On all bands we may see these op
erations proceeding in silent grand
eur. Masses of matter, which, ag
gregated, become almost inconceiva
ble in magnitude, are constantly
moved upward from tho earth’s sur
face, to decend in due time; again to
be raised and again to fall. So the
ponderous engine of nature oscillates
constantly, without faltering, yet it
moves quietly and with so little fric
tion, that only occasionally, when
the thunder shakes the earth, or tho
hurricane ravages tho land and sea,
do we note the tremendous power of
the common natural forces, which, in
tho calm summer day or the winter’s
storm, are always at work about us.
The water constantly accumula
ting in the air descends aud fills tho
rivers. We see, and wonder at the
aggregated power of these torrents
as they impetuously rush toward tho
sea, leaping precipices and sweeping
every obstacle before them ; but we
do not realize the great truth that all
the while the silent force of solar
heat is transporting to the clouds as
much water as the rivers are carry
ing down.
We stand by some mountain side
whoso forests are being felled and
transported to the valleys, without
reflecting that all this vast mass of
material was carried up molecule by
molecule, in tho atmosphere and in
tho sap, until its accumulation be
came so great as to be demanded for
the uses of mankind.
