132 THE ORIGK\ AND 



are the contingencies by whicli Providence has wisely prevented the too 

 great increase of their numbers. 



The perfect fly but ill sustains the changes of the weather. It never 

 pursues the horse into the water. The chillness of that element can- 

 not be endured by them, and this is probably felt more exquisitely by 

 them, from the high temperature to which they had been exposed during 

 their larva state. The heat of the stomach of the horse is about 102 

 of Fahrenheit, and in their fly state they are only exposed to between 

 60 and SO. 



For some of the above facts I am indebted to Mr. Clark's article in 

 vol. 3, of Linnaean Trans., London. Various other observations upon 

 this genus of flies may hereafter be communicated. — But I conclude this 

 article with a description of the perfect fly : 



O. Equi. — Front white, tomentose, vertex fuscous ; eyes black. Tlio- 

 rax fuscous, more obscure in the middle. Abdomen yellowish 

 fuscous, with black spots and points in the incisures. Wings 

 with a black minute point toward the base, a black medial 

 band, and two black spots at the apex. 

 Female a litde darker — apex of the abdomen, elongate, incurved, 

 black, with a terminal bifid style. 



RusTicus. 



THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF LANGUAGE. NO. I. 



Although Dr. Blair is forced, with many others, (it may be reluc- 

 tantly,) to admit the divine origin of language ; yet, when he unfolds 

 his views concerning the extent of the original language and its enlarge- 

 ment, he leaves us to conclude that there was a time when men knew 

 no other part of speech than the interjection. His attempt to explain 

 the philosophy of the formation of language involves him in the diffi- 

 culty of virtually denying what he plainly asserts, viz : the divine ori- 

 ginal of language. For, that is no language which does not contain 

 within it the parts of speech essentially necessary to communicate our 

 ideas. Would vve call that a spoken language, which consists only of 

 strong inarticulate cries, accompanied by gestures of corresponding vio- 

 lence .'' If this had been the only language of our first parents in Para- 

 dise, we cannot suppose that, as rational creatures, they could have en- 

 joyed very elevated pleasures; and we must settle down in the convic- 

 tion that ignorance was bliss, and that sensuality constituted their hap- 

 piness. Without canvassing, in detail, the views presented by our au- 

 thor on this subject, it is suflicicnt to say, that, on this most diflicult 



