STUDY I, 69 



Every one of the brute creation is clrcumfcribed 

 within a narrow fphe re of vegetables, and of means 

 neceflary to gather them. No one extends it's in- 

 duflry beyond it's inftind, be it's wants what they 

 may. Man alone raifes his intelligence up to that 

 of Nature. He not only purfues her plans, but 

 recedes from them. He fubftitutes others in their 

 place. He covers regions deftined for forefts with 

 corn and wine. He fays to the pine of Virginia, 

 and to the chefnut of India, *' You (hall grow in 

 '* Europe." Nature féconds his efforts, and feems, 

 by her complaifance, to invite him to prefcribe 

 laws to her. 



For him fhe has covered the Earth with plants, 

 and though their fpecies be infinite, there is not a 

 fmgle one but may be converted to his ufe. She 

 has, firft, feledled fome out of every clafs, to mi- 

 nifter to his pleafure, or fupport, v/herever he 

 pleafes to fix his habitation : from among the 

 palm-groves of Arabia, the date ; among the ferns 

 of the Moluccas, the fago; among the reeds of 

 Afia, the fugar-cane ; among the folanums of 

 America, the yam ; among the lianne tribe, the 

 vine; among the papilionaceous, the French-bean 

 and the pea ; finally, the potatoe, the manioc, the 

 maize, and an innumerable multitude of fruits, 

 grains, and roots, proper for food, are diftributed 



F 3 'for 



