258 rUTL PHILOSOPHY 



terity. This JIfliculty the fexualifts Imagine to be removed, 

 when they tell us, that moifture makes the pollen fpllt, and 

 difcharge a fubtle aura, and that this aura impregnates the 

 feeds. But, though the pollen iliould explode by the appli- 

 cation of moifture, and difcharge a fubtle aura, this explo- 

 fion could never effect the purpofes of impregnation : For, 

 when the pollen was lying on the ftigma, the aura muft ne- 

 ceiTarlly blow ofl', inftead of being abforbed by that part of 

 the ::lant. Is not the fuppofition fingular, and even contra- 

 dictory, that a plant lliould be impregnated by a fubftance 

 forcibly blown away from the female ? 



This reafoning proceeds upon the admiffion, that the pol- 

 len is laid with dexterity upon the ftigma. But it will re- 

 ceive additional force, when I defy all the naturalifts in the 

 univerfe to produce an inftance of a ftngle grain of pollen 

 being ever feen on any part of a female plant, even when at 

 no great diftance from a male, far lefs upon the ftigmata of 

 each feparate flower. Granting, however, the pollen to be 

 carried oft^from the male by the wind, yet, as the fuppofed 

 fecundating aura it contains is much lighter than air, and is 

 difcharged by the flighteft moifture, it can never fall down 

 upon the diftant females, but muft rife and diftipate in the 

 higher regions of the atm.ofphere. It may alfo be difcharg- 

 ed by the application of rain or dews before the pollen is car- 

 ried off by the wind from the male flowers : And, if th§ 

 "Vvinds blow in a dneclion contrary to the fttuation of the fe- 

 male plants for a few critical hours, the females muft be ren- 

 dered barren, at leaft for a feafon. 



It is an eftabliftied fa<ft, that coleworts, turnips, &:c^ when 

 growing in gardens, fometin"ies produce new varieties. Thefe 

 varieties the fexualifts uniformly hold up as inftances of hy- 

 brids, or mongrels, from fortuitous commixtures of diff'erent 

 males and females. This conclufion, however, feems to be 

 precipitate. It is well known to nurferymen and gardeners. 



