can only take place when the soul compares sensations, and operates upon the ideas which it has received through the medium of the senses.

It is singular that in dreams we never imagine that we hear, but only that we see; and it is still more remarkable that the images which we see often bear a most exact resemblance to their originals. Beautiful landscapes, which we have never attentively observed, are presented to us in dreams, more exactly delineated than if drawn by the most eminent artists.

As to the accidental causes of dreams, by which former sensations are renewed without the operation of any present and real impression, it must be observed, that in a state of profound sleep we never dream; we are conscious of no sensation, and our organs of sense are not acted upon by external objects. That sense which first yields to the influence of sleep is also the first that awakes, being the most lively and active, and more easily excited than the external senses. When sleep is more imperfect, and less sound, dreams generally occur: former sensations are renewed; the internal sense, which, by the inactivity of the external senses cannot employ itself upon present impressions, exercises itself on preceding sensations, and of these generally prefers such as have most forcibly affected it; hence it is, that dreams are either very frightful or extremely agreeable.

Another circumstance in dreams worthy of attention is, that they are often characteristic of the nature of the individual. From the phantoms which haunt his imagination during the night, we may form some conclusion whether he is virtuous or vicious. A cruel-minded man continues to be so even in sleep; while the man of benevolence preserves in his dreams the same mild feature of character. It is, nevertheless, true, that an impure and vicious dream may be occasioned by the state of the body, or by external and adventitious circumstances. But our conduct, when first awake, will shew whether or not such dreams ought to be imputed to us: we have only to observe what opinion we form of them at the time. The good man is not indifferent with respect to his dreams; and if, during his sleep, his mind has wandered from what is strictly just and vir tuous, he is afflicted by it when he awakes. It generally happens, that the mind that reposes with a conviction of the

favour of God, has, during a state of dreaming, ideas and representations of heavenly things. A good conscience often consoles a righteous man in his sleep, with the impression of his merits being rewarded by Divine favour and approbation.

Sleep, however, is not the only time when wild and unconnected objects produce a confusion of ideas. How many people dream while awake! Some, from high opinions of their own importance and dignity, because the favour of a prince, or wealth, has raised them to some degree of rank. Others place their happiness upon empty fame, and feed their imaginations with the vain hope of immortal honour. Such beings as these, in the delirium of their passions, and in the intoxication of their self-love, may fancy that they are happy, and endeavour to make others believe it; but all such frivolous and deceitful felicity vanishes as a morning dream. They have been well described by an eminent prophet, when he said, 'They resemble an hungry man who dreameth that he eats; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty or as when a thirsty man dreameth, aud, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite.'

Let us, then, never seek our happiness in vain phantoms, and delusive dreams; but henceforth aspire to obtain, through Divine assistance, that wisdom which perisheth not, and that glory whose radiance endureth for ever, and which, when in the last awful moments of our existence we take a retrospect of our past life, will not add the sting of remorse to the painful separation of the soul from the body, nor cause the tears of hopeless repentance to increase the woe of our afflicted friends.

NOVEMBER XII.

Every Thing in the Universe is connected together, and concurs to the Preservation and Perfection of the Whole.

EVERY thing which the beneficent Creator has produced upon the earth is admirably connected together, and conVOL. II.

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tributes to the mutual preservation of the whole. The earth itself, the rocks, the minerals, and the fossils, all owe to the elements their origin and support. The trees, plants, herbs, mosses, and all kinds of vegetables, derive their subsistence from the earth; while animals, in their turn, live upon the vegetable kingdom. All these afterward return to their first principles. The earth supplies the plant with its nutriment, the plant the insect, the insect the bird, the bird the wild beasts; and in their turn the wild beasts become food for the vulture, the vulture to the insect; the insect nourishes the plant, and the plant the earth. Man himself, who converts all these beings to his own use, often in turn becomes their prey. Such is the circle in which every created thing revolves.

Thus all creatures have been created for each other, and no one solely for itself. The tiger, the lynx, the bear, the ermine, the fox, and various other animals, yield us furs for our covering. The hounds pursue the fleet hare, and hunt down the stag in the forests to supply our tables; while the portion they themselves receive of the prey is very small. The ferrets drive the rabbits from their deepest recesses into our hands. The horse, the elephant, and the camel, are trained to carry loads, and the ox to yoke to the plough. The cow gives us her milk, the sheep her wool; the reindeer draws the sledge with velocity over the snow and ice; the swine, the hedge-hog, and the mole, burrow in the earth, and turn it up, that the seeds of plants may be more easily propagated. The hawk is subservient to the pleasures of the chase, and the hen gives us eggs. The cock's shrill cries awaken us in the morning, and the carols of the lark delight us in the day. The morning and evening are hailed by the melody of the blackbird, and the night is sacred to the varied notes of the nightingale.

The brilliant plumage of the peacock delights the lovers of gaiety. Fish from the depths of the ocean swarm upon our coasts, and enter our rivers in shoals, and supply an abundance of nourishment to men, birds, and beasts. The silk-worm spins, that we may be clothed with its precious web; and the bees for our use collect their sweets from every flower that scents the air. The sea casts upon our coasts multitudes of crabs, oysters, and various kinds of shell-fish, for the use of men and animals. The lantern

bearer, or great fly of Surinam, shines during the night, and gives light to the inhabitants of that country.

If we also examine the different occupations and labours of men, we shall find that they equally tend to the same end which nature has proposed. The mariner tempts the dangers of the sea, and braves the storm, to bring to his country merchandise which does not belong to him. The soldier sheds his blood in the service of his country, and to preserve the well-being of his fellow-citizens. The lawyer is occupied in the affairs of others; and sovereigns and magistrates, who sit at the helm of government, devote their time and their faculties in steering it for the good of the commonwealth. Parents amass treasures for their children. The husbandman sows and reaps seed, a very small part of which falls to his lot to consume. Thus we

do not live for ourselves alone; and the wise Author of Nature has so ordered in his infinite mercy, that all beings shall be useful to one another.

From this let us learn what are our moral duties. He who has power should succour the feeble. The man of learning should help with his advice those who are deficient, aud impart of his wisdom to the ignorant. In fine, we should love our neighbour as ourselves; and by so doing we should the most effectually fulfil the designs of our Creator. The reciprocal duties which men owe to one another have induced them to form societies; for that which individual power could not effect is readily accomplished by united energy. No person could erect a stately edifice, or construct a palace, if he was obliged by himself to lay the foundation, dig the cellars, mould the clay, and bake the bricks, raise the walls, cover in the roof, make the windows, decorate the apartments, &c. But all this is easily performed when several artificers unite and mutually assist each other. Such is the constant law of nature, that in all the arts and sciences nothing beautiful or excellent can be effected without the concurrence of several persons. How many thousands of men are requisite to make a monarch powerful, and a nation renowned and prosperous!

In all this we have abundant cause to acknowledge the wisdom of our Creator, who, that all the inhabitants of the earth, and particularly man, might be happy, has established such relations and connexions amongst all beings, that one

cannot subsist without the others. Experience daily teaches us that God has ever in view the welfare of his creatures : for this purpose the whole world was planned, and so arranged, that all its parts concur to promote the general happiness of mankind. Even those things which we consider as the least important, and to which we scarcely condescend to turn our attention, contribute to our felicity. The very insects, which appear so despicable and insignificant, are highly useful to us. Thousands of hands are daily employed in satisfying our wants, and thousands of animals perish to support our lives. And in how many other ways, of which we are ignorant, is not nature active in our favour!

Merciful and indulgent Father! teach us how to appreciate thy goodness, and estimate our felicity; cause to arise in our hearts the desire of doing in future all that our limited faculties and strength will admit of, to promote the cause of righteousness amongst men, and to imitate thy goodness to us by assisting, according to our several abilities, those who are in need.

NOVEMBER XIII.

Common Salt.

SALT forms the seasoning which is most extensively used, being common to the rich and the poor, the king and the beggar. Its savour is so grateful, and it possesses such excellent properties for digestion, that we may regard it as one of the most precious gifts which nature has bestowed upon man. We procure it in different ways. The inhabitants of the coasts obtain it from the sea. They dig pits on the shore, which they call salt-pits, and plaster them with clay at a full tide the sea flows into them; and the water which it leaves soon evaporates by the heat of the sun, and there remains at the bottom of the pits abundance of salt. In other places nature furnishes salt-springs, fountains, and lakes; and to obtain salt from these the water is evaporated in large cauldrons. In some places again, salt is found in solid masses in the mountains; the most celebrated mines are those of Catalonia and Poland. All these different kinds of salt are alike in their chief properties. Experience