the fire contained in them is put in motion; and the particles, which fly out of these bodies, and are violently acted against each other, acquire force capable of inflaming any thing. This is the common method of obtaining fire for our domestic uses. But we are generally content with enjoying the continual service this element does us, in the preparation of our food, in warming us, and in lighting our apartments, without being at the trouble to inquire how fire was produced. If we were more attentive to the causes of certain na tural phenomena, we should every where find traces of infinite goodness and wisdom. Certain. ly it does not require much reflection to discover them in this instance. It is with a beneficent view that God has spread fire all around us, and throughout all nature, in order to be of all sorts of use, and that it might be enjoyed on all occasions. This matter takes every kind of form for our use; and, by uniting with many other bodies, it becomes a great advantage to us. How happy for us if we did but accustom ourselves to be more observant of the many blessings we daily receive from the liberal hand of God! Yet, alas! it is that constant and daily enjoyment of them which makes us so cold and indifferent to them. These proofs, however, which we daily receive of God's goodness, are what we can the least dispense with; and, from that single circumstance, they merit our particular acknowledgement. Let us then often think of our wise and merciful Preserver; and, in enjoying his blessings, even those which appear the most inconsiderable, let us ac. custom ourselves to raise our hearts to him, and to honour him as the source of all good. FEB. XX. The Equal distribution of the Seasons. WHEN the sun is far from us, and when the severe cold binds and shuts up our earth, there are some countries where the inhabitants enjoy all the beauties of spring; others, where they are gathering rich harvests; and others, in fine, where autumn fills her granaries with fruit. It is in this manner that Divine Wisdom has regulated" the change of seasons, and distributed the same favour to all his creatures, at different times. His impartial love extends itself over every being he has made, without respect to rank, uation, or merit. It is sufficient that they require his bless. ings, for him to take pleasure in granting them. Ilis beneficent views extend over the deserts of Arabia, with as much goodness as over the smiling countries of Europe; and his government is the same from pole to pole. But, if God distributes the pleasures of this life equally, why are some countries deprived of the pleasures of spring, while we enjoy them in such abundance? Why are the rays of the sun so partially spread, that in some climates there is darkness, and in others light, for whole months together? Why are not the frozen countries near the pole as beautiful and fertile as our plains and valleys? What art thou, O man, who darest to ask such questions? What right hast thou to demand an account of the infinitely wise Being, for the manner in which he rules the world? Vain mortal, learn to be humble, and to acknowledge traces of a sovereign wisdom, in the very things wherein thy weak understanding imagined there were defects. Perhaps thou supposet Providence has refused, to certain parts of the earth, advantages and happi ness which have been lavished with profusion elsewhere. Not so: God has given to each country what was necessary to the life, support, and content, of his creatures. All is planned accord. ing to the climate in which they live; and Providence has every where provided for their preservation and support. The hours of the day vary in different parts of the world, according to certain rules; but all the zones have nearly the same number. There is scarce any inhabited country which the sun shines more upon than another. All the difference is, that they enjoy it at dif ferent times. With the inhabitants of the torrid zone, the days and nights are always of equal length; while, with the neighbouring zones, that is the case but twice a-year. It is true that the sun quits them by turns, and gives summer to one side of the earth, while it abandons the other to winter. But it never fails to return regularly, from one of the limits of its regular course to the other; and, if the winter days are shorter than the nights, summer makes ample amends in that respect. Even the inhabitants of the frigid zone, who are deprived of the sight of the sun for severai months, see it afterwards on their horizon several following montlfs; and though they have some hours less of day-light, they are made amends for it by long twilights. Lord! the earth is full of thy mercies. Thy goodness is spread all over the heavens, and extends to the very clouds. What country is there, in the whole universe, which has not experienced the effect of thy goodness? What province, throughout thy immense empire, is there, in which there may not be seen traces of thy beneficence? Where is the creature, where is the man, who at each season cannot see and feel how good Thou art? I rejoice at living under thy merciful government. I rejoice in the numberless blessings which Thou scatterest over all the earth, for the happiness of thy creatures. How is it possible I should not wish that all my fellow-creatures, throughout the world, may be as happy, as tran quil, and content, as I am? Yes, Thou knowest; Thou, O God, who seest my heart, Thou knowest that I am neither covetous nor selfish enough to behold, with regret, the happiness of others, or not to wish their welfare equal to my own. O God of mercy, grant that I may become more and more like Thee. As Thou lovest all thy crea tures, and as, without respect to persons, Thou doest to each all the good they are capable of enjoying, be pleased to kindle in my heart the same universal love for my fellow-creatures, that I may do them all the good in my power; and, at least, that I may raise to Thee my ardent prayers for all mankind, without exception. FEB. XXI. The Utility of our Senses. I HAVE senses, that is to say, I am a being who, by means of several wonderful organs of my body, can procure myself several sorts of sensations. By my eyes I can acquire the perception of light and colours; by my ears, that of different sounds; by smeli and taste, that of agreeable or disagreeable emanations of savours and scents, of sweet and bitter, and other such properties of the body, which I can make use of; and lastly, by my feeling, I have the sense of heat and cold, of wet and dry, of soft and hard, &c. Now, I represent to myself how wretched I should be, if I was deprived of the organs of speech, seeing, hearing, taste, smell, or feeling. If I had not sight, how could I escape that multitude of dangers which surround me, or form to myself any idea of the magnificence of the heavens, the beauty of the country, and all the agreeable objects with which the earth is filled? Without the organ of hearing, how could I perceive many dangers at a distance? How could I exchange thoughts, or communicate them? How enjoy harmony and the charms of music? How could I, in my youth, acquire school knowledge, learn languages, obtain ideas, the talent of reading, and many other faculties, which distinguish me so advantageously from the brute creation? If I had been refused the organs of smell and taste, how could I dis tinguish, in my food, what was hurtful or otherwise; enjoy the perfumes of spring, and a thousand things, which now afford me such pleasing sensations? And, lastly, without my feeling, how should I be able to discover, either in food, asleep, or awake, what was hurtful to me? or, how should I be able to attend to my preservation? I cannot, therefore, too much praise and bless God, that I see, hear, smell, and speak. I adore my merciful Creator. I acknowledge and praise his goodness. My mouth shall glorify him in songs of praise and thanksgiving. My ears shall be open to the universal hymn, which all nature chants to his honour. Oh! may I never be insensible to the value of my senses, or make a bad use of them. Thou, my Creator, hast given them to me for the noblest purposes. How unworthy should I be of thy boundless goodness, of the admirable formation of my body, if I only employed my senses in brutal enjoyments, without proposing to myself any higher views? How wretched should I be, if I only sought my happiness in sensuality, and preferred it to the much nobler pleasures of the mind; for there will come a time when my eyes will no longer be affected by external objects, when the harmonious sounds of music will no longer please my ear, nor the most exquisite dainty, or delicious wines, soothe my palate. A time will come, when my senses |