NATURAL HISTORY OF EAST CUMBERLAND. 225 



the creation of them. He then constituted or designed his existence as 

 Christ as the beginning and end of fall nature, or for all the visible creation 

 to attain to, or be filled with, or a standard for the perfection of all 

 creatures. The Deity having thus designed the beginning, created the means 

 or intermediate part, is all the visible and natural objects, and among them 

 this earth, to which our knowledge is almost confined, and of which we 

 know as yet very little, notwithstanding the late comparatively rapid increase 

 of science. And here it may be observed, that a slight accession often 

 modifies or alters the whole of our previous store of knowledge, and this 

 fact may help to explain why our knowledge must cease with our present 

 existence. For this earth is but little when compared with some of the 

 numerous planets which revolve round the sun, and the planets are all 

 very little when compared to the sun itself, and therefore it may be sup- 

 posed that our knowledge of this earth will be quite changed when it is 

 combined with the knowledge of all these orbs. Again, the sun is but 

 one of the millions, or perhaps infinite number of astral systems in bound- 

 less space, and in this fact there is assurance of the endless increase and 

 increasing variety and modifications of knowledge in futurity. 



(To be continued.) 



NOTES OX THE NATURAL HISTORY OF EAST CUMBERLAND. 



BY MR. THOMAS ARMSTRONG. 



So wide is the field of Nature, that whatever may be the object of 

 our pursuit, never is it without a season which does not produce some- 

 thing for our gratification and instruction; first the sunny rays of spring 

 usher in the insect and the plant; the lofty hill and feathered tribe announce 

 the season. .Next comes summer, when wood and water teem with life: 

 the nightingale pours forth his melodious strains, the blackcap raises his 

 tuneful voice, the wood wren's pitiful call contrasts with that of the 

 piping bullfinch, and the note of the wild and plaintive wood pigeon issues 

 from the sheltered wood; the hum of the early bee, and the falling of the 

 dew-drops, attract the ear, and allured at every step the Naturalist perseveres 

 amidst the foliage of the grove, enlivened by the rays of the sun, and 

 refreshed by the summer breeze. 



But friends must part, and so is it with the objects before us: the 

 curlew leaves the mountain, the blackcap and yellow wagtail forsake the 

 dale, the green plover rears her offspring and departs, the whinchat deserts 

 the blooming heather, soon the cuckoo is heard no more; the season is 

 on the wane. Then comes winter, whose productions are comparatively 

 few, but although nature slumbers under its ungenial shades, there is no 

 idle time for the observant naturalist. 



