OF NATURE. 259 



kinds. Inftea & of that fine enamelled turf, which 

 appears to be*the down of the earth, we iee no^ 

 thing but rude vegetables, hard prickly plants, fo 

 interlaced together, that they ieem to have lefs 

 hold of the earth than of each other, and which, 

 by fuccefTively drying and {hooting* form a coarfe 

 mat of feveral feet in thickncfs. There is no road, 

 no communication, no veftige of intelligence, in 

 thefe favage and defolate regions. Man, reduced 

 to the necelTity of following the tract of wild 

 hearts, when he wants to kill them, obliged to 

 watch perpetually left he fhould fall a viftiui to 

 their rage, terrified by their occalional roarings, 

 and even (truck with the awful filence of tb©fe 

 profound folitudes, he fhrinks back, and fays 5 

 Uncultivated Nature is hideous and lane;uifh* 

 inp\ It is I alone who can render her agreeable 

 and vivacious. Let us drain thefe marines ; 

 let us animate thele waters by converting them 

 into brooks and canals ; lei us employ this ac*- 

 tive and devouring element, whole nature wag 

 formerly concealed from us; let us let fire to 

 this cumberfome load of vegetables, and to thole 

 luperannuated fotefts, which are already half 

 confumed ; let us finilh the work by deitroy- 

 ing with iron what could not be diffipated by 

 lire. Inftead of rufhes, and water-lilies, from 

 which the toad is faid to extract his poiion. 

 we fhall foon fee the ranunculus, the truffle, 

 and other mild and falutary herbs ; flocks of 

 fprightly cattle will browfe upon this land, 



R 2 6 which 



