398 JOHN BARTRAM TO [1762. 



always ease, and not torment explain, and not perplex one ano- 

 ther, the sand out of which he makes his iron, is not the white 

 crystalline sand ; but a black, bright, fine mixed sand, in great 

 beds, that will adhere to the magnet, as the filings of iron. But 

 the grand query is, from whence it came, and how it got there. 



My dear worthy friend, I am much affected every time that I 

 often read thy pious reflections on the wonderful works of the 

 Omnipotent and Omniscient Creator. The more we search and 

 accurately examine his works in nature, the more wisdom we dis- 

 cover, whether we observe the mineral, vegetable, or animal king- 

 dom. But, as I am chiefly employed with the vegetable, I shall 

 enlarge more upon it. 



What charming colours appear in the various tribes, in the 

 regular succession of the vernal and autumnal flowers these so 

 nobly bold those so delicately languid ! What a glow is en- 

 kindled in some, what a gloss shines in others ! With what a 

 masterly skill is every one of the varying tints disposed ! Here, 

 they seem to be thrown on with an easy dash of security and free- 

 dom ; there, they are adjusted by the nicest touches. The verdure 

 of the empalement, or the shadings of the petals, impart new liveli- 

 ness to the whole, whether they are blended or arranged. Some 

 are intersected with elegant stripes, or studded with radiant spots ; 

 others affect to be genteelly powdered, or neatly fringed ; others 

 are plain in their aspect, and please with their naked simplicity. 

 Some are arrayed in purple; some charm with the virgin's white; 

 others are dashed with crimson ; while others are robed in scarlet. 

 Some glitter like silver lace ; others shine as if embroidered with 

 gold. Some rise with curious cups, or pendulous bells ; some are 

 disposed in spreading umbels ; others crowd in spiked clusters ; 

 some are dispersed on spreading branches of lofty trees, on 

 dangling catkins ; others sit contented on the humble shrub ; 

 some seated on high on the twining vine, and wafted to and 

 fro ; others garnish the prostrate, creeping plant. All these 

 have their particular excellencies ; some for the beauty of their 

 flowers ; others their sweet scent ; many the elegance of foliage, 

 or the goodness of their fruit : some the nourishment that their 

 roots afford us; others please the fancy with their regular 

 growth: some are admired for their odd appearance, and 

 many that offend the taste, smell, and sight, too, are of virtue in 

 physic. 



