foot is equal to a sixth part of the height of the whole body. The bulk of the body and of the limbs have also their measures. The thickness of the finger is generally the thirtysixth part of its length: that of the little finger is the fortyeighth part; three times the thickness of the thumb gives that of the hand, and six times the thickness of the hand equals that of the whole body,

The height of the human body varies considerably. The most perfect stature is from five feet five to five feet nine inches the middle size is from five feet and an inch to five eet four, and the little size is below five feet. Women are generally two or three inches shorter than men. Their breast is more prominent and elevated, so that generally the capacity of the chest formed by the ribs is deeper in women, and broader in men, in proportion to the rest of the body. The hips of women are much wider than those of men, the bones which form the pelvis being much larger.

Man has a greater proportion of brain than any animal of the same dimensions, even more than the horse or the ox. A man that weighs a hundred pounds has usually four pounds of brain. Infants born at their proper time generally weigh at the most eight pounds, and at the least five pounds; their greatest length is one foot eleven inches, and the least one foot six inches.

The human body, considered as a whole, or in its parts separately, will appear to be formed in the exactest proportion. Every thing in it is regular, and arranged with the greatest harmony, both with respect to its size and figure; and the situation of the parts themselves, not one of which is greater or less than the connections it has with the other parts, and the general utility of the machine, require. No form nor situation can be imagined more suitable to each part, or more advantageous to the whole of the members. Though some varieties and irregularities may appear, such as monsters and deformed men, they do not at all destroy the principal design of the body But if certain disproportions in the size, figure, and position of the parts be conso

nant with the great end for which the body was formed, they certainly diminish the beauty and elegance of the form, and the graces of the exterior. How grateful, then, ought well-formed persons to be, and those whose limbs are moulded in just and beautiful symmetry!

OCTOBER XXI.

Navigation.

To reflecting minds, the subject of navigation may give rise to very important and pleasing meditations. At the same time that our curiosity is interested and gratified, we gain a new source of pleasure. We ought not only to regard navigation on account of the advantages which it procures us, but we ought also to regard the mechanical part and the motion of ships.

Is it not truly astonishing that so huge and heavy a mass as a ship can float upon the water? The weight of a ship is very great, and little attention is requisite to convince us that its pressure on the water must be prodigious. A man of war, whose complement of men is eight hundred, generally carries provisions enough to supply them with nourishment for the space of three months, and mounts from seventy to a hundred guns. Now allowing each man to weigh one hundred pounds weight, and each gun nine hundred, (though some weigh more than 4000lbs.) and supposing that each man consumes only three pounds weight of provisions in the course of the day, this very moderate calculation will, however, make a totality of more than three hundred thousand pounds. Besides this, we should reckon the weight of the vessel itself, the rigging, and a great store of materials necessary to keep the ship in repair, and powder and ball for the guns; all which equal, if not exceed, the preceding amount. Yet this enormous mass, of upwards of six hundred thousand pounds weight, is put in motion by a gentle breeze. Does not this appear inconceivable, and contrary to the laws of nature? It is, however, perfectly

natural, and should the contrary happen it would be very extraordinary. It is not altogether the wind that drives along this mass; the ship, with its whole cargo, swims in the water. But how does so heavy a body float? How can the water, whose particles do not adhere together, have force enough to support such a mass? It is the effect of a proper balance: the vessel sinks till the volume of water which it displaces is equal to it in bulk. Suppose the ship is one hundred and twenty feet long and fifteen broad, and that it sinks to the depth of two feet, that is, three thousand and six hundred feet of water, or so much cargo, since one takes the place of the other. Thus the river is not more burthened with the vessel than it was with the water which she displaced.

Formerly navigation was much more dangerous and laborious than it is at present. The most hardy sailors had not confidence sufficient to venture far out in the open sea, but confined themselves to coasting along the shore. Since the invention of the compass, they cross the seas with more certainty and security. Before this happy discovery, to make a short sea voyage was considered as very wonderful. In the time of Homer, it required great preparation and frequent deliberation, before his heroes could determine upon crossing the Ægean sea. The expedition of Jason and the Arganautes, to the island of Colchis, was regarded with wonder, as an exploit that would crown the achievers of it with immortal honour. But what were all these in comparison of our sea voyages? The compass enables us to perform the longest voyages; the magnetic needle always turning towards the north, informs the navigator of the regions where he is, and of the countries to which he directs his course. In the gloom of night, in cloudy days, in the middle of the ocean, this instrument serves him as a guide, and leads him from one region of the globe to another.

The advantages of navigation are very great, and deserve our utmost gratitude: we are indebted to it for many of the necessaries of life. Without it we could not procure, or at

least not without great difficulty, those spices and medicines which we receive from different countries. It would be extremely inconvenient to have all our necessaries brought by land. The following calculation will sufficiently prove this assertion. The freight of a ship is reckoned by tons, and many ships are of six hundred tons burthen: now a ton is equal to two thousand pounds weight. Supposing it to be carried by land in waggons with four horses, and that each horse would draw one thousand pounds weight, three hundred four-horse waggons would be required, with at least as many men, to transport this load. How dearly then should we purchase riches from distant parts of the world, and even some of the most necessary things of life! We ought also to regard navigation as a signal blessing, in being instrumental in the hands of God to the promulgation of the Gospel of Christ in the most remote countries of the earth. And again, we whose lot is not that of daily braving the waves of the ocean, and exposing our lives to continual dangers, to obtain wealth, or to procure the means of existence, ought to be very grateful to the Almighty; and whilst secure from such perilous encounters, living calmly in the bosom of our families, we ought to offer up to heaven our prayers for those who are obliged to traverse the ocean, and undertake distant voyages, whether for their private emolument or for the public good.

OCTOBER XXII.

Beasts of Burthen.

ANIMALS of this description do us so much service, and are so extremely useful, that they well deserve a particular investigation. We are generally satisfied with making them subservient to our necessities, either in supplying us with food, or assisting us in our labours with their strength; while, through ignorance or indolence, we neglect to consider the connection they have with the whole creation, and to reflect upon the wisdom and goodness of the Creator, manifested in the production of these useful animals.

Of all domestic creatures, the horse is the most serviceable and tractable. He suffers himself to be employed in cultivating the earth, he carries for us all that we want, he submits with docility to all kinds of labour, and shares with us the pleasures of the chase and the dangers of war, while he is content with a moderate and frugal supply of food. He gives up his own being to exist only by the will of another; he even anticipates the commands of his master, which he executes with wonderful promptitude and precision; he refuses nothing, exerts all his strength, and sometimes dies in the act of obedience. Nature has given him a disposition to love and to fear man, with a sensibility alive to the caresses which sweeten his slavery. The horse excels all other animals in fineness of figure, and beauty of proportion. The elegant symmetry of his shape, and well-formed limbs; the outline of his head and neck, give him a quick and lively appearance, admirably contrasted by the boldness of his chest; his carriage is noble, his march firm and majestic; and when roused to action, every limb denotes his power and energy, every muscle shows his activity, and his defiance of danger is expressed by the fire of his eye and the thunder of his nostrils.

The ox is far from having the graceful elegance of the horse; his large head, his legs too thin and short in proportion to the bulk of his body, the smallness of his ears, his stupid look, and heavy pace, would seem to be imperfections; but he amply compensates his want of beauty by the important services which he renders to man. He is so strong that he readily carries very heavy burthens, and is satisfied with mean fare. Every part of this animal is useful; his blood, his hide, his hoofs, his flesh, and his horns, &c. are all employed for different purposes. His very dung is a most excellent manure for the earth. In this animal the organs of digestion are very remarkable: he has four stomachs, the first of which will contain forty or fifty pounds weight of food; the third stomach has eighty-eight folds, which assist the process of digestion, whilst the stomach of sheep and goats have only thirty-si..