PRINCIPLES 
or 
BOTANY, VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY, ‘5%, 

INTRODUCTION: 
, NUASaalt 
A cursory view of this world of matter fhews; 
that it consists of bodies either simple or compound : 
the former are not to be decomposed by human art, 
whether mechanical or chemical, and these are called 
Elements, (Elementa); the latter are made up of 
elements, and called Natural bodies, ( Naturalia.) 
The science which teaches the properties of Ele- 
ments is called Natural Philosophy or Physies, ( Phy- 
sica): but that science by which we become ac- 
quainted with the external forms and properties of 
Natural bodies is called Natural History.—(¢ Hise 
toria naturalis : scientia naturalis. ) 
: § 2. 
The innumerable multitude of bodies which form 
the province of Natural Hiftory, obliged the writers 
On 
