ANIMALS AND VEGETABLES. 7 



mals are endowed with this facuhy. If it lliould 

 be allowed to dogs, elephants, &c. whofe ad:ions 

 feem to proceed from motives fimilar to thofc 

 by which men are aduated, it mull be denied 

 to many fpecies of animals, particularly to thofe 

 that appear not to poflcfs the faculty of progref- 

 five motion. If the fenfation of an oyfter, for 

 example, differ in degree only from that of a 

 dog, why do we not aicribc the fame fenfation 

 to vegetables, though in a degree ftill inferior? 

 This din.ind;ion, therefore, between the animal 

 and vegetable, is neiiher fufficiently general nor 

 decided. 



A third diftindlion has been derived from the 

 manner of feeding. Animals have organs of 

 apprehenfion by which they lay hold of their 

 food; they fearch for paflure, and have a choice 

 in their aliment. But plants are under the ne- 

 cefTity of receiving fuch nourifliment as the loil 

 affords them, without exerting any choice in the 

 fpecies of their food, or in the manner of ac- 

 quiring it: The moillure of the earth is the on- 

 ly fource of their nouriihment. Xiow^ever, if 

 we attend to the organization and ad:ion of the 

 roots and leaves, we Ihall foon be convinced, 

 that thefe are the external organs by which ve- 

 '-'■ctables are enabled to cxtraCl their food ; that 

 the roots turn afidc from a vein of bad earth, or 

 from any obRacle which they meet with, in 

 fearch of a better foil ; and that they iplit and 

 feparate their fibres in different dirc6\ions, and 



even 



