THE PINE. 



21 



various kinds. Such marks rarely occur elsewhere, and are specially 

 interesting in the case of the pine and fir tribe, from the circumstance 

 of their being retained even when the wood is fossilised. This won- 

 derful instrument, the microscope, not only illuminates the present, 

 and by opening our eyes and hearts to a thousand new experiences of 



wonder and delight, lengthens life ; since life, truly so called, consists 

 in agreeable impressions ; it not only does this it casts light into 

 the graves of Time, and informs us of the nature of the trees that 

 swayed in the wind of the infinite past, long before there were men and 



