called the vorticella rotatoria, or the wheel animal.— When the water containing the wheel animal evaporates, it becomes languid and inactive, the motion of the wheels is interrupted, they are retracted within the body, the tail loses its hold, the shape alters, and the animal dies. Its figure is now so small and distorted, that it cannot be recognised for the same being. It grows dry and hard, and on being touched with the point of a needle, flies into a thousand pieces. Yet, notwithstanding so great an alteration has taken place, the animal may still be revived, though kept in this condition days, months, and even years, without interruption. All that is required for its resurrection is being moistened with water. The period of humectation necessary to the recovery of the full and active principle of life is various, according to the species of the animal, and perhaps the circumstances in which it is found. Some revive in a few minutes, others require half an hour or more. Leeuwenhoek relates, that when he affused water on a quantity of sand that had been dry thirteen days, one animalcula attempted to swim in five minutes, but others did not till after the lapse of three hours. It has been said, that those dry for years revive as soon as those that have been dry only a few hours. The pre cursors of animation consist in a hard and disfigured substance beginning to swell; a point appears at one extremity, which moves, with alternate extension and contraction; the opposite part also becomes pointed: these are the head and tail. The rest of the organs successively unfold; the wheels are displayed; the animal resumes its original shape, and swims vivaciously through the fluid.

REFLECTIONS.

Here we are led to reflect that there is a world of animate existence and of conscious enjoyment, not perceptible by unassisted human vision. What other wonders might be disclosed had we other senses imparted to us; or were those already enjoyed rendered a thousand times more acute, we cannot even conjecture. But the more the candid mind explores the works of the Deity, the more it is constrained to feel its own ignorance, and is

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ready with the Psalmist to exclaim, “O Lord how manifold are thy works, in wisdom hast thou made them all!" How wonderful the manner in which these animalcula are multipled! How much more wonderful that they can to all human appearance be lifeless dry dust, and yet on the application of water presently resume all their former life and activity. If God can condescend to raise anew the smallest portion of animate existence, how comforting the hope drawn from Revelation and confirmed by analogy that these bodies when dead shall rise again.

MOUNT ETNA AT DAY-LIGHT.

Anxious expectation more than doubled the time in which we waited for the appearance of the sun: but we felt none of those unpleasant sensations in a difficulty of respiration, which are said to arise from the tenuity of the atmosphere, and of which many travellers have complained; at this amazing altitude the mind seems more affected than the body; the spirit appears elevated by the change, and dismissing those cares and passions which disturb its serenity below, rises from the contemplation of this sublime scenery to the adoration of its divine Architect.

At length faint streaks of light shooting athwart the horizon, announced the approach of the great luminary of day; and when he sprang up in splendid majesty, supported, as it were, on a throne of golden clouds, that fine scriptural image of the giant rejoicing to run his course, flashed across my mind. As he ascended in the sky his rays glittered on the mountain tops, and Sicily became gradually visible, expanding like a map beneath our feet.

This effect is most extraordinary; nearly all the mountains of the island may be deseried, with cities that surmount their summits: more than half the coast, with its bays and indentations, and the promontories of Pelorus and Parchymum, may be traced, as well as the course of rivers from their springs to the sea, sparkling like silver bands which encircle the vallies and the plains. We were unable to distinguish Malta, though

The

I do not, on this account, doubt the relation of others
who profess to have done so; the Lipari isles were very
much approximated to view by the refreshing power of
the atmosphere, as also was the Calabrian coast.
sides of Etna itself are covered with beautiful conical
hills, from which ancient lavas have issued; their ex-
hausted craters are now filled with verdant groves of
the spreading chesnut, exhibiting the most sylvan seenes
imaginable; on the plain below, these cones would be
lofty mountains; here they appear but excrescences that
serve to vary and beautify the ground.

Hughes's Travels in Sicily.

WONDERS IN THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM.

A Cursory view of vegetation fills the mind with admiration. From the same soil, the same sun-shine, and showers, arise a vast variety of plants and trees. These have different dimensions, forms, shapes, colours, tastes, and a variety of other diverse properties. Who can tell why the currant bush, which rises by the side of the sprout from the acorn, should not extend its roots as far, and elevate its branches as high as the oak? Why are the leaves of some trees circular, others conical. and all varying in shape according to the particular species of trees to which they belong? What is it which varies the colours of the lily, the rose, and the violet, standing together in the same flower-bed? Why does each species of flowers, emit its own peculiar odour, some more and some less fragrant? Why does the same soil, moisture, warmth and air, produce fruits which are so diverse in their tastes and medicinal properties? Fruits which are sweet, sour, and bitter to the taste;-healthful and baneful to the constitution, may all rise together. It is conjectured that the different structure of the pores through which the sap rises in the vegetable kingdom, changes the shapes of the particles, and thus occasions this diversity of forms, colours, tastes, and other properties. In this theory, sour fluids are supposed to be composed of triangular particles, and other tastes of particles of other

shapes. Of what shape noxious particles are, in distinetion from those which are salutary, none have attempted to conjecture. We must, after all, acknowledge ourselves entirely ignorant respecting a thousand things in the vegetable kingdom. It appears that there is some foundation laid in the seed, for the varieties of qualities in different productions; but what this is, we cannot determine. "It is even so, Father, for so it seemed good in ,thy sight." Now if every vegetable we see, presents inscrutible mysteries before us, shall we complain of incomprehensible truths in the volume of Revelation.

ORIGINAL ANECDOTE.

Founded on facts which have recently transpired; and suggesting important hints to pious Traders.

NOT many months since, Candidus, a country merchant, called on Saturday at the store of Benevolus, a wholesale trader. After their business was despatched, Benevolus, as usual with him. inquired of his customer, when he expected to leave town. On receiving the answer that Candidus would leave that day, he tenderly inquired where he expected to keep the Sabbath, suggesting at the same time the hope that he did not travel on the Lord's day. Candidus replied as thousands of others would have done, that he wished to make all convenient haste towards homie,-that it is expensive laying by at the tavern, that many inns are places of noise and irreligion, where the day could not be so well ob. served as if he was riding alone, that he travelled peaceably and still, disturbing nobody else in the observance of the day, &c. Benevolus was not to be silenced with this sinful sophistry. He remarked that Candidus would doubtless, cheerfully submit to the delay and expense of another day in the city, if his worldly business seemed to require it, that if public houses and travellers were what they ought to be, no impediment would be found in them to the observance of the Sabbath; and though he might not molest any, he disobeyed God, grieved the pious, and by his example might corrupt

many others. In a word, Benevolus with solemnity and affection remonstrated against C's quieting his con science, with any excuse for profaning the holy Sabbath, which would not bear the test at his tribunal who has commanded; "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy;" and then they parted.

Two or three months elapsed when B. was met in the street by C. and after the exchange of customary civilities, C. desired an interview for further conversation. When by themselves, with strong emotion he thanked B. for his kind fidelity respecting the observance of the Sabbath; told him that he journeyed on that Lord's day still and peaceably as he had before proposed; but through the day he found his conscience reproaching him, for trampling on the authority of heaven, and he was led to review his past life; to discover the chambers of moral defilement in his heart, and found no peace till he hoped he had submitted himself to God.

It may be added respecting Candidus, that he appears like an engaged Christian, and has been instrumental of exciting an increasing attention to the subject of religion in the place where he resides. Who can compute the number and magnitude of spiritual blessings to immortal souls connected with that seasonable word which Benevolus used. Let others "Go AND DO LIKEWISE. 99

SELECT ANECDOTES.

It is generally known, that Mr. Whitefield often preached in the open air; sometimes, because houses of worship were shut against him; and at others, because his audiences were too large to be accommodated in any ordinary building. In Philadelphia, he often stood on the outside steps of the Court-house, and from that station addressed admiring thousands who crowded the streets below. On one of these occasions, a boy named John Rodgers, (afterwards Pastor of the Wall-street and Brick Churches in New-York city,) was not only present, but pressed as near to the person of his favourite preacher as possible; and to testify his respect, held a lantern for his accommodation. Soon after the sermon began, 2d Edit.

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