STUDY XI. 3O7 



But the number of fetid plants is of no great 

 extent. The Earth is clothed with flowers which, 

 for the moft part, have very pleafing hues and per- 

 fumes. 1 wifli time would permit me to fay fome- 

 thing of the fimple aggregation of flowers. This 

 fubjecl is fo vaft, and fo rich, that I hefitate not 

 to affirm, that it prefents ample employment for 

 the moft famous Bocanift in Europe, through his 

 whole life, by difcovering to him every day fome 

 new beauty, and that without removing above a 

 league from his own habitation. All the art with 

 which jewellers difpofe their gems difappears be- 

 fore that which Nature difplays in the aflbrtment 

 of flowers. 



I fhewed J. J. Roujfeau the flowers of different 

 trefoils, which I had picked up, as I was walking 

 with him : fome of them were difpofed in crowns, 

 in half-crowns, in ears, in (heaves, with colours end- 

 lefsly varied. While they were yet on their items, 

 they had befides other aggregations, with the plants 

 which were frequently oppofed to them, in colours 

 and in forms. I afked him, whether Botanifts gave 

 themfelves any trouble about thofe harmonies : he 

 told me no ; but that he had advifed a young 

 Painter, of Lyons, to learn Botany, with a parti- 

 cular view to ftudy in it the forms and the aflem- 

 blages of flowers ; and that he had thus become 

 one of the moft celebrated pattern- drawers in Eu- 



x z rope. 



