learn from them virtues, on which depend the repose and happiness of our lives! In whatever rank or condition we are, it is necessary to act in concert with our fellow-creatures as patriots. The society in which we live, Christianity, and our own happiness, require it. Let each of us cheerfully bear our part in the general burden; and, if it is necessary, let us even take upon us the burdens of others, when, through ignorance or weakness, any may be deficient. And if it should so happen, that religion, duty, and conscience, require us to make great sacrifices to our fellow-creatures, let us take care not to consider it as an evil, but let us rather think it an honour, to be able to succeed better than them. Let no visible selfishness ever find room in our hearts. Those who seek to enrich themselves at the expence of others are contemptible members of society. When we can in any ways contribute to the general good, let us not be deterred from it by the fear of having no reward: Is not the testimony of a clear conscience, and the blessings of eternity, sufficient rewards: It is too true, however, that among the evils of this life which we form to ourselves, we must reckon this one, that there is no such thing as perfect agreement in sentiments and characters: But, even this ought to make us adinire the wisdom of Providence, which, notwithstanding the disunions and disorders of the world, notwithstanding the self-interest which governs mankind, still keeps up society and makes it flourish. When a pilot knows how to direct his ship, so as to avoid the sand-banks against which it may be cast by the waves, it is then that I admire his skill and experience. And when I see, notwithstanding the wickedness of mankind, in the midst of the storms of passion, that wisdom and virtue still preside, 1 admire the infinite wisdom of him who governs the world. ་ར་་༢་་》.. MAY XXX. THE PRODIGIOUS NUMBER OF PLANTS ON ABOVE twenty thousand different sorts of plants have been already reckoned, and we discover new ones every day. Some have been found out by the help of the microscope, where they were least expected. Mosses and sponges have been classed among vegetables, and have discovered to the virtuosi flowers and seeds before unknown. Freestone is often covered with dark brown spots, and the same is seen on the best polished glass. This mouldy substance sticks to most bodies, and it is a garden in miniature, a field or a forest, where plants have their seeds which blossom visibly, notwithstanding their extreme littleness. If we reflect on the quantity of moss which covers even the hardest stones, and the most barren spots; on the quantity of herbs and grass; on the several sorts of flowers; on all the trees and bushes, each of which may be considered as an assemblage of a thousand different vegetables; if we add to these, the aquatic plants, as slight and delicate as a hair, and most of which are still unknown to us, we may in some measure form to ourselves some idea of the multitude of plants upon our globe. It is more wonderful how all these different sorts of plants are preserved, without destroying one another. In order to prevent this, the sovereign Disposer of all things has appointed to each species of vegetables getables a place analogous to its peculiar qualities. He has distributed them upon the surface of the earth, with so much wisdom and propriety, that no part of it is destitute, nor do they grow in too much abundance any where. This is the reason that some plants require growing in an open field, and not in the shade, where they would at least grow languid and weak. Others can only subsist in water, where the different qualities of the fluid matter occasion great variety. Some plants grow in sand, others in marshy and muddy places. Certain vegetables spring above the surface of the earth, others unfold themselves within its bosom. The different strata of which the soil is composed, sand, clay, chalk, &c. have each their particular vegetables; and from thence it is, that, in the immense garden of nature, there is no place absolutely barren. From the smallest dust to the hardest rock, from the torrid to the frigid zone, every soil, every climate, has its peculiar plants. Another circumstance is well worthy our admiration; the Creator's having so ordained, that, among this great number of plants, those used for food or medicine increase much more abundantly than those of less use. Herbs, both in species and individuals, are much more numerous than bushes and trees. There is more herbage than oaks, more cherry trees than apricots, more vines than rose trees. It is evident, that the Creator designed this for the general good. To be convinced of this, let us suppose the contrary had been the case: If there were more oaks than pasture, more trees than herbs and roots, how difficult would it be for animals to subsist, and how many charms would the earth be deprived of! All All-wise, almighty, and most merciful Being! in this also does thy wondrous providence appear. It requires no effort of the mind to comprehend that thou art great and good; we need only contemplate thee in the immense world of plants. MAY XXXI. PLURALITY OF WORLDS. IT is not through ignorance alone, it is more through self-love and pride, that we call nothing the world but one of the least parts of the universe; persuading ourselves that our globe alone is peopled; that the sun was made merely to communicate its light and heat to us; and that the moon and stars are of no other use but to light our nights, and shew the traveller his way. The contemplation of the fixed stars is sufficient to contradict this ridiculous opinion. Their twinkling proves, that they shine with their own light; and their being visible to us, at the immense distance they are from us, proves that they are much larger than the sun. Is it then probable that these celestial bodies, which are not luminous specks, but great suns; these numberless bodies placed so far from our globe, that they should not be created for better purposes? If the purpose of them were only to serve as nocturnal lights to us, they would be of no use the greatest part of the year. The frequent cloudy skies, and the nights that are light from other causes, would make them useless. Those stars also, which the naked eye cannot discover, from their great distance, would be absolutely of no use; and the purpose ascribed VOL. II. D ascribed to them would be better supplied by one single star nearer to us, than by so many millions at that distance. As the same reasoning may be applied to all the uses the stars are of to us, either in navigation or any thing else, it must be allowed, that we could not possibly account for the design of those numerous suns, if no creatures except those of our own globe profited by their light and heat. This conclusion appears still more natural, if we reflect attentively on our solar system. We have already observed, that the moon in many things resembles this earth ; that there, as well as here, land and sea, mountains and valleys, islands and gulphs, are to be seen. Such affinities as these authorise us to admit others, and to suppose also in the moon, minerals, plants, animals, and rational creatures. The analogy between the moon and the rest of the planets leads us to form the same conjectures of them. And as each star has, to all appearance, like our sun, its particular planets, and as these undoubtedly resemble ours, we, in a manner, behold around us an innumerable multitude of worlds, each of which has its peculiar laws, arrangement, productions, and inhabitants. How numerous are the works of God! How glorious the starry sky! How great our Creator! Millions of worlds declare his glory, and the intelligent beings they contain acknowledge and adore their Maker. How forcibly does this incline us to join with the heavenly choir, in singing the praise of the Most High, that it may resound over all the universe! How happy the prospect that opens to us of that future state, wherein we shall be acquainted with these worlds, and able to comprehend the wonders of them! How great will be our astonishment in discovering objects |