are worn chiefly for ornament; but the most beautiful jewels are found in that sweet verse in Proverbs iii., "Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; bind them about thy neck, write them upon the tablet of thine heart:" and the christian female is exhorted to let her adornments not be of gold or costly apparel, but the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in God's sight of great price. (1 Pet. iii. 3, 4 ; 1 Tim. ii. 9, 10.)

II. OF THE METALS.

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Our second subject of consideration is the metals. The ancients knew only seven; and these they represented under the signs of the heavenly bodies,-Gold had the Sun for its emblem-Silver, the Moon -Quicksilver, Mercury-Copper, Venus-Iron, Mars-Tin, Jupiter -Lead, Saturn. The moderns have discovered thirty-seven others. Gold, which is the heaviest of all the metals, excepting platinum and iridium, is found in the four quarters of the globe; but in small quantities. The largest lump ever known was dug out of the gold mountains of the County Wicklow, and is, I think, in the British Museum. You remember we saw the mountain in our way to the Glen of Imale. The gold of Asia is the finest ;—but that of America is comparatively the most abundant. Gold has a variety of uses:-the Tabernacle of the Wilderness had silver for its foundations, and boards covered with gold for its superstructure; and all the furniture * See Appendix.

of the Lord's dwelling was covered with gold. In the temple the pavement and the ceiling of the Most Holy were of the same. Gold is also used for the diadems of kings, and the coronets of nobles. The richest coins of the realm, as well as medals commemorating any event of moment, are also struck from this noble metal. Its tenacity is amazing; for it has been proved that a gold wire, whose diameter is only one-tenth of an inch, will support a weight of 500 pounds; and its malleability is almost beyond belief: for Mr. Reaumur asserts, that he beat a grain of gold into forty-two square inches of leaf-gold.

Silver is the metal next precious to Gold and Platinum. It is also found in all quarters of the globe, but abounds in South America. It is a metal in great request: all the common coin of the realm is struck from it. If you remember, the reflectors of our Light-house at Wicklow were made from this precious metal; besides which, its uses are various. It is a metal of great brilliancy.

Quicksilver is a metal-fluid at very low temperature. It was well known to the ancients, and called by them hydrargyrum, or, water of silver. Quicksilver is found in Germany, Hungary, Spain, and Peru. This metal is used in a variety of ways, and is most valuable to man. I suppose you remember seeing it frequently in the tube of the weather glass; its use there is to indicate the variations of the weight of the air-heavy dry air pressing it up, and light air allowing it to descend. The state of the weather is so connected with the weight of the atmosphere, that the Barometer becomes a useful index of its

changes also. It is also in great demand for our manufactories; and especially in gilding copper; for these two metals have no affinity whatever with each other, and seem inflexibly set against any union; but the Quicksilver has friendship with both parties, and is used to amalgamate the surface of the copper substance intended to be giltsay, for instance, buttons, these are then covered with a certain quantity of gold amalgam, which immediately adheres; afterwards heat is applied, which drives off the Quicksilver, and leaves the gold firmly fixed to the button. Until these few years past, the Quicksilver thus evaporated was lost; but now it is made to pass into water, when it instantly condenses and falls to the bottom. The Quicksilver in this case is a beautiful emblem of the Peace-maker, that brings two hostile parties together, and never leaves them until they are one, and then passes away ready again for any fresh act of love.

Mercury is also a most valuable medicine in the hands of educated men. Hydrarge, or Silver-water, is its name in the Pharmacopœia. Copper ranks next in value. Sweden supplies vast quantities of this metal, as does also the Isle of Anglesea in Wales. Many of our domestic utensils and vessels are made of Copper. Beaten out into thin sheets, it is used to cover the bottoms of sailing vessels, keeping them at once clean, dry, and free from the operations of marine worms. These sheets are also sometimes used as the covering of buildings. Brass is a mixture of copper with zinc; and bell metal also has copper (which is the most sonorous of metals) for its chief ingredient. Most

of our engravings also are executed on copper sheets. The rust of copper, if we may so call it, is verdigris: and from this is made the brightest of our green paints. So in every point of view it is useful.

Iron is the most useful and the most abounding of all metals. It is found in England in great abundance, especially in our neighbouring county of Gloucester; also in Wales: and close to the Iron mines, generally speaking, there is a boundless supply of coals to work the Iron. And this, my dear children, with thousands of other things with which we are surrounded, tells us of God's merciful goodness; and proves that He (and not chance or fortuity) made and furnished the world as a habitation fitted and suited for Man, destined to be its occupant. The uses of Iron cannot be enumerated; for look around on every side, and there is not a thing of art that you gaze on, but, in one form or another, Iron lent its aid to make it what it is; and even when it is cast aside, the very rust of the old despised Iron hoops is a valuable medicine (oxide of Iron), as our dear S. full well knows; but in God's creation nothing is wanting-nothing is lost.

It is

Tin is a most useful metal in all our domestic concerns. softer than silver; but harder than lead. Tin is found in the East Indies, France, Spain, and Saxony; and it abounds in Devonshire and Cornwall, which in a great measure supply the demands of Europe. It is used among other things to coat over copper, iron, and brass kitchen utensils, to defend what is cooked in them from the action of those metals.

Lead is a coarse, heavy metal, of a whitish grey colour; it is found in great quantities in England. Its uses are innumerable; for, being so easily melted, it may soon be cast into any shape; but lead could not supply the place of iron or tin, for it will not bear to come in contact with fire. White and red lead are produced by chemical means from this valuable metal, and are used for paints and glazing earthen vessels. In medicine the sugar of lead, a combination of lead with vinegar, is useful in many cases; indeed, almost all the metals, under one form or another, come into the pharmacopoeia; and (as I said of the quicksilver) in the hands of skilful men, by God's blessing, are sometimes of great service.

The later discovered metals I do not go at large into; but just mention a few of them.

Platinum. This ranks in value above gold, from its scarcity, exceeding weight, ductility, and infusibility. It is found in New Granada, South America. It is of great value for chemical purposes, making the best crucibles; it is also used for the indexes of nautical and other instruments. In colour it is like silver.

Iridium is a heavy metal; it was discovered in 1803. In colour it is like platinum.

Zinc is a metal that has come much into use these few years. It forms an excellent substitute for lead, and is not so expensive. It is found in many parts of Great Britain. It looks like lead, but is not so heavy.