XXV111 INTRODUCTION 



and on this account every encouragement 

 should be given to increase a taste for gar- 

 dening, in general, in country towns and vil- 

 lages. It is a recreation which conduces 

 materially to health, considerably promotes 

 civilization, and softens the manners and 

 tempers of men : it creates a love of the study 

 of nature, which leads to a contemplation of 

 the mysterious wonders that are displayed in 

 the vegetable world around us ; and these 

 cannot be investigated without bending the 

 mind towards a just sense of religion, and a 

 due acknowledgment of the narrow limits of 

 our intelligence compared with the incompre- 

 hensible power and wisdom of God. Addi- 

 son observes, that Ci it gives us a great in- 

 sight into the contrivance and wisdom of 

 Providence, and suggests innumerable sub- 

 jects for meditation. I cannot," says he, 

 €i but think the very complacency and satis- 

 faction which a man takes in these works of 

 nature, to be a laudable, if not a virtuous, 

 habit of mind." 



In the flower-garden, the student in che- 

 mistry will find how imperfect is his art in 



