225 
SECT. XXVI. 
DISSEMINATION OF SEEDS. 
So on the shoreless air th’ intrepid Gaul 
Launch’d the vast concave of his buoyant ball. 
Journeying on high, the silken castle glides 
Bright as a meteor through the azure tides; 
O’er towns, and towers, and temples wings its way; 
Or mounts sublime, and gilds the vault of day. 
Silent, with up-turn’d eyes, un-breathing crowds 
Pursue the floating wonder to the clouds; 
And, flush’d with transport, or benumb’d •with fear. 
Watch, as it rises, the diminish’d sphere. 
Now less and less!—and now a speck is seen! 
And now a fleeting rock obtrudes between. 
With bended knees, rais’d arms, and suppliant brow. 
To every shrine with mingled cries they vow. 
* c Save him, ye saints! who o’er the good preside: 
“ Bear him, ye winds! ye stars benignant, guide!” 
The calm philosopher in ether sails. 
Views broader stars, and breathes in purer gales; 
Sees, like a map, in many a waving line, 
Round Earth’s blue plains her lucid waters shine; 
Sees at his feet the forky lightning glow. 
And hears innocuous thunder roar below. 
Darwin. 
The wisdom of God in the universe has been treated of by 
a variety of learned and sensible writers, particularly Hay, Durham, and 
Paley. The contemplative and curious inquirer will, however, find abun» 
dant matter to add to the observations of these learned and pious men. 
Among other parts of this infinite wisdom we cannot fail to admire the 
manner by which the earth is covered with vegetables. 
The fertility of nature in the production of seeds is almost incredible^ 
and which serves to repair those unavoidable losses which are so great as to 
seem to threaten the total extinction of several vegetable families, or genera. 
A single stalk of Indian Corn (Zea Mays) produced in a single summer 
2000 seeds; in the same period a plant of Elecampane (Hrlenium) 
produced 3000 seeds; the Common Sun-flower (Helianthus Annuus) 
4000 ; the Poppy (Papaver) 32 , 000 : a single capsule of the Tobacco was 
