$2 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



meflic animals. It is neither too high nor too low 

 for his flature. It is eaiily handled and reaped. 

 It furnifhes grain to his poultry, bran to his pigs, 

 forage and litter to his black cattle and his horfes. 

 Every plant that grows in his corn-field poflefles 

 virtues particularly adapted to the maladies inci- 

 cident to the condition of the labouring-man. 

 The poppy is a cure for the pleurify ; it procures 

 ileep ; it flops hemorrhages and fpitting of blood. 

 The blue- bottle is a diuretic ; it is vulnerary, cor- 

 dial, and cooling ; it is an antidote to the flings 

 of venemous infects, and a remedy for inflamma- 

 tion of the eyes. Thus the hufbandman finds all 

 needful pharmacy, in the field which he cultivates. 



The culture of this flaffof life difclofes to him 

 many other agreeable concerts with his fleeting 

 exiflence. The direction of it's fhadow informs 

 him of the hour of the day ; from it's progreffive 

 growth he learns the rapid flight of the feafons : 

 he reckons the flux of his own fugitive years, by 

 the fucceffions of the guiltlefs harvefls which he 

 has reaped. He is haunted with no apprehenfion, 

 like the inhabitants of great cities, of conjugal in- 

 fidelity, or of a too numerous poflerity. His la- 

 bours are always furpafled by the benefits of Na- 

 ture. When the Sun gets to the fign of Virgo, 

 he fummons his kindred, he invites his neigh- 

 bours, and marches at their head, by the dawning 



o£ 



