OFNATURE. 49 



gives vigor to animals, and plumps them up, 

 fruits then ripen, meadows look cheerfull, 

 every thing is full of life. On the contrary 

 autumn is gloomy, for then the leaves of trees 

 begin to fall, plants to wither, infeds to grow 

 torpid, and many animals to retire to their 

 winter quarters. The day proceeds with juft 

 fuch fteps, as the year. The morning makes 

 every thing alert, and fit for bufinefs ; the fun 

 pours forth his ruddy rays, the flowers which 

 had, as it were, flept all night, awake and ex- 

 pand thcmfelves again; the birds with their 

 fonorous voices, and various notes make the 

 woods ring, meet together in flocks, and fa- 

 crifice to Venus. Noon tempts animals into 

 the fields, and paftures ; the heat puts them 

 upon indulging their eafe, and even neceflity 

 obliges them to it. Evening follows, and 

 malces every thing more fluggifh ; flowers fhuc 

 up, ^ and animals retire to their lurking 



^ Of fucli flowers as fleep by night fome account is 

 given by Linnaeus in Philof. Botan. p. 88. where the cu- 

 rious may alfo find p. 274. a lift of plants one or other of 

 which Ihut their flowers at every hour of the day without 

 regard to the weather. One plant is fo remarkable for 

 this property, that it is generally known in our countrey 

 by the name of go-to-bed-at-noon. Its botanical name is 

 tragopogon or goat's-beard. See a Diflcrtation in tne 

 Amxn, acad. vol. 4. where this fubjed is treated at large. 



E places. 



