turb thy tranquillity: Trust in the Lord, and rest thy cares on the fatherly bosom of him who rules and governs the universe. He who directs the stars and winds, the course they are to run, can he not point to thee a path, in which thou mayest walk securely? However stormy, then, my life may be in this world, does it become me to murmur at it, or to fear? No. That God, who imposes silence on the most impetuous winds, can easily put a stop to the tempest of sorrows which threatens to overwhelm me; and, when the violence of afflictions shall have sufficiently tried me, I may behold a serene bright day, and enjoy a perfect calm. Alas! how many, who are now crossing the sea for the good of society, are struggling with the waves, in trembling expectation of being in a moment swallowed up. I imagine their distress, while, safe at home, I listen to the roaring of the tempest.

Sovereign Disposer of all events, Ruler of the winds and seas, deign to hear the prayers they offer unto thee in their distress.

MARCH V.

THE AURORA BOREALIS..

ONE often sees in winter, towards the spring equinox, a sort of transparent, bright, and variegated clouds in the sky. From the north, there appears a splendid light, which comes close to the other clouds. Lastly, from these northern clouds, there dart white rays of light, which reach to the zenith. This ethereal phenomenon, called Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, is still, in some respects

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spects, one of these natural effects, the cause of which cannot be very exactly determined. Some naturalists suppose it to be a magnetic substance, which, accumulating and thickening towards the north, may shed a certain light at a distance. Others think, what is more probable, that the Aurora Borealis is occasioned by nitrous and frozen particles, which, rising in the air, and joined to the vapours, and to the fat and oily exhalations sent forth by the whales, and other immense cetacious fishes, which abound in the north, are lighted up, and made brilliant by that light which the Laponese almost continually enjoy. Lastly, some philosophers pretend, that this phenomenon is only the atmosphere inflamed, and a storm not yet come to maturity. The uncertainty in which the best informed and most learned men are, in respect to this phenomenon, is very instructive to us. How many things do we see in the air, in the sky, and upon the earth, which are still mysteries, even to the very best naturalists? These phenomena ought to humble the human mind, whose pride and vain curiosity often prevent acknowledging how limited its faculties are. A thousand inconsiderable things confound the most learned in their meditations, and escape our inquiries. There are a thousand objects, which, indeed, we acknowledge to be planned with much wisdom, and to be very useful; but we seldom arrive at discovering their true principles, their purpose, their connection with the corporeal world and its several parts. However, this ignorance does not affect our happiness; and though, for example, we cannot exactly determine from whence the Aurora Borealis proceeds, we can live quietly and well without it. After all, ignorant as we may be on this point, and a number of others, we know, at least, that that every phenomenon of the physical and intellectual world happens only by the will of an allwise, almighty, and perfect Being, who directs them for the good of the universe. We have no occasion to know more, in a life so short as ours; and this is, doubtless, sufficient to induce us to adore and bless him, who is the Author of things so wonderful, and so much above our comprehension.

But I ought also to bless thee, O my God! for not having been born in those superstitious and ignorant times, when whole nations were thrown into consternation and terror by these phenomena. This magnificent sight painted, to their disturbed imagination, whole armies, and battles fought in the air; and they drew most dreadful prognostics from them. The Aurora Borealis was to them a prophet, which foretold, sometimes war, some times famine, and sometimes epidemic disorders.

But, for my part, I find, in the mild and majestic splendour of this light, a sign of the power and goodness of God. I behold those celestial lights without fear; because I know that the Lord of heaven has not created any thing to be a torment and misfortune to his creatures. And perhaps there are people in the northern countries who draw great advantages from these phenomena, though they so little influence ours.

MARCH VI.

THE EXTREME SMALLNESS OF CERTAIN
BODIES.

THE vaulted sky, the depths of space, and its unlimited extent, those vast bodies which shine in

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the firmament, the variety of creatures which co ver our globe, and which fill the air and the water; all these declare the glory of the mighty God, and tell us his power is infinite. But it must not be supposed, that the power and wisdom of the Creator is only visible in the immense size of the world. Even in the smallest objects, in the most inconsiderable parts of the natural world, the greatest subjects of admiration are to be found. The construction of a grain of sand, seen through a glass which magnifies objects a million of times, is enough to fill the greatest mind with astonishment. Who indeed would not be surprised to learn, that there is an insect which lives in the midst of a grain of sand which the eye can scarce discover? Examine also with a microscope, which magnifies some millions of times, the mould of a bit of bread; you will see in it a thick forest of fruit trees, the branches, leaves, and fruit of which are easy to be distinguished. But even in your body, you may perceive objects of inconceivable smallness, which, perhaps, you have not yet taken notice of, and yet deserve all your admiration. It is covered with an innumerable multitude of pores, of which the naked eye can only distinguish a small part. The epidermis resembles the scale of a fish; it has been calculated that a grain of sand would cover 250 of those scales, and that one single scale would cover 500 of those interstices, or those pores which give passage to the sweat and insensible perspiration. Have you ever reflected on the wonderful construction of the hairs of your head? as inconsiderable as they appear, they are one of the Creator's master pieces. They are hollow tubes, each of which has its root, a substance full of marrow, and several little threads which unite them. In that that whitish matter, that scale which food leaves upon teeth, and which settles there (by means of a microscope magnifying one million of times), a great number of little animals have been discovered; and it has been found, that, in a space not larger than a grain of gunpowder, there was a million of those animalcula.

Are not these so many circumstances that ought to make us humble in our own eyes, and raise our ideas of the Supreme Being? Every thing ought to convince us, that there are a thousand objects in nature, which are to us impenetrable mysteries; that there remain a thousand discoveries to be made; and that things which are not entirely unknown to us, we still know but superficially. There are, perhaps, a multitude of wonders in our own bodies, which no one has thought of, or suspected. How many imperceptible objects may there not be in nature, out of the reach of the microscope, and of our understanding, which, if known to us, would afford new proofs of the greatness of God? But the little we know, is more than sufficient to convince us, that in small things, as well as in great, the power, wisdom, and goodness of the Lord is manifested most admirably. The sand of the sea declares the glory of the mighty God, as well as the expanse of the heavens, the splendour of the sun, or the fury of the tempests. The lowest worm bids us give glory to its Creator; the trees, in the magnificence of their clothing; the grain and the seeds, in their minuteness, cry aloud with one voice, It is God who hath made us; glory be to our Creator! Even the most diminutive creature upon earth reminds us of his greatness. I admire thy power and wisdom, Lord, in the formation of the gnat, as much as in the construction of the elephant;