"NATURE'S SWEET RESTORER." 57 



the humble moss which clusters on their bark, 

 owe their health and vigour, nay, their very 

 existence to the actinic rays. Take away these 

 from them, and they become sickly and feeble, 

 and die. To this subject, however, we shall 

 have occasion to return by and by. It is 

 almost more surprising to discover that these 

 rays exert a most powerful influence upon in- 

 animate bodies. It is found that it is impossible 

 to expose any solid substance, whatsoever its 

 nature, to the sun's rays without its undergoing 

 some change in consequence of the operation of 

 these rays on its surface. Wonderful thought 1 

 the sunbeam cannot even impinge upon a plate 

 of the hardest steel without leaving a trace of its 

 passage behind. Every object in this scene is 

 affected by this agency ; those rugged cliffs, and 

 those tall and frowning mountains, are for every 

 hour that the sunlight strikes them undergoing 

 a destructive change, and the most extensive 

 effects would soon be produced, were it not 

 that a beautiful remedy has been provided, by 

 which the injurious results that would otherwise 

 follow are entirely obviated. If the world had 

 not, like man, its stated time of rest, it would 

 soon undergo the most serious changes, the end 

 of which would be undoubtedly an entire alter- 

 ation of every object on its surface. During 

 the silent hours of night, however, it has been 



