V ege table Kingdom on the Animal Creation. 439 
fprinkling with it our floors inftead of ufing for this purpofe 
common water ; by placing within our houfes, inftead of 
flower-pots, difhes containing fome conferva rivularis , a plant 
tor be met with almoft every where, fhooting forth with the 
utmoft luxuriancy in all water bafons, in all tubs and veflels in 
which water is kept. Is it poftible, after all this, not to believe, 
that the Creator has multiplied this vegetable with a limilar view 
to our benefit ? This benefit we may now, with fome confidence, 
apply to our prefervation,. by honouring this vegetable with a 
place in thofe of our own rooms which are expofed to the fun, and 
keeping it alive as long as we pleafe ; which may be done by only 
pouring every day freflt water upon it, and fqueezing gently now 
and then out of it the dephlogifticated air with which the whole 
rnafs fwells up almoft as foon as the fun cafts its rays upon it. 
The water itfelf, in which it has been immerfed, will now, 
perhaps, be looked upon as too precious to be thrown away as 
ufelefs and deprived of that very principal of animal life, of 
which 1 have demonftrated it to be highly pregnant. 
