STUDY XI. 291 



HUMAN HARMONIES OF PLANTS. 



Elementary Harmonies of Plants relatively to Mam 



If we conlider the vegetable Order under the 

 fïmple relations of ftrength and magnitude, we 

 mail find it divided, with a fufficient degree of 

 generality, into three great claffes, namely, into 

 herbs, into fhrubs, and into trees. It is to be re- 

 marked, in the firft place, that herbs are of a fub- 

 ftance pliant and foft. Had they been ligneous 

 and hard, like the young boughs of trees, to which 

 it might appear they ought naturally to have a re- 

 femblance, as they grow on the fame foil 5 the 

 greateft part of the Earth would have been in- 

 acceflible to the foot of Man, till the fire, or the 

 hatchet, had cleared the way for him. It was not 

 by chance, therefore, that fo many grafles, moffes, 

 and herbs, afTumed a foft and yielding texture, 

 nor from want of nourishment, nor of the means 

 of expanfion ; for fome of thofe herbs rife to a 

 very great height, fuch as the banana of India, 

 and feveral ferulaceous plants of our own climates, 

 which attain the ftature of a little tree. 



On the other hand, there are ligneous fhrubs, 

 which do not exceed the generality of herbs in 



u 2 height; 



