265 others that are dark and dull: the first supposed to be continents, and the other seas. For, if the moon was composed only of one substance; if it was a body entirely solid, or entirely fluid, it would reflect the rays of the sun all the same way, and we should not see those spots in it. A fluid body, such as water, absorbs a great quantity of rays and only reflects a part of them: it is therefore very apparent that the dark parts of the moon are seas, and that the bright parts are land. Among the light parts, some are more brilliant than others, and even cast a shade. They must then be higher than others, and resemble our mountains. Some of these mountains are alone, others are contiguous, and sometimes form very long chains. In the seas of the moon, some parts are observed to be less dark, and appear, consequently, to be like our islands. The four last planets of our solar system are, Mars, Jupiter, with his four moons, or satellites; Saturn, with five; and the Georgium Sidus, with two already discovered, and probably more. There are spots also visible to us in them. Georgium Sidus is so far from the sun, that be requires no less than 82 years to finish his revolution. This vast domain of the sun, which, without reckoning comets, extends to more than 400 millions of miles, is however but a part of the universe. But each of the fixed stars, the number of which is perhaps more than the grains of sand on the sea shore, may be considered as a sun, which equals ours, or perhaps surpasses it.

Such is the wonderful greatness of the works of God, and thus the heavens declare the glory of the Lord! With what splendour does the majesty of the Creator shine in those wonderful works, which invite us so strongly to pay a tribute of admiration and praise to the great Being who made them! Is there any thing in nature more proper to inspire us with sublime ideas of the Deity than the sight of the celestial sky! Can we Vol. I.

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ever raise our eyes to heaven, without having the most lively sense of the magnificence and greatness of Him who gave being to all things, and who governs them with incomprehensible power, wisdom, and goodness! What are poor miserable mortals, lost in the immensity of the creation, who crawl like insects on a grain of sand! What are we, in comparison of those innumerable solar systems, which contain so many vast globes within their circle! What are we, especially in comparison of the Creator of all these worlds, these suns, and these skies, which, if we attempt to measure, trouble and confound the understanding! And yet this sovereign Ruler of the immense universe deigns to honour us with his protection and paternal care. How adorable are all his mercies!

MAY II.

Reflections on the Blossoms of Trees.

AT this instant, in which our gardens and fields are adorned with all the ornaments of spring, all Europe appears with equal pomp, and every where presents the most cheerful prospect. The power of the first word pronounced by the Creator, when he formed the world, produced all these magnificent effects. One hand alone, the hand of the Creator and Monarch of the world, has in a few days renewed, and in a manner created the earth again, for the use and pleasure of his intelligent creatures! Come, O man! come and try what thy wis dom and power can do. Art thou able to make a single tree blossom, to call from the earth the smallest blade of grass, to order a single tulip to appear in all its beauty? Draw near, learned artists, skilful painters, and contemplate these flowers, examine these master-pieces with the most scru pulous attention; is any thing wanting to their

perfection? Do you find any fault in the mixing of the colours, in their form or proportion? Could your pencil express the dazzling red of the peach blossom? Could you imitate the fine enamel, the uniformity and simplicity with which a cherrytree in blossom is adorned? But why do I say, imitate? Are you even capable of feeling all the magnificence of renewed nature, or of forming to your self a just idea of its inimitable art? If there were no stronger proofs on earth of the power and wisdom of God, the flowers of spring alone would be sufficient to convince us of it.. Each tree that blossoms, each herb and flower,proclaims his goodness and wisdom, which is over all the earth. We remark an infinite variety in the blossoms of trees. All are beautiful; but their beauties are different. One surpasses another; but there are none which has not something pleasing peculiar to itself. However great the Creator in the dispensing his gifts, he still reserves to himself the liberty of bestowing more on some than on others. But this difference is only in respect to accessory qua. lities. Such a tree, for example, has blossoms of a dazzling white! another has red stripes and shades, which the first wants: some have, added to the beauty of their form and colour, an exquisite perfume. But all these differences are only accidental, and do not in the least affect their fertility. Thus, when God does not give us the same advantages as appear in some of our fellow-creatures, it ought not to afflict or disturb us: for the Joss of any accidental beauty, of whatever nature it may be, does not hurt our real welfare in the least. If we are not as rich, as highly considered, or of as fine a form as others, we may, notwithstanding, be quite as happy, as virtuous, and as agreeable, both to God and man. Provided we bear the fruits of piety and virtue, we possess real beauty. For why do the blossoms of trees please us more than the rich colours of a tulip, or auri

cula, or a ranunculus? It is because the pleasure the latter gives us is of short duration, whereas the other gives us hope of delicious fruit. Let us not, therefore, confine our wishes to the beauty and exterior charms of a fine flower. The beauty, the graces, the bloom of health, and other outward advantages of nature, are not the things which afford us durable and permanent pleasures. The blossoms which promise fruit agreeable to God, these are what truly merit our esteem. They will never fade. All those dazzling beauties we admire in the blossoms on the trees, will disappear in a few days; and such will be the fate of all the blooming young people now so vain of their charms. Let this thought ever attend us in the solitary walks we take in our gardens: and let our chief study be, to act in such a manner, that, when the beauty and charms of the body are no more, we may supply their places with abundant fruits of virtue and piety.

MAY III.

Continual Revolutions and Changes in the Earth.

MOTION and change seem absolutely necessary for the preservation of the corporeal world. In the whole universe there is not the smallest particle in a constant and entire state of rest.-Nothing is more easy than to be convinced of this, by attending to what passes on the globe we inhabit. The earth turns, every 24 hours, round its own axis; and by this motion, all the points of its surface (except the poles) change place with more or less rapidity. Under the line, where this motion is the swiftest, every thing moves more than two leagues in a minute, though it does not change its situation on the surface. But, besides this, the earth makes its annual revolution round the sun with so much velocity, that, according

to the most moderate calculations, it goes 146 leagues in a minute, though its course is not perceptible. The motion of earthly bodies is more observable. Little rivulets unite, and form greater. These, in their turn, form torrents and rivers, which are afterwards lost in the sea. This is not all plants and animals every where require water to nourish them. The water rises in vapours, which form into clouds, and fall again in rain, snow, and fogs, and whatever is not transformed in its fall goes again into the sea, where the flux and reflux, storms, torrents, &c. keep the water in a continual motion. Neither is there any repose in our atmosphere. Between the tropics an east wind continually blows; and though, in other places, the motion is not always perceptible, yet the barometers and thermometers prove that the air is never perfectly still. Meteors also, of every sort, shew that nature is in constant action. The coat or surface of the earth is also subject to frequent revolutions. The hardest rocks split; stones gradually wear and break; lands fall in, others are overflowed; certain grounds rise, and others are overturned by earthquakes; little hills are washed away by waters, valleys are filled up; marshes grow dry, and are covered with trees; the bottom of the sea becomes firm ground, &c. Light and darkness, cold and heat, drought and wet, succeed each other by turns. Lastly, the continual variation of heat occasions, every hour, changes which are often imperceptible. If we add to this the changes visible in animals, we may have some idea of the continual revolutions to which every thing here is subject. It is said, that man daily loses about two ounces and a half in perspiration. It is replaced by other particles; so that, at the end of ten years, a man's body is entirely changed. All animals and plants feed, grow, propagate, die, and corrupt.