OF SELBORNE. 39 



tigate the laws of vegetation, should exa- 

 mine the powers and virtues of efficacious 

 herbs, should promote their cultivation ; 

 and graft the gardener, the planter, and 

 the husbandman, on the phytologist. Not 

 that system is by any means to be thrown 

 aside ; without system the field of Nature 

 would be a pathless wilderness : but sys- 

 tem should be subservient to, not the main 

 object of, pursuit. 



Vegetation is highly worthy of our at- 

 tention ; and in itself is of the utmost con- 

 sequence to mankind, and productive of 

 many of the greatest comforts and ele- 

 gancies of life. To plants we owe timber, 

 bread, beer, honey, wine, oil, linen, cotton, 

 &c. what not only strengthens our hearts, 

 and exhilarates our spirits, but what se- 

 cures us from inclemencies of weather and 

 adorns our persons. Man, in his true state 

 of nature, seems to be subsisted by sponta- 

 neous vegetation : in middle climes, where 

 grasses prevail, he mixes some animal food 

 with the produce of the field and garden : 

 and it is towards the polar extremes only 



