NATURAL THEOLOGY. 191 



er, the seed and fruit parts to the genial influence 

 of the sun's rays. " This always struck me," adds 

 Dr. Paley, " as a curious property, and specifically 

 as well as originally provided for in the constitution of 

 the plant ; for if the stem be only bent by the weight 

 of the head, how comes it to straighten itself, when 

 the head is is the heaviest ? These instances shew 

 the attention of nature, he observes, to the prin- 

 cipal object, the safety and maturation of the parts 

 upon which the seed depends. 



Some plants, as the pea, the clover, he. have 

 a vane belonging to the flower, which the wind turns 

 in such a manner, as always to keep the more delicate 

 parts from facing the blast, like the contrivance we often 

 see on the tops of chimnies, to prevent the wind 

 from blowing upon the passage where the smoke is 

 discharged. The flowers of some plants, as the dande- 

 lion and many others, always shut up at night ; others, 

 like the English sunflower, have the singular property 

 of turning round, so as to follow the sun, and afford 

 the seed and fruit parts the constant advantage of 

 his rays. 



T. Is there any thing in the cup or leaf part of 

 the flower which evinces design ? 



A. It affords the advantage of a wall or a shelter 

 around the delicate fruit parts within. Its shape is 

 generally well adapted to reflect the rays of the sun 

 toward the middle, where these parts are situated ; 

 and the high polish on the inside, must contribute to 

 the same effect. It is observable, that it decays and 

 falls off, and is the only part of the plant that does,^as 



