves a pure and inexhaustible source of delight, and are enabled to enjoy, in this state of existence, a foretaste of the felicity which the righteous shall experience in thy presence for ever and ever! APRIL XXX. The Glory of God seen in the Creation of Animals. - ANIMALS, instead of being abused, should be treated with all possible kindness; and, to enable us to do this better, we should consider them as subjects in which we may glorify God. All creatures may serve this purpose, but none so well as the animal creation. Every plant, tree, flower, and stone, bears the impression of the grandeur and glory of the Crea tor; but in the animal kingdom it is still more mani. fest. Examine the structure of any single living creature, and what art, beauty, and wonderful mechanism, do we discover! and how these are multiplied, when we consider the prodigious number and immense variety of animals, forming one interrupted chain from Glory of God seen in the Animal Creation. 233 the elephant to the little mite seen through a micro. scope! What links, order, and relations, exist amongst all creatures! All is harmony; and if upon a superficial view we suppose we have discovered any imperfection, we shall soon find it was our ignorance led us to such an erroneous conclusion. It is not necessary that each individual should make deep researches into the nature of animals, or that every one should become a profound naturalist; it is merely sufficient to pay attention to what is well known and most common, to what may come under the observation of all. We see, for instance, a variety of animals formed in an admirable manner, which live, feel, and move, as we do; which, like us, are subject to hunger, thirst, and cold; and which consequently stand in daily need of having their necessities supplied. To all these creatures God has given life; he preserves them, and provides for their wants; he watches over them, as the father of a family over his household. From this we may conclude, that God has the goodness and tenderness of a father; and if his cares thus extend to animals, what will he not do for man? If it be his chief desire to render the lives of creatures devoid of reason comfortable and happy, what may we not expect from his beneficence? Let the imbecile and distrustful man blush for his doubts and anxieties, who, when abundance is no longer his portion, despondingly anticipates the dread of poverty, and fears that his Creator will suffer him to perish from want. We may rest assured that he who supplies the necessities of every animal will administer to us the necessaries of life. The instinct of animals gives us fresh cause to admire the Supreme Being, who has so wisely combined the means with the end. As the instinct of animals tends particularly to their preservation, it is most observable in the love and tender solicitude they |