BOOK OF NATURE LAID OPEN. 



colour; and as nature does nothing in vain, the cir- 

 cumstance certainly ought not to be overlooked. 

 In this the wisdom and goodness of our Creator 

 will appear by attending to the following considera- 

 tions: Had the robe of nature assumed a more light 

 or brilliant cast, and the generality of objects ap- 

 peared of a white, yelloiv, orange, or red com- 

 plexion, it would have been too much for the strength 

 of our nerves, and instead of being refreshed and 

 delighted, we would have been blinded and over* 

 powered with the dazzling splendour. 



Had she put on a more sombre aspect, and been 

 clothed with a violet, purple, or blue mantle, the 

 prospect must have been sad, dismal, and gloomy, 

 and instead of imparting to the animal spirits the 

 exhilarating draught to keep them in full play, 

 would have suffered them to subside into dejection 

 and despondency. To prevent these two extremes, 

 nature is clothed with a verdant mantle, being that 

 proper combination of light and shade, that neither 

 dazzles nor darkens the prospect, which rather re- 

 freshes than fatigues the eye, strengthens and invi- 

 gorates instead of weakening the powers of vision, 

 and creates in the soul that increasing delight and 

 lengthened rapture, which the poet had in view 

 when he wrote the following lines : 



" Gay green ! 



Thou smiling Nature's universal robe ; 

 United light and shade ! where the sight dwells 

 With growing streng h, and ever new delight]." 



