220 ESSAYS ann OBSERVATIONS. 
« But whichfoever of thefe conjectures 
“be pitched on, it remains always certain, 
<* by my obfervations, that the duft of the a- 
‘* pices, which has been hitherto neglected, 
*‘ as vile excrements, which in a manner 
** disfigured the flowers, are neverthelefs parts 
‘* effential, and neceffary to the foecundity of 
‘* plants.” The pains however he has been 
at, in examining and defcribing the duft of 
the apices, of a confiderable number of plants, 
if accurately performed, might have procured 
him better treatment, than he met with from 
fome of his countrymen. 
14. In 1717, M. Vaillant, at Be opening 
of the Royal garden, intertained his audience 
with a difcourfe on the ftructure of flowers 
and the ufe of their parts; which was print- 
ed in French and Latin at Letden in 1718, in 
4to: and thus he begins, ‘ Since the flowers 
*‘ are, without controverfy, the moft effential 
‘< parts of plants, it is very fit that I entertain 
“you, in the firft place, with them; and 
«the rather becaufe every botanift hitherto, 
«« has given only confufed ideas of them. The 
‘‘ Janguage perhaps which I am to make ufe 
“ of, may appear fomewhat new in botany : 
«but, as it will abound in terms altogether 
3 fuitable 
