us, it matters not whether she is an empty waste or a populous sphere-if she was nothing but a volcanic mass of rock, or huge fragment of this, the parent planet, thrown off, according to the beautiful and ingenious theory of La Place, as a condensed portion of a ring of the earth when in a fluid state-however formed, or of whatever material composed, or however arranged physically and internally, so as she complied perfectly with the condition imposed upon her, and fulfilled the gracious design of the Heavenly Architect, who planted her in the heavens, and bade her circulate and shine there for our benefit; it matters not-she should be, and is as much an object for admiration, and wonder, and gratitude, for those for whose advantage she is placed there, as if she were herself the most perfect paradise upon which the Almighty ever lavished his surpassing skill, and wisdom, and glory.

In considering these matters, then, let us take a few thoughts that suggest themselves in immediate connexion with this view; and possibly we may find some compensation for the dreary journey we have gone, or the disappointment that may be felt by finding the day-dreams of our imagination melt away under our close scrutiny.

There are two classes of suggestions that offer themselves. the first, relating to her utility; the second, to her beauty. The first showing the substantial benefits she confers as our satellite, and the second the impression she makes the entire displaying the wisdom that gave us a satellite, and the love that made her what she is to us.

CHAPTER IV.

Utility and Beauty of our Satellite-Use and Advantage of Lighting by Moons-Proofs of Design-Refutation of La Place's Objection.

THE first of the substantial benefits the moon confers upon us is her light; and here we may remark, that of all the modes which the Almighty Architect of the universe has devised for carrying into effect His designs of wisdom, and benevolence, and utility, in the best manner to display His glory, there is none that can exceed that by which it has pleased Him to illumine our nights, and not ours only, but those of other worlds, in this respect, at all events, analogous to our own.

It is a well-established fact, that the earth is one only of a number of planetary bodies, whose nights are thus relieved and cheered by moons, i. e., by planetary satellites or attendants, acting as reflectors (not originators of light), and differing in number and in size, according to the magnitude of the primary planet, and in proportion to its distance from the sun. Thus, while Mercury and Venus, from their proximity to that body in whose beams they bask, need none, the Earth possesses one, Jupiter four, Saturn eight, Uranus six (as yet discovered), but probably more. Contrivance and intention are here evident, as in the case of the light-houses that cast their friendly beams, from polished mirrors, over the

dark waste of water, for the benefit of those who are out upon its surface. The moon, too, is a reflector (though not a polished one, which would not answer the purpose), and casts the solar beams which she receives, through the darkness of space, for the benefit of those upon earth, during the period when it is required most; the intention is not so much to remove altogether as to interrupt the darkness, and the contrivance is to do it by reflection. What power and skill has been employed to effect this apparently simple arrangement, we can have little notion of even after a thorough acquaintance with the complicated movements of our satellite round her primary, and the various duties that she discharges; but merely viewing it with reference to the provision for lighting the earth by a moon, what do we find ?-The sun has first darted forth his beams, at the rate of 190,000 miles in a second, through more than 96,000,000 of miles of space, in eight minutes; it has struck the rough surface of our satellite, an opaque body, not bigger, when compared to the sun, than a grain of the smallest shot would be to a globe two feet in diameter, and from thence it has rebounded 240,000 miles back again to the earth, to scatter a shower of silver light-to pour a flood of midnight radiance and glory over the landscape; and, as she sweeps along over the surface, to cause a series of dioramic pictures of beauty to fall on sea and land, on mountain and vale, on lake and tower, and woodland scene. Thus viewed, how beautifully the designs of wisdom and utility are carried out how plainly the benevolent intention is apparent in the con

trivance. The moon is but a beauteous mirror of the sun, placed where she is by the Divine hand, and for the express and obvious purpose of our benefit. As such, she is a mirror of His own love and wisdom, like the blessed Book He has given us a reflection of His glory-which he who runs may read;" or, like that greatest and best gift of His love, so truly and beautifully described by the Apostle, who says "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the FACE of Jesus Christ.' 2nd Cor. iv. 6. But lighting the world by reflection at night is in itself a proof of what may be called benevolent forethought. It does not seem that any other mode would effect the object as well or as agreeably. Selfgenerating light, directly-communicated, like that of the sun by day, would, as we know, produce heat as well as light; but this would be injurious to human life, as well as painful to the sight. Night is the period for the temperature to fall, by the temporary absence of our great luminary, by which nicely-adjusted atmospheric balance an even temperature is sustained, and man is relieved from the burning heat of the day; but were the moon even a small sun, the temperature would be sustained all night, and the atmosphere would soon attain such an accumulation of heat, and rarefaction, as to be unfit to breathe.

By the simple arrangement of light by reflection at night, when no perceptible* heat is trans

* Vide Appendix F.

mitted from the lunar rays, we are preserved from this danger; but the moon is, and must be, as a reflector, not only a lesser light than the sun in magnitude, but a lesser light in intensity than if she was herself a sun; and the intention is plain, viz., to relieve the eyes from the glare and brilliancy of the greater light, which, if continued, would be painful in the extreme. Man, it is true, is formed for repose, and night is the season for it, when the eyes are generally closed in slumber; but the activity of his mind is such, that there is no night that does not find many millions awake-travellers by sea and land; when the lunar beams are not only useful but delightful, from the change in their character, by which the eye is relieved; and accordingly a light is provided for him without dazzling, and as unlike daylight as possible -a light which shall be sufficiently clear to enable him to discern every object, and to avoid danger, while it is so mild in its lustre, that the eye can never be pained by it, but, on the contrary, is refreshed and delighted: thus comfort is com. bined with utility in the conveyance of light to our planet, and the designs of omnipotent and heavenly wisdom are carried out in such a manner, as to give pleasure while they confer a substantial benefit.

The careless, and the thoughtless, and the worldly, it is true, may not see this nor value it, and the inhabitants of a large city may not miss her light, in these days of artificial illumi, nation, when, as the sun goes down, the glare of ten thousand lamps supplies her place, or vies with her light, leaving our modest luminary only as an object of curiosity or admiration;