cumference is 5400 German miles, and the diameter 1720. There will be no doubt of the form of the earth being nearly spherical, if we consider that, in the eclipses of the moon, the shadow which the earth casts on that planet is always round. Besides, if the earth was not round, how could they have sailed round it, or how should the stars rise and set sooner in the eastern than in the western countries? Here, again, is the wisdom of the Creator manifest. The form he has given to the earth is the most proper and couvenient for a world like ours, and for its inha bitants. Light and heat, so necessary for the preservation of creatures, are, by this means, equally and uniformly distributed over the whole earth. From thence also proceed the daily and annual returns of night and day, heat and cold, wet and dry, so constant and regular. The wa ter, in the first place, is equally distributed over the globe, and the salutary use of the winds is felt over every part of the earth. We should be deprived of all those advantages, if our earth had any other form. In some countries, it would be a paradise, in others a chaos; one part of it would be swallowed up in water, the other burnt up with the heat of, the sun. In certain countries, they would be exposed to furious tempests, which would destroy every thing, while they would be stified in other places by the want of air, the current of which would be nearly stopped. One part of the earth would enjoy the benign influence of the sun, while the other would be frozen with cold. What pride and ignorance should we not betray, if we did not acknowledge in this the hand of an almighty and benevolent Creator? Should we deserve to inhabit a world, where all is so wisely ordained, if, like the brutes, we are insensible to this admirable plan, and to the numberless blessings which accrue from it? No, my God, and my Creator! let us never be guilty of such

monstrous ingratitude. Let us adore thy wis dom our weakness permits no more. He will vouchsafe to accept with goodness our humble attempts to glorify him, our knowledge, however limited, our thanksgiving, imperfect indeed, yet sincere.

FEB. XIII.

On the short Duration of Snow.

We see the instability of snow, and how suddenly the heat of the sun, mild and damp air, or heavy rains, make it disappear. Every thing around us changes its appearance in a few hours; and there scarce remains the least trace of that snow which had covered the streets, villages, and fields.

Is not this sudden revolution calculated to make us reflect on the uncertainty and vanity of all earthly goods? Undoubtedly it is not without design that nature presents us with such images of the frailty of worldly things. In every season, in every variation that their return occasions, nature tells us, with a strong and persuasive voice, this great truth, All is vanity. Let us look around us; do we see any thing that is not frail and perishable? How soon are we deprived of the pleasures of the senses! They disappear when we have scarce begun to enjoy them. are often at sun rise cheerful and content; and before it sets, we are plunged into sorrow and distress.

We

Has not every body experienced, in the course of their life, how uncertain and transient the enjoyments here are? The riches of which we are so proud, make themselves wings and fly away like an eagle, from the possessor, when he flattered himself most with a peaceable and uninterrupted enjoyment of them. The step from the

greatest opulence to want and misery is often as sudden as the coming of a thaw after the severest cold. We might be contented with this, if our life and health even were not as transitory as all other sublunary things.

It is too true, however, that these sorts of reflec tions seldom occur to us, while we are in possession of earthly enjoyments. We are like those

who, in a fine winter's morn, venture to go abroad, and set out without thinking of the sudden changes of weather, so frequent at that season. When fortune smiles upon us, and we are in the midst of joy and pleasure, we think we have nothing to fear; and we do not consider how suddenly the happiest situation may be changed into misery. And, supposing we have not hitherto had an opportunity of making this sad experiment, it is certain, at least, that a time will come, when we shall be convinced by ourselves of the nothingness and frailty of every thing here. To those who are at present in the spring or summer of life, winter will soon come; and they will then experience how transient those enjoyments are, on which they have depended with so much confidence. They will learn, that all earthly pleasures are like snow, which dazzles the eye indeed, but soon melts, and is no more.

Snow affords us another very important reflection. It reminds us of our weakness and want of power: what could all the industry, and all the force of man do,were they to undertake to remove the ice and snow from the ground? God works this change with infinite ease: he bids the wind blow, and it thaws. Now, has not this God, who does such great things in nature, the same power in the world of spirits, and in the ordering of our destiny? He has but to speak the word and our troubles cease.

FEB. XIV.

A short History of the Creation.

THERE has been a time, when our earth and the celestial globes did not exist. God willed that they should be; and his almighty will produced the heavens and the earth. All was still a shapeless and confused mass, commonly called a chaos. In the first day of the Creation, God gave motion to this mass, and separated the fiery and luminous parts. These particles joined together, and sepa. rated from the rest of matter, without, however, yet forming particular bodies. God called the light Day, and the darkness Night. Hitherto the fluid and solid bodies were still mixed together. God separated them. He collected the waters from our atmosphere; he caused vapours to arise from the earth, which, growing thick, became clouds, and formed that lower firmament we call Sky. These were the works of God the second day. The waters still covered the face of the earth. God destined the third day for the sepa ration of them. The waters gathered together, in different reservoirs, while, on the other dry part, there appeared mountains, meadows, fields, valleys, forests, &c. Each tree and plant already bore its fruits, and all those vegetables contained the necessary seed for the propagation of their species. On the fourth day God formed from that mass of light, which on the first day had been separated from the darkness, luminous bodies, to distinguish day from night, and to regulate the seasons of the year. Then appeared the sun, whose beneficent heat warms the earth, and makes it fruitful, and also lights us in the daytime. As for the moon, it was formed out of the dark matter of the chaos. Till then, God had

produced upon the earth nothing but inanimate beings. The fifth day was employed in giving existence to a part of the living creatures. God filled the waters with fish of different sorts and sizes, and he gave them bodies analogous to the 'element in which they were to live. He peopled the air with all sorts of birds; and impressed apon these beings the instinct of perpetuating their kind, to fill the air and the waters. There remained nothing more than to cover the earth also with living creatures, and God created them on the sixth day. He drew from the earth a mul titude of wild and domestic animals, to serve as well for tillage, as for the food and support of man. Finally, he produced an infinite multitude of insects and reptiles. These animals, when God created them, were arrived at perfection. Every thing being thus prepared, the time was come for introducing man into the world, who was to be the lord of all these creatures. God then created the first man; and, as he belonged both to the intellectual and corporeal world, he gave him not only a body formed out of the earth, but also a reasonable soul. From out of Adams's side he took woman, and presented her to him as his companion. These two beings, by which God terminated his works of the creation, were the most admirable master-pieces of his power and wisdom.

Is it possible to reflect on this history, without being struck with admiration and astonishment, at the infinite power and wisdom manifested in the works of the creation? On whatever side we cast our eyes over this great stage, we every where discover the Lord God Almighty, to whose immense power nothing is comparable. The heavens declare his glory, and the firmament sheweth his handy-work. All the creatures are so many proofs of his adorable perfections. They are the impression and image of them. It is only by con.