l8 STUDIES OF NATURE, 



we advance, the more their variety increafes within 

 fpaces of the fame dimenfion. The Ifle of Taïty, 

 in the South Sea, was found to have a botany pe- 

 cuHar to itfelf, and which had nothing in common 

 with that of the places in Africa and America, 

 which are lituated in the fame latitude ; nay, to- 

 tally different from that of the adjacent iilands. 

 And if we now reflect, that each plant has feveral 

 different names, in it's own country ; that every 

 Nation impofes particular denominations, and that 

 all thefe names, at lead the greater part, are va- 

 rying every age, what difficulties does not the vo- 

 cabulary alone oppofe to the ftudy of Botany ? 



All thefe preliminary notions, however, would 

 ftill form only a ufelefs Science, did we even know, 

 in the mofl complete detail, all the parts of which 

 plants are compofed. It is the combination of 

 thefe parts, the attitude of the plants, their port, 

 their elegance, the harmonies which they form, 

 when grouped, or in contrail with each other, 

 which it would be interefting to determine. I do 

 not know that any thing has been fo much as at- 

 tempted on this fubjed. 



As to their virtues, it may be affirmed, that they 

 are, for the moft part, unknown, or negleded, or 

 abufed. Their qualities are often perverted, in 

 making cruel experiments on innocent animals, 



while 



