STUDY XI. 229 



monies conftitute the inexpreffible charms lavifhed 

 on the fîtes which Nature has (owed and planted 

 with her own hand ; and they are to be the fub- 

 ject of the enfuing fe&ion. 



VEGETABLE HARMONIES OF PLANTS. 



We are going to apply to plants the general 

 principles laid down in the preceding Study, by 

 examining, one after another, the harmonies of 

 their colours, and of their forms. 



The verdure of plants, which is fo grateful to 

 the eye, is a harmony of two colours oppofite in 

 their elementary generation, of yellow, which is 

 the colour of the Earth, and of blue, which is the- 

 colour of the Heavens. Had Nature dyed plants 

 yellow, they would have been confounded with the 

 ground ; if blue, they would have been confounded 

 with the Heavens and the Waters. In the firft 

 cafe, all would have appeared earth j in the fé- 

 cond, all would have appeared fea : but their ver- 

 dure gives them contrails the moft delightful with 

 the grounds of this magnificent picture, and con- 

 fonances equally agreeable with the yellow colour 

 of the Earth, and with the azure of the Heavens. 



CL3 The 



