348 DK' Peychal on the Purfuits 



^* cxf f»lants, but that its predominant form 

 ** of reception is that of fixed airj which, in a 

 " proper degree and place of application, he 

 ** (hews to be falutary to all plants whatever." 



Differences in the refults of our enquiries, 

 or in thcjfe of others, whilft they incite attention, 

 and guird us againft confidence and prefumption, 

 ihuuid neither diminifh the veneration due to 

 philofopny, nor reorefs our temperate ardour 

 in the purfuit of truth. We fhould recoiled 

 that though the operations of nature are fimple, 

 uniform, and regular, they are only difcovered 

 .to be fuch, when fully unfolded to our under- 

 ftandings. And that, when we endeavour to 

 trace her laws, by artificial arrangements, com- 

 binations, or decompofitions, which is all that 

 exferimefit can accompliOi, * fuccefs may be 

 fometimes frullrated bv circumdances fo minute, 

 as to elude the moft fagaciousobfervation. From 

 the hiftory of eleftricity it appears, that thegentle- 

 men, firft engaged in the culture of that fcience, 

 aicribed oppofite efFeds to the ufe of boiling water 

 in the Leyden phial. M. Jalabert, of Geneva, 

 and others invariably found, that the eledlric 

 powers of the bottle were increafed by the water ; 

 whereas MelTrs, Kinnerficy, Nollet, and Watfon, 

 experienced the reverfe, in all their trials. It has 



* Ad opera nil aliud poteft Homo, quam ut corpora 

 naturalia admovi.at, et amoveat ; reliqua natura jpfa intus 

 tranfigit. Bacon. Nov. Organ. 



fince 



