XI. 



COT.ORS AND FRAQRANCE OF FLOWERS. 



The' colors, forms, and fragrance of the leaves of 

 plants, and of their flowers and fruit, have always been 

 a subject for curious philosophical speculation, and a 

 great many theories have been advanced to explain 

 their uses and advantages. The Abbe St. Pierre, who 

 has treated the subject very fully, indulges the fancy 

 that nature, in all these things, has operated'with regard 

 to general effects ; and this idea is the great fundamen- 

 tal error upon which his speculations are founded. He 

 describes nature as working with reference to the pro- 

 duction of a beautiful picture, and proceeds upon the 

 hypothesis that she covers the trees and shrubs with 

 beautiful flowers to adorn the fields and please the sight 

 of man. Such ideas may be occasionally introduced 

 into one's writings as pleasing poetical fancies, but 

 they are not true philosophy. In the following specula- 

 tions I proceed upon the hypothesis, that in every thing 

 which nature does for any species of plant or animal, 

 she does for the particular advantage of the individual 

 or the species. I proceed on the assumption that nature 

 works, in all that has reference to the organization of 

 a plant or an animal, solely for the welfare and preser- 



