78 OF VEGETABLE, &c. SECT. XIII. 5. 2 . 



cinity ? Is this curious kind of ftorge produced by mechanic 

 attraction, or by the fenfation of love ? The latter opinion is 

 fupported by the ftrongeft analogy, becaufe a reproduction of 

 the fpecies is the confequence ; and then another organ of fenfe 

 muft be wanted to direct thefe vegetable amourettes to find 

 each other, one probably analogous to our fenfe of fmell, which 

 in the animal world directs the new-born infant to its fource of 

 nourimment, and they may thus poflefs a faculty of perceiving 

 as well as of producing odours. 



Thus, befides a kind of tafte at the extremities of their roots, 

 fimilar to that of the extremities of our lacleal vefiels, for the 

 purpofe of felecling their proper food : and befides different 

 kinds of irritability redding in the various glands, which fepa- 

 rate honey, wax, refin, and other juices from their blood ; vege- 

 table life feems to poflefs an organ of fenfe to diflinguifh the va- 

 riations of heat, another to diftinguifti the varying degrees of 

 moifture, another of light, another of touch, and probably anoth- 

 er analogous to our fenfe of fmell. To thefe muft be added the 

 indubitable evidence of their paflion of love, and I think we 

 may truly conclude that they are furnifhed with a common 

 fenforium belonging to each bud, and that they muft occafion- 

 ally repeat thofe perceptions either in their dreams or waking 

 hours, and confequently poflefs ideas of fo many of the proper- 

 ties of the external world, and of their own existence. 



SECT. 



