These views correspond with those of the most celebrated living astronomers. M. Arago, from the facts mentioned, concludes that 'a new planetary world is about to be revealed to us; and, at all events, there does seem to be a stream of innumerable bodies, comparatively small, but of various dimensions, moving constantly round the sun, whose orbit cuts that of our earth, at the point which it occupies, on the 12th or 13th of November every year. For any thing

* The phenomenon of meteoric showers at the above mentioned period, has continued yearly to attract the attention of astronomers down to the present time (1840). But this curious subject requires, and is receiving, further investigation. It would appear that similar showers have been observed to take place about the 10th day of August. The following account, attested by M. Von Boguslawski, and dated Breslaw, 14th August, 1839, is abridged from the Prussian State Gazette:-The sky has been again particularly propitious for observing another fall of stars. On many days and nights preceding the 10th, the heavens had been so covered that we could not observe when the uncommonly frequent fall of stars commenced. On the 10th of August, however, our hopes of seeing the phenomena increased, owing to the clearness of the weather, and we were perfectly satisfied towards night time. Already, as early as dusk, an extraordinary fall of stars began. At twenty-six minutes past nine, all the observers, fifteen in number, were assembled, occupying six windows of the observatory. Four gentlemen took care to observe and register the time of each appearance, according to two clocks. Till fourteen minutes past three, when dawn put a stop to the observations, they noticed 1008 falling stars, not including numbers which must have been overlooked, because the number of observers was insufficient. Sometimes the stars succeeded so rapidly, that nothing but the time could be noted down. The course of only 977 have, therefore, been marked upon the star-maps, with all the circumstances relative to them. The following result is as near the exact truth as possible:-Five stars appeared as bright as Venus, fourteen as Jupiter, 238 as stars of the first magnitude, 354 were noted of the second, and 257 of the third magnitude; 101 were reckoned smaller still, and the size of eight was omitted in the hurry; 273 exhibited themselves with tails. Three of our zealous observers devoted the following night also to science, and saw 323 falling stars, whilst the sky was partly covered. In the night of August 12, an observer counted 103 more, from ten o'clock to 45 minutes past one. Therefore, the annual periodical return of an uncommon fall of stars towards the 10th of August, is once more confirmed, as well as that the passage of this host of meteors near the earth lasts several days. If it

that we can tell, indeed, there may be vast numbers of bodies circling round the sun, and even round the earth itself, which, on account of their minuteness and opacity escape human observation. Such a supposition serves to explain the meteoric appearances which are constantly occurring in the clear nights of winter, and which might, perhaps, be not less common in summer, were the operations in the upper regions equally visible at that season.

Falling stars would seem to be nothing else than bodies

were possible, with the aid of corresponding observations, to calculate the direction of their passage with reference to the movement of the earth and their rapidity, we should then be able to form a notion of the extent which these multitudes of stars occupy in space.' In the beginning of September of the same year, a similar phenomenon is described as having taking place in London and its neighbourhood. The article, which I extract from the London newspapers of 3d September, 1839, after stating that, on the night of the first of that month, a vast sheet of light arose in the northern part of the heavens, which filled the inhabitants of London with consternation, and set all the fire-engines in mo tion, as it had all the appearance of a tremendous conflagration, proceeds thus:- At two o'clock yesterday morning (2d,) the phenomenon presented a most gorgeous scene, and one very difficult to describe. The whole of London was brightly illuminated, and the atmosphere was remarkably clear. The southern hemisphere at the time mentioned, although unclouded, was very dark, but the stars, which were innumerable, shone beautifully. The opposite side of the heavens presented a singular but magnificent contrast; it was clear to the extreme, and the light was very vivid; there was a continual succession of meteors, which varied in splendour. They apparently formed in the centre of the heavens, and spread till they seemed to burst; myriads of small stars shot out over the horizon, and darted with such swiftness towards the earth that the eye scarcely could follow the track; they seemed to burst also, and throw a deep crimson vapour over the entire hemisphere. The colours were most magnificent. At half-past two o'clock, the spectacle changed to darkness, which, on dispersing, displayed a luminous rainbow in the zenith of the heavens, and round the ridge of darkness, that overhung the southern portion of the country. Soon afterwards, colours of silvery light radiated from it; they increased wonderfully, intermingled amongst crimson vapour, which formed at the same time, and when at the full height, the spectacle was beyond all imagination. Stars were darting about in all directions, and continued until four o'clock, when all died away.'—Note to the 4th Edition.

of this description, rendered visible from being ignited by the rapidity of their passage through our atmosphere, or by some chemical cause; and meteoric stones, the fall of which is much more frequent than is commonly supposed, may be accounted for in the same way. Some of the latter are of great magnitude, exceeding, in certain instances, seventy miles in diameter. Mrs. Somerville mentions one which passed within twenty-five miles of us, and was estimated to weigh about 600,000 tons, and to move with a velocity of about twenty miles in a second. This huge mass was providentially prevented from striking the earth, a detached fragment of it alone having yielded to the force of our planet's gravitation. It is remarkable, that the chemical composition of these meteoric stones, while it materially differs from that of the ordinary strata of our globe, is uniform and almost identical as regards themselves.

What part these mysterious bodies act in the system of the universe, we cannot tell,—perhaps we may never be able even to conjecture; but we may well learn from the analogy of objects with which we are acquainted, that even they are not useless appendages of our solar system; and, at all events, we are bound confidently to believe, that such bodies are as much under the control of the Creator, as every other part of the creation, and can never, independent of the Divine fiat, disturb the equilibrium of our planet, or interfere with the happiness of its inhabitants. It is the delightful result of religious belief to be assured, that, however threatening may be the aspect assumed by scientific discoveries, there is not an object in nature left to the reckless sway of chance ;-that all things are adjusted with unerring wisdom, managed by infinite power, and over-ruled for good with paternal care.

5*

SECOND WEEK-THURSDAY.

VARIETY OF CLIMATES.

THE difference of climates arises, as I have already observed, from the spherical figure and inclined position of the earth, which turns a single ring on its surface to the direct rays of the sun, oscillating between two defined limits, and subjects all the rest, more or less, to his oblique, and therefore less powerful, influence. The effect of this is, the production of all the varieties of heat and cold, from the fervid glow of the tropics, to the perpetual ice and snow in the regions of the poles. The adaptation of plants and animals to these diversities, forms a most curious subject of consideration, which will be afterwards examined with reference to the respective seasons; but as allusion has, in the preceding paper, been made to the advantages derived from a variety of climates, it may be useful here to pursue this subject a little further.

It has been with truth observed, that the development of the human faculties depends mainly upon our wants, either natural or artificial, and these again are increased or restrained in proportion to the means of indulgence, so that the influence is reciprocal. We are naturally indolent, but stand in need of activity, for giving vigour both to our mental and physical powers. We, therefore, require a strong stimulus to exertion; and that stimulus is to be found in our wants, a circumstance which has given rise to the well-known proverb, -Necessity is the mother of invention.

Were all the productions of the earth to be spontaneous and abundant, it may well be questioned if man would ever rise above the level of the most degraded savage. This observation is strikingly sustained and illustrated by history, which informs us that a prostration of all the energies of body and mind has been uniformly found among the native inhabitants of tropical regions, where nature is lavish of her

stores, and that it is to the dwellers in countries where the necessaries of life are more scantily produced, that we are to look for a race, hardy, vigorous, and intelligent. To what extent the direct effects of an intense heat co-operate with the more indirect cause we are now considering, in producing this enervated state, it may be difficult to determine; but that a mere physical influence is not the only, or indeed the chief agent, cannot be doubted. While the natives of regions where plenty reigns, indulging their natural appetites without exertion and without restraint, sink deeper and deeper in indolence and effeminacy, those of less bountiful countries, finding an increased population pressing hard on the means of subsistence, are stimulated by their wants to vigorous exertion, and from sheer necessity are rendered active, ingenious, and enterprising. Among the first effects, which history describes as produced by this difference in character and cricumstances, are the warlike irruptions of the hardy tribes of the north on the luxuriant inhabitants of the south, accompanied by extensive conquests, and ending in the permanent settlement of these nations in the fertile regions of which they took forcible possession. The stimulus which was thus given to the human faculties, has frequently been permanent, and has produced extensive, and eventually important, consequences on the improvement of the species.

This, however, is mentioned only incidentally, my object at present being merely to show the salutary effect of a limited and comparatively scanty supply of the necessaries of life, arising from what may, as regards production, be considered an unfavourable climate. But this remark has its limitations; and I must not neglect to state, that cold and consequent privation, when carried to an extreme, have a depressing effect of a different kind. The natives of Greenland, and the other countries bordering on the Arctic Circle, are not less degraded in the scale of intellect than the Negro race in the torrid wilds of Africa. It is in the regions within the Temperate Zone that the mind of man, along with his bodily powers, seems most freely and vigorously to expand