inhabitants the Wisdom and benevolence of Hii 

 who hath made these admirable adjustments; 

 there is not a variety of seasons, even under th< 

 same climate, which, whether from 'the light 

 breaking forth as the morning,' or from ' the 

 pavilions of darkness,' accords not with this 

 tone of universal gratulation." 



Although in our climate February most fre- 

 quently presents a wild and wintry aspect, yet it 

 may be regarded in milder seasons as the decided 

 commencement of that spring which is about to 

 renovate nature. It is now that the woodlark 

 renews its note, and the thrush retunes his throat 

 to melody. The rook revisits its breeding tree, 

 and makes choice of its nest for the approaching 

 summer. Towards its end the fruit buds com- 

 mence swelling on the trees. The lauristinus 

 has not yet lost its early blossoms, and the china- 

 rose in full beauty betrays not its transplantation 

 from an eastern climate. But what was indi- 

 cated in February, becomes in March reality. 

 Its visible heralds appear with their tabards of 

 many colours. The snowdrop, the crocus and 

 the primrose, are succeeded by the hyacinth and 

 the tulip, shewing above the ground the vesture 

 which is to surround their many-tinted blossoms. 

 Every tree and shrub speak of the renovation of 

 nature, and to the observant eye the hand of 

 Omnipresence is visible in the clearing sky the 

 lengthened day the more genial sun the open- 

 ing bud the expanding leaf the bloom which 



