PRINCIPLES OF VEGETATION. ^^g 



ftore health and coiinterad; the progrefs of difeafe, if violent, by their ac- 

 tivity and briiknefs; if latent, by gentle yet powerful operations: 

 they regale the fenfes by their beauty and colours, by their odour and 

 fragrance, by their relilh and poignancy : they raife the mind to cheer- 

 fulaefs by their connbitiation in the flowery parterre j they difpofe it to 

 folemnity by the deep umbrage of the majeftic grove. Who feels not his 

 fpirits exhilarated when the bending corn waves in golden ridges, courting 

 the fickle ; when the luxuriant vine, wedded to its flurdy elm, hangs in , 

 purple feftoons from bough to bough ? The glories of harveft are the true-- 

 glories of man; the joy of in-gathering his real joy; the fcythe of the 

 mower, not of war, is his trophy; and the blood of the grape, not of fellow 

 men, his delight. O were men but fenfible of real excellence and truly 

 honourable diftin<5tion, they would feek it, not on the enfanguined, but 

 the cultivated plain ; not in fpreading deftruction, but in diffuiing life 

 through various ranks; they ** would beat their fwords into plough-lhares, 

 and their fpears into pruning-hooks," to regulate the luxuriant earth which 

 compofes, fupports, and awaits them. 



When formerly confidering vegetables according to their flation on 

 the fcale of life, we thought ourfelves juftified in aflerting, that " where 

 there is growth there is life ; that whatever fubieft increafes or advances 

 toward maturity, its progrefs is the confequence of a vital principle." 

 Referring to that difcourfe for feveral fuggeftions which need not be re- 

 peated, we (hail enlarge on the principal idea of the pafTage feledled, by 

 adverting to the generation, growth, flrudture, and nutrition of vegetables. 

 We polTefs fome advantages for obtaining a general idea of the gene- 

 ration of vegetables, from having obferved the various modes adapted to 

 this purpofe among animals; and if, in addition to this, we keep in view 

 our principle, that life is mod liberally bellowed as we dcfcend, we may 

 perhapsjuftly expect mod of the animal modes oftranfmiiting life Ihould 

 be found among vegetables, including the idea that lome fhould be pro- 

 per to themfelves. We have feen animals prolong their fpecies by 

 the intercourfe of fexes : this is a very prevaiHng manner; and in 

 the inftances of fuch as are oviparous, feems greatly coincident with the 

 manners of many vegetables. To this efFed: we find parts appropriate in 

 general, and thefe parts furnilh a ftriking method (ufually) of claffincr 

 plants; though, from the fmallnefs of fome, and the intricate fituations 

 of others, they are not conftantly obvious. Hence we have plants yield- 

 ing on one tree flowers of both fexes, and in one flower parts of both fexcs; 

 of others, each plant is but one fex j and others have no flowers. That 



the 



