put a chief value on deviations from nature, and to consider only, as curious and interesting, those irregular productions which break through her laws, which mar her beauty, which are aberrations from the wisdom that formed every thing in perfection, without blemish, and without possibility of amendment. Living in the midst of all that is magnificent, or awful, or lovely; in scenes where the hand of God has fixed its seal and impressure in the strongest characters, we yet neglect these familiar and ever present manifestations of his power, while to every thing bearing an appearance of novelty, however monstrous or absurd, we attach an undeserved and childish importance.

This, I am satisfied, arises principally from the general neglect of natural history as an ordinary branch of education. Indeed, so far from children being encouraged to look upon the animals around them as objects formed by the Almighty, and therefore cared for by him. as well as they themselves, they are too often taught the unjust and pernicious lesson of destroying, and even, what is worse, of tormenting all such unfortunate creatures as may fall into their power. To seize butterflies, and tear off their wings; to spin flies, by thrusting a pin through their body; to torture crabs, by

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dragging off their legs, are but a few of the many cruel practices followed by boys, and without the slightest interference on the part of parent, teacher, or friend, either to prevent the act, or point out its criminality. that this is always the case; but generally is so cannot be denied. otherwise, I believe, were natural history more cultivated, and especially were it taught and attended to as a part of natural religion. It must, to a certain extent, indeed, excite devotional feelings, however studied; but I know and feel that the usual pursuit of it as a science, and its study in that disposition of mind which adds to the developments of science a constant reference to the Deity, and an unceasing appeal to final causes, are very different from each other. The one may, to a certain degree, degenerate into a mere love for the curious, or have for its chief end and aim the perfection or improvement of some system of classification, without looking much farther; the other must ever continue to ennoble our minds, to raise us every day to higher and higher conceptions of the power and wisdom of God; and to afford a happiness as pure, perhaps, and as permanently exquisite, as man in his present state of being can possibly enjoy. And still, in these studies, and in all

the meditations to which they may give rise, there can never be a fear of running into dangerous extremes of enthusiasm, nor into a blind and arrogant confidence in ourselves, or in the rank we hold in the creation. The more we can understand of the works of God, the more we must be convinced of his power, and necessarily the more humble must we seem in our own eyes; but, at the same time, that cannot be a slavish humility: for, in proportion to the evidences of his omnipotence, we find those of his goodness at least equal; and, consequently, while we feel awed by his majesty, we are at the same time impelled to confide in his justice, and to consider him as the friend, and not the tyrant, of our race.

In our present correspondence, therefore, my object will not be to lead you to the study of natural objects through the medium of any artificial system and I shall, for some time to come, not wish you to be either a scientific zoologist, botanist, or mineralogist; but that you should first. learn to look on animals, plants, and the various phenomena of the earth's structure, with a constant allusion to their Maker, so that when you afterwards come to attend to scientific distinctions, and to systems of science, you may have acquired the habit of extending your thoughts

beyond these, and looking through them and the works of which they treat, up to the great Spirit who formed the universe, and all which it contains. Without further preamble, then, let us commence our task. It matters little where we begin; yet it may be as well to take our first lessons from things which are common, and with which we have from childhood been familiar.

At this season of the year there are few objects among the younger classes of the community so anxiously sought after as a bird's nest: and were they taught to consider that beautiful and ingenious piece of work as it deserves, the lesson might be useful to them during life. On the contrary, however, the natural feelings which should be attached to the contemplation of such an object are allowed to run in a wrong channel, and thoughtlessness and cruelty are permitted to take place of the tender and gentle impressions which so ingenious, so beautiful, and so perfect a production, and, above all, the sacred use which it is intended for, ought to inspire.

It is a common practice in this part of the country for boys to play at what is called blindstab, that is, to rob a number of birds' nests; to place the eggs in parcels upon the ground, and

the meditations to which they may give rise, there can never be a fear of running into dangerous extremes of enthusiasm, nor into a blind and arrogant confidence in ourselves, or in the rank we hold in the creation. The more we can understand of the works of God, the more we must be convinced of his power, and necessarily the more humble must we seem in our own eyes; but, at the same time, that cannot be a slavish humility: for, in proportion to the evidences of his omnipotence, we find those of his goodness at least equal; and, consequently, while we feel awed by his majesty, we are at the same time impelled to confide in his justice, and to consider him as the friend, and not the tyrant, of our race.

In our present correspondence, therefore, my object will not be to lead you to the study of natural objects through the medium of any artificial system: and I shall, for some time to come, not wish you to be either a scientific zoologist, botanist, or mineralogist; but that you should first learn to look on animals, plants, and the various phenomena of the earth's structure, with a constant allusion to their Maker, so that when you afterwards come to attend to scientific distinctions, and to systems of science, you may have acquired the habit of extending your thoughts