114 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



grow indifferently every where. But thofe only 

 which are produced in places particularly afïigned 

 to them by Nature, attain there all the perfection 

 of which they are fufceptible. The fame thing 

 holds good with refpect to animals. Goats arc 

 iometimes reared in marfhy places, and ducks on 

 the mountains ; but the goat never will acquire, 

 in Holland, the beauty of that which Nature 

 clothes with filk on the rocks of Angora; nor will 

 the duck of Angora ever attain the ilature and the 

 colours of thofe which are to be found in the ca- 

 nals of Holland. 



If we throw a fimple glance on plants, we (hall 

 perceive that they have relations to the elements 

 which promote their growth ; that they have re- 

 lations to each other, from the groups which they 

 contribute to form ; that they have relations to the 

 animals which derive nourifhment from them ; 

 and, finally, to Man, who is the centre of all 

 the Works of Creation. To thefe relations I give 

 the name of harmonies, and I divide them into 

 elementary, into vegetable, into animal, and into 

 human. 



By propofmg this divifion, I fhall reduce to 

 fomething like order the difquilition on which I 

 am going to enter. It cannot be fuppofed that I 

 mould examine them in detail : thofe of a fingle 



lpecies 



