THE WORKS OF CREATION. 219 



4 I consider a beautiful arrangement of nature, or 

 6 rather of a beneficent providence, and the more 

 ' we enquire into, and study its ways, the more 



* reason we shall have to wonder at and admire 

 ' them.' 



They pursued their walk. Dr. Hastings took 

 the opportunity of further illustrating his remarks, 

 by pointing out the numerous wormcasts which 

 covered the meadow over which the party were 

 walking. ' These little deposits of earth,' he said, 



* may appear useless, and I have observed that you 

 ' have found them rather unpleasant appendages to 

 ' your shoes. Their utility, however, cannot be 

 ' doubted. Each of the little deposits you see, is 

 ' composed of the finest particles of earth, and they 

 ' have all passed through the stomach of worms. 

 ' They are then thrown up to the surface of the 

 ' ground, and assist in enriching and improving the 

 ' herbage. Nor is this the only utility worms are 

 ' of. In making their tracts in the earth, passages 

 ' are left, which form channels or conductors for 

 4 the rain, which gradually finds its way to the 

 ' roots and fibres of plants, and they are thus nou- 

 ' rished and invigorated.' ' I had no idea,' he con- 

 tinued, ' of the immense quantity of worms which 

 ' are to be found in a small space of ground, until 

 1 I had some salt scattered, lately, over a patch of 

 ' rank grass, by way of improving the herbage. 



