C 90 ] 



the moft part of other plants feem 

 to derive their ftock of air. Does 

 this vegetable matter imbibe the air 

 from the water, and change it into 

 dephlogifticated air ? .This does not 

 feem to me probable, for I could not 

 obtain from water, even by boiling, 

 fo much air as the water in which 

 this fubftance was produced yielded 

 by itfelf. I ihould rather incline to 

 believe, that that wonderful power 

 of nature, of changing one fub- 

 ftance into another, and of promo- 

 ting perpetually that tranfmutation 

 of fubftances, which we may ob- 

 ferve every where, is carried on in 

 this green vegetable matter in a 

 more ample and conspicuous w T ay. 

 The water itfelf, or ibme fubftance 

 in. the water, is, as I think, chang- 

 ed into this vegetation, and under- 

 goes, by the influence of the fun 



uhining 



