70 



indented. Some of them are very thin, others 

 soft, plump, smooth, rough, or hairy. 



The flowers, whose enamel is one of the principal 

 beauties o* nature, are not less diversified than the 

 leaves: some have only a single leaf; others several; 

 Here it appears like a large vessel opening itself grace- 

 fully ; there it forms a grotesque figure in imifation of a 

 muzzle, head-piece, or cowl. Farther still, it is a but- 

 terfly, a star, a crowny a radient sun. Some are dis* 

 persed on the plant without any art ; others compose 

 nosegays*' globes, tufts of feathers, garlands, pyramids. 



The greater part of them are furnished with one or, 

 more cups, sometimes simple and plain, at others con- 

 sisting of several pieces. 



Ffom the centre of the flower proceeds erne or seve- 

 ral little pillars, either smooth or channelled, rounded at 

 top, or terminating in a point called pistils, which com* 

 monly encompass other smaller pillars, called stamina. 

 These carry on the upper part of them a sort of small 

 bladders> full of exceeding fine powder, every grain of 

 which, viewed through a microscope, appears of a very 

 regular figure, but varied according to his species. Ju 

 some they are small smooth globes, in others they are 

 thick set with prickles, like the covering of- a ohesnut ; 

 and sometimes they resemble small prisms, or some 

 other regular body. 



But how shall we- express their fineness, the lively ap- 

 pearance, delicacy, and variety cfshadowings which ao 

 company, in many species of -flowers, the sweetness and 

 agreeableness of the perfume/? 



The flowers are succeeded by the fruits and seeds ; 

 magnificent decoration ! prescious riches, which repair 

 the losses occasioned to plants by the intemperate** 

 jjess of seasons, and the necessities of men and other- 

 animal? ! 



