OF NATURAL HISTORY. 171 



i-neftic animals are nearly in the fame condition with luxuri- 

 ous men. A pampered dog fnutFs and rejefls many kinds 

 of food, which, in a natural {late, he would devour with 

 eajrernefs. 



It is not unworthy of rem^ark, that, in all animals, 

 the organs of fmelling and of tafling are uniformly fituated 

 very near each other. Here the intention of Nature is evi- 

 dent. The vicinity of thefe two fenfes forms a double guard 

 in the felection of food. Were they placed in diftant parts 

 of the body, they could not fo readily give mutual aid to 

 one another. 



But affiftance in the choice of food is not the only ad- 

 vantage that men and other animals derive from the fenfe of 

 fmelling. Every body in nature, whether animal, vegetablc> 

 or mineral, v/lien expofed to the air, continually fends forth 

 emanations, or effluvia, of fuch extreme fubtlety, that no eve 

 can perceive them. Thefe effluvia, or volatile particles, dif- 

 fufe themfelves through the air, and moft of them are re- 

 cognized, by the organ of fmelling, to be either agreeable or 

 difagreeable. To give fome idea of the inconceivable mi- 

 nutenels of thefe particles, and of the amazing fenfibility of 

 the noftrils of animals, the odour of mulk has been known 

 to fill a large fpace for feveral years without lofing any per- 

 ceptible part of its weight. Thus, the air we breathe is per- 

 petually impregnated with an infinity of different particles 

 which ftimulate the olfa£lory nerves, and give rife to the 

 fenfation of fmell. When our fenfes are not vitiated by un- 

 natural habits, they are not only faithful monitors of danger, 

 but convey to us the moft exquifite pleafures. Even the 

 fenfe of fmelling is always productive either of pleafure or 

 pain. The fragrance of a rofe, and of many other flowers, 

 is not only pleafant, but gives a refrefhing and delightful 

 ftimulus to the whole fyftem, and may be confidered as a 

 fpecies of wholefome nourifhment ; while the odours pro- 



