teaches us that a certain proportion of salt dissolved in the stomach has a digestive power, and prevents the putrefaction and too great fermentation of the alimentary matter. Hence it is used internally to assist and restore digestion ; to remedy crudities in the stomach; to excite the appetite; and to stimulate the stomach, whose nerves it gently irritates, and favours all its operations. Common salt, then, may be regarded as one of the best digestives in nature; other salts act too powerfully, and are too disagreeable to the palate to be mixed with our food.

Salt is therefore a particular blessing, though perhaps it is less esteemed because of its universality. But were we in the practice of paying more attention to the blessings which we daily receive from God, we should have infinitely more cause to acknowledge and admire his goodness. Salt, besides the uses which we have enumerated, is interesting to the observer of nature, from its external appearance; the least particles of it seeming as if they were cut into eight angles, and six sides, like a die; hence such masses are of a cubical form. And here again we have an evidence of a Supreme Being, who has given to the salt an invariable form, and has shaped the different masses in the same model from the beginning of the creation; thereby proving that its origin is not owing to chance, or fortuitous circumstances, but to the will of an intelligent Being. And this thought is too important, and too essential to our present and eternal peace, to be disregarded, or not to be impressed upon our minds so deeply as never to be effaced.

NOVEMBER XIV.

Origin of Fountains.

ALL great rivers are formed by the streams of smaller ones uniting, and these take their rise from brooks which fall into them; and the brooks derive their origin from springs and fountains. Of this there can be no doubt; but whence do springs proceed? Since water, by its gravity, as well as fluidity, always occupies the lowest parts of the earth's surface, whence can the water come which flows so constantly from the most elevated regions?

It is ascertained, in the first place, that rain, snow, and

generally all the exhalations which fall from the air, supply a great portion of the water that flows from springs. Hence it is that fountains and rivers are so rare in Arabia De serta, and in certain parts of Africa, where it never rains. The waters, then, insinuate themselves into the earth, where they penetrate till they are obstructed by beds of clay, through which they cannot pass; and thus accumulating, form fountains: or they collect in cavities, which afterward overflow; or the waters gradually rill through innumerable crevices, to the lowest places to which they can descend. Thus the water is continually flowing, and forms subterranean currents, which, uniting with more of the same description, make what is called a vein of water.

It is, however, very probable, that in some countries fountains do not owe their origin solely to the waters which descend from the atmosphere; for considerable springs and lakes are sometimes found on high mountains, which would seem not to be altogether produced by either rain or snow. There are many springs that in all seasons yield the same quantity of water, and even sometimes supply more during a time of great heat and long-continued drought than in moist and rainy weather. There must, then, be some other cause contributing to the formation and continuance of fountains.

Many springs are formed by vapours, which, being suspended in the atmosphere, are driven by currents of air towards mountains and elevated places, or by the power of attraction are drawn towards these great masses. The atmosphere is more or less loaded with aqueous exhalations, which being driven and pressed against hard and cold rocks are condensed in drops, and thus increase the springs. We must, however, admit that all springs cannot derive their sources from this cause; for if this was the case, would not the Rhine, the Danube, and other rivers which flow from high mountains, be dried up in winter, when these enormous masses are covered with ice and snow? Caverns which communicate with the sea, or with lakes, must contribute to the origin of fountains. The water of the sea having passed into these great cavities by subterranean canals, rises in vapours through a number of crevices, and forms drops, which, falling by their own gravity, sometimes take a contrary direction, because water cannot always make its way where vapours penetrate. Lastly, it is possible that the

sea-water, particularly in countries bordering upon the ocean, may filter through the earth, and produce springs; and such springs have generally a taste resembling that of the waters whence they originate. But the springs which are met with near the summits of high mountains cannot proceed from such a cause, for the sea-water cannot ascend so high. All the causes we have now enumerated contribute more or less to the origin of fountains; and perhaps there are still other causes operating, of which we are ignorant. Na. ture is always simple in her operations; but this simplicity does not consist so much in employing only one cause to produce each effect, as in employing in every case the fewest possible causes; by which the presence of auxiliary causes concurring to produce the proposed effect of nature is not prevented.

Be this, however, as it may, and though the origin of fountains were more doubtful and obscure than it really is, we must look up to God as the creator and preserver of these salutary springs. He speaks, and the fountains play from the bosom of the hills. The springs become rivulets, and these swell into noble rivers, which carry fertility and abundance through a country. The inhabitants of the meadows allay their thirst in the pure streams, and seek repose in the shady groves through which they gently flow.' God causes the beneficent fountains to spring from the high places of the earth: sometimes they wind among the mountains, till their meanders are lost amid the distant plains; or they precipitate themselves in cataracts, and increase by the union of different streams. Thus God preserves in the kingdom of nature that continual circulation which contributes to the fertility of the earth, the salubrity of our dwellings, and the evacuation of water, where too great abundance would be prejudicial to us.

NOVEMBER XV.

Hair of the Head.

IF we examine the curious structure and various uses of the hair which covers and adorns our heads, we shall find it well worthy of our attention, and discover in it evident proofs of the wisdom and power of God,

Each hair appears to the naked eye an oblong slender filament, with a bulb at the extremity thicker and more transparent than the rest of the hair. The filament forms the body of the hair, and the bulb the root. The large hairs have their roots, and even part of the filament, enclosed in a small membraneous vessel or capsule. The size of this sheath is proportionate to the size of the root, being always rather larger, that the root may not be too much confined, and that some space may remain between it and the capsule. The root or bulb has two parts; the one external, the other internal. The external is a pellicle composed of small laminæ ; the internal is a glutinous fluid, in which some fibres are united; it is the marrow of the root. From the external part of the bulb proceed five, and sometimes, though rarely, six small white threads, very delicate and transparent, and often twice as long as the root. Besides these threads, small knots are seen rising in different places; they are viscous, and easily dissolved by heat. From the interior part of the bulb proceeds the body of the hair, composed of three parts; the external sheath, the interior tubes, and the marrow.

When the hair has arrived at the pore of the skin through which it is to pass, it is strongly enveloped by the pellicle of the root, which forms here a very small tube. The hair then pushes the cuticle before it, and makes of it an external sheath, which defends it at the time when it is still very soft. The rest of the covering of the hair is a peculiar substance, and particularly transparent at the point. In a young hair this sheath is very soft; but in time becomes so hard and elastic, that it springs back with some noise when it is cut. It preserves the hair a long time. Immédiately beneath the sheath are several small fibres which extend themselves along the hair from the root to the extremity. These are united amongst themselves, and with the sheath which is common to them, by several elastic threads; and these bundles of fibres form together a tube filled with two substances, the one fluid, the other solid; and these constitute the marrow of the hair.

An attentive observer of the works of God must acknowledge, that his wisdom is displayed in the structure of a hair, as well as in the other parts of the human body. Thus, from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, there is

nothing in man that does not denote the perfection of his Creator. Even those parts which appear the least considerable, those which might be the easiest dispensed with, become important, if we consider them in their relation with the other members of the body, or if we examine their wonderful structure and destination. This particularly is the case with the hair. Yet there are many people who do not think it is worthy of their attention, and who do not imagine that any traces of the wisdom and goodness of God can be discovered in its formation. But, independent of the general principle, that there is no part of our body which is not useful, or without design, it is very easy to assure ourselves of the wise ends for which hair has been given to us. In the first place, it contributes very much to the beauty of the countenance; and perhaps this is its least use. It preserves the head from the effects of cold and wet, and promotes an insensible evacuation of superfluous humours from the body. Besides these, it may be useful in many other ways; and though we may not be acquainted with them all, we know enough to find great cause to admire and adore the wisdom, power, and goodness of our heavenly Creator in this as well as in every other part of our

structure.

NOVEMBER XVI.

System of the World.

FROM the consideration of the earth, which hitherto has principally occupied our attention, let us elevate our thoughts to those innumerable worlds, compared with which this globe, which we and so many creatures inhabit, is but a point and a speck in the vast system of the universe. Let us examine, meditate, and adore.

In a preceding reflection we described the solar system, the revolution of the earth, and the course of the planets. To meditate upon the heavenly bodies, investigate their motion, order, and arrangement; to observe their magnificence, number, harmony, and beauty, fills the mind with the most sublime ideas of the Creator. We feel our own littleness, and bow, with awful reverence and devout humiliation, before that ineffable Being, whose throne is the