during a severe Frost, 1 93 



Which Nature presents to the mind on this terraqueous 

 globe. If the survey is made on a calm summer's day, the 

 clear, smooth, and extended surface, which is bounded only 

 by the horizon, stretching as far as the eys can reach, fills the 

 mind with the most pleasing wonder and surprise; 1 while 

 the imagination is left to roam at large on the supposed ex- 

 panse which lies far beyond the circle which the eye can 

 embrace. If the survey is made in the winter, especially 

 during a storm, what a grand and awful spectacle is pre- 

 sented, particularly to any person not accustomed to the 

 scene ! The deep *and hollow sound of contending waves 

 catches the ear at a great distance : but when the eye comes 

 to survey a seemingly boundless ocean rolling in constant 

 succession its tremendous billows, till they dash with such 

 impetuous force on the shore as to threaten destruction to the 

 very rocks and banks which Nature has placed as a barrier 

 to its almost irresistible fury, the mind is filled with amaze- 

 ment. 



These are appearances so peculiarly grand, that they arrest 

 the attention of even the careless and indifferent spectator. 

 The objects to which I beg leave to direct the inquisitive mind, 

 which finds pleasure in observing and examining the great 

 variety of Nature's productions, is the vast quantity of ma- 

 rine plants which are to be found on the shore and amongst 

 the rocks during the ebb tide: — these are often thrown up 

 in such promiscuous heaps on the beach, that superficial 

 observers do not think they can deserve any attention : nor 

 will they easily be induced to believe that the mind of the 

 traveller is not more astonished when he first visits the torrid 

 zone, and finds every tree, every shrub and plant, in short 

 the whole vegetable creation, different from any thing he had 

 seen in the more temperate climates, than any person will 

 be when he first examines the productions of the ocean. I 

 shall not attempt to give any delineation of this vegetable 

 kingdom : even if my abilities were equal to the task, it would 

 far exceed the limits of a short essay: but I will ,v^m\ assure 

 all who have not made the experiment, that their pains and 

 trouble will be amply repaid, and their curiosity fully grati- 



Vol. 33. No. 131. March 15Q9. N fied. 



