[ 138 J 
the breathing of fo many animals 
which inhabit the furface of the 
earth, and by many other.caufes; 
as well as by pouring down a mott 
beneficial fhower of. purified or de- 
phlogifticated air, which, diffufing 
itfelf through the mafs of common 
air, counteraéts the general caufes, 
‘tending to contaminate our atmo- 
fphere, and to render it unfit for 
the ufe of refpiration. I was lucky 
enough to difcover that the vevera- 
wion itfelf of the plants has nothing 
to.do with the cleanfing our atmo- 
{phere ; but that this great work is 
operated. by the influence of the 
fun’s light, exciting and keeping up: 
the vital and inteftine motion of 
thefe numberlefs fans, which the 
moft part of plants difplay at once, 
juft-at the time when the general 
) _ tendency 
peal" 
