STUDY XI. Iff 



downward to the Earth. They have the attitude 

 of command which is fuited to the king of vege- 

 tables, that of an arm raifed up into the air, with 

 the hand gently inclining. By means of the firft 

 difpofition, the rain-water is conveyed along the 

 Hoping branch to the trunk ; and by the fécond, 

 the fnows, in the regions of which it takes delight 

 to dwell, Hide away from off it's foliage. It's cones 

 have, in like manner, two different attitudes ; for 

 it inclines them, at firft, toward the Earth, to 

 fhelter them at the feafon of their flowering ; but 

 when they are fecundated, it erects them toward 

 Heaven. The truth of thefe obfervations may be 

 confirmed by referring to a young and beautiful 

 cedar in the Royal Garden, which, though a 

 ftranger, has preferved, in the midft of our cli- 

 mate, the air of a King, and the majeftic port of 

 Lebanon. 



The bark of molt mountain-trees is equally 

 adapted for conducting the rain-water from the 

 branches to the roots. That of the pine is in large 

 perpendicular ribs ; that of the elm is cleft and 

 chinked longitudinally ; that of the cyprefs is 

 fpongy, like the coat of flax. 



The plants of mountains, and of dry grounds, 

 have a farther character, which is, in general, pe- 

 culiar to them : it is that of attracting the water 



which 



