BOOK OP NATURE LAID OPEN. 35 



those particular spots, where Providence, all-wise, 

 hath fixed the lot of their inhabitants. 



What a beautiful variety of nutritious esculents, 

 and exquisitely formed flowers do our gardens pre- 

 sent ! Here the Parsley with her frizzled locks, the 

 Celery with her outstretched arms, the Asparagus 

 with his towering stem, the Artichoke with his tur- 

 gid top, the Cauliflower with her milky dome, the 

 Cabbage with her swelling form, a variety of greens 

 with their curled leaves, and long files of peas and 

 beans, await in silence their master's call to do ho- 

 mage at his table ; and here too is deposited, among 

 a number of valuable and useful roots, that excellent 

 farinaceous substitute for bread, the wholesome po- 

 tatoe. 



Flowers. But for what purpose do .these charm- 

 ing flowers come forth r Is it merely to please our 

 eyes with their brilliant colours, and regale the sense 

 of smelling with their odoriferous perfumes, that 

 they unfold their fascinating beauties and emit their 

 pleasing fragrance ? Or is it to attract those nume- 

 rous insects which swarm among them, and riot 

 amid their liquid sweets? 



That flowers were designed for both these pur- 

 poses is apparent from the sensations we experience 

 when we have leisure to visit those delightful spots, 

 and the assiduous eagerness which the busy bee 

 evinces in roaming from flower to flower, to extract 

 their balmy juices* But there is another, and that 

 a most important use to which the flowery race may 



