a strife and opposition within the breast of man. A heathen poet could say, "I see and approve of what is better, I follow what is worse." And many have confounded this with the christian conflict. But it is not the same. The inward opposition, which the unregenerate feel, is between worldly prudence and appetite, between one lust and another, between ambition and sensuality, between the judgment and the inclination. Hence even Herod felt a struggle between his fear of men bidding him observe his rash oath and behead John, and his natural sense of justice bidding him forbear the murderous deed. Hence Pilate had a struggle between his wish to release Jesus, and his cowardice prompting him to give him up to the Jews. Hence Felix trembled, and yet delayed repentance. All this is not the christian's conflict. It wants this important markin the believer, the conflict is between grace and sin, between the regenerate and the unregenerate nature, between he new and the old man in him the inward man sides with God and holiness. In the unregenerate, the inward man sides with the old man, and the conflict is between different natural principles which jar and quarrel with each other just as bad men, living in the same house or neighbourhood, all agree in hating God and persecuting righteousness, and yet continually fall out and fight with each other. The regenerate, in short, fears above all things to return to sin: the unregenerate secretly means it, and soon contrives it.

This distinction, is most important. The unconverted often abuse this subject, and mistake the compunctions which they feel in the morning, on account of the follies, I mean the sins, of the last night, for the conflict which St. Paul describes between the flesh and the spirit. But the apostle meant no such thing. St. Paul would have plainly told them, in his faithful way, "You are all flesh, altogether carnal, quite destitute of the Spirit. The works of the flesh are manifest,' Gal. v. 19; and those are your works. Your conflict, at best, is only between natural conscience and sensual appetite. You are sorry, but not with a godly sorrow. You are afraid of the world knowing it, or of its ruining your health, character, property you do not loathe your sin as a vile thing before God, nor yourself for

having committed it. You, the drunkard, will be at your cups before night. You, the unclean person, will return again to your old practices. You, the slanderer, will set out again on your old round with some new tale of malice. You, the bad child, so very sorry when detected, and so full of promises of never doing so again, have no real intention of becoming the dutiful, obedient, good child. None among you, all ye unregenerate people, really desire to be delivered from your sin."

But thou, truly wretched man, thou believer, with thy soul in conflict, thy contest is between that new heart which loves God, and that old nature which would have thee return to sin; between indwelling grace and indwelling corruption. Thou hast seen the abominable nature of sin, and therefore thou loathest it. And to find it still with thee, working to regain dominion, this makes thee cry with a bitter, piercing, sorrowful cry, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"

But see, a Deliverer appears! "Wretched man," he cries, "I bring thee good tidings." Tempted believer, thy own heart will recognize his voice. "I thank God," cries the apostle," through Jesus Christ our Lord."-Hambleton.

INSECTS. No. XLV. (Food.-Continued.)

MR.SMEATHMAN says, "The tree termites, when they get within a box, often make a nest there, and, being once in possession, destroy it at their leisure. They did so to the pyramidal box which contained my compound microscope. It was of mahogany. and I left it in the store of governor Campbell, of Tobago, for a few months, while 1 made the tour of the Leward Islands. On my return, I found these insects had done much damage in the store, and, among other things, had taken possession of the microscope, and eaten every thing about it, except the glass, or metal, and the board on which the pedestal is fixed, with the drawers under it, and the things inclosed. Their cells were built all round the pedestal and the tube, and attached to it on every side. All the glasses which were covered with the wooden substance of their nests, retained a cloud of a gummy nature upon them, that was not easily got off, and the laquer or burnish with which the brass

work was covered was totally spoilt. Another party had taken a liking to the staves of a madeira cask, and had let out almost the whole of a pipe of fine old wine. If the large species of Africa (termites bellicosi) had been as long in the possession of such a store, they would not have left twenty pounds weight of wood remaining of the whole building, and all that it contained.

"These insects are not less expeditious in destroying the shelves, wainscoting, and other fixtures of a house, than the house itself. They are for ever piercing and boring in all directions, and sometimes go out of the broadside of one post into that of another joining to it; but they prefer, and always destroy the softer substances first, and are particularly fond of pine and fir boards, which they excavate and carry with wonderful despatch and astonishing cunning: for, except a shelf has something standing upon it, as a book, or any thing else which may tempt them, they will not perforate the surface, but artfully preserve it quite whole, and eat away all the inside, except a few fibres, which barely keep the two sides connected together, so that a piece of an inch board which appears solid to the eye, will not weigh much more than two sheets of pasteboard of equal dimensions, after these animals had been a little while in possession of it. In short, the termites are so insidious in their attacks, that we cannot be too much on our guard against them: they will sometimes begin and raise their works, especially in new houses, through the floor. If you destroy the works so begun, and make a fire upon the spot, the next night they will attempt to rise through another part; and if they happen to emerge under a chest or trunk, early in the night they will pierce the bottom, and destroy or spoil every thing in it before the morning." Not content with the dominions they have acquired, and the cities they have laid low on terra firma, encouraged by success, the white ants have also aimed at the sovereignty of the ocean, and once had the hardihood to attack even a British ship of the line, (the Albion ;) and in spite of the efforts of her commander and his valiant crew, having boarded, they got possession of her, and handled her so roughly, that when brought into port, being no longer fit for service, she was obliged to be broken up. She was indeed in such a condition from the attack of insects, supposed to be white ants, that had not the ship been firmly lashed together, it was thought she would have foundered in her voyage home.

As the species, however, does not in the preceding case appear to have been correctly ascertained, it is not improbable that it may have been an insect of another family, one species of which, according to Kirby and Spence, in point of rapidity of execution, seems to surpass all its European brethren, and in many cases may be productive of more serious injury than any of them, since it attacks the wood-work of piers and jetties constructed in salt water, and so effectually, as to threaten the rapid destruction of those in which it has established itself. In December, 1815, says one of these authors, I was favoured by Charles Lutwidge, Esq., of Hull, with specimens of wood from the piers at Bridlington quay, which woefully confirm the fears entertained of their total ruin by the hosts of these pigmy assailants, that have within a few years made good a lodgment in them, and which, though not so big as a grain of rice, ply their masticating organs with such assiduity, as to have already reduced great part of the wood-work into a state resembling honey-comb. One specimen was a portion of a three-inch fir plank nailed to the north pier about three years since, which is now crumbled away to less than an inch in thickness: in fact, deducting the space occupied by the cells, which cover both surfaces as closely as possible, barely half an inch of solid wood is left; and though its progress is slower in oak, that wood is equally liable to be attacked by it. If this insect were easily introduced to new stations, it might soon prove as destructive to our jetties as the Teredo navalis to those of Holland, and induce the necessity of substituting stone for wood universally, whatever the expense; but happily it seems endowed with very limited powers of migration; for though it has spread along both the north and south piers of Bridlington harbour, it has not yet, as Mr. Lutwidge informs me reached the Dolphin, nor an insulated jetty within the harbour.

"The inhabitants of Bridlington may believe that this insect was left there a few years ago by an American vessel, with what foundation I know not; but that it is an important insect, and, like the Teredo navalis, not originally a European animal, seems very probable from the fact, that I can find no description of any species of oniscus at all resembling it, prior to that of Dr. Leach, who seems first to have given it a name; and it appears highly improbable, that if it had been a European species, it should not long since have attracted attention, and been described.

No

following rules:-To give proper notice of your intended visit-To conform to the regulations of the family-To occasion as little trouble as possible-To be careful in consuming the time of your host and hostess-To be kind and considerate where there are children.-To confine your visit to proper limits; and to do as much good while you stay as possible: ay! to master and mistress; to children and servants. An attention to these rules will render your visit an agreeable thing, you will leave a favourable impression behind you, and will never stand in need of a future invitation. Old Humphrey once in his life was so circumstanced that he was almost compelled to lengthen his visit beyond the term to which his judgment and his inclinations would have confined it. There was every attention paid him, and not the slightest diminution of respect; but, for all that, it was a sore trouble to him, a heavy burden to his heart.

Old Humphrey has paid many a visit, and received many a visitor in his day, and he can hardly tell which is the most pleasant-to partake or to practise the rites of hospitality.

If the injunction be given us in holy writ, "Be careful to entertain strangers, and given to hospitality," it is certainly not a less duty and privilege to entertain our friends. The visit of a true christian is oftentimes a great blessing; for many a word fitly spoken by him, and many an observation dropped in a kindly spirit, is remembered in after days to the edification of many. This is especially the case when he acts up to his high profession, setting forth his Lord and Master, and saying emphatically, by his conduct, temper, and general behaviour, "I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts." Having thus spoken a word on visitors, let me just touch on a subject that has latterly occupied much of my attention.

Many years ago, some of my relations embarked for America, and settled on the banks of the Ohio, in the state of Pennsylvania. There were thousands of uncultivated acres around them when they first set about building their log-house. They had to fell the trees, to clear away the brush-wood, to cultivate the ground, and to produce order from the existing chaos. Industry is seldom without its reward, and in course of time, comfort smiled around them; the thorn and the brier gave place to the olive and the myrtle; and the wilderness blossomed as the rose.

In that far land they did not forget me. I have seen before now on a seal the impression of two doves flying in different ways, holding in their beaks the opposite ends of a silken cord tied like a true lover's knot, so that the farther the doves got asunder, the tighter the knot was tied. It was a pretty device, and I am sure that it aptly sets forth the increase of affection that absence in many cases produces. My relatives corresponded with me, they named a tree after me, and often, at sun-set, took their tea, or a glass of their own wine, made from the maple tree, underneath it, and talked of old times, of old friends, and of their father-land. Sometimes, too, voice of prayer and psalmody rose from the place, for the head of the family was as a patriarch among them.

the

Often and often has Old Humphrey indulged the thought, that he should like to cross the heaving ocean, and surprise them in their solitude. To take bales and packages of all sorts of things for their comfort, and to steal upon them when they were alt assembled under that tree, either refreshing their bodies with sustenance, or their souls with prayer and praise.

It seemed an idle dream, but it was a delightful one.

Well! why am I telling you that which may give you no pleasure to know, however full of interest it may be to me? I will inform you: one of my relations is now over in England, and he talks of returning shortly: now, if Old Humphrey should return with him; if, after all, he should realize his dream, he would not like to do so without bidding you farewell. In another week or two, this matter will be settled one way or other; whether I remain in the land of my birth, or visit the Pennsylvanian log-house, you will still have the warm wishes of Old Humphrey, and he will not forget to inform you of his determination.

BOTANY.-No. XXXIII.

AMENTACEE. WILLOW, OAK, PLANE,

THIS family includes many of our timber and ornamental trees, and hence its members generally predominate in the wood and the forest. The lofty and imposing stature of the oak and the elm, forms a remarkable contrast to the small size of their flowers, which are individually minute, though, in the latter, they are conspicuous in spring, from their numbers. The flowers are never provided with a corolla to give them beauty, and the calyx is

frequently a single scale. They obtained their name from amentum, or a catkin, a term applied to the mode of flowering, as in the birch and willow, where a series of flowers are closely set together upon a simple stem, so as to resemble the end of a rope, or the tail of a cat. The fruitful and barren flowers are generally in different catkins, as in the birch, and sometimes in catkins upon different trees, of which the willow furnishes a ready example; in a few instances, the same. flowers produce both the stamens and the fruit, as in the elm, which may be seen in flower some time before the season of leafing commences. The calyx, which forms the principal part of the flower, since the corolla is absent, is seldom more than a little scale, which bears one or more stamens in its bosom. To examine them with some degree of accuracy and satisfaction, a lens of a small power is necessary to render the parts distinct, which often, at the first glance, seem to be placed in a confused manner. After this brief allusion to their leading peculiarities, it will, perhaps, be more convenient, as well as more instructive, to consider the several genera which compose this family, each one by

itself.

THE OAK.-In the oak, (quercus robur,) the barren flowers are found sitting about a common stem or peduncle, and consist of five calyx-scales, which are united together, and form a small circle or empalement, including ten stamens. In the fertile flowers which are ranged upon a common peduncle, in a similar way, we meet with that well-known calyx or cup, which subsequently contains the acorn. The rough, dense, and bark-like nature of this organ, is the great and distinguishing peculiarity of the oak, while there is a great variety among the numerous species of this genus (quercus) in the shape and size of the rest of the acorn. It may be proper to remark in this place, that while some degree of indistinctness seems to exist in the barren flowers, the fertile ones are so distinct in form and nature, as in all cases to furnish a characteristic of the genus.

We have, on one or two occasions, alluded to what are called the seed-lobes, or cotyledons, and, as they are exhibited with great distinctness in the acorn, it will be useful to bespeak attention for them on this occasion. If, after removing the shell of the acorn, we peel off the inner covering of the seed, we shall find that it parts from below into two halves, which are jointed together at the top. This joint terminates

in a point, which lodges in a furrow, hollowed to receive it. This point is the radicle, or that part which, in vegetating, sends forth the root. In all the members. of this family it is straight, as we may also see in the nut of the hazel and the chestnut. And, if we compare them together, their similarity in nature and internal conformation will be apparent, and show how consistent it is with the dictates of nature, to consider the oak, the hazel, and the chestnut, as belonging to the same family.

THE CHESTNUT.-The genus to which the chestnut belongs, includes two species, the sweet chestnut, (fagus castanea,) and the beech, (fagus sylvatica,) and is chiefly discriminated by the long spikes of flowers and the fruit, which is completely invested by a thorny calyx. Here again,. though the flowers, from their vast numbers, form a conspicuous object in the chestnut, yet it is better to have recourse to the fruit, where in the calyx we find a mark, which cannot be easily mistaken or overlooked. These trees are recommended to our notice, not only by the peculiar beauty of their spreading foliage, but by the utility of the wood in one, and of the fruit in the other.

THE HORNBEAM.-Of this genus, we have only one species a native of this country, (carpinus betulus,) or common hornbeam tree. In the barren catkin, the calyx-scale is nearly round, and fringed, bearing from eight to ten stamens. In the fertile one it is the same, and contains a small nut, so that the catkin, which possesses a distant resemblance to a pine-cone, is a collection of small nuts, which are very remarkable in winter. This tree is distinguished for retaining its withered leaves through the dreary succession of inclement changes, till they are displaced by the buds in the following spring.

THE HAZEL.-The catkins of the corylus avellana, or common hazel-nut, begin to appear in autumn, and are, we may see, composed of a multitude of scales, laid one over the other, like the tiles upon the roof of a building. Each of them, as they separate, is seen to be cleft into three divisions, and contains about eight stamens. But the obvious and peculiar feature of the hazel is found in the two large tattered leaves of the calyx, which invest the base of the nut, as we see in the filbert. In winter, the red pistils make their appearance from