Thema 1 821 O7FR Y Gof i N SE OTS, 
profeflor of botany, and Doctor Juftus Schrader 
of Amfterdam, who both took great pleafure in 
contemplating thefe wonders of God in the ve- 
getable kingdom. It is my real opinion, that 
the Fungi or Mufhrooms, Corals, and other na- 
tural productions of that kind, have alfo their 
feed like the Fern, as I fome time ago endea- 
voured to demonfirate in the Coral in particular, 
in two letters wrote to Monfieur Boccone upon 
that fabject. 
I cannot, Sir, find words to inform you with 
what wonderful order, and in how regular a 
manner, thefe pods burft under® the micro- 
fcope; with what force they then fcatter their 
feeds; or with what a furprifing motion the 
cords extend themfelves; and with what incom- 
prehenfible wifdom and contrivance, the fupreme 
Archite&t has fo difpofed every thing, that each 
part or portion of the burfted pod, fhould re- 
main fixed to its cord at a particular place. But 
I hope the drawings I fend, may be found fuf- 
ficient to give you fome notion of all thefe things. 
J have found the fame conftrudtion to obtain 
in the pods, feeds, and cords, of feveral different 
{pecies of Ferns.: and I make no doubt, but it 
may be found in the Spleenwort, Hartftongue, 
Hermonites, and other plants of that kind. 
Hence you may conceive, with what rapidity 
thefe feeds may be wafted about by the wind, fo 
as to account for thefe plants being found on the 
tops of the higheft trees, and on walls, where- 
ever they can find mould enough to take root 
in, 
Nt 
The great obfcarity of thé human underftand- 
ing, is clearly proved by this obfervation ; for 
was it not very dark indeed, how could it, dur- 
ing fo many ages, deny that this plant had either 
feed or flowers? infomuch that it was one of the 
firft errors taught young people in books, as well 
as heard in converfation. We ought there 
fore to thank the fun of divine grace, and 
true fountain of all ufeful knowledge, that we 
“are at laft fo happy as to attain more juft notions 
of this matter. Should not this miftake teach us 
modefty in our opinions and our judgment upon 
many other occafions, feeing, upon this, the 
moft penetrating geniufes have all gone aftray? 
If we are fo liable to miftakes in regard to things 
that lie open to our infpection, what are we to 
{ay of our opinions of things which are invifible? 
How many idle notions are formed on fuch fub- 
jects? how many fenfelefs conceits, with which, 
however, we fometimes fo far fuffer ourfelves to 
be deluded, that we make nothing of injuring 
both in character, and perfon thofe who happen to 
be of a contrary opinion ? It is therefore abfolute- 
ly neceflary we fhould always diftruft ourfelves, 
and act with the greateft circum{pection. In our 
prefent wretched condition, we are furrounded 
with ignorance on every fide, and have no other 
true knowledge than that of our own weaknefs 
and imperfections. Of ourfelves we can do no- 
thing; all we have, we receive from the gra. 
cious hands of the Supreme Being, the munifis 
cent rewarder of good actions, of whofe divine 
favour, I wifh you an uninterrupted enjoyment, 
A SHORT 
