ADVANTAGES OF STUDYING NATURE. 269 



LETTER XXXII. 



FROM CAROLINE TO EMILY. 



MY DEAR FRIEND, 



The taste for natural history, that we have 

 both acquired from a residence in the country, seems 

 to have great advantages. To say nothing of the 

 endless variety of amusement it has afforded us, with- 

 out any mixture of remorse, or misapplication of time, 

 it has led us to trace the wisdom of the Great Creator 

 in all his works that have fallen under our observa- 

 tion ; for who can observe the harmony between con- 

 struction and habit in the animal world, and not 

 adore the " Hand Divine" that formed them ? The 

 strength and weapons of each are exactly proportion- 

 ed to the enemies with w^hich it has to contend : if 

 weak and defenceless, their instincts lead them to 

 avoid danger, by concealment or stratagem. Some- 

 times the colour of their coats forms their security : 

 insects, and probably many birds, are of nearly the 

 same hue as the places they inhabit. The sober 

 plumage of green-finches and linnets nearly accords 

 ■with the green leaves and brown branches of trees. 

 Several of the tribes of water-fowl are of a light grey 



