duty to serve him both with our bodies and our spirits, which proceed from him.

DIALOGUE XIV.

ON LAND AND WATER,

Son. WOULD not the earth be more beautiful if it was one smooth, extended plain, without hills and mountains-do not the mountains disfigure it?

Father. By no means, Do you think the dust that falls upon the geographical globes disfigures them? The mountains are no greater, in comparison with the whole earth, than the dust to the globes, or the roughness to an orange. Without mountains we should have no springs nor rivers: they receive the vapours, the rain, and the snow, which supply the springs with water. Mountains are the grand magazines of metals, minerals, marble, stone, &c. and beside attracting the clouds, they

neral and constant winds which blow in the torrid zone, or middle parts of the earth :doubtless they would form such a barrier as would greatly disturb or rather absolutely stop the currents of the atmosphere; but they would thereby deprive us of those salubrious gales which keep it sweet.

Son. What is the use of those sand-hills which are so numerous on the coast of Holland, and upon which nothing grows?

Father. They serve to hinder the boisterous waves of the sea from overflowing the Low Countries. This is worthy your reflection, that small grains of sand, which you can blow away with your breath, when thrown into a mass, form such a strong barrier against the raging ocean. "Will ye not tremble," saith the Lord," at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass it-and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail-though they roar, yet cannot they pass over it?"

Son. I should wish now, if you please, to

turn my thoughts from the land to that great body of water, the sea. What is there worthy my observation?

Father. Its extent, its depth, its saltness, its ebb and flood, and its limits or boundary.

Son. In looking upon the map of the world, it appears as if the sea covered a great deal more surface than the land?

Father. It is computed to cover three times as much.

Son. Don't it seem a pity that so much land should be covered with water?

Father. Remember that the earth was made by an all-wise and Almighty Creator, and you will not need to be assured, that the arrangeIment which he has made is the best. You know how much communication is promoted between distant countries by means of seas, enabling the inhabitants of different climates to exchange the commodities which are peculiar to each. But besides, the great oceans and ́ the seas are so admirably distributed throughout the globe, as to afford sufficient vapours for clouds and rains to temper the cold of north

ern regions, to cool and moderate the heats of the middle and warmer parts of the earth.— However, suppose the cavities which contain the sea were deeper, although the water was no less in quantity, the evaporations which rise from the surface would be so much the lessthe rivers which fertilize our lands would become dry-the springs would stagnate-and mankind would perish with thirst.

Son. What am I to understand by the ebb and flood of the sea, or the rising and falling of the tide, as it is commonly called?

Father. That this amazing collection of waters rises every six hours, more or less, which is called flood-and, after a very short time of rest, falls again, which we call the ebb.

Son. What is the cause of this regular movement of the waters, and what is its use?

Father. The ebbing and flowing of the sea are supposed to be occasioned by the motion of the earth, and the attraction of the sun and moon, which you will be better able to comprehend when you grow older. This movement of the water preserves it from corruption,