J*0 %V TBE COnoJ.LAS OF FLOWBRl. 



]>i«Mclkm of 



II. 



The h^atttifi'f Tint of Fhivers acquired by the same Mfuns 

 that paint the Rainboio. In a Letter from Mrs, Ag^^ 

 Ibbetson. 



To Mr. NICHOLSON. 

 Sir, 



S I mean to dedicate the present year to the consider- 



rtic eoioUa of titJon of the interior of plants in general, 1 cannot better 



•awfits. >jegin it, than by givin<^ to the? public the dissection of the 



corolla of fiowers, a subject in itself so very curious, that I 



scarcely know any in botany (where utility is not concerned) 



that more merits the attention of the inquisitive. By taking 



the petal of each different sort of flower, and splitting it, 



drawing off the upper and under skins, &nd leaving only 



the pabulum or middle part to be examined singly, and 



then magnifying each skin alternately, the most exact 



result 18 gained ; which 1 shall now lay before you. j. 



lV4ak ./ ff( "^^^^ petals of flowers owe none of their beauty to the co- 



•is. derive their lour that paints them, which is, when drawn off, dull and 



Ve«»ry ftom ^e^d:'. i)or do they owe their brilliant tints to the skin that 



t«e a^jueous -^ 



I»itk4e& m covers them : but the greatest part of their loveliness is de- 

 jiabulunn. j-jy^^j {^otn the buhhles of waff^Vy that compose their pabu- 

 lum. Receiving the sun's rays they are enlivened and 

 brightened by the reflection and refraction, from those 

 drops of vtater, and from that spot of light seen in every 

 bubble of water, and striklni!^ to the focus underneath them ; 

 by which means the whole flower would at times be a blaze 

 of light, had not nature, to soften it, covered the petal 

 with an upper and under skin, which curtails their dia- 

 znoudhke rays, and leaves them only a lightness and beauty 

 unequalled. Uncovered they would resemble the rainbow 

 farmed by the same means (though coloured by the division 

 of light) : but, shaded as they are with a gauselike matter, 

 tbey acquire a more chastened tint, and are equally delight- 

 fttl, without being oppressive to the sight. It must be re- 

 «;ieHjbered, that I treat anly of flowers which have regulaf 



petals. 



