310 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



thofe of this defcription are placed on herbage, or 

 on fhrubbery, as the heliotrope, the pink, the gil- 

 lyflower, the violet, the rofe, the lilach. Nothing 

 fimilar to thefe grows on the lofty trees of our fo- 

 refts ; and if fome flowers of brilliant appearance 

 are difplayed on certain tall trees of foreign coun- 

 tries, fuch as the tulip-tree, and the great cheft- 

 nut of India, they have no very pleafant fmell. 

 Some trees of India, it is admitted, as the fpice- 

 bearing plants, are perfumed all over; but their 

 flowers are not very fhowy, and do not partake of 

 the odour of their leaves. The flowers of the cin- 

 namon tree fmell like human excrement : this I 

 know to be true by experience j if, however, the 

 trees which were (hewed to me in the Ifle of 

 France, in a plantation belonging to Mr. Magon> 

 were the real cinnamon. The beautiful and fra- 

 grant flower of the magnolia grows on the lower 

 part of the plant. Befides, the laurel which bears 

 it is, as well as (pice-trees, a plant of no great ele- 

 vation. 



It is poffible I may be miftaken in fome of my 

 obfervations ; but luppofing them multiplied, with 

 refpect to the fame objecl, and attefted by perfons 

 of veracity, and exempted from the fpirit of fyf- 

 tem, I am able to deduce general confequences 

 from them, which ought not to be a matter of in- 

 difference to the happinefs of Mankind, by de- 



monftrating 



