OF NiiTURAL HISTORY. 173 



like the other inftruments of fenfation, is amply fupplied 

 with nerves. The terminations of thefe nerves appear on 

 the furface of the tongue in the form oi papillae or minute 

 nipples, which are always eredled on the application of fapid 

 or fdmulating fubftances. This elevation and extention of 

 the papillae, by bringing larger portions of the nerves into 

 contact: v/ith the fubflances applied to the tongue, give ad- 

 ditional ftrength to the fenfation, and enable us to judge 

 with greater accuracy concerning their nature and qualities. 

 Belide the nervous papillae, the tongue is perpetually moift- 

 ened with faliva, a liquor which, though inlipid itfelf, is on» 

 great caufe of all taftes. The faliva of animals is a very pow- 

 erful folvent. Every fubftance applied to the tongue is 

 partially diflblved by the faliva before the fenfation of tafte 

 is excited. When the tongue is rendered dry by difeafe, or 



any other caufe, the fenfe of tafte is either vitiated or totally 

 annihilated. 



In fome men, the fenfe of tafte is fo blunt, that they can- 

 not diflinguilli with any degree of accuracy the different 

 fpecies of that fenfation. In others, whether from Nature or 

 from habit, this fenfe is fo acute, that they can perceive the 

 niceft diftinclions in the favour of loHds and of liquids. 



The fenfations conveyed to the mind by tafte, like thofe 

 of all the fenfes, are either agreeable, difagreeable, or indiffer- 

 ent. The pleafures arifing from this fenfe are not only great, 

 but highly ufeful to every animal. The fenfe itfelf, however, 

 is comparatively grofs ; for, in fmelling, hearing, and feeing, 

 fenfations are excited by emanations or undulations proceed- 

 ing from bodies at great diftances from the animals who per- 

 ceive them. But, in tafting, the gbjeft muft be brought in- 

 to actual conta(Sl with the tongue before its qualities can be 

 difcovered. How this proportionally grofs lenfe fliould 

 have been feleded, and figuratively applied to the general 

 perception of every thing beautiful and fublime, whether in 



