36 BOOK OF NATURE LAID OPEN. 



be made subservient : In reason's ear they become 

 preachers. 



The upright philosopher of the land of Uz, and 

 that devout admirer of the works of Nature, Israel's 

 king David, both took occasion to compare the un- 

 certain ten ut ot human life, to the frail and perish- 

 able state of a flower. The prophet Isaiah repre* 

 sents the transient glory of the crown of pride as 

 being like to one of these fading beauties; and our 

 Saviour has demonstrated that an important lesson 

 may be learned against a too anxious care, and 

 pride in dress, by a right consideration of these gay 

 visitants: " Consider the lilies how they grow ; they 

 toil not, they spin not , and yet I say unto you, that 

 Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one 

 of these." 



It must, therefore, add much to the value of these 

 short lived monitors, in the estimation of the wise, 

 and make their peaceful abodes be sought after with 

 the greater avidity by those who take pleasure in the 

 works of God, that they are thus capable of afford- 

 ing matter for serious reflection and moral improve- 

 ment. 



Mr. Addison seems to have been sensible of this, 

 when he breaks out into the following declamation, 

 in praise of the pleasures of such a retirement: 

 " You must know, Sir," says he, in one of his papers 

 in the spectator, " that I look upon the pleasure 

 which we take in a garden, as one of the most inno- 

 cent delights of human life. A garden was the ha- 

 bitation of our first parents before the fall It is 



