38 LESSON VII. 



Child. What does that mean ? 



Teacher. To compensate is to make amends 

 for any defect, or to give something of equal 

 value, for any thing taken away. In nature we 

 often find objects in which there appear numerous 

 deficiencies, but on further examination we dis- 

 cover that these are compensated or made up 

 by some admirable contrivance. To make this 

 clear to you, we will reflect upon a well-known 

 instance. Consider the spider. "What is its 

 food? 



Child. Flies and other insects. 



Teacher. And what mode of pursuit should 

 you think best adapted to catching such creatures ? 



Child. Flying ; but the spider has no wings. 



Teacher. Here then appears a sad deficiency : 

 winged insects are the natural food of the spider, 

 and he has not the means of pursuing them. 

 Yet I am sure you can find out how God has 

 compensated to the spider this deficiency ? 



Child. You mean by teaching him to con- 

 struct a web to entrap the flies. 



Teacher. This instance will give you a good 

 idea of what is meant by the compensatory pro- 

 vidence of God. It is much displayed in the 

 singular fitness of shells for their respective lo- 

 calities. Thus those inhabited by animals which 

 move easily from place to place, and consequently 

 are able to elude their pursuers, are often adorned 

 with vivid colours, whilst those whose mollusks 

 are incapable of locomotion, often colour the 



