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All temporal evil is the consequence of sin, and therefore may be included in the petition; but spiritual evil is undoubtedly the primary meaning. We may understand it both ways, either as a deliverance from our sins or from the chastisements they bring upon us. He knows, our heavenly Father knows, that the sin itself is by far the greater evil; and if we have the hearts of children, he knows that we think so. He will not spare the chastisements, therefore, when it is needful to correct the sin; and if we estimate things as we ought to do, we shall not wish he should. This is a consideration which the pious mind will never overlook in moments of affliction, and perhaps it is that from which, above all others, the most consolation may be derived. The evil is heavy indeed, and hard to be borne-but perhaps if our wishes had been indulged and our feelings spared, it had led us into temptations against which we have not strength to stand-we should have fallen into sin, and sin is a greater evil far than that which we endure, and in the issue would cost us more poignant sorrow. Can we be else than

satisfied?

We are aware that to the greater number this is mere fiction and no truth; because to them sin is no evil and no sorrow. We can but refer them back to the words of their petition. If it were an honest one, it were perhaps the most indubitable test of a truly Christian spirit, for it would imply a hatred and a dread of sin above all other evils, that never existed but on Christian principles; and a willingness to go through any thing rather than commit it, which was never felt but by the devoted child of God. But, repeated as the most of us repeat it, it is a bold confession of what we ought to feel, without an effort or a K 3

desire to feel it. It is not true that we desire to be kept from temptation, and as far as human eye can scan, it is not reasonable to expect we shall be delivered from the evil.

INTRODUCTION

ΤΟ

THE STUDY OF NATURE.

BOTANY.

(Continued from page 53.)

CLASS 5.-PENTANDRIA.

OUR example Plate 7, is of an elegant shrub found only, we believe, on the sea-coast, and that not generally, but confined to peculiar spots. Cultivated, we may see it covering the fronts of houses, and growing to a large size in shubberies. Our wild specimen was gathered on the East Cliff at Hastings. The flower is a long, slender spike of very pale pink blossoms-examining one, we find it to contain five Stamens and three Pistils, from which we place it in the fifth Class, third Order, Pentandria Trigynia. The Calix is divided into five, and it has five petals, the capsules have one cell, and the seeds are hairy. The stems are slender, nodding, red and glossy, and they are clothed with scales. The leaves are extremely small, beautifully covering the slender branches, so as to give to the whole a very light and feathery appearThe Stamens are of rather a deeper pink than the Petals, and nothing can surpass the lightness and enegance of the plant altogether. From this description we cannot doubt it to be the Tamarix, of which there is but one native species, Gallica, common name French Tamarisk.

ance.

We proceed with the description of our fifth Botanical Class, Pentandria, recommencing with the secondOrder, Digynia. A large and difficult race contained in

mits forming a level, convex, concave, sometimes almost a globular surface of flowers, like the Hemlock and Parsley. These plants, though very abundant in our hedges, are not attractive, and present considerable difficulties in the examination. It is, indeed, scarcely possible to distinguish the Genera without having the seeds; therefore if we wish to examine a flower of this description, we must observe to gather a specimen that is in seed, as well as one in flower. They have mostly two seeds in each flower. Plants of this description growing in moist places are usually very poisonous, while those that inhabit dry situations are not so. Many of them are cultivated in our gardens and found extremely useful. Of these Daucus, Carrot, is well known to us. Like most other Umbelliferous plants, it has an Involucrum, that is, a circle of leaves where the flower-stalks divide. Of its use when cultivated we are informed. The root of its wild species is always of a pale yellow, and the flower mostly white.

Pastinica, Parsnip, is also frequent at our tables. The flowers are yellow. The root, beside being eaten, as a vegetable, is in the north of Ireland sometimes brewed with hops into a sort of beer.

Carum, Carraway, is also a native plant. We are too well acquainted with the seeds, to have any difficulty in distinguishing the plant if we find it.

Apium, Celery, though so favourite a vegetable when cultivated, is in its wild state strong and unpleasant, sometimes noxious, if grown in damp places.

Eryngium, Eringo, has the flowers in a head, of a pale blue. The roots are sold in our shops candied.

Hydrocotyle, Marsh Pennywort, is a creeping plant, of which the Umbel is formed of no more than five pale flowers.