PREFACE. XXXV 



The mother plant admires the leaves unknown 

 Of alien trees, and apples not her own." 



DRYDEN'S Translation. 



The progress of the growth of plants is a very 

 interesting subject, which Cowper has touched 

 upon in an impressive manner in his Yardley Oak. 



Milton has been uncivil enough to trace the in- 

 tellect of man to vegetables. 



So from the roots 



Springs lighter the green stalk, from thence the leaves 

 More airy, last the bright consummate flower 

 Spirits odorous breathes : flowers and their fruit, 

 Man's nourishment, by gradual scale sublimed, 

 To vital spirits aspire, to animal, 

 To intellectual ; give both life and sense, 

 Fancy and understanding ; whence the soul 

 Reason receives, and reason is her being, 

 Discursive or intuitive." 



We have some individual trees of extraordinary 

 magnitude, particularly Oak and Elm trees; but 

 generally, the size of our trees bears no comparison 

 with some described by travellers. The Palm 

 trees are not in general remarkable for breadth, 

 but some of them are of an extraordinary height : 

 That which is called the Cabbage Palm, though 

 scarcely two feet in diameter, will grow two 

 hundred and fifty or three hundred feet high. On 



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