in the making, be allowed to become sour, and then be mixed with water, the mixture, when a microscope of sufficient magnifying power is applied to it, will appear to be composed, almost entirely, of little eels, very handsomely formed, and moving about with great activity. Allow the same mixture of paste and water to become solid by drought, or by freezing, and let it be again moistened or thawed, and it will be as completely peopled as ever, with its microscopic inhabitants. Now, as it would be quite unphilosophical to admit the principle of equivocal generation, we are bound to conclude, that the germs of these living creatures were lodged in the mixture, before it was subjected to the process of boiling, and were only developed by the subsequent fermentation; so that it would appear, in this case, that the principle of life, in whatever form it may exist, is indestructible by very great alternations of heat and cold; and, indeed, we are not warranted to affix boundaries to this power, or to conclude, from the experiments which have yet been made, that any length of time, however extended, or any degree of heat or cold, however great, would be sufficient to destroy the vitality of these germs. The wonders, indeed, which an examination of the incalculably, numerous and amazingly-diversified classes of invertebrated animals discloses, grow upon us in every direction, as we proceed; and the pious exclamation of the Psalmist, recurs to us, perpetually,-"O Lord! how manifold are Thy works! In wisdom hast Thou made them all." EIGHTH WEEK-SUNDAY. GREATNESS OF GOD EVEN IN THE SMALLEST THINGS. THE following reflections of Mr. Sturm, the wellknown popular German writer, are so appropriate, as a sequel to our observations in the course of the preceding week, as well as to the previous notices respecting the wonders of the microscope, that I think it would not be easy to direct my readers to a more suitable subject of consideration on this sacred day. He who delights to contemplate the works of God, will not only discover His hand in those immense globes which compose the system of the universe, but also in the little worlds of insects, plants, and metals. He will search for, and adore the wisdom of God, as well in the spider's web, as in the power of gravitation, which attracts the earth towards the sun. These researches are at present the easier, as microscopes have discovered to us new scenes and new worlds, in which we behold, in miniature, whatever may excite our admiration. They who have not the opportunity of using such instruments will read at least with pleasure, the following remarks on microscopic objects. Let us, in the first place, observe the inanimate world. Behold those mosses and little plants which God has produced in such abundance. Of what extremely small particles, and fine threads, are these plants composed! What a variety in their forms and shapes! Think on the innumerable multitude of small particles of which every body is composed, and which may be detached from it! If a hexagon, of an inch square, contain a hundred millions of visible parts, who can calculate all the particles which compose a mountain? If millions of globules of water may be suspended from the point of a needle, how many must there be in a spring, in a well, in a river, in the sea? If, from a lighted candle, there issue in a second more particles of light than there are grains of sand in the whole earth, how many igneous particles must there issue from a large fire in an hour?* If one grain of sand contain more than a thousand millions of particles of air, how many must there be in the human body? If men can divide one grain of copper into millions of parts, *This remark proceeds, of course, on the old theory of the emanation of light and heat. But, on the undulatory theory, the wonder is not lessened.-H. D. without arriving at the first elements of matter-if odoriferous bodies can exhale a sufficiency of odorous particles, so as to be perceived at a great distance, without any sensible diminution of weight, it would require an eternity for the human mind to calculate the number of particles which exist in those bodies. If we pass next to the animal kingdom, the scene will be incalculably extended. In summer, the air is full of living creatures. Every person has seen those innumerable swarms of flies, gnats, and other insects, which gather together in a small space. What prodigious hosts must there be of them, that live and sport over the whole earth, and in the immense extent of the atmosphere ! How many millions of still smaller insects and worms are there, which crawl on the earth, or in the entrails of animals! With what splendor, does the power of God manifest itself to the mind, when we reflect on the multitude of parts of which these creatures are composed, of whose very existence most men are ignorant! Were we not, at any time, able to prove it by experiment, could we imagine there were animals a million of times less than a grain of sand, with organs of nutrition, motion, &c.? There are shellfish so small, that, even viewed through the microscope, they appear scarcely so large as a grain of barley; and yet they are real animals, with durable dwelling places, the foldings and recesses of which, form so many different apartments. How exceedingly small is a mite; nevertheless, this almost imperceptible point, seen through a microscope, is a hairy animal, perfect in all its members, of a regular figure, full of life and sensibility, and provided with every necessary organ. Although this animal is scarcely visible to us, yet it has a multitude of still smaller parts; and, what is yet more admirable, the glasses which show us so many faults and imperfections in the most finished works of man, can observe nothing but regularity and perfection in these microscopic objects! How inconceivably thin and tender are the threads of a spider! It has been calculated that it would take 36,000 of them to make the thickness of a thread of common sewing silk! Each of the six papillæ from which the spider draws that glutinous liquor of which it forms its web, is composed of a thousand insensible pores, which give passage to so many threads; so that, however fine the spider's thread may appear, it is composed of 6000 smaller ones! You are struck with astonishment: but, suppose we had microscopes which could magnify some thousands of times more than those glasses do, through which a mite appears no larger than a grain of barley, what wonders should we then see! And, even then, should we reach the limits of creation in these inconceivably small productions? Certainly not: and it would be presumption and extravagance to believe it. Each creature has a kind of infinity; and the more we contemplate the works of God, the more the wonders of His power shall be multiplied in our sight. Our imagination is confounded in the two extremes of Nature, the great and the small; and we know not whether we should admire the Divine power more in those enormous masses which roll over our heads, or in those microscopic objects which are invisible to the naked eyes. Should not the contemplation of the works of God be our most pleasing occupation? The trouble of study would be amply compensated by the pure and innocent pleasures which it would afford. It would, at least, awaken in us an ardent desire to arrive in those blessed regions where we should require neither microscopes nor telescopes to enable us to discover the wondrous works of God. There, all His works shall be so unveiled to our eyes, that we shall be able to distinguish the destination, structure, and relations of each object. There, immortal songs of praise shall resound to the honor of the Creator of the universe. There, all distinction of great and small shall be entirely done away; for every thing shall appear great in our sight, and fill our souls with admiration and joy! EIGHTH WEEK-MONDAY. HYBERNATION.-MIGRATION OF BIRDS. THE migration of birds, before winter deprives them of their natural food, or diminishes the temperature of the atmosphere below what their constitution is able to bear, is not only one of the familiar, but one of the most remarkable operations of this interesting class of the animal creation. No person of observation can reside long in a rural district, without being struck with the change which takes place in its feathered inhabitants about the commencement of this less genial season. While hardier races of birds, unknown to us in spring and summer, begin to appear, we lose sight of many of those tenants of our hedges and groves, which cheered us with their music, or pleased our eye by the variety and brilliancy of their plumage. They had long since almost ceased to afford us agreeable notice of their presence, by the distinctive variety of their music; but we had, only a few days or weeks before, seen them flitting gayly across our path, or perched quietly or peeringly on some neighboring bough; yet now, neither to the eye nor ear, do they any longer give indications of their existence. What has become of these interesting attendants on our summer walks? The solicitude to which reflections on their fate, during the vicissitudes of our rude winter climate, give rise, is beautifully and feelingly expressed by the Scottish poet :* "Ilk happing bird, wee, helpless thing, Delighted me to hear thee sing, What comes o' thee? Where wilt thou cow'r thy chittering wing, And close thy e'e?" * Burns. |