40 
VEGETABLE STRUCTURE. 
the Heni of a dead Animal, and the brnifed flalk of a Plant, left to tliem- 
Live"', dcdroy themfelves thus by their own power. They grow moilf, 
they hear, they diffolve into one foft ofFenfive mafs j and there is no Imtow- 
ing from any quality in that matter, which was of animal, or which was 
of vegetable origin. The animal and the vegetable nature are loft utterly j 
and each of the bodies is reduced to a fubftance neither animal nor vege- 
table in its nature, but capable of being converted into either; of feeding 
equally Animals or Plants. So true it is, that Matter, as Matter, has no 
concern ’n the qualities of bodies ; but all depends on its arrangement : 
lienee water, which is taftclefs, feeds aromatick Mint ; and the fame earth 
gives nourillament to bread and poifon. This folves the problem, of the 
fame earth yielding innocent and hurtful Plan's: and it is no cemmon 
plcafure to obferve, that tlie dodlrines of our celebrated Newton are never 
ihaken by true experiment ; but the more ftridlly we examine nature, tl.e 
more they arc conftrmrd. 
It is not the matter which originally conftitutes a Plant, that makes it 
acrid or bitter, efculent or poifonous ; for Matter, as Matter, is all alike : 
the qualities of Vegetables depend upon the arrangement of thofe common 
particles ; and this arrangement being made by tlie veftels of the Plant, it 
muft be different where they are differently conftrutfted. What thofe vef- 
I'els are, and how they are difpofed in various Plants, will be our next fub- 
je<ft; but thus much we may fee upon the flighteft view of Vegetable Na- 
ture ; that the conftrudfion of various kinds is extremely different ; and 
that this variation of form is owing plainly to the conftrudtion and difj.ofi- 
tion of their veffels : and as we find their qualities differ as much as their 
forms, and are, in fome degree, connedted with them, we need not look 
further for the caufe. As we advance in this plain path, we find the traces 
of that truth marked yet more ftrongly : the difference of Plants from 
Plants, is not by a wide and important diftindion betw'een individual and 
individual throughout the whole fyftem : the great and palpable charaders 
of variation, belong not to fingle vegetable bodies, but are common to 
great numbers, in diftindion from other numbers equally large. Thefe 
conftitute the natural claffes of Plants ; which, however undifeerning man 
may have confufed or overlooked their charaders, are really but few. 
Certain Plants have hollow, jointed ftalks, and fing'e narrow leaves, 
hufky cups for the flowers, and fingle feeds in them. This charader dif- 
tinguifties not one Plant from all the reft, but one vaft family, the Graffes, 
from all other families of Plants. In the fame manner, others have flowers 
in round fpreading tufts called umbells, and two naked feeds following 
each. 
