Blair. ryj 
Dr. Blair's treatife, as far as I can find, 
was the firft compleat work, at leaft in 
the E72glifh language, written on the fub- 
jedt; and the author fhews himfelf well ac- 
quainted, in general, with all the opinions, 
and arguments of authors, on the matter 
of each effay. The value of thefe EJfays 
rnuft not be eftimated by the meafure of 
modern knov/ledge, though even at this 
day, they may be read by thofe not criti- 
cally verfed in the fubjedl, with inftruftion 
and improvem^ent. A view of the feveral 
methods then invented, cannot be feen fo 
connedledly e:xhibited in any other Englijh 
author. Dr. Blair ftrengthened the ar- 
guments in proof of the Sexes of Plants, 
by found reafoning, and fome new experi- 
ments. His reafons againft Morland's 
opinion, of the entrance of the Farina in- 
to the Vafcuhirn feminale, and his refuta- 
tion of the Lewenhoekian theory, have met 
with the fanftion of the moderns* If his 
theory of vegetatioFo of the nourifhment 
of plants, and his arguments in favour of 
the circulation of the fap, do not meet 
with the apprcbatioB of the prefent age, it 
muft 
