JANUARY. 17 



colour of its bark ; a smooth greenish white, which comes 

 off on being touched, as if it were whitewashed. The 

 Balm of Gilead (Populus Balsamifera ) , has a similar ap- 

 pearance, but the trunk is furrowed, and the terminal buds 

 are much larger. 



C. In fact, every species of tree seems to have an 

 individuality stamped on it, which, amidst all its accidental 

 contortions, is sufficient to distinguish it from others. The 

 variety is indeed remarkable. 



F. It is not, however, confined to trees ; it pervades 

 all the works of God. Indeed, I doubt if there were ever 

 two objects created, of whatever kind, between which there 

 was not some difference, if our senses were acute enough to 

 appreciate it. It is a fact worthy to be noted, that even 

 where the materials and component parts are uniform, the 

 same variety exists. Who has not observed this, in the 

 "human face divine ?" Though the same features, and 

 maintaining the same relative position, exist in all, yet 

 what two countenances were ever so much alike as not 

 to be at once distinguished on familiar acquaintance ? 

 This fact gives me an exalted conception of the Divine 

 wisdom, of the inexhaustible resources of the mind of 

 God. " How unsearchable are his judgments, and his 

 ways past finding out ! " This amazing diversity in all the 

 realms of Nature of which we have any cognizance, has in- 

 duced me to think, that if, as is most reasonable to con- 

 clude, other worlds are peopled by intellectual beings, they 

 probably possess forms, senses, and powers, of which we have 

 not the slightest conception. We find the plants and animals 

 of England differing from those of France ; still more from 

 those of Africa or Asia : in America or New Holland we 

 find an almost total change of form. A far greater differ- 

 ence is found between the organic remains of this globe 



