( 14* ) 



of tracing the exiftence of a God 

 in his wonderful works, and of con- 

 templating him in adoration, may 

 expect not to be entirely annihi- 

 lated after his body is returned into 

 dull, out of which it took its ori- 

 gin. 



But to come back from this di- 

 greflion to the purpofe, let us con- 

 fider how much the real facts 

 drawn from nature itfelf are con- 

 cordant with the theory deduced 

 from my experiments. If the leaves 

 of vegetables have really a confi- 

 derable fhare in cleanfmg the at- 

 mofphere, it muft happen, that the 

 time, when our common air is the 

 pureft, is the fummer and the win- 

 ter ; for in the fummer the plants 

 are in their greater! vigour ; and 

 in the middle of the winter the 

 caufes of general corruption are the 



moft 



