226 Of Cha?ige of Species. Chap. XIV. 



in refpect of their Food ; which might poifon them, 

 or might not be fit to nouriili them. 



The Security of Plants (the beft that can be) is 

 their Food itfelf, Earth -, which, having been altered 

 by no VefTels, is always fafe and nourishing to them ; 

 For a Plant is never known to be poifoned by its own 

 natural Soil, nor ftarved, if it were enough of it, with 

 the requifite Quantities of Heat and Moifture. 



Roots, being therefore the Guts of Plants, have no 

 need to be guarded by Senfes ; and all the Parts and 

 PafTages, which ferve to diftinguilh and prepare the 

 Food of Animals, before it reach the Guts, are omit- 

 ted in Plants, and not at all neceffary to them. 



But as the Food of mod Animals is Earth, very 

 varioufly changed and modified by vegetable or ani- 

 mal VelTels, or by both, and fome of it is made 

 wholfome, fome poifonpus -, fo that if this doubtful 

 Food mould be committed to the Interlines, without 

 Examination, as the pure unaltered Earth is to Roots, 

 there would, in all Probability, be very few Animals 

 living in the World, except there be any that feed 

 on Earth at fir ft Hand only, as Plants do. 



Therefore, left this Food, fo much more refined 

 than that of Plants, fhould, by that very means, 

 become a fatal Curfe, inftead of a Bleffing to Ani- 

 mals,'Nature has endowed them with Smell and Tafte, 

 as Sentinels, without whole Scrutiny thefe various 

 uncertain Ingredients are not admitted to come where 

 they can enter the Lacteals, and to diftinguilh, at a 

 fufficient Diftance, what is wholfome and friendly, 

 from what is hurtful ; for when 'tis once paffed out 

 of the Stomach into the Guts, 'tis too late to have 

 Benefit from Emetics ; its Venom muft then be im- 

 bibed by the Lacteal Mouths, and mix with the Blood, 

 as that mud mix with the Sap, which comes in Con- 

 tact with the Lacteals in the Superficies of Roots, 

 Nature having left this unguarded. 



Yet 



