100 CHARACE^. 



nucule was present ; though I examined hundreds of speci- 

 mens in various parts of the lake, where it sometimes 

 covered the bottom to the extent of many square perches ; 

 and what is singular enough, all the other species in the opaque 

 division occurred abundantly in the same lake, and were all 

 in fruit, each preserving its respective character." D.Moore, 

 in <s Journal of Botany" p. 43. 



The application of the specific name latifolia seems to be 

 peculiarly inappropriate to a plant which, strictly speaking, 

 has no leaves at all. 



" God is said to be Maximus in minimis. We Men esteem it a more diffi- 

 cult Alatter, and of greater Art and Curiosity, to frame a small Watch than 

 a large Clock : And no Man blames him who spent his whole Time in the 

 Consideration of the Nature and Works of a Bee, or thinks his Subject 

 was too narrow. Let us not then esteem anything contemptible, or in- 

 considerable, or below our notice taking ; for this is to derogate from 

 the Wisdom and Art of the Creator, and to confess ourselves unworthy 

 of those Endowments of Knowledge and Understanding which he hath 

 bestowed on us. Do we praise Daedalus, and Archytas, and Hero, and 

 Callicrates, and Albertus Magnus, and many others which I might mention, 

 for their Cunning in inventing, and Dexterity in framing and composing 

 a few dead Engines, or Movements, and shall we not admire and magnifie 

 the Great Artfitovpyot Koffftov, Former of the World, who hath made so 

 many, yea, I may say, innumerable, rare Pieces, and those too not dead 

 ones, such as cease presently to move so soon as the spring is down ; but 

 all living, and themselves performing their own Motions, and those so in- 

 tricate and various, and requiring such a Multitude of Parts and sub- 

 ordinate Machines, that it is incomprehensible what Art, and Skill, and 

 Industry, must be employed in the framing of one of them ?" Ray. 



