468 THE UNIVERSE. 



and most of all in the sensitive plants. Many of those in 

 our fields show it plainly. 



If at the close of summer we examine a clover field 

 about six o'clock in the evening, we are struck Avith the 

 aspect which all the plants present at this moment, the first 

 of their sleep. The two side leaflets of each leaf are laid 

 close ao-ainst one another, and the middle one coA^ers them 

 like a protecting roof: the Avhole aspect of the crop has 

 changed. 



CHAPTEE VIII. 



VEGETABLE SENSIBILITY. 



What mysterious forces preside over the life of plants ? 

 These structures so graceful and imposing, adorned Avith 

 dazzling colours, perfuming the air with the SAveetest 

 odours, have they been deprived of all the faculties 

 accorded to the most ignoble animals? 



There are two schools AAdiich have on this subject 

 equally exaggerated their claims : the one has found plea- 

 sure in OAfer-estimating the vital essence of plants, the 

 other in degTading it. 



The ancients clearly erred on the side of the first of 

 these tAVO excesses. Empedocles did not hesitate to 

 accord choice faculties to plants, and some of the foUoAvers 

 of the philosopher of Agrigentum have surpassed him in 

 this respect. 



The marvellous mandrake Avas considered by them to 

 be endoAved AA'ith the most exquisite sensibility. The 



