48 OP LEAVES. 



considering this subject, you cannot but have been impressed with a 

 sense of the goodness of that great Being who watches with unceas- 

 ing care over his vast creation. To observe the progress of life, 

 whether in the vegetable or animal kingdom, is highly interesting 

 to an investigating mind. Man may plant and water, but God alone 

 giveth the increase. 



A bud lives, an infant lives ; both are destined to grow, and to 

 pass through physical changes : but the bud, although active with a 

 principle of life, knows not its own existence ; while the infant be- 

 comes conscious of its own powers and faculties, capable of loving 

 those who have contributed to its well being, and especially of ador- 

 ing the great Author of its existence. 



It is delightful, while gratifying our natural love of knowledge, 

 by inquiring into the economy of nature, to be thus met at every 

 step, with new proofs of the goodness and wisdom of the Author of 

 Nature, particularly as manifested towards the human race. To dis- 

 cover the character of the Deity, should indeed be the end and aim 

 of all knovviedge; and should an occasional digression from our 

 subject retard your progress in botanical investigations, the loss 

 would be slight, compared to the gain of one pious and devout 

 aspiration. 



When we become so deeply engaged in philosophical specula- 

 tions, as to forget Him whose works we study, we have wandered 

 from the path of true knowledge. It was not thus that Newton 

 studied the laws of matter, or Locke and Watts the laws of mind, 

 or Paley the animal and vegetable physiology ; these great and good 

 men, made their rich treasures of knowledge subservient to one 

 great design, that of learning the character of God, and their duty 

 to him, and of instructing their fellow-men in these sublime and im- 

 portant truths. 



LECTURE IX, 



OF LEAVES. 



You all know what is meant by the leaf of a veg-etable ; but were 

 you called on to give a definition of the term leaf^ you might find it 

 more difficult than at first you would imagine. Young persons are 

 often disconcerted, when asked by their teachers to explain some 

 word of which they have an idea, and yet find themselves unable to 

 give a definition ; but although the pupil may be surprised at this 

 fact, it is not unaccountable to those who know, that it is not always 

 easy to convey our conceptions to the minds of others. To give cor- 

 rect definitions of terms, is one of the greatest difficulties in science. 



The manner in which different persons describe objects, varies 

 with the degree of knowledge possessed respecfing their properties. 

 For example ; in attempting to describe common salt, if a person 

 knew nothing more of it than his unassisted senses had informed 

 Mm, he would speak of its colour, taste, and other obvious pj-oper- 

 ties. One familiar with the principles of chemistry, would first 

 speak of the materials which compose salt ; he would describe it as 



Comparison between a bud and an infani -The goodness of God particularly mani- 

 fested towards the human race— Philosophical speculations should not lead us to for- 

 get the Author of nature— Difficulty in giving correct definitions— Descriptions of ob 

 iects vary with our knowledge of their properties— Example : common salt- 



