36

A DISCOURSE

but a shrubby dwarf in the other; deficient of that active spirit, whichelevates and spreads its prolific matter and continual supplies withoutcheck, and is the cause of the leaves deserting the branches, whilst thosetrees and plants of the more benign climate are clad in perennialverdure; and those herbaceous plants, which with us in the hottestseasons hardly perfect their seeds before winter, require to be near theirgenial beds and nurse, and sometimes the artificial heat of the hot-bed.Lastly, to all this I would add that other cheerful vehicle, Light, whichthe gloomy and torpent North is so many months deprived of, the toolong seclusion whereof is injurious to our exotics kept in the conserva-tories; since however tempered with heat, and duly refreshed, they,

in growth. A grain of wheat, as soon as the germ has made its appearance, shows the-milky liquor to the naked eye. As the plant increases in size, the balmy juice diminishes,till at last it is quite exhausted. The umbilical vefsels then dry up, and the externalcovering of the grain appears connected to the root in the form of a shrivelled bag.See Fig. 4.r.—Here is no mortality: From the moment that the seed is lodged in itsparent earth, the vegetative soul begins its operations, and, in one continued miracle,proves the wisdom and bounty of an Almighty Providence. It is worthy of observation,that farinaceous vegetables and oviparous animals are nourished, in their tender states,nearly in the same manner. We have already seen that the embryo plant is supported bythe farina melted down into a milky liquor, and conveyed into its body by means of anumbilical chord, at a time when the radicle was unable to supply a sufficiency of nutriment.In like manner an oviparous animal, from the time it is brought into light, seems toreceive all its nourishment from without. This, however, is only an appearance: Theyolk of the egg, remaining entire during incubation, is received into the body of theanimal, and in a manner similar to the pafsage of the milky juice of the vegetable, isslowly conveyed into the vefsels of the tender chick. Thus a sweet nourishment isprepared at a time when neither the industry of the animal, nor the attention of its mother,could have procured a sufficient supply. How beautiful are the general laws ofProvidence!. The more we explore them, the more we have cause for wonder andastonishment! Every thing is wisely disposed; nothing is fortuitous; all is order,regularity, and wisdom:

Was every faultering tongue of man,

Almighty Father! silent in thy praise,

Thy works themselves would raise a general voice,Ev’n in the depths of solitary woods,

By human foot untrod; proclaim thy power,

And to the quire celestial Thee resound,

Th’ eternal caufe, support, and end of all.

Thomson,

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