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skin; and a few being once lodged, they multiply apace by the eggs they lay. The infection may also be propagated in a like manner, by sheets, towels, handkerchiefs, or gloves used by itchy people, since these animalcules may easily be harboured in such things, and will live out of the body two or three days.

The discovery of these animalcules likewise shews the reason why this distemper is never to be cured by internal medicines; but requires lixivial washes, baths or ointments, made up with salts, sulphurs, vitriols, mercury, precipitate, sublimate, or such kinds of penetrating and powerful remedies as can kill these vermin in the skin; and if sometimes we find the disease return upon us in a little while after we supposed it quite cured by unction, it is no great wonder; since, though the ointment may destroy all the living animalcules, it may not probably kill their young ones in the eggs, laid in nests in the skin, which coming to hatch may renew the

distemper; for this reason, it is advisable to continue the anointing for some days, even after the cure seems perfect.

The objects commonly exhibited by the microscope are, the circulation of the blood, either by tadpoles, by a frog's foot, or the moscheto insect; the crystallization of salts; the effervescence of acids and alkalis; cheese mites; eels in vinegar; the little red ant; the common louse, with its nit or egg; the flea; the skin of a spider's leg; the wings, legs, and feelers of different kinds of flies, butterflies and moths; the sting of a bee; sea moss; grasshopper's, or cricket's legs; proboscis of the horse fly, and other insects; wood cut across the grain, shewing the sap pores, and that they contain more pores than solid parts; the scales of fish; the farina of flowers; a piece of sponge; sarcenet, peeling, and cambric muslin.

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CABINET OF NATURE,

FOR THE YEAR;

CONTAINING,

CURIOUS PARTICULARS CHARACTERISTIC

OF

EACH MONTH.

INTENDED TO DIRECT YOUNG PEOPLE TO THE INNOCENT AND AGREEABLE EMPLOYMENT

OF

OBSERVING NATURE.

"Ye guardian powers! who make mankind your care,
Give me to know wise Nature's hidden depths,
Trace each mysterious cause, with judgment read *
Th' expanded volume, and submiss adore

That great creative Will, who, at a word,

Spoke forth the wondrous scene."

NEW-YORK:

PRINTED AND SOLD BY SAMUEL WOOD & SONS,

AT THE JUVENILE BOOK-STORE,

No. 357, PEARL-STREET.

PREFACE.

ANONG the greatest blessings and wonders of the creation, may be classed the regularities of times and seasons. The changes of seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, all present us with some peculiar charms; and the blessings which every month brings with it, are fresh instances of the wisdom and bounty of that Providence which regulates the glories of the year To direct the youthful mind to these changes, and to awaken it to the contemplation of the various characteristic phenomena that distinguish them, as well in the animal as the vegetable kingdom, is the object of this publication. And we trust, the information that may be gleaned from it, is calculated equally to render them wiser and better; and that while it makes them acquainted with the face of nature in every season, it will lead them, with fervent glow, to exclaim with the poet,

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These, as they change, Almighty Father! these
Are but the varied God. The rolling year
Is full of thee."

Although calculated for the latitude and meridian of Great-Britain, yet on an examination of this little book, the publisher was induced to believe, the Youth of Columbia might be profitably amused in a perusal of it he accordingly has given it an American impression, taking the liberty to make some notes on what he deemed exceptionable.

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Observe how regular the Planets run,
In stated times their courses round the Sun!
Different their bulk, their distance and career,
And different much the compass of their year;
Yet all the same eternal laws obey,

While God's unerring finger points the way !

OF all the sciences, astronomy is the most sublime. It treats of the works of nature in their most stupendous extent. It has a reference to the perfections of the Deity. By his power, wisdom, and goodness, all things were formed.

The SUN, an immense body of fire and light, is fixed in the centre of the system,

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