JUNE V. The Use of Rivers. WHEN we calculate the space which the rivers take up in our globe, we find they deprive us of great part of the continent. Some are discontented at this, and fancy it would be better to have had less of rivers, and more of land. But if they world only consider with what wisdom, and in what due proportion, the Creator has planned every thing upon our globe, they would conclude, that rivers have not been spread over the earth without good reason and essential use to men and other creatures. It must be observed, in the first place, that the water of rivers affords a very wholesome drink to man. Spring or pump wa ter, when it has been long without motion, under the ground, loosens, and insensibly carries away with it some particles which may be hurtful; but river water, which is continually evaporatfng, and always in motion, is purified from all dirt, and, by this means, becomes the most salubrious drink for men or beasts. However, the use of rivers extends still farther. Is it not to them we owe the neatness, the wholesomeness, and comfort of our houses, as well as the ferti lity of our fields? Our habitations are always unhealthy, when they are surrounded by stag. nant water, and by marshes, or when the want of water occasions a hurtful drought. The smallest rivulet cools the air around it, and makes it. extremely agreeable. It is the same in respect to the fertility of the land; it is generally owing to the neighbourhood of rivers. What astonishing difference between a country watered with rivulets, and one to which nature has denied this assistance? One is a barren dry de sert; the other, on the contrary, is in some sort a garden of delights, where woods and valleys, meadows and fields, present a thousand beauties, and the most pleasing variety. A river, winding through it, makes all the difference between the two countries: it every where conveys health, prosperity, and plenty. It not only waters the country, in moistening the roots of plants, but it also makes the earth fruitful by its constant evaporations and inundations. Who can be so inattentive, or rather so ungrateful, as not to acknowledge how useful rivers are to whole countries and provinces, when we daily draw such numberless advantages from them? How could commerce be so conveniently carried on, if we could not, by means of rivers, obtain from the most distant nations, the merchandise and goods we require? How many machines and mills should wwe be deprived of, if they were not put in motion by rivers? How many kinds of delicate fish should we want, if rivers did not furnish us with abundance of them? But, say they, if there were no ¡rivers, we should escape those inuudations which do sometimes so much mischief. I allow, that when rivers overflow their banks, they may make great havock and devastation in flat countries. But, is this inconvenience sufficient to prevent rivers from being a blessing of Providence? Do not the numberless advantages which accrue from them, much exceed the harm they sometimes do? Inundations seldom happen, and they extend over very little country. Be. sides, whatever destruction they occasion by overflowing lands, there still results much good from them. For the very inundations manure, and enrich the ground; and, to an attentive ob, server, they are a proof, that God blesses with one hand, while he appears to chastise with the other. Thus, then, the rivers ought to convince us of that divine goodness which is over all the earth. We see that all parts of nature, and all the elements, combine to make us happy, and to procure us a thousand conveniencies. If only one of the blessings of God failed us, its privation would destroy much of our happiness. If there were no rivers, there would be no fertility, and the earth would be but a barren heap of sand. What shoals, what innumerable multitudes of creatures, who can neither live in the air nor on land, would suddenly perish, if the Almighty Hand, which created rivers, was to dry them up! JUNE VI. The Variety of Flowers. WE cannot be but struck with astonishment, when we consider the prodigious number of flowers which are produced in spring, summer, and autumu. But the variety among this numerous host is perhaps still more surprising. Certainly nothing but a Divine Power could cause such numbers to grow; while this Power must have been united with Wisdom equally great, to produce such infinite variety. If they had all been perfectly alike, the sameness would have fatigued the senses; and if summer produced no fruit or flowers, but such as spring affords, they would give us no pleasure, and we should soon tire of the cultivation they require. It is consequently an effect of divine goodness, to have varied the vegetable productions so agreeably; and to have added that charm to their other perfections.— This variety does not only extend to whole tribes of plants, but to the individuals also: the carnation differs from the rose, the rose from the tulip, the tulip from the auricula, and the auricula from the lily. But each carnation, rose, &c. has also its own particular beauty and cha racter. Each has something peculiar to itself. There are not two flowers of the same species perfectly alike in form and shades. Take a view of a bed of flowers in a parterre: there you may behold some of a great height, that seem to soar above the rest; some of a middling rank, some that bear their stately heads above the height of man, others that creep upon the ground; some that dazzle with their rich colours, others that are simple, and make no show; some perfume the air with exquisite odours, whilst others only please the sight with their beautiful colours The flowers no less vary with respect to their seasons: in spring, when men leave the cities in order to go and view the productions which a bountiful Creator grants for their subsistence, they then see the blossoms in full bloom and beauty. Towards summer a thousand and a thousand flowers present themselves to the sight, and form a beautiful scene. They succeed one another regularly, and in the order designed. When winter at last arrives, it brings other plants with it; which, though they may not please the eye, have their use nevertheless. And if we go through the race of vegetables, we shall still find more and more varieties of them. What a difference! How many degrees between the grass which grows amongst the stones, and that useful plant, to which we are indebted for the most wholesome food, and that which we can the least dispense with! Amongst the creeping winding plants, what difference between the weak ivy and the vine, whose grapes afford us such delicious drink! Amongst the trees, what a difference between the wild plum-tree and the oak! Lord God! with what wisdom hast thou planned all thy works! This is the most natural conclusion to be drawn from these reflections. With what wisdom the whole plan of the vegetable kingdom is formed, and how perfectly executed! In all his works the useful and the agreeable are joined. For, is it not to procure us pleasures, equally varied and inexhaustible, that there is such astonishing variety amongst the plants? There is not a month of the year that is not mark'ed with his blessings. Each of them affords new pleasures to our senses, and new proofs to our hearts of his tender mercies, JUNE VII. The Use of Venomous Plants and Animals. cures. EVERY thing on earth, considered separately, is good and wholesome; and, if any thing becomes hurtful, it is because we make a bad use of it, instead of that for which it was designed. From thence it is, that a sort of good, which preserves the life of one animal, destroys another; and that a plant, which, in some cases, is considered as poisonous, is, on other occasions, very useful and salutary. Thus, for example, hemlock was formerly supposed deadly poison, and now a number of experiments assure us, it makes admirable The multitude and variety of vegetables which grow upon the earth is prodigious; but we niust not imagine they were all created for the use of man. Some plants are designed for beasts, others furnish us with dress and ornaments; some please our taste and smell, and a great number of them are medicinal, and would be of great use in many maladies which men and animals are subject to, if they did not mix bad ingredients with them. The same thing may be said of many living creatures, which, though very dangerous to us, are very useful to other animals, either as food or me. dicine. Most birds make their chief food of insects, commonly thought hurtful. Domestic birds eagerly swallow spiders. Peacocks and swans de |