1 1 8 The Botanical Renaissance [ch. iv 



century, discusses the souls of plants and related topics, 

 quite in the manner of the Aristotelian school. In his 

 book ' De la Nature, Vertu, et Utilite des Plantes,' dedi- 

 cated to " Monseigneur le tres-illustre et le tres-reverand 

 Cardinal Monseigneur le Cardinal de Richelieu," he treats 

 of variation within single species, the sensitiveness of plants, 

 their chemistry and properties, and many other topics. His 

 work is full of interest, but a discussion of it would lead 

 us beyond the bounds of our present subject. 



