OF NATURE. 49 
gives vigor to animals, and plumps them up, 
fruits then ripen, meadows _ look cheerful!, 
every thing is full of life. On the contrary 
autumn is gloomy, for then the leaves of trees 
begin to fall, plants to wither, infe&s to grow 
torpid, and many animals to retire to their 
winter quarters. The day proceeds with juft 
fuch fteps, as the year. The morning makes 
every thing alert, and fit for bufinefs •, the fun 
pours forth his ruddy rays, the flowers which 
had, as it were, flept all night, awake and ex- 
pand themfelves again * the birds with their 
fonorous voices, and various notes make the 
woods ring, meet together in flocks, and fa- 
crifice to Venus. Noon tempts animals into 
the fields, and paftures ; the heat puts them 
upon indulging their eafe, and even neceffity 
obliges them to it. Evening follows, and 
makes every thing more fluggifh ; flowers fhut 
up, h and animals retire to their lurking 
*» Of fuch flowers as ileep by night fome account is 
given by Linnaeus in Philof. Botan. p. 88. where the cu- 
rious may alfo find p. 274. a lift of plant' one or other of 
which fhut their flowers at every hour of the day without 
regard to the weather. One plant is fo remarkable for 
tms property, that it is generally known in our countrey 
by the name of go-to-bed-at-noon. Its botanical name is 
tragopogon or godt’s-beard. See a DuTertation in the 
Am^en. acad, vol, 4, where this fubjedt is treated at large. 
E places. 
