tary ones. These collections of globules, being put into a glass filled with sea-water, described a rapid circle round the glass by a common movement, to which each individual contributed by the simple compression of the sides of its body, probably the effect of the re-action of the air with which they were filled. It is not, however, easy to conceive how these distinct animals (for they may be readily separated without deranging their economy) are capable of concurring in a common motion. These considerations, together with the form of the animal, recalled to my mind, with much satisfaction, the ingenious system of M. de Buffon; and I endeavoured to persuade myself that I was about to witness one of the most wonderful phenomena of nature, supposing that these molecules, which were now employed in increasing or diminishing their number, or performing their revolutions in the glass, would soon assume the form of a new animal, of which they were the living materials. My impatience led me to detach two from the most numerous group, imagining that this number might perhaps be more favourable to the expected metamorphosis. I was, however, mistaken. These I examined with more attention than the rest, and the following account is of their proceedings alone. Like two strong and active wrestlers, they immediately rushed together, and attacked each other on every side: sometimes one would dive, leaving its adversary at the surface of the water; one would describe a circular movement, while the other remained at rest in the centre: their motions at ength became so rapid as no longer to allow me to

distinguish the one from the other. Having quitted them for a short time, on my return I found them reunited as before, and amicably moving round the edge of the glass by their common exertions."

How wond'rous is this scene! where all is form'd
With number, weight and measure! all design'd
For some great end! where not alone the plant
Of stately growth; the herb of glorious hue,
Or food-full substance; not the labouring steed;
The herd and flock that feed us; not the mine
That yields us stores for elegance and use;
The sea that loads our table, and conveys

The wanderer man from clime to clime, with all
Those rolling spheres, that from on high shed down
Their kindly influence; not these alone,

Which strike e'en eyes incurious; but each moss,
Each shell, each crawling insect, holds a rank
Important in the plan of Him, who fram'd
This scale of beings; holds a rank, which lost
Would break the chain, and leave behind a gap
That nature's self would rue.-Almighty Being,
Cause and support of all things, can I view
These objects of my wonder; can I feel
These fine sensations, and not think of thee?
Thou who dost through th' eternal round of time,
Dost through th' immensity of space, exist
Alone, shalt thou alone excluded be
From this thy universe? Shall feeble man
Think it beneath his proud philosophy
To call for thy assistance, and pretend
To frame a world, who cannot frame a clod?.
Not to know thee, is not to know ourselves—

Is to know nothing-nothing worth the care
Of man's exalted spirit.-All becomes,
Without thy ray divine, one dreary gloom;
Where lurk the monsters of fantastic brains,
Order bereft of thought, uncaus'd effects,
Fate freely acting, and unerring chance.
Where meanless matter to a chaos sinks,
Or something lower still; for without thee
It crumbles into atoms void of force,
Void of resistance-it eludes our thought.
Where laws eternal to the varying code

Of self-love dwindle. Interest, passion, whim,
Take place of right and wrong; the golden chain
Of beings melts away, and the mind's eye
Sees nothing but the present. All beyond
Is visionary guess-is dream—is death.

FINIS.