useful at all times and seasons of the year. Winter draws nigh; the flowers are going; and even when the sun shines, the earth no longer appears with its usual beauty. Yet the country, stripped and desart as it is, still presents to a feeling mind the image of happiness. We may recollect with gratitude to Heaven, that the fields which are now barren were once covered with corn and plentiful harvest. It is true, that the orchards and gardens are now stripped, but the remembrance of what they bestowed upon us may make us content to bear the northern blasts which at present we feel so sharp. The leaves are fallen from the fruit trees; the grass of the field is withered; dark clouds fill the sky, and fall in heavy rains. The unthinking man complains at this, but the wise man beholds the earth moistened with rain, and beholds it with a sweet satisfaction. Though the earth has lost its beauty and exterior charms, and is exposed to the murmurs of those it has nourished and cheered, it has already begun again to labour secretly within its bosom for their future welfare. DECEMBER. "No mark of vegetable life is seen, Save the dark leaves of some rude ever-green ; No bird to bird repeats his tuneful call, Save the lone red-breast on the moss-grown wall!” THE changes which take place in the face of nature during this month, are little more than so many advances in the progress towards universal gloom and desolation. The day rapidly shortens, and the weather becomes foul and cold. In our climate, however, no great and continued severity of cold usually takes place before the close of the month. Several of the wild quadrupeds now take to their winter concealments, which they either seldom or never quit during the winter. Of these, some are in an absolutely torpid or sleeping state, taking no food for a considerable time; others are only drowsy and inactive, and continue to feed on provisions which they have hoarded up. In this country few become entirely torpid. Bats retire early to caves and holes, where they remain the whole winter, suspended by their hind feet, and closely wrapped up in the membranes of the -fore feet. As their food is chiefly insects, they can lay up no store for the winter, and therefore must be starved, if nature did not thus render food unnecessary for them. Dormice also lie torpid the greatest part of the winter, though they lay up stores of provision. A warm day sometimes revives them; when they eat a little, but soon relapse into their former sleepy condition. Squirrels, and various kinds of field-mice, provide magazines of food against winter, but are not known to become torpid. The badger, the hedgehog, and the mole, keep close in their winter quarters in the northern regions, and sleep away great part of the season. The only vegetables which now flourish are the numerous tribes of mosses, and the lichens, or liverworts. Lichens cover the ditch banks, and other neglected spots, with a leather-like substance, which in some countries serves as food both to men and cattle. The rein-deer lichen is the greatest treasure to the poor Laplanders, who depend upon it for the support of their only species of domestic cattle during their tedious winters. On the 21st of December happens the shortest day; when the sun is not quite eight hours above the horizon in these islands. About fifteen degrees to the northward the sun does not rise at all, and a continued night lasts weeks or months, according to the distance from the north pole. But, on the contrary, to the countries near the south pole, it is at this period perpetual day; and every where to the south of the equator it is summer. As our summer advances, their winter approaches. The festival of Christmas seasonably cheers this comfortless period. Great preparations were made for it in the country, and plenty of rustic dainties provided for its celebration, according to the rules of ancient hospitality; and "Frequent in the sounding hall they wake The rural gambol.” Thus the old year steals away unlamented, and scarcely perceived; and a new one begins, with lengthening days and brighter skies, inspiring fresh hopes and pleasing expectations, that "All this uniform uncolour'd scene, The Advantages of Winter. The frost and cold of winter prevent many hurtful vapours in the higher regions of the atmosphere from falling upon us, and even purifies the air. Far from being always bad for our health, it often strengthens it, and preserves the humours from putrefaction, which a constant heat would certainly occasion. If the vapours which collect in the atmosphere were always to fall in rain, the earth would be too soft and wet, our bodies would be too full of humours, and too much relaxed; whereas the cold braces and promotes the circulation of blood. We are told by travellers, that in Greenland, where the ground is covered with mountains of ice, and where in winter the days are only four or five hours long, the air is very wholesome, clear, and light: and, except a few complaints in the chest and eyes, occasioned partly by the quality of the food, they have seldom there the disorders so common in Europe. As man, though active by choice, and though labour is necessary to him, is still glad to interrupt his employments to taste the sweets of sleep, so also our nature yields to the change of seasons, and takes a pleasure in it, because in reality it contributes towards our welfare and happiness. Behold our fields and gardens!-they are indeed buried in snow; but this is necessary, in order to preserve them from the cold, as well as to prevent the grain from corrupting. The ground requires rest, after having yielded in the summer all we want for the winter. If our present support had not been provided for, if in this severe season we were obliged to cultivate the earth, there might be some foundation for our complaints. But all our wants are supplied, and we enjoy a repose suitable to the season. |