CABINET OF NATURE. THE OCEAN. The ocean surrounds the earth on all sides, and penetrates into the interior parts of the different countries, sometimes by large openings, and frequently by small straits. Could the eye take in this immense sheet of water at one view, it would appear the most august object under the whole heavens. It occupies a space on the surface of the globe at least three times greater than that which is occupied by the land; com prehending an extent of 148 millions of square miles. Though the ocean, strictly speaking, is but one immense body of waters, extending in different directions, yet different names have been appropriated to different portions of its surface. That portion of its waters which rolls between the western coast of America, and the eastern shores of Asia, is called the Pacific ocean; and that portion which separates Europe and Africa from America, the Atlantic ocean. Other portions are termed the Northern, Southern and Indian oceans. When its waters penetrate into the land, they form what are called gulfs, and mediterranean seas. But without following it through all its windings and divi sions, I shall simply state a few general facts. With regard to the DEPTH of this body of water, no certain conclusions have yet been formed. Beyond a certain depth, it has hitherto been found unfathomable. We know, in general, that the depth of the sea in creases gradually as we leave the shore; but we have reason to believe that this increase of depth continues only to a certain distance. The numerous islands scat tered every where through the ocean, demonstrate, that the bottom of the waters, so far from uniformly sinking, sometimes rises into lofty mountains. It is highly probable that the depth of the sea is somewhat in proportion to the elevation of the land; for there is some reason to conclude that the present bed of the ocean formed the inhabited part of the ancient world, previous to the general deluge, and that we are now oc cupying the bed of the former ocean; and, if so, its greatest depth will not exceed four or five miles; for there is no mountain that rises higher above the level of the sea. But the sea has never been actually sounded to a greater depth than a mile and 66 feet. Along the coast its depth has always been found proportioned to the height of the shore: where the coast is high and mountainous, the sea that washes it is deep; but where the coast is low, the water is shallow. To calculate the quantity of water it contains, we must therefore suppose a medium depth. If we reckon its average depth at two miles, it will contain 296 million of cubical miles of water. We shall have a more specific idea of this enormous mass of water, if we consider, that it is sufficient to cover the whole globe, to the height of more than eight thousand feet; and if this water were reduced to one spherical mass, it would form a globe of more than 800 miles in diameter. With regard to its BOTTOM-As the sea covers so great a portion of the globe, we should, no doubt, by exploring its interior recesses, discover a vast number of interesting objects. So far as the bed of the ocean has been explored, it is found to bear a great resemblance to the surface of the dry land; being, like it, full of plains, caverns, rocks, and mountains, some of which are abrupt and almost perpendicular, while others rise with a gentle acclivity, and sometimes tower above the water, and form islands. The materials, too, which compose the bottom of the sea, are the same which forms the bases of the dry land. It also resembles the land in another remarkable particular; --many fresh springs, and even rivers rise out of it; an instance of which occurs near Goa, on the western coast of Hindostan, and in the Mediterranean sea, not far from Marseilles. The sea sometimes assumes different colours. The materials which compose its bottom, cause it to reflect different hues in different places; and its appearance is also affected by the winds and by the sun, while the clouds that pass over it communicate all their varied and fleeting colors. When the sun shines, it is green when he gleams through a VOL. I.-10. fog, it is yellow; near the poles, it is black; while in the torrid zone, its color is often brown; and on certain occasions, it assumes a luminous appearance, as if sparkling with fire. The ocean has three kinds of motions. The first is that undulation which is produced by the wind, and which is entirely confined to its surface. It is now ascertained that this motion can be destroyed, and its surface rendered smooth by throwing oil upon its waves. The second motion is that continual tendency which the whole water in the sea has towards the west, which is greater near the equator than towards the poles. It begins on the west side of America, where it is moderate; but as the waters, advance westward, their motion is accelerated; and after having travelled the globe they return, and strike with great violence on the eastern shore of America. Being stopped by that continent, they rush, with impetuosity, into the Gulf of Mexico, thence they proceed along the coast of North America, till they come to the south side of the great bank of Newfoundland, when they turn off and run down through the Western Isles. This motion is most probably owing to the diurnal revolution of the earth on its axis, which is in a direction contrary to the motion of the sea. The third motion of the sea is the tide, which is a regular swell of the ocean every 12 hours. This motion is now ascertained to be owing to the attractive influence of the moon, and also partly to that of the sun. There is always a flux and reflux at the same time, in two parts of the globe, and these are opposite to each other; so that when our Antipodes have high water, we have the same. When the attractive powers of the sun and moon act in the same direction, which happens at the time of new and full moon, we have the highest, or spring tides; but when their attraction is opposed to each other, which happens at the quarters, we have the lowest, or neap tides. Such is the ocean, a most stupendous scene of Omnipotence, which forms the most magnificent feature of the globe we inhabit. When we stand on the sea shore, and cast our eyes over the expanse of its waters, till the sky and the waves seem to mingle, all that the eye can take in one survey, is but an inconsiderable speck, less than the hundred thousandth part of the whole of this vast abyss. If every drop of water can be divided into 26 millions of distinct parts, as some philosophers have demonstrated, what an immense assemblage of watery particles must be contained in the unfathomable caverns of the ocean! Here the powers of calculation are completely set at defiance; and an image of infinity, immensity, and endless duration, is presented to the mind. This mighty expanse of waters is the grand reservoir of Nature, and the source of evaporation, which enriches the earth with fertility and verdure. Every cloud which floats in the atmosphere, and every fountain and rivulet, and flowing stream, are indebted to this inexhaustible source for those watery treasures which they distribute through every region of the land. In fine, whether we consider the ocean as rearing its tremendous billows in the midst of the tempest, or as stretched out into a smoothed expanse-whe ther we consider its immeasurable extent, its mighty movements, or the innumerable beings which glide through its rolling waves-we cannot but be struck with astonishment at the grandeur of that Omnipotent Being who holds its waters "in the hollow of his hand," and who has said to its foaming surges, therto shalt thou come, and no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed." BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. HENRY KIRKE WHITE. "Hi There are few men with names inscribed on the imperishable records of genius, whose lives present a more melancholy subject for reflection, than that of Henry Kirke White. Endowed with poetical talents of the first description, and possessing that shrinking modesty and over-refinement of feeling which so frequently are the result of a poetical temperament, he had to struggle with poverty and obscurity until, in the language of Byron's beautiful description of him, "Keen were his pangs, but keener far to feel, This delightful poet was born in Nottingham, March 21. 1785. His father was a tradesman in that city. He early discovered a great desire for reading; and, it is said by his biographers, that when he was about seven years of age, he would creep unperceived into the kitchen, to teach the servant to read and write; a practice he continued for some time before it was discovered that he had been so laudably employed. It was the intention of his father, to bring him up to his own business; but his mother, who was a woman of respectable family and superior acquirements, overcame her husband's desire, and made every effort to procure him a good education, and with this intention and by the request of her friends, she opened a lady's boarding and day school at Nottingham, in which she succeeded beyond her most sanguine expectations; and by these means accomplished her wishes. It was, however, at length determined to make him acquainted with some trade; and as hosiery is the staple manufacture of his native place, he was placed in a stocking-loom, at the age of fourteen. This employment was entirely uncongenial to his taste, and rendered him truly unhappy his feelings at this period are portrayed in his address to Contemplation. His mother, who was the repository of all his boyish sorrows, was extremely anxious to have him removed to some other business; and on his attaining his fifteenth year, had him placed in an attorney's office.: but as no premium could be given with him, he was not articled until two years afterwards. The law was now the chief object of his attention; but during his leisure hours he acquired a knowledge of Greek and Latin, and also made himself master of many of the modern languages. These employments, with the study of chemistry, astronomy, drawing, and |