to their proper issues, and to connect the whole subject into what he will soon see it will form,—a most beautiful system.

By the ear, then, we not only perceive sound, in general, but different kinds of sound. Thus, in listening to articulate speech, we not only hear the sound of the voice, but we distinguish its tones, and still more, we distinguish the words. Let the reader take up a dictionary. What a number of words are there, each of which can be, when pronounced, separately perceived! Then let the numerous grammatical inflections of almost every word be remembered. And all these are necessary for the purposes of speech. The voice must have the power of forming them; the ear, of hearing and distinguishing them. Were this the only part of the subject, it would be enough to overwhelm the mind with astonishment. Every body is aware of the fact. How few reflect on what it implies! Surrounded as we are with wonders, this is among the most wonderful.

If

But this is not the whole of the subject. We can distinguish between sound and articulate speech. And then, we are so formed as not only to distinguish between the tones of articulate speech, but between what is speech and what is singing. And this opens another view of marvels. We have spoken of the goodness of God in causing certain sensations to be pleasurable, and in providing for their occurrence. a general term may be borrowed from one sense, that of seeing, which indeed primarily suggests it, we would say that every physical object which causes a sensation has, in addition to its useful properties, something beautiful connected with it, evidently intended, over and above utility, to minister to the gratification of a creature like man, made into one person by the union of body and soul, spirit and matter. There are what we will venture to call, the beauties of touch, the beauties of taste, the beauties of scent; and there are the beauties of sound. The agreement is not one of resemblance. Here Mr. Burke, and other philosophers, have missed their way. It is one of analogy. They all bear a similar relation to their respective senses; and it is only by a figure of speech that one term, borrowed from the leading sense, that of sight, is applied to each.

When we speak of the beauties of sound, we refer to the delightful but wonderful subject of music. The Creator has constituted this as a distinct class of sounds, and it stands among the benevolent provisions for affording pleasure to man. Musical sounds are produced, not only by the human voice, but by certain physical substances and arrangements: as by the passage of air through pipes and apertures of different sizes; by striking certain metallic and elastic substances, or by means of tight strings, struck or otherwise affected, so as to cause vibrations. And the ear can not only perceive the numerous notes thus occasioned, but distinguish, also, the kind of sound, as whether it be trumpet, flute, pianoforte. Besides which, there are accordant sounds, notes which when produced simultaneously, evidently agree, and give pleasure by the agreement. This is the remarkable fact on which the whole doctrine of harmony rests; a part of music which is no more an invention of man than music itself. That its foundations are deeply laid in nature is shown by the ascertained fact, that the notes which are chords to each other, have a regular mathematical proportion amongst

themselves.

But we must pause, though we seem only to have stood on the borders of the subject, glancing over it without leisurely surveying it. Enough has been said, however, to assist the thoughtful reader to conduct his inquiries much further; and to show the adorable wisdom and benevolence of the Creator. He has appointed sound to be one of the means by which both knowledge and pleasure should be conveyed to the mind of man through the power of sensation. And whether we look at sound, at speech, or at hearing separately, or consider them in their mutual relations, and as forming a most complicated, yet most orderly and beautiful, system of arrangements, we shall feel ourselves called to admire the work, and with intelligent, affectionate, and adoring thankfulness, to praise and glorify the Author.

GOOD ADVICE TO YOUNG BEGINNERS.

WHEN Sir Astley Cooper was President of the Royal College of Surgeons, it was one of his duties to admit as

members those who had passed the regular examinations. He was accustomed thus to address them :

"Gentlemen, In the name, and by the authority, of the Royal College of Surgeons, in London, I admit you members thereof.

"You will have the goodness to sign your names in this book, provided for that purpose, in testimony of the solemn obligation into which you have this day entered.

"And now, gentlemen, give me leave to tell you on what your success in life will depend.

"Firstly. Upon a good and constantly increasing knowledge of your profession.

Secondly. In an industrious discharge of its duties.

"Thirdly. Upon the preservation of your moral character. "Unless you possess the first, KNOWLEDGE, you ought not to succeed, and no honest man can wish you success.

"Without the second, INDUSTRY, no one ever will succeed. "And unless you preserve your MORAL CHARACTER, even if it were possible you could succeed, it would be impossible you could be happy.

"It is with pleasure that I convey to you the wishes of the gentlemen who now surround me, and my own sincere desire that you may be eminently successful in the discharge of your professional duties."-Life of Sir A. Cooper, by B. B. Cooper, Esq.

Whatever be the particular occupation to which a young man has devoted himself, the advice is still applicable. A Christian man does not look on his trade or profession merely as the means of profit or advancement to himself, but also as implying an engagement with the public, that in return for such and such modes of payment, he will supply them with such and such articles or services. If it would be dishonest in them to take what we supply and not give the stipulated or understood price, so likewise is it dishonest to take the payment and not supply what it is understood we are engaged to supply. Judging on Christian principles, a man has no right to be an ignorant or unskilful tradesman. He is bound in honesty to prepare himself to do that which, by the very act of setting up for himself, he publicly engages to do.

As to industry, what is it but continued fidelity to our engagements with man, sustained by the additional reflection, "The same Providence which has placed me in this situation, and to which I look for success, requires a constant attention to the duties which it includes?"

Moral character, in its true and full sense, requires for its formation and support, religious principle. And then, most true is it, that without this, even though our secular concerns should be ever so prosperous, and our satisfaction and pleasure ever so great, we shall not possess what is truly HAPPINESS. Nothing but religion can give this; and true religion never fails to give it. Even that semblance of it which worldly pleasure occasions, lasts not beyond the end of life, and does not always reach it. And although we should not succeed, religion affords consolation in disappointment, and guides in the path whose issue is thus delightfully described, "They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."

ON SUBTERRANEOUS TREES, AND THE
FORMATION OF PEAT-MOSSES.

(For "The Youth's Instructer.")

THE subterraneous trees embedded in peat-mosses are generally found lying in a north-easterly direction, with their roots standing in their natural position. Vast numbers of them are fir or pitch trees. The opinion that the pitch-tree grows only on high mountains, is not correct: it grows in sandy soil, whether high or low; it grows in the low morasses of Courland, Pomerania, and in the low forests and woods of New-England; and it abounds in Sweden, Norway, and also in Scotland. In the Hatfield levels, the roots of the pitch-trees are found in the sand, and those of the oak in the clay. The levels of Hatfield-chace, formerly comprising 180,000 acres of land, were frequently inundated. Charles I. agreed with Sir Cornelius Vermuyden, a Dutchman, to drain this swampy part of the country, and reduce it to arable and pasture land; which was accordingly done, the expense

amounting to £400,000. Here are found an infinity of roots and trunks of trees; perhaps about one-third part pitch-trees, the rest oak, yew, beech, birch, ash, thorn, willow, &c. Some of the trees are very large, and it is evident that many of them had suffered from fire, especially the pitch-trees. Some have been found chopped and squared, some with holes bored through them, and others partially split, with great wooden wedges, stones, and broken axe-heads, somewhat resembling the sacrificial axe. Near the root of a large tree were found eight or nine Roman coins, but very much corroded. It is worthy of remark, that on the confines of this low country are several hills of loose sand, and as the sand is blown away, large pitch-trees have been found, with the impression of the axe upon them quite fresh. And at the bottom of a drain, one hundred yards wide, and four or five miles long, were found trees on which the carpenter had partially tried his skill; also rails, stakes, bars, and links of chains, a battle-axe, and two or three coins of Vespasian, one with the Emperor's head on the obverse and a spread eagle on the reverse. And, what is very remarkable, the ground at the bottom of the drain was found in some places lying in rig and fur, which evidently showed that it had been ploughed at some very remote period. About one hundred and seventy or one hundred and eighty years ago, under another large tree was found a knife, with a haft of very hard black wood, and a copper cap at the one end, and a hoop of the same metal at the other end where the blade was fixed. About the same time, at the bottom of a turf-pit, was found the body of a man lying with his head on his arm, as in a sleeping posture.

Hatfield forest was one of the largest and most noble in Great Britain. But how was it destroyed? From Cæsar, and other Roman writers, we learn that the Britons, when defeated on the field of battle and pursued by the enemy, fled for refuge into the morasses and woods, where the Roman army could not follow them. Cassibelanus, after he was defeated, crossed the Thames with his army, and fled into the woods; so did the Silures after they were defeated by Ostorius and Agricola; and so also did Vinutius, King of the