iECT. II. VEGETATION. i7 



As to certain plants appearing where none were be- 

 fore, we know that fome feeds will keep many years, 

 when deep buried, and being afterwards brought to the 

 furface, have vegetated, as the wild muflard, &c. Be- 

 fides the wind carrying fome forts of feeds to a confi- 

 derable diftance, birds alfo drop a great many, fo 

 that plantations of oaks, &c have fprung up by means 

 of crows carrying the acorns, and dropping them in 

 cracked ground. 



Plants follow feed, and we find them proceeding 

 in a fteady unceafing progreflion towards maturity, to 

 their deftined end, i.e. production of the like, from 

 which they fprung (feed) to preferve the fpecies. 

 And the economy of nature is fo regular, that a cer- 

 tain portion of time is invariably kept (allowing for 

 accidental circumftances) for this bufinefs. So cer- 

 tainly does Nature purfue her end in all refpecls, 

 that the identical fpecies is always preferved, as to 

 the diflinguiflnng properties of each, though the foils 

 in which feeds are fown are fo various. Altogether 

 under the fame circumftances are produced the fweet 

 fmelling flower, the nourifhing corn, and the poifonous 

 plant, though differing much in ftrength, in figure, and 

 ether particulars. 



The juices in the vefTels of plants undergo (accord- 

 ing to their conformation) different fermentations, and 

 thus become altered; in which chemiltry of nature, 

 its powers and refults are wonderfully exatt. 



Peculiar pores peculiar juice receive. 

 To this deny, to that admittance give. 

 Hence various trees their various fruits produce, 

 Some for delightful tafte, and fome for ufe, 

 Hence fprouting plants enrich the plain and wood, 

 For phyfic fome, and fome defign'd for food. 

 Hence fragrant flow'rswith different colours dy'd, 

 On fmiling meads unfold their gaudy pride. 



Blackmore, 



The 



