The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-08-04
MiSccNuic oua.
FCR THE ENQUIRER.

SBStEN a 4ONS YIN I'-NtN IN ; q. l w.
cIA;" Or, The PAIbosoPHY OF AG&i-
CULTURE
FRUITFUL. as the preftnt age is in icentifc
difcoveries, ingenious Improvements, and litera-
r. beauties, it has probably produced few works
o: greater speculative aud prattical importance
than Darvin'o Phyto,oga.-Uuhty, or ten
dency Immediate or remote 60 promote the pro-
duction or difIuion of happiness, is certainly
the mcf correct criterion of the value of every
effort of human genius. Subtiety OF reckoning,
r;chneiso imagery, novelty of obiervation, depth
cfcrudtion, beauty ofdiGion, and felicity OF al
luton, have no a!ting attractions for IN enlight-
ened mind, no fold claim to literary immorta-
ty, unlefs they are employed TO clucidate truths
connected with human happine's, or to expoie
errors productive Of miiery. To the Phytoo-
gia this criterion may be fafely appled-in
this great work, we behold genius capable of
comprehending the erandeit and mott intricate
phenomena of the uniyerie, defending TO ana
lyie the minuteft and moi familiar links in the
chain of cauie and effect. IT'S indeed wonder
full, that the mind of Darwin, 70 comprehensive,
70 penetrating, 10 romantic, 70 eagle-ey'd and
cagle-wnCed, ihould ftoop to the infpeStioa aud
analysts of phenomena which genius has 70 often
regarded with diiguf, and phiofOphy with in
difference. IT'S the high prerogativc ofgenius TO
digrifythe humbleG ito adorn the dulehtheme. 1t
was reGerved for the bard, who, in the Botanic
NpdQSfle SlliitlSQ uhQSi ltS Odi-
ners of fcience,'' who has blended with unriva-
led Gel the fubliInity of Milton with the ele-
gance ofPope and the harmony of Gray, to ref
che from obfcurity and ignorance an art of all
others the mott eflential to the progress of civil
lizalion and the profperity of ftates. It was re-
ferved for Darwin, by the efforts of his unwea-
ried induitry and intuitive penetration, to ex-
tract, from the detached oblelvations of the
plodding cultvator, and the iubtle experiments
pc .har-,ih tNr1frnu1 and
henlive theory of agriculture. Had this lluf-
trious man intended 10 bequeath to the Ameri-
can peoDie legacy, fuitable TO the fublimity OF
BIS genius and the grandeur cf tbeir deltiny, he
could not have beftowed upon them a more in
valuable boon than "the Pbilojobby Of Hgy;cn-
TIRE" In a country where 70 conliderable
portion of indultry and capital are employed in
the cultivation OF the foil, and where, from the
cheapnefs, fertility and abundance of land, agri-
culture mutt continue for ages to confttute the
BATS of orr opulence, population and power,
"the Phiofopby of Agriculture" ought to be
regarded as more precious than the gems of
Go!conda or the treafures OF Peru. Yet, not
withdrawing the utility ofthi great work and
the fame of is author, few books OF any ceie-
brity, have had more limited and languid cir
culation in Virginia, than Darwin's PhYtologia.
4 book, the ftudy of which ought to make a re-
gular part of every courfc Of liberal education,
which ought to be in the hands of every intelli-
gent farmer, is fcarcely known, whilh every i'm
ported baubleof expeniive falhion sbought with
eagerneiS, and every phantaitical and corTupting
novel read with avidity. This indifference and
incmiofity about fCentifc discoveries and fpe-
culations, even on fubjects mott palpably and
clofly connected with perfonai interef, can arife
only from an ignorance of their value, and
want Of the elementary Information iecehdty
to render works of this Tort intelgibe and'iIite-
refing. very superficial acquaintance with
the principles and nomenclature of the GO New
Chemifry," which may be obtained in few
weeks by the perufal of Lavoilier's Elements, is
fufiiceut to render the mott valuable obtervati-
ons and reafonings of the Sc Phytologia" intelli-
gible to the humblet capacity. Por the pur-
pofe of enabling flch of the readers of the En-
qurer as may not have perufed the Phytologia,
to form fone idea gifts utility, the writer of
theic remarks will fubjoin 4 ihort account Gifts
contents, which may be followed, if the Editor
Of the Enquirer thinks proper, by vocational ex-
tracts from the work itieIf
The Phytologia Oh the Phiofophy of Agri-
culture, is divided into three parts.-The firf
part comprehends the Phyfology of vegetation,
in which the analogies betwixt the animal and
vegetable kingdoms, are nicely analyied and CO.
piouny illutrated This, altho' the mott in
geniouS is probably the leaf valuable part of
the work-The fanciful opinion, that plants
are endowed with life, that they poliets all the
organs and exercife The functions of animated be-
ings is fIpported with 70 much ingenuity, that
even the obvious and incontrovertible facts that
impress 4 contrary conviction on the mind of
the mott superficial obferver, are fcarcely fluff
Gent to undeceive the reader of the Phytolo-
gia. The many curious and original facts, how
ever, which the author has diicovered and me-
tnodifed in order to fupport this opinion, are
certainly entitled to the moi profound attenti-
on. The fecond part of the Phytologia, COM
prehends the economy of vegetation He ex-
plains the growth of feeds, buds and bulbs, the
procefs of grating and incubation, the confi-
tuent elements OF the food of plants, the origin,
preservation and application of hanures, the
theory of draining and watering lands, the AGRA
tion and pulyerization Of the foil, and the extern
FIVE influence Of light, heat and electricity on We
getaton. The fecoad part concludes with an
Analysis OF the diieaes of plants, ariing from in
terna caufes, from external caufes, from infects,
and from vermin. The third and laf part of the
Phytologia comprehends an analysts of the pro-
duton of fruits, of feeds, of roots and barks, of
leaves and wood, and laGly of flowers. The
lat chapter propofes a plan for difpoling part
ofthe fyfem of Linneus into more naturalclafes
and orders.
COLUMELLA.