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it there. Mr. Pitt enquired of Sir Walter Farquhar what book he could recommend in order to give a correct general idea of the structure of the human body. The answer was, Paley's Natural Theology. A high testimony,' Mr. Wilberforce remarked, from such a man, to the scientific correctness of the work; more especially when it is taken into consideration that the book which he recommended was written with a different intention.'

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In the study of philosophy, do not entirely neglect the philosophy of the human mind. A very high master in metaphysics has told us in the introductory sentence of his stupendous work, how useful it is for the mind, like the eye, occasionally to turn from outward objects to observe its own workings, and estimate its own powers. You will find that Abercrombie on the Intellectual Powers will be useful to you on this subject, without carrying you deeper than a lady would wish

to go.

I am not entering into details; I did not profess to write a treatise, but to give you a few hints. I know that much more might be said; the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms seem to rise before the mind in their regularly marshalled

divisions. I could name authors who might serve as trusty guides to the young traveller; but I remember that homely truth respecting the art to stop, which the reader often recollects more quickly than the writer. I know, too, that the most wearisome authors are they who seek to say every thing that can be said on any given subject; and it is not so much my desire to give information, as to suggest thought, and lead to inquiry.

One thing more however I must remark to you-the beautiful analogy which exists between the revealed will of God and the visible creation. There are, in both, wonders which employ, perplex, and baffle the highest intellects, and truths which are intelligible and delightful to the lowest. In both, I think, (I am sure it is so in Scripture,) the most important things are the most obvious, and the most easy of comprehension. In both, too, there is an infinitude-an overpowering grandeura forcing upon the comprehension, the feelings, the heart, the greatness of God, the littleness, the nothingness of man.

None but a Christian can truly enjoy creationnone but one who feels that the great and glorious Being who formed the stars, made this round

world, and holds both in their courses, is the same Jehovah-Jesus, who was born at Bethlehem, who died upon Calvary, who now pleads the cause of his own people, and will come again, even as he once ascended into heaven.

I often think,—if this earth, defiled by sin, and accursed by God, is so beautiful, what must be the new heavens and the new earth? We know the lofty meditations of the Psalmist on the power and love of God displayed in this nether world, and our hearts glow under the rapturous strains of his inspired harp; but the song of heaven is unknown to us, for no man can learn that song, but "the hundred and forty and four thousand which are redeemed from the earth."

LETTER V.

You must not so misunderstand me. Because in the first sentence of my last letter I used the expression scientific pursuits,' and soon after, in the generalizing terms, mentioned chemistry,' you have conjured up strange things-things which I never dreamt of; and, instead of going on as I had intended, I must explain myself. Had there been any simple lady-like words, instead of those uncouth masculine ones, I would have used them; and, to tell you the plain truth, I puzzled for a modest beginning to my letter quite as earnestly, though not quite as long, as La Mancha's knight did for a well-sounding name for his lady, and I had not equal satisfaction in my success.

A pretty picture rises before me indeed. Did you think that I meant to throw you headlong into

the depths of scientific research? Why, you must have a laboratory fitted up, with blow-pipe, and furnaces, and crucibles. I can just fancy you in the midst, in the dark sublimity of smoke and steam, like the fire-queen of eastern stories, or the fire-eating lady of more modern date. No, no, my dear young friend, I meant nothing unfeminine, in advising you to direct your attention to the wonders and beauties of the visible creation. I neither meant to withdraw you from a woman's duties, nor to elevate you above them.

Neither did I intend any undue monopoly of time. The life of man is so short, the fields of science so immense, that nothing can be done even by professedly scientific inquirers, except by a division of labour. Boyle said, that the consideration of the nature and properties of one mineral might occupy a man's whole life. Linnæus, in the same spirit, when he was one day botanizing with his pupils, covered a green turf with his hand, and said that he held that under his hand, which might keep them all busy for the rest of their lives. He verified this assertion, by proving that in that limited space there were thirty-four different species of organized bodies, either grasses, mosses, insects,

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