forth into several points; but these still continuing their descent, and
meeting with some intermitting gales of warmer air, or, in their
continual waftage to and fro, touching upon each other are a little
thawed, blunted, and frozen into clusters, or entangled so as to fall
down in what we call flakes." But we are not, (says the author of the
"Contemplative Philosopher,") to consider snow merely as a curious
phenomenon. The Great Disposer of universal bounty has so ordered it,
that it is eminently subservient, as well as all the works of creation,
to his benevolent designs.

"He gives the winter's snow her airy birth,
And bids her virgin fleeces clothe the earth."
SANDYS.

P.T.W.

* * * * *


MONKEYS AT GIBRALTAR.


Though Gibraltar abounds with monkeys, there are none to be found in the
rest of Spain; this is supposed to be occasioned by the following
circumstance;--The waters of the Propontis, which anciently might be
nothing but a lake formed by the Granicus and Rhyndacus, finding it more
easy to work themselves a canal by the Dardanelles than any other way,
spread into the Mediterranean, and forcing a passage into the ocean
between Mount Atlas and Calpe, separated the rock from the coast of
Africa; and the monkeys being taken by surprise, were compelled to be