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 do you not perceive how God has compen- 

 sated 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 

 localities. Thus those which move easily from 

 place to place, and consequently are able to 

 elude their pursuers, are often adorned with 

 vivid colours, whilst those which are incapable 

 of locomotion, escape the notice of their ene- 

 mies by resembling in colour the stones and 



