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 I " 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 
