LEAVES. 69 



been impressed with a sense of the goodness of that great Being 

 who watches with unceasing care, over his vast creation. To 

 observe the progress of life, whether in the vegetable or animal 

 kingdoms, is highly interesting to an investigating mind ; but 

 here the power of man can achieve nothing ; he may plant 

 and water, but God alone giveth the increase. 



A : bud lives, an infant lives ; both are destined to grow, and 

 to pass through physical changes ; but the bud, although ac- 

 tive with a principle of life, knows not its own existence ; while 

 the infant becomes conscious of its own powers and faculties, 

 capable of loving those who have contributed to its well being, 

 and especially of adoring the great Author of its existence. 



It is delightful, while gratifying our natural love of knowledge, 

 by inquiring into the economy of nature, to be thus met at 

 every step, with new proofs of the goodness and wisdom of the 

 Author of Nature, particularly as manifested towards the hu- 

 man race. To discover the character of the Deity, should in- 

 deed be the end and aim of all knowledge ; and even should 

 an occasional digression from the subject of your present study, 

 retard your progress in botanical investigations, the loss would 

 be slight, compared to the gain of one pious and devout aspira- 

 tion of the heart. 



When we become so deeply engaged in philosophical specu- 

 lations, as to forget Him whose works we study, we have wan- 

 dered far from the path of true knowledge. It was not thus 

 that Newton studied the laws of matter, or Locke and Watts 

 the laws of mind, or Paley the animal and vegetable physioL 

 ogy ; these great and good men, made their rich treasures of 

 knowledge subservient to one great design, that of illustrating 

 the character of God, and teaching our duty to him. 



LECTURE IX. 



Of Leaves. 



You all know what is meant by the leaf of a vegetable ; but 

 were you called on to give a definition of the term leaf, you 

 might find it more difficult than at first you would imagine. 

 Young persons are often disconcerted, when asked by their 

 teachers to explain some word of which they have an idea, and 

 yet find themselves unable to give a definition ; but although 



Comparison between a bud and an infant The goodness of God particularly 

 manifested towards the human race Philosophical speculations should not 

 lead us to forget the Author of nature Difficulty in giving correct definitions. 



