received their new and brilliant gala costumes and uniforms, according to their species, regiments, and classes, for the

season.

The trees and shrubs have assumed their verdant summer attire, and the green pastures are enamelled with bright flowers; these latter are further beautified, and the scene enlivened by the presence of the living creatures, sporting amid them on gay wing, from flower to flower, giving an animated and cheerful finish to the immediate and beautiful landscape under contemplation.

The decorative art seems to have been applied chiefly to the surface of things.

SECTION XI.-COLOURS.

In nature, in addition to an infinite variety of chaste forms, and as great a variety and diversity of beautiful patterns, the general application of colours seems to be resorted to as the principal means of decora

tion, which, being most tastefully arranged, and applied to the surfaces of things, come in with most beautiful and varied effect, highly pleasing and delightful to behold; clearly showing that the Almighty Creator was not only perfectly acquainted with the nature of all things, but with their visible and charming appearance, produced by means of his inimitable decorations and colouring. God saw the light, that it was good; and he saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good, and very beautiful-good in every respect; good and perfect in both their internal and external organization-the vital organs, and the great secret of the vital principle—that moving invisible power hid within them, like the concealed main-spring of a watch, (only clearly understood by the watch-maker,) good and perfect: perfect in every limb, member, and faculty of the body; the eye, the ear, perfect for seeing and hearing. "He that formed the eyes of all, shall not He see? He that teacheth men knowledge, shall not He know?" "Known unto

God are all his works." How admirably are the colours varied, contrasted, and delicately blended, to whatever they are applied in nature as if to show that the Creator took pleasure in such exquisite adorning of his marvellous works, from the least to the greatest. "For his pleasure they are, and were created." And surely we may take pleasure in contemplating the same.

How admirably are the different shades of green, one of nature's favourite ground colours, applied to the variously formed and scolloped foliage of trees, plants, and shrubs, gradually changing into the mellow tints of Autumn; the brilliant colours applied softly to the velvety wax-work surfaces and corollas of the flowers of the garden, and the wild flowers of the field! the blossoms of flowering trees, plants, and shrubs, all pencilled, adorned, and coloured so exquisitely fine, and so smoothly, that through the most powerful lens, the eye, instead of discovering the least roughness in their texture or colouring, finds their qualities more enhanced the greater the power of the magnifier! Not

so with the adorned and painted works of man, who also occasionally takes pleasure in trying his humble skill to imitate, as well as he can, the works of nature in outward form, appearance, and colouring, in various artistic ways, either by modelling, drawing, or painting; but these latter productions of man, however artistic, must be viewed at a proper distance even by the naked eye; instead of improving in smoothness of colouring and fineness of texture, when viewed through a magnifier, they appear rough and coarse in the extreme; even the finest line engravings will not bear inspection through a lens so well as those finer wood engravings which are struck off with letter-press printing. The same exquisiteness of form, texture, and colouring, may be observed in the rich adornment of plumes, and the plumage of the feathered tribes, from the birds of paradise to the coruscant plumaged little humming-birds. How richly are some birds adorned; yet how unconscious do they appear of their smart dress! how little pride do any of them exhibit!

The little world of insects, also, has not been adorned with less care, beauty, and variety than the birds of the air, or the flowers of the field, amid which they revel and sport, under the bright beams of the sun.

The adornment of the coats of animals, including the scaly reptilia, and other creatures, has been in like manner elaborately attended to. But this is not the only good quality of the clothing which God has furnished to the animal creation, besides beauty and warmth; it is also highly useful to resist the most inclement and stormy weather; so arranged upon their bodies, one layer overlapping another, to shoot off the wet, like the tiles of a roof, from the tail to the head; the fur and hair of animals, also, for the same purpose, inclining backward, from head to tail. Thus has it pleased God to clothe and adorn the beasts of the forest, the fowls of the air, the insects, the lilies and flowers of the field, so that "even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these;" as the Son of God himself asserted. "How much more could, and shall he not clothe you, O ye of little faith?"