330 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



over fucceffively their elementary, vegetable, ani- 

 mal, and human harmonies, it would be more pro- 

 per to invert this order, but without changing it, 

 and to fet out with the plants which prêtent to 

 Man a fupply for his firft wants, to proceed thence 

 to the ufes which animals derive from them, and 

 to conclude with the fituations which determine 

 their varieties. 



This order may be followed fo much the more 

 eafily, that the firft point of departure is fixed by 

 the fmell and the tafte. The teftimony of thefe 

 two fenfes is far from being contemptible ; for 

 they aflift us in afcertaining the intimate qualities 

 of plants, much better than the decompofitions of 

 Chemiftry ; it may be extended to the whole ve- 

 getable kingdom, inafmuch as there is not a fingle 

 genus of plants, varied into umbelliferous, rofe- 

 formed, papilionaceous, and the reft, but what 

 prefents food to Man, in fome part or another of 

 the Globe. The ciperus of Ethiopia bears, at it's 

 root, bulbs which have the tafte of almonds. That 

 which in Italy is called Trafi produces bulbs which 



*' next day they felt themfelves greatly relieved. A fimilar dofe 

 W was repeated, and the whole ended in a perfect cure. Thus, 

 « through the goodnefs of God, we efcaped a death which flared 

 *' us immediately in the face." (Letters of the Baron Bujbequius 

 *' vol. i. page 197 and 198.) 



tafte 



