[ 3°5 ] 
It is amazing how much the being interefted to 
difcover particular objects contributes to our readily 
diftinguifhing them. 
I remember the being much furprized that a grey- 
headed game-keeper always faw the partridge on the 
ground before they rofe, when I could not do the 
fame. He told me, however, that the reafon was, 
I lived in a time when the fbooter had no occafion 
to give himfelf that trouble. 
He then further explained himfelf, by faying, 
that when he was young, no one ever thought of 
aiming at a bird when on the wing, and confe- 
quently they were obliged to fee the game before it 
was fprung. He added, that from this neceffity he 
could not only diftinguilh partridges, but fnipes and 
woodcocks, on the ground. 
Another inftance of the fame kind, is the great 
read i nets with which a perfon, who is fond of courting, 
finds a hare fitting in her form : thofe, however, who 
-are not interefted about fuch fport, can fcarcely fee 
the hare, when it is under their nofe, and pointed 
out to them. 
But more apparent o'bje&s efcape our notice, when 
we are not interefted about them. 
Afk any one, who hath not a botanical turn, what 
he hath teen in palling through a rich meadow, at 
the time it is moft enamelled with plants in flower ; 
and he will tell you, that he hath obferved nothing but 
grafs ana dailies. If moft gardeners even are in like 
manner alked whether the flowers of a bean grow on 
every fide of the ftalk, they will fuppofe that they do, 
Vo l. LX 11/ II r whereas 
