



sophick eye, it dwells upon the parts of which they are composed, 

 and it again developes every where the rudiments of " heaven's 

 first law." It views the external forms which plants exhibit, and 

 sees them to be well-ordered both for nourishment and repro- 

 duction. It names, it classifies, and it describes the gifts of 

 Flora. Within the bounds of four and twenty classes, it brings 

 no less a multitude than thirty thousand* species. It beholds 

 their internal organization. It explains the Physiology of 

 plants.t It sees them pass through their successive states, from 

 their incipient existence, to the period when they have at- 

 tained maturity, and sink again into their native dust. Their 

 numerous causes of disease are also carefully detected ; the fa- 

 vourite places of their habitation are distinctly marked ; and 

 whatever is connected with the peculiar traits, which they as- 

 sume, is made a theme of accurate and laborious investigation.! 

 The details resulting from this scrutiny abound in interesting 

 facts. 



But it is the province of our subject to indulge a range yet 

 wider. It investigates the geographical distribution of the vege- 

 table families, in which it every where discovers a variety the 

 most pleasing, regulated by established general principles. It 

 explores the surface of the globe, with a regard to its various 

 qualities of soils and earths ; and here Geology and Chymistry, 

 its handmaids, decorate it with new charms. It is concerned 



* See Decandolle aud Sprengel's Philosophy of Plants, P. II. Sect. 122. 



t An excellent popular treatise on Vegetable Physiology is contained in 

 the Library of Useful Knowledge, P. I. No. 14. Nov. 1827 



t On the several subjects suggested in this paragraph, the " Philosophy 

 of Plants" will abundantly supply useful information. 



The " Essai sur la Geog. des Plantes par Al. de Humboldt et A Bon- 

 pland" is full of interest, 



B 



