OF EARTH. 55 



of colours, and other qualities, from mineral, or other substances ; and 

 that the very rains and dews differ in several climes : so as even from 

 this reason alone, to instance in no more, aU plants do not easily become 

 denizens in all places : 



" Nec omnis fert omnia tellus." 



I might add to this, the niceness of their palates, and fondness to their 

 own homes, and to live some in consort, some in solitude, some on dry 

 banks, some in watery puddles, and some, as it were, in the very air and 

 fiery soils ; nay, some are found to destroy the vegetable virtue where 

 they grow, for such are said to be woad, hemp, the Scythian lamb &c. 



' This vegetable is called the Tartarian lamb, from its resemblance in shape to that animal. 

 1 1 usually has four stalks which look like feet, and its body is covered with a brownish 

 kind of down. Travellers report that it will suffer no vegetable to grow within a certain 

 distance of its seat. Sir Hans Sloane read a Memoir upon this plant before the Royal 

 Society ; for which, consult their Transactions, No. 247, p- 46l. — Mr. Bell, in his " Account 

 oF a Journey from St. Petersburgh to Ispahan," informs us that he searched in vain for this 

 plant in the neighbourhood of Astrachan, when, at the same time, the more sensible and ex- 

 perienced among the Tartars treated the whole history as fabulous. This journey was un-. 

 dertaken in the year 1715. The annexed plate is taken from Mrs. Blackwell's Herbalj and 

 seems a just representation of the plant. That given by Edwards has too much the appear- 

 jince of fancy. It is the Polipodium (^£aro?ne/2^ frondibus bipinnatis ; pinnis pinnatifidis 

 lanceolatis serratis, radicibus lanatis. Linn. Dr. de la Croix, in correct and easy Latin 

 verse, has described this supposed animal production : 



" Est ubi praeterea tingit sua purpura succos, 

 Itaque cruor nostro similis, qui Caspia sulcant 

 ^quora, sive legant spumosa Boristhenis ora, 

 Sive petant Asiam veils, at Colchica regna. 

 Hinc atque inde stupent visu mirabile raonstrum, 

 Surgit liurao Baromez. Praecelso in stipite fructus 

 Stat quadrupes. OUi vellus. Duo cornua fronte 

 Lanea, nec desunt oculi, rudis Accola credit 

 Esse animal, dormire die, vigilare per umbram, 

 Et circum exesis pasci radicitus herbis : 

 Carnibus ambrosise sapor est, succique rubentes, 

 Posthabeat quibus alma suum Burgundia nectar j 

 Atque loco si ferre pedem natura dedisset, 

 Balatu si posset opem implorare, voracis 

 Ora lupi contrk, credas in stirpe sedere 

 Agnura equitem, gregibusque agnorum albescere colles.. 



