knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it (originally) found (among any of his unregenerated brethren) in the land of the living." It is not to be found in its original abode upon the face of the earth, nor does it dwell among the proud sons of men. Hence it is not to be purchased upon land, and if it was, emigrants passing over the ocean could not reach it, nor is it found in any such manner upon the sea, for "the depth saith, it is not in me and the sea saith, it is not with me. It cannot be gotten for gold, (though that will purchase any earthly treasure,) neither shall silver (to any amount) be weighed for the price thereof. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, (nor all precious stones upon earth) or the sapphire. The gold and the crystal (both together) cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral or of pearls: (such things deserve not to be named,) for the price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia (though superior to all jewels and precious stones) shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold. Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept close from the fowls of the air. Destruction and death say we have heard the fame thereof with our ears. God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; To make the weight for the winds, and he weigheth the waters by measure.

When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder: Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea and searched it out. And unto man he said, Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." Job. xxviii. 12-28.

Hence wisdom in the sight of God is to depart from evil; to fear, to love, to honor, and to seek and obtain his favor; and nothing on earth is or ever can be set in competition with it.

"Happy the man that finds the grace,

The blessing of God's chosen race;
The wisdom coming from above,

The faith that sweetly works by love.

"Happy beyond description, he

Who knows the Saviour died for me!'

The gift unspeakable obtains,

And heavenly understanding gains.

"To purest joys she all invites,
Chaste, holy, spiritual delights;
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her flowery paths are peace.

"Happy the man who wisdom gains;
Thrice happy who his guest retains ;
Her owns, and shall for ever own,

Wisdom and Christ, and heaven are one."

No. VI.

The different kinds of fish and fowls seen on our journey.-Different kinds of creatures in creation contemplated, and their various modes of existence.-Some reflections.

SOME people have spoken as if there were as many kinds of fish in the sea as animals on the land, and which are of the same species and resemble each other, as sea horses, cows, sheep, hogs, &c. But this assertion does not seem to have its foundation in truth. All I have seen in my journey of the fish or fowl kind have been the porpoises--something which the mate supposed to be a shark-a few gulls, and some little birds like swallows. These little innocent birds have followed us nearly all the way: they employ themselves by flying in the track of the vessel, and have lately increased in number. Where they rest at night I know not; not on the vessel we might suppose, because one day or two they disappeared; not on the land I flatter myself, because we are perhaps five hundred or a thousand miles from the nearest, and we may think it incredible for them to sit on the water-especially in a rough sea, because when calm they seem to tread it in a fluttering attitude, and seldom settlė.

On Wednesday the 18th, I went on deck to see a whale, but which was at some distance. It seemed to blow the water a considerable height, making a sort of vapor as out of a boiling furnace. At another

time I saw a number of fish near the vessel, rising one after another, and pitching into the sea with a motion as slow as that of an elephant, and which were perhaps twice or thrice as large as an ox. These fish, if report was true, are sometimes about thirty feet long.

How wonderful and diversified are the works of God! Look at the few things under thy immediate observation. Here are creatures who can live only on the earth, and who are obliged to construct this large vessel to sail over the ocean, as men; here are other creatures that can live only in the water, as fishes; other things that can live in and pass through the air, as birds. Observe these little creatures following the ship, and living upon the crumbs that fall from the table, upwards of a thousand miles from land. Consider again that there are other things that can live in the water and out of the water, as the crocodile, other creatures that can live in the earth, and out of the earth, as the worm that crawleth upon the ground. Look at these things and wonder; contemplate and adore-adore Him whose forming hand made all these things and created thee also out of the dust of the earth-whose providence hath preserved thee hitherto from sinking into the mighty waters, or from falling into the grave to rise no more.

"Thou hast created all things, (saith St. John) and for thy pleasure they are and were created." And in the beginning they, like ourselves, were innocent, harmless and immortal. It was sin only that brought death and destruction into the world-death

and destruction upon man, madness and mortality upon the creature. If this is not admitted it follows that the gracious and wise Creator of all things had pleasure in making them only to die and perish. But he made them for his own glory, and he looked upon them and pronounced them very good. They were all harmless, and in a certain degree all happy. The fierce lion and the gentle lamb could eat together, and the wildest creature that now ranges the plains, and the most defenceless animal that lives upon the earth, might have laid themselves down without any danger. But how has fierceness, ferocity and cruelty taken possession of many of them! And how death has entered into the world, and destroyed his millions, and laid their honor in the dust! He has depopulated towns, cities, kingdoms, and swept away the inhabitants of whole empires, as with the besom of destruction.

But if all things were created for God's pleasure, and his mercy is over all his works, will he suffer the creature-anything that hath breath-to be blotted out of creation, and annihilated wholly and solely for man's transgression? Shall the laborious and useful ox that treadeth out the corn, and the innocent lamb without any criminal offence, suffer death and be annihilated, without enjoying life and the happiness for which they were created? Shall God's glory and purposes be disconcerted through the disobedience of one or two of his creatures? Will he suffer such a chasm to be made in the workmanship of his hands? "For the earnest expecta