VEGETABLE STRUCTURE. 
187 
CHAP XLI. 
Of the Seven Vegetable Families. 
knowledge of particular Plants can no way be fo perfecflly ob- 
tained as by tracing the very origin of their diflindtions in their ilruc- 
ture: lie mud find know what Vegetables are, as Vegetables, who would 
iinderdand tlie particular luhjedts difrlridtly. Claflica! difti Ibutions, efla- 
bliibed without tins foundation, have been thtr:fore vague; and have in- 
fulted Nature : unidng wlsat die had feparated by large civifions, and fe- 
parating what flte had intimately joined. Hence, perhaps, it is, that 
among fo many goo.l and uf iul methods as have been ellabliilaed, there 
is not one natural. Hence Tournefort feparated the Annual and Pe- 
renn’al Adonis ; and hence LiNNMius joined in one Oafs the Vholet and 
Marygold, forced to it by his artihcial Charadters, tho’ fenfible it was re- 
pugnant utterly to Nature. 
Perhaps upon the foundation of a true Anatomy of Plants, a natural 
method may be eftabliflied : for it is certain the forms of all the external 
parts depend on the difpofition of the internal ; and all their differences 
are founded there. On the different inner flrudfure of the Vege able Body 
under certain courfes of its Veffels, evidently depend the d fferences which 
charadterize the feven firft Families ; to the didindtions of which all Claf- 
fes are fubordinate ; and as thefe original diflindions are truly natural, we 
may begin there fafely. 
The feven Families are thefe. 1. The Mushrooms. 2. The Algjf.^ 
or Foleacious Sea and Land Plants. 3. The Mosses. 4. The F£ki:s. 
5. The Grasses. 6. The Palms. 7. The common Race of Plants, 
Their diflindlions one from another are thefe. 
1. The Mushrooms are fleshy; and are deftitute of Leaves and vi- 
fible Flowers. 
2. The Algje are merely Foliaceous, the entire Plant confiding of 
a leafy matter, without other vifible parts. 
3. The Mosses have Procefies of the inner Rind for Leaves. 
4. The Ferns confifl: of a fingle Leaf raifed on a Stalk; and bear 
their Flowers upon its Back. 
5. The Grasses have jointed Stalks and undivided Leaves, and Hulks 
to hold the Seeds. 
B b 2 6. The 
