SECT. II. VEGETATION, 11 



If it beafked, what air is, and of what it confiftg ? 

 It may be anfwered, Particles of wet and dry bodies 

 volatilized, and rendered elaftic by fire. The air or at- 

 mofphere that furrounds our earth, contains a mix- 

 ture of all the active volatile parts of the whole habi- 

 table world ; that is, of all vegetables, minerals and 

 animals. Whatever perfpires, corrupts or exhales, 

 impregnates the air ; which, being acted upon by the 

 folar fire, produces within itfelf, all forts of chemical 

 operations, difpenfes again thofe falts and fpirits in 

 new generations, which it had received from putre- 

 la£tions. 



****** 



Fire, as it operates from the prime body of it the 

 sun, gives life and energy to all, completing the prc- 

 cefs of nature. There is no exiiting without it. Its 

 total abfence would prefently bring all animation to the 

 coldnefs of death ! 



The fun by its warmth (conveyed by the air) fets 

 forward that fermentation in the earth, and gives that 

 fpirii to plants, which effects growth, and concocls 

 their juices to make them fruitful. 



It is by the rarefaction of the air and juices con- 

 tained in the roots, and all the parts of a plant, that 

 motion and expanflon are given to it ; and by its 

 afcending force, pufhes into buds, leaves, flowers and 

 trnits ; fending off fuperfluoixs and excrementitious 

 inoifture into the atraofphere, thus giving us the J cents 

 peculiar to each. That the fun does this, is evident 

 from what is experienced in artificial warmth, hurry- 

 ing on the growth of plants, which is ever propor- 

 tionate to the heat applied,, provided there is a proper 

 fupply of moiilure. 



Without the vivifying fun, the other elements would 

 be inactive matter, and ** no longer would the fig-tree 

 blcffom, nor fruit be in the vine : The labour of the olive 

 would fail, and the fields yield no meat " The operative 

 power of the fun reaches the deepeit recedes, co be 's 



B6 of 



