other, that, from mountains and valleys we are sup plied with these inestimable blessings.

SPRINGS AND RIVERS.

- Water is not only one of those necessary elements of which our very means of existence are composed, but it administers to our wants and conveniences on a great variety of occasions and in many different shapes.

With water our choicest bread is mixed, and it makes part of the composition of our favourite beverage. By water the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heavens quench their thirst; and, by means of it, the lofty cedar of Lebanon derives it nutriment, as well as the ten. der herb that springeth out of the wall. By this necessary and useful fluid, we are assisted in many a tedious and laborious operation.-Formed into canals, it helps the deep laden barge forward in its progress— confined into dams, it sets the ponderous mill-wheel in motion,—or, evaporated into steam, it puts in play the massy arms of the huge engine.

But how does it come to pass that water is rendered thus serviceable? It is partly owing to the wise manner in which the great Creator distributes it from his treasures by causing springs take their rise in elevated situations, and partly from the general law impressed upon all fluids to regain their level, that water is impelled forward in its course, and made to surmount so many obstacles in its progress to the sea, while its suitable consistency fits it for being easily turned aside and diverted into such channels as the necessities of man may require.

If, as might have been expected, Springs had been confined in general to the lower situations of the earth, extensive tracts must have

By this wise and beneficial arrangement, Rivers beelevated at their head in situations at a distance and ote from the sea, are necessitated to pass over a e tract of country before they lose themselves in the n,-and following the course of those numerous en beds made for them in the valleys, they are at e confined within their proper limits, and made to 1 in many a lengthened turn, to the more copious ision of their benefits than would have otherwise the case; while their pliable nature render them y turned aside as they glide along, to water those s removed at a small distance from their banks, or other purposes to which the ingenuity of man may e them subservient.*

left unwatered, while plains in their immediate neighbourhood d have been deprived of their fertility by inundation, or rendered ential by stagnant waters pent up without the means of escape. water been deprived of that admirable property of rising to its how liable would it have been to be obstructed in its progress by insignificant hillock, or trifling rise of the ground; and, with et to its consistency, besides being rendered incapable of being rted to so many useful purposes, had it been thinner, how would e answered the purpose of supporting so many burdens, or keepithin its bounds; had it been thicker, how would it have been ed for quenching thirst, or ascending the minute tubes of the able tribes ?

Over what an extent of country is the Thames, the Shannon, and orth made to meander and traverse in their several courses behey fall into the sea, and mingle their waters with the ocean; but bear no proportion to the Danube, the Dnieper, and other considerivers in Europe,—and still less to some of the Asiatic rivers,—and Tiger of uncertain termination, and the Nile of 2000 miles long in a ;—but what are the lengths of any of these to some of the rivers New Continent, one of which, the Amazon, is computed to tra

WIDE AND EXTENDED PLAINS

Also cover a considerable portion of the face of out globe, and these are not without their uses.-Did no

verse no less than 4000 miles before it falls into the sea; and the Mis sissippi, with Missouri, an extent of territory exceeding 4440 miles!

MINERAL AND MEDICINAL WATERS

Are also amply provided by nature, and dispense their salutary vir tues in a variety of situations, These are not so numerous as the other, but are sufficiently so for the purposes to which they are adapted; for all men and every living creature need food, but we have reason to be thankful that all need not the aid of medicine. Many there are however, who stand in need of their beneficial influences,—and many an invalid have they been the means of restoring to renovated power and the blessings of health. Like the pool of Bethesda, they may be said to be of a healing nature; but blessed be the adorable Physician who has opened up these fountains, that they have been found to be for the healing of multitudes who resort thither, and not for him alone who is fortunate enough to be first plunged into the troubled streamt. OF HOT SPRINGS AND INFLAMMABLE WATERS

We have an instance of the former, in the great Geyser in Iceland, which rises up in form of a pyramid of water and foam more than $ hundred feet,—and of the latter, in the burning lake of the same is land, and the rivulet near Bergerac, which is so easily ignited, as to be capable of being set on fire with a lighted straw; but on the uses of these our limits do not permit us to enter. Neither can we dwell on the SALT WATER SPRINGS AND LAKES

Which occur in various parts of the northern temperate zone, particu larly along the Carpathian and Uralian mountains, and in the central part of Asia. Nor on the amazing properties of the

PETRIFYING AND INCRUSTING WATERS, Which are to be found in other situations, the former evidencing it. self in a very powerful manner in the waters of Lough Neagh in Ire land, the Danube, and the Pregel; and we have a specimen of the latter in the spring of Guancavelica, which, by it calcareous sediment, furnishes the rough stones by which the neighbouring towns are built.

g but huge mountainous districts, intercepted by p valleys present themselves, what room would be for tillage?-what incredible labour and fatigue in elling! What insurmountable barriers to the pures of trade and commerce!-But these facilitate the rations of agriculture and cause the stubborn glebe e broken up with ease.-Carriages, with immense dens, glide along on the level of a rail-way; the traer on horseback, enveloped in darkness, pursues his -ney without danger of stumbling; the loaded wagis wheeled onwards without interruption; and the t post flies with astonishing celerity on the wings of ness:-but this brings me to the last thing my time allow me to touch upon in the general appearance he surface of the dry-land, which is,

THE SANDS OF THE DESERT

have already noticed, as serving as mediums of communication ixt the different oases, which, in their turn, prove such acceptable ng stages and places of refreshment to the traveller, in his journey s those arid plains. And, from the report of those who have

y visited

THE POLAR REGIONS,

ind, that comfort and happiness can even be found among the -huts and fields of ice, of these apparently inhospitable and dee regions;—that the capture of a couple of walruses can be the ion of a scene of merriment and festivity among the Esquimaux; h, according to Captain Parry's description,§ must have fallen noshort of that experienced by the Jews of old at the time of sheeping—or what is now enjoyed by the inhabitants of our own counillages at the joyous season of harvest-home.

"Every lamp now swimming with oil, the huts exhibited a blaze ght, and never was there a scene of more joyous festivity than e the operation of cutting up the walruses continued."-See CapParry's Second Voyage, 4to. London, 1824, page 205.

1

THE VERDANT COLOUR OF THE EARTH; For whatever diversity of hue there may be in natural objects when viewed separately, there can be no doubt that this is the most general and prevailing colour; and as nature does nothing in vain, the circumstance certainly ought not to be overlooked. In this, the wisdom and goodness of God will appear by attending to the following considerations.-Had the robe of nature assumed a more light or brilliant cast, and the generality of objects appeared of a white, yellow, orange, or red complexion, it would have been too much for the strength of our nerves, and instead of being refreshed and delighted, we would have been blinded and overpowered with the dazzling splendour.

Had she put on a more sombre aspect, and been clothed with a violet, purple or blue mantle, the prospect must have been sad, dismal, and gloomy, and instead of imparting to the animal spirits the exhilarating draught to keep them in play, would have suffered them to subside into dejection and despondency. To prevent these two extremes, an all-wise and gracious God has clothed nature generally with a verdant covering, being that proper combination of light and shade, that neither dazzles nor darkens the prospect, which rather refreshes than fatigues the eye, strengthens and invigorates instead of weakening the powers of vision, and creates in the soul that increasing delight and lengthened rapture, which the poet had in view when he penned the following lines:

"Gay green!

Thou smiling Nature's universal robe;

United light and shade! where the sight dwells

With growing strength, and ever new delight!"