434 ^^' ^^^^- ^^ ^^^ Thyfiology cf Plants. 



leaves. The Senfitiva Mimqfa^ and MuJcipuU 

 Dion^ay fhew wonderful activity on the flightcft 

 impreflions, and take the flies and other infeds 

 prifoners, by the contraftion of their leaves. 

 That thefe plants live, will be granted; but 1 fuf- 

 pedt, that they \\kewi\'c feel I doubt whether we 

 are right, in confining the capacity of pleafure 

 and pain to the animal kingdom. This I may 

 affirm, that fome circumftances, common to the 

 generation of plants and animals, and many 

 fimilarities in their funcftions and fi:ru6ture, would 

 lead us to the opinion, that fenfation likewife is 

 beftowed on both, f It is vain to attempt to 

 cftablifti abfolute rules, by which plants may be 

 didinguifhed from animals, in every cafe whatfo- 

 cver. There are animals, which grow to a fpot, 

 and, like plants, are nourifhed by the pores of 

 the fkin. And there are plants, which furpafs 

 • fome animals in vital power, and, perhaps, in 

 fenfation. 



Wherever the principle of life exifts, there is 

 a peculiar organization; and as much mcchanifm 

 is neceflary to the ftru£ture of a vegetable, as of 

 a human being. This view of the life of vege- 

 tables raifes botany to the rank of philofophy : 



f The excellent profefTor of botany in Edlnhurgh, Dr. 

 Hope, in his courfc of ledures, ufed to fpeak of Dr. Bell 

 with the highell efteem : but did not approve of the idea 

 here thrown out, that plants poflefs feeling, or per- 

 ception. J. C. 



ic 



