But let us bear in mind, that though we can discern but little of the Creator's greatness, or benevolence, in their construction, there are eyes to behold them which have never been dimmed by mortal tears; that when the voices of ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands were heard ascribing, "blessing and honour, glory and power to Him who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever;" the same glad symphony was taken up by every blessed and rejoicing creature that walked the earth or sea.* *

"Nor think though men were none,
That Heaven would want spectators, God want praise.
Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth
Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep;
All these with ceaseless praise his works behold
Both day and night."

* Revelations, v. 13.

MILTON,

SIXTH DAY OF CREATION.

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind. And it was so.

And God made the beast of the earth after his kind; and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth on the earth after his kind. And God saw that it was good.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So God created man in his own image; in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

And God blessed them; and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

And God said, Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth wherein is life. I have given every green herb for meat. And it was so.

And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold it was very good.

And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. GENESIS Xi. 31.

THIS important day was marked by completing the creation of every kind of animal that was to dwell on the surface of the earth. Cheerful voices were heard among the bushes, and rejoicing creatures passed rapidly along the fields of air; the sea too was filled with brisk and animated natures, but the earth itself was not inhabited, the beautiful plains and valleys presented a vast unbroken solitude, on which the sun shone bright, and soft breezes swept across, but there were none either to enjoy, or to embellish.

But in one moment, the same commanding word, which gave existence to the watery creatures, and such as fly across the heavens, called forth a new creation, and every organized being, began immediately to fill up its allotted place. Innocent sheep were seen tranquilly grazing on the plains, and goats upon the heights, huge elephants, and stately horses, cows and bounding deer, antelopes, and camels, zebras, and lions, bears, and panthers, covered the surface of the earth, in all the beauty and the vigour of their new existence.

No place was lonely then, the valley and the forest, the widely extended plain, the hill, the glade, and mountain, had each its separate inhabitant, and when the mighty work of creation was completed, when every thing was set in order, and all knew their allotted places, man was formed in the image and the likeness of his Maker: an expression which most probably relates to the intellectual and superior nature with which the Most High was pleased to invest him. And to man was given dominion over the whole earth; thus clearly showing that all terrestrial creatures were designed to be subordinate to the end, for which God had placed within it that intellectual and immortal being. Yet still that being was taken from the

earth, closely linked to it by his animal nature, but united to his God, by that living soul which was thus mysteriously breathed into him. The mineral globe was, therefore, evidently formed and appointed for the residence of man, to sustain also the animal and vegetable kingdoms, which are eminently adapted, not only to supply the necessities of the human resident, but to exercise the many powers with which he is endowed. To him, therefore, the Most High was pleased to assign the dominion over his newly created world.

"Now heaven in all her glory shone, and roll'd
Her motions, as the great first Mover's hand
First wheel'd their course; Earth in her rich attire
Consummate lovely, smil'd."

MILTON.

Glorious, indeed, must have been the spectacle that was then presented. All knew their appointed places, and there was no evil among them. Even now it is wonderful to observe how admirably every creature is fitted to the station for which it is designed. And could we embrace, in one comprehensive glance, the whole creation, we should assuredly find that not a quadruped, nor bird, nor insect, vegetable, or stone, from the ostrich to the humming bird, from the lion to the ant, from the cedar to the chickweed, from the diamond to the rudest pebble, is placed without design, and in the very place from which it could not be removed without occasioning a break in the creation. And not only is every organised thing, placed in the position it is designed to fill, but it is so placed as to receive the air most needful for its good, the degree of light most suited to its purpose, and the kind of warmth which it requires, as well as in very many instances, to minister immediately to the necessities of man.

We shall shortly have occasion to notice some striking instances of utility among the animal creation; but, first, let us briefly consider a few remarkable particulars in their construction.

Pliny lamented, that among the countless myriads which move on the surface of the earth, the human species were alone obliged to defend themselves with extraneous coverings. Other animals, said he, are provided with hair, or down, or feathers, shells, or prickles, scales, or fleeces; nay, even trees are fenced with different kinds of bark against the injuries of cold or heat; while man alone, the lord of all, is obliged to depend upon his own ingenuity for that clothing, which nature has so liberally proIvided for her other children.

But herein is a manifest demonstration of the wisdom of the Creator. And surely it is no small proof of his beneficence, that such as have neither reason to contrive, nor hands adapted to the making of clothes, should come into the world with coverings, exactly fitted to their several exigencies and places of abode. Whereas, that being whom he has made a little lower than the angels, and to whom he has imparted the magnificent gifts of life and light, intellect, and the power of appropriating them, having an understanding to contrive, and hands to execute his wishes, and sufficient materials afforded him from the skins and fleeces of animals, the fibres of vegetables, and the bark of trees, is very properly left without any natural covering, as he is so well able to assist himself. And, hence, the variety of manufactures, the number of hands that are employed, with the ingenious arts, and curious contrivances that minister to this important end.

But to proceed with our specific provisions for the animal creation: it is curious to observe how wonderfully