[ 46 ] 



fiduity^ than his own perfonal ingenuity. 

 Still I could not but regret, that the plant 

 alluded to, inftead of fome others, had not 

 been the primary objedt of fome of his ex- 

 periments. 



But in his time there was no fcarcity of 

 all valuable dimenlions of fuch timber, and 

 little furmife of a neceffity of laying up in 

 ftore ; as the architect or fhipwright could 

 every where then, find what they thought 

 proper to make ufe of. Which probably 

 was the reafon, that no number of natura- 

 lifts then, or in times immediately follow- 

 ing, fet about any refearches of this kind, 

 or if any difcoveries relating to a juft cul- 

 ture of the Oak, were made by any fuch, 

 they were thrown into their graves with 

 them, and might thence be placed among 

 PanciroUus's loft arts of antiquity. Indeed 

 all experimental knowledge in reference to 

 vegetation in general, that was out of the 

 common road, was then, and for fome time 

 after in it's infancy. Of late indeed it is 

 moft agreeably to be obferved that in re- 

 lpe<S to fome other particular objefts of ve- 

 getation ; that many befides whofe immedi- 

 ate profeffion it is, both Gentlemen^ and 



Clergy y 



