fountains, in the dew, fog, snow, sleet, and rain, comes alike from

the sea.

From whatever source water is procured, whether from ocean, river, lake, or spring, it is always the same. It is true that water from the sea has a different taste from that of rain or river water; but the difference does not lie in the water, but in the substances dissolved in it.

Water is composed of two gases, oxygen and hydrogen, in the proportion of eight parts of oxygen to one of hydrogen. It is one of the most marvellous facts in the natural world, that though hydrogen is highly inflammable, and oxygen is a supporter of combustion, both combined form an element destructive to fire.

Pure water is destitute of colour, taste, and smell. It seldom, however, occurs in this state, but usually contains various ingredients, derived either from the atmosphere or from the earth. Rain water is the purest that can be obtained, except by distillation.

The waters of the globe are divided into fresh and salt. The fresh water includes all streams and rivers, and nearly all the springs and the greater number of the lakes, on the earth's surface. They are called fresh, because they contain no amount of saline matter unfitting them for use. It is supposed that the lakes of North America contain more than half of all the fresh water on the face of the globe.

Salt water is that which fills the vast basin of the ocean, besides numerous lakes and springs. It forms by far the larger portion of the liquid element. The proportion of saline matter which the ocean contains is about three and a half per cent. Supposing the sca to have a mean depth of one thousand feet, it has been calculated that the amount of common salt it contains is equal to five times the mass of the Alps, or about a third less than that of the Himalaya Mountains.

Near the equator and towards the poles the ocean is less salt than in other parts. This is probably owing to the abundant rains at the equator, and to the melting of the ice in the polar regions.

The saline ingredients render sea water much heavier than fresh water, and, consequently, better adapted for navigation. Fresh water freezes at the temperature of 32°; salt water, at the temperature of 2810. The healthfulness of the ocean is partly ascribed to its constant motion, which prevents its waters from becoming stagnant and corrupt.

THE OCEAN.

WHO ever gazed upon the broad sea without emotion? Whether seen in stern majesty, hoary with the tempest, rolling its giant waves upon the rocks, and dashing with resistless fury some gallant bark on an iron-bound coast; or sleeping beneath the silver moon, its broad bosom broken but by a gentle ripple, just enough to reflect a long line of light-a path of gold upon a pavement of sapphire;-who has looked upon the sea without feeling that it has power "to stir the soul with thoughts profound?"

Perhaps there is no earthly object—not even the cloud-cleaving mountains of an alpine country-so sublime as the sea in its severe and naked simplicity. Standing on some promontory whence the eye roams far out upon the unbounded ocean, the soul expands, and we conceive a nobler idea of the majesty of that God who "holdeth the waters in the hollow of his hand." He has set bars and doors, and said, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed.”—Gosse.

Roll on, thou deep and dark-blue ocean-roll!
Ten thousand flects sweep over thee in vain :
Man marks the earth with ruin-his control
Stops with the shore;-upon the watery plain
The wrecks are all thy deed, nor doth remain
A shadow of man's ravage, save his own,

When, for a moment, like a drop of rain,
He sinks into thy depths, with bubbling groan,
Without a grave, unknelled, uncoffined, and unknown.

The armaments which thunder-strike the walls
Of rock-built cities, bidding nations quake,
And monarchs tremble in their capitals;

The oak leviathans, whose huge ribs make
Their clay creator the vain title take
Of lord of thee, and arbiter of war ;-

These are thy toys, and, as the snowy flake,
They melt into thy yeast of waves, which mar
Alike the Armada's pride, or spoils of Trafalgar.

Thy shores are empires, changed in all save thee.
Assyria, Greece, Rome, Carthage-what are they?
Thy waters wasted them while they were free,
And many a tyrant since: their shores obey
The stranger, slave, or savage: their decay
Has dried up realms to deserts. Not so thou:

Unchangeable save to thy wild waves' play,
Time writes no wrinkle on thine azure brow-
Such as Creation's dawn beheld, thou rollest now.

Thou glorious mirror, where the Almighty's form
Glasses itself in tempests; in all time—
Calm or convulsed-in breeze, or gale, or storm,
Icing the pole, or in the torrid clime

Dark-heaving,-boundless, endless, and sublime—The image of Eternity!

BYRON.

THE TREASURES OF THE DEEP.

WHAT hidest thou in thy treasure-caves and cells,
Thou hollow-sounding and mysterious main?—
Pale glistening pearls, and rainbow-coloured shells,
Bright things which gleam unrecked of, and in vain.—
Keep, keep thy riches, melancholy sea!

We ask not such from thee.

Yet more, the depths have more! What wealth untold,
Far down, and shining through their stillness lies!
Thou hast the starry gems, the burning gold,

Won from ten thousand royal argosies.

Sweep o'er thy spoils, thou wild and wrathful main!
Earth claims not these again!

Yet more, the depths have more! Thy waves have rolled
Above the cities of a world gone by!

Sand hath filled up the palaces of old,
Sea-weed o'ergrown the halls of revelry!-
Dash o'er them, ocean, in thy scornful play!
Man yields them to decay!

Yet more, the billows and the depths have more!
High hearts and brave are gathered to thy breast!
They hear not now the booming waters roar;
The battle-thunders will not break their rest!—
Keep thy red gold and gems, thou stormy grave!
Give back the true and brave!

Give back the lost and lovely! those for whom
The place was kept at board and hearth so long,
The prayer went up through midnight's breathless gloom,
And the vain yearning woke 'midst festal song!
Hold fast thy buried isles, thy towers o'erthrown-
But all is not thine own!

To thee the love of woman hath

gone down,

Dark flow thy tides o'er manhood's noble head,
O'er youth's bright locks and beauty's flowery crown;
Yet must thou hear a voice-Restore the dead!
Earth shall reclaim her precious things from thee!
Restore the dead, thou sea!

MRS. HEMANS.

THE CRUST OF THE EARTH.

THE various substances which constitute the earth may be divided into simple and compound. A simple substance, or element, is one which cannot be separated into other component parts. A compound substance is formed by the combination of two or more simple substances or elements.

The entire number of elements yet discovered is sixty-one, of which only fourteen are found in nature in a pure state, and these occur rarely, and in very limited quantities. Gold, silver, and copper, are elements generally found combined with other substances, but frequently discovered in a pure, unmixed state. Granite and limestone are compound substances.

Nearly all the matter of the globe is composed of different combinations of eighteen of these elements; and no matter pertaining to the earth, no part of the land or water, no particle of air, no plant or animal, has yet been discovered, which, on being submitted to the analysis of the chemist, is not found to be composed of one or more of the sixty-one elements already mentioned.

On and immediately below the surface of the land will be found, generally speaking, loose or unconsolidated materials, which are called earths. The first in order, usually occupying the immediate surface, is composed principally of decayed vegetable and animal substances, and is called vegetable mould.

The other earths are composed principally of particles which have been worn off, by the atmosphere, the winds, and the rain, from the solid rocks which form the crust of the earth. These are called mineral earths, and bear the names respectively of the minerals which enter most largely into their composition. Thus, when earths are composed principally of silex, or flint, they are called silicious earths (sand is an example); when of calx, or lime, calcareous earths; and when of argilla, or clay, argillaceous earths.

If there were only silicious earth there could be no vegetation,