tiny worm often invade the flesh of animals. The pig is the favourite abode of these microscopic worms; but they are sometimes seen in man, especially in those cases where, as in Germany, ham and sausages are eaten raw.

"Animalcules.

Extremely small animals: cule or cle at the end of a word expresses smallness-as particle, a small part; radicle, a small root.

"Peculiar denizens.-Those that are found only in some particular place; e.g., the kangaroo is peculiar to Australia.

Mollusc.-A soft, flabby creature, provided with a shell (or shells), like the cockle and the oyster [L. mollis, soft]. "Phenomenon.-A remarkable appearance in nature, like falling stars, eclipses, etc.

10 Phosphorescent.-Shining in the dark, like phosphorus. 11 Medusa. See lesson on them. pp. 139-142. RAIS

BENEVOLENCE OF THE CREATOR.

[PALEY, born 1743, was one of the greatest divines of his day. His works are, The Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy, Hora Paulina, Evidences of Christianity, and Natural Theology-a convincing demonstration of the existence of a Deity from his works.]

IT is a happy world, after all. The air, the earth, the water, teem with delighted existence. In a spring noon or a summer evening, on whichever side I turn my eyes, myriads of happy beings crowd upon my view. "The insect youth are on the wing." Swarms of new-born flies are trying their pinions in the air. Their sportive motions, their wanton mazes,1 their gratuitous activity,2 their continual change of place without use or purpose, testify their joy and the exultation which they feel in their lately-discovered faculties.3 A bee amongst the flowers in spring is one of the most cheerful objects that can be looked upon. Its life appears to be all enjoyment; so busy and so pleased: yet it is only a specimen of insect life, with which, by reason of the creature being half domesticated, we happen to be better acquainted than we

are with that of others. The whole winged insect tribe, it is probable, are equally intent upon their proper employments, and, under every variety of constitution,1 gratified, and perhaps equally gratified, by the offices which the Author of their nature has assigned to them.

But the atmosphere is not the only scene of enjoyment for the insect race. Plants are covered with aphides, greedily sucking their juices, and constantly, as it should seem, in the act of sucking. It cannot be doubted but that this is a state of gratification: what else should fix them so close to the operation and so long? Other species are running about with an alacrity in their motions which carries with it every mark of pleasure. Large patches of ground are sometimes half covered with these brisk and sprightly natures.

If we look to what the waters produce, shoals of the fry of fish frequent the margins of rivers, of lakes, and of the sea itself. These are so happy that they know not what to do with themselves. Their attitudes, their vivacity, their leaps out of the water, their frolics in it-which I have noticed a thousand times with equal attention and amusement-all conduce to show their excess of spirits, and are simply the effects of that excess. Walking by the seaside in a calm evening upon a sandy shore, and with an ebbing tide, I have frequently remarked the appearance of a dark cloud, or rather very thick mist, hanging over the edge of the water, to the height, perhaps, of half a yard, and of the breadth of two or three yards, stretching along the coast as far as the eye could reach, and always retiring with the water. When this cloud came to be examined, it proved to be nothing else than so much space filled with young shrimps in the act of bounding into the air from the shallow margin of the water, or from the wet sand. If any motion of a mute animal could express delight, it was this; if they had meant to make signs of their happiness, they could not have done it more intelligibly. Suppose, thenwhat I have no doubt of each individual of this number to

be in a state of positive enjoyment: what a sum, collec tively, of gratification and pleasure have we here before our view!

6

The young of all animals appear to me to receive pleasure simply from the exercise of their limbs and bodily faculties, without reference to any end to be attained, or any use to be answered by the exertion. A child, without knowing anything of the use of language, is in a high degree delighted with being able to speak. Its incessant repetition of a few articulate sounds, or perhaps of the single word which it has learned to pronounce, proves this point clearly. Nor is it less pleased with its first successful endeavours to walk, or rather to run-which precedes walking-although entirely ignorant of the importance of the attainment to its future. life, and even without applying it to any present purpose. A child is delighted with speaking, without having anything to say; and with walking, without knowing where to go. And, prior to both these, I am disposed to believe that the waking-hours of infancy are agreeably taken up with the exercise of vision, or perhaps, more properly speaking, with learning to see.

But it is not for youth alone that the great Parent of creation hath provided. Happiness is found with the purring cat no less than with the playful kitten; in the arm-chair of dozing age, as well as in either the sprightliness of the dance or the animation of the chase. To novelty, to acuteness of sensation, to hope, to ardour of pursuit, succeeds what is, in no inconsiderable degree, an equivalent 10 for them all,-" perception of ease."11 Herein is the exact difference between the young and the old. The young are not happy but when enjoying pleasure; the old are happy when free from pain.

"Animation of the chase.-Life and spirit of the hunt.

"Acuteness of sensation.-Sharpness and quickness of perception, due to keen eyesight, etc.

"Ardour of pursuit.-Eagerness in carrying on some work.

10

another [L., æquus, equal].
Equivalent.-Something equal to

"Perception of ease.-Conscious feeling of being at ease.

"

THE SWORD.

"TWAS the battle-field, and the cold pale moon
Looked down on the dead and dying,
And the wind pass'd o'er with a dirge and a wail
Where the young and brave were lying.

With his father's sword in his red right hand,
And the hostile dead around him,

Lay a youthful chief; but his bed was the ground,
And the grave's icy sleep had bound him.

A reckless rover, 'mid death and doom,
Pass'd a soldier, his plunder seeking,
Careless he stepped where friend and foe
Lay alike in their life-blood reeking.
Drawn by the shine of the warrior's sword
The soldier paused beside it;

He wrenched the hand with a giant's strength,
But the grasp of the dead defied it.

He loosed his hold, and his English heart
Took part with the dead before him,

And he honour'd the brave who died sword in hand,

As with soften'd brow he leaned o'er him.

A soldier's death thou hast boldly died,

A soldier's grave won by it,

Before I would take that sword from thine hand

My own life's blood should dye it.

"Thou shalt not be left for the carrion crow,
Or the wolf to batten o'er thee,
Or the coward insult the gallant dead,
Who in life had trembled before thee."

Then dug he a grave in the crimson earth,
Where his warrior foe was sleeping,
And he laid him there in honour and rest,
With his sword in his own brave keeping.
MISS LANDON.

DON QUIXOTE.

DON QUIXOTE is the hero of a celebrated Spanish romance of that name, written by Cervantes, and given to the world in 1604. This renowned work of fiction has been translated into all the languages of the civilized world, and has been read with delight by thousands upon thousands in every generation since it first appeared. Artists have vied with each other in depicting on canvas the chief persons and scenes described by the pen of Cervantes.

KNIGHT AND SQUIRE.

In nearly every picture gallery of importance you may see paintings of Don Quixote, with his tall spare figure, thin hollow cheeks, bright eyes, scanty hair, and furrowed brow -looking a perfect gentleman, in spite of the ludicrous. appearance he presents in his old suit of armour, with a pasteboard visor, mounted on a sorry jade of a horse, which all the world knows by the name of Rozinante. And wherever a picture of Don Quixote is to be seen, there is probably not far off a picture of Sancho Panza-his humble companion in all his adventures. For as Robinson Crusoe had. his man Friday for companion and servant, so Don Quixote had a faithful follower and friend in the person of Sancho Panza, who was a little, dumpy, round-made man, fonder of good victuals than of hard work, and much happier when riding on his ass Dapple than trudging wearily along on foot a queer compound of shrewdness and ignorance, of cunning and credulity.

Don Quixote, whose head had been turned by allowing his mind to dwell too exclusively on the marvellous stories in old romances-on the imaginary deeds of knights-errant2 which he mistook for real achievements-resolved to emulate their feats of valour, and to go forth as a knight-errant