I06 STUDIES OF NATURE, 



and the fading of a lily, whofe root has been ton* 

 up by the plough. But we fatisfy ourfelves with 

 repeating the exprefiions of men of genius, with- 

 out daring to tread in their footfteps. This, how- 

 ever, is not the word, for moft Naturalifts con- 

 fider the colours themfelves of vegetables as acci- 

 dents fimply. We fhall prefently fee under what 

 a grievous miftake they labour, and how widely 

 they have deviated from the fublime plans of Na- 

 ture, by perfifting in a profecution of their mecha- 

 nical and fyftematic methods. 



It is poflible, in like manner, to trace an ap- 

 proximation of favours and fmells of every fpecies, 

 and of every country, to thofe of the plants of our 

 gardens and of our fields. The ranunculus of the 

 meadow has the acridity of the Java-pepper. The 

 root of the caryophyllata, or holy-thiftle, and the 

 flower of the pink, frnell like the clove of Am- 

 boyna. As to compound favours and fmells, they 

 may be referred to fuch as are fimple, the elements 

 of which Nature has fcattered overall climates, 

 and which (lie has united in the clafs of vegetables. 

 I know a fpecies of morel, ufed as food by the 

 Indians, which, when boiled, has the tafte of beef. 

 They call it bret.e. There is a fpecies of the 

 cranes-bill, the leaf of which refembles, in fmell, 

 a roafted leg of mutton. The mufcari, a fpecies 

 of fmall hyacinth, which grows among Ihrubbery 



stVTh' earl y 





