' C 169 ] 



of life, is readily purified and make wholfome by 

 the vegetable kingdom, which imbibes and abforbs 

 thofe putrid fleams that are fo deadly noxious to 

 animal life. But what is moft furprifing, inftead 

 of growing fickly in fo impure an air as he ex- 

 pefted, he found the plants were invigorated and 

 their growth promoted thereby; fo that they were 

 more freih, green, and healthy, than thofe which 

 grew in common wholfome refpirable air,* 



This wonderful ceconomy of nature loudly pro- 

 claims the wifdom and goodnefs of Providence; 

 for how great focver might be the fund of common 

 air neceflary to the purpofes of life, fuch is its con- 

 tinual wafte and confumption, that the whole ftock 

 muft foon have been exhaufted, and animal life 

 become extind, if no provifion had been made to 

 purify and render wholfome the original ftock, as 

 daily ufe might require. 



But not to infift on a particular inftance which 

 may be thought too curious to eftablifh a general 

 principle upon, let us enquire how far this doc- 

 trine may be fupported by the concurring teftimony 

 of all mankind, in which there is not a poflibility 



• A very full and pleafing account of this wonderful difcovery 

 may be found in a very elegant difcourfe of Sir John Pringle's, 

 read before the Royal Society at one of their anniverfary meetings, 

 wjjich met with general approbation ; and fome marks of favour 

 yrerc bellowed upon the Doflor, in reward of his ingenuitj'. 



of 



