Sins we are most prone to in the Spring.

287 It is to such an unfeeling and ungrateful soul that I now address myself; but I can scarcely expect my feeble accents to penetrate within the recesses of thy heart, when the voice of God has been heard in vain, and the energetic and expressive language of nature disregarded. Canst thou forget thy Creator, when all his works declare him? If thou knowest not thy God, thou canst neither know thyself nor the world in which thou livest. Every creature reminds thee of its Author; every place in the vast dominion of nature is full of the Deity. He manifests himself in every blade of grass; in every flower, and in every bird, he speaks the sweet and persuasive language of nature; he addresses himself to thy senses, to thy reason, to thy conscience, and to all thy faculties. Listen to this language, and thou mayest become sensible and grateful.

How dost thou employ these fine days of spring? Surely thou shouldst emerge from thy chamber and visit the treasures of the fields, and the beauties of the gardens, where thou mightest inhale a pure and balmy air. But beware of yielding to the extravagance of sinful pleasures; in whose train follow an. guish, disease, and infamy. Truly to enjoy the beauties of spring and all the delights of the season, is to observe with attention the works of nature, whilst thy reason informs thee of the power and wisdom of the Creator there displayed; thy heart will then experience raptures infinitely superior to the pleasures of those who forget their God.

Let us now turn our attention to those who in this season are the slaves of care, and fear they shall not be able to find the means of subsistence. O ye of little faith! Behold the lillies of the field how they grow; consider the fowls of the air, they sow not, neither do they reap, yet their heavenly Father feedeth them. Be assured then, and put your full confi

dence in God. Spring is the season of hope, give it a place in your bosom; and when doubts shall assail, and fears come upon you, cast your view abroad over the fields and meadows, and remember the words of your Redeemer: "If God so clothe the grass of the field, if he feed the fowls of the air, how much more will he nourish thee, O thou of little faith!" The wicked only have cause to fear for the future; but he who unites integrity to industry, and virtue to interlect, will ensure unto himself a portion of comfort here, and ever-during felicity in the world to come. Let us then rejoice in our existence, and while we em. ploy this delightful season of the year in contemplating the works of nature, look up with joy and gratitude to him who has given us the glorious privi. lege above millions of other creatures, of knowing the God of nature is the sole author of all happiness.

MAY XXIX.

Harmony of Bees.

THE Comfort and happiness which bees enjoy are in a considerable degree owing to their harmony and patriotism. At least, it is evident that their community must be immediately destroyed if they did not live together in a state of union. From the observations of those who have investigated this subject, it appears that these insects return to their hives laden with the materials for building their cells, and there are others in waiting to ease them of their burthen, They again sally forth, and whilst they are collecting fresh materials, those which remain in the hive knead together the little parcels which the others have brought, and thus prepare a mass proper for building. Others, which are not immediately employed in work

ing, render kind offices to the labourers, and bring them food, that the work may go on without interruption.

The patriotism of bees is not less than their har. mony. The wealth of the whole state consists in the riches of each citizen; and this numerous republic forms but one family, in which is no personal interest, no avarice, and no rapine: here no troop of bees unites to do violence to, or fight against the interests of, each other; no bee is ever found living in luxury and superfluity, whilst another is destitute of the necessaries of life; nor are they anxious to acquire more honey than will suffice for their winter's provision.

Insignificant as these insects may appear, we may learn from them those virtues upon which depend the repose and the happiness of our lives. In whatever state or condition we may be placed, it is necessary for us to act in concert with our fellow.creatures, and to cultivate the virtues of patriotism; the society in which we live, Christianity, and our own happiness, demand it. Let us cheerfully bear our part of the general burthen, and, if it is necessary, charge ourselves with the burthen of another, who from ignorance or weakness is unable to support it. And when our duty, our conscience, and our religion, require us to make sacrifices for our brethren, let us never regard it as a loss; but rather consider it as an honour that we have been capable of labouring with more zeal and success than others. Let the base principles of selfishness never find a place in our hearts; they who endeavour to enrich themselves at the expense of another, and to appropriate unto themselves alone the treasures of their country, are despicable members of society, who have forfeited their dignity, and sunk beneath the level of brutes. Whenever we are in any degree able to contribute to the general good, let not the uncertainty of Vol. I. U

being rewarded prevent our exertions; the testimony of a good conscience, and the blessings of eternity, will sufficiently repay us.

It is too true, however, that one of the greatest evils of life is the want of harmony and concord amongst the individuals of the human race. Even in this we may admire the wisdom of God, who notwithstanding the want of union, and the disorders which reign in the world, notwithstanding the universal self-interest which governs men, still supports society, and renders it flourishing. When a careful pilot steers his vessel in safety amidst the shoals and the rocks against which the waves strive to dash him, we admire his skill and experience; so when we see, in spite of the wickedness of men, in the midst of the storms and ebullitions of their passions, the dominion of wisdom and the preservation of virtue, we may admire and reverence the eternal wisdom of Him who governs the universe.

MAY XXX.

Prodigious Number of Plants upon the Earth.

MORE than twenty thousand different species of plants have been already observed, and new ones are daily discovered. By means of the microscope some have been found where they were least expected. The different varieties of mosses and sponges have been classed among vegetables, and have presented to the observation of the naturalist seeds and flowers before unknown. Freestone is sometimes covered with brown and blackish spots; the mouldy substance which composes them adheres to various other matters, and may be considered as a little garden in vegetation, where the plants, though exceedingly minute, have visible seeds and flowers. When we reflect upon the quantity

Prodigious Number of Plants.

291 of moss which covers even the hardest stones, the trunks of trees, and the most barren places; when we consider the quantity of vegetables upon the surface of the earth; the different species of flowers which delight and refresh us; the trees and bushes; add to these the aquatic plants, some of which exceed a hair in fineness; we may be able to form some idea of the multitude of plants in the vegetable kingdom.

All these species grow up and are preserved without detriment to one another, each having that place assigned it which is most suited to its properties. Such is the wisdom displayed in their distribution over the surface of the earth, that there is no part of it wholly destitute, and no part enjoys them in too great abundance. Some plants require the open field, where, unsheltered by trees, they may receive the sun's rays; others can only exist in water; some grow in the sand; others in marshes and fens, which are frequently covered with water; and some bud on the surface of the earth, whilst others unfold themselves in its bosom.

The different strata which compose the soil of the earth, as sand, clay, chalk, &c. have each their dif ferent vegetables; and hence it is that in the vast garden of nature nothing is absolutely sterile; from the finest sand to the flinty rock, from the torrid to the frozen zone, each soil and climate supports plants peculiar to itself.

Another circumstance highly worthy of attention is, the Creator has so ordered, that, among this immense variety of plants, those which are most proper for food or medicine, either to man or beast, grow in greater abundance than those which are of less utility. Herbs are much more numerous than trees and brambles; grass is in greater abundance than oaks; and: cherry-trees more plentiful than apricots: had oaks been more frequent than grass, or trees than herbs and