Motions of Animals compared with thofe of Plants. attend to the manner in which all thefe motions in plants are performed, we will find, that they prefent a much greater number of modifications than the analogous motions that take place in animals. The temperature of the atmosphere, its agitation, light, &c. have great influence on the motions of plants, by accelerating or retarding the courfe of their fluids: and, as they cannot change their place, these variations produce in them changes more obvious and more uniform than in animals. The rarity of the fluids in the veffels of plants fometimes occafions particular motions; thus, as foon as the feeds of the Impatiens, Woodforrel, Dittany, &c. have attained a certain degree of maturity, the juices ceafe to be tranfmitted to them, the parts that compofe the capfules grow dry, and acquiring their full elasticity, fuddenly burit, and eject the feeds they contain. This action may be confidered as vital, fince it tends to the prefervation of the fpecies; but it is modified, as we have seen, by an external caufe, fince it is accelerated or retarded in proportion to the dryhefs or humidity of the atmosphere. The abundance of fluids alfo determines in plants, as well as in a nimals, many vital motions. The ready action of the ftamina in the parietaria, the inflexion of the peduncles of flowers, and of the piftilla, appear owing to a fimilar caufe. Thofe motions, which are particularly obferved in the organs deftined to the reproduction of the individual, not appearing, except in circumstances that render them ab folutely neceffary, feem in fome measure to be the effect of a particular combination; they are, howeyer, merely mechanical, for they are always produced in the fame way and in the fame circumftances. Thus the rofe of Jericho, the dry VOL. VI. N° 33. 159 fruit of several species of mesembryanthemum, do not open but when their veffels are full of water. The fudden difengagement of fluids produces a kind of motion; to this cause we must attribute a great number of phenomena ob fervable in the leaves of feveral plants, and which do not depend on irritability. The final glands in the middle of each leaf in the dio a, are no footer punctured by an infect, than it inftantly folds up, and feizes the animal: the puncture seems to operate a difengagement of the fluid which kept the leaf expanded by filling its veffels. This explanation is the more probable, that, in the early period of the vegetation of this plant, when the fmall glands are hardly evolved, and when probably the juices do not run in fufficient abundance, the leaves are folded up exactly as they appear when punctured by an infect at a more advanced period. We obferve a phenomenon fimilar to this in the leaves of both species of drofera (fun-dew). The mechanifin here is very eafily obfervable; the leaves are at firft folded up, the juices are not yet propelled into the fine hairs with which they are covered; but after they are expanded, the prefence of the fluid is manifeft by a drop feen at the extremity of each hair: it is by ab. forbing this fluid that an infect empties the veffels of the leaf, which then folds up, and refumes its firft ftate: the promptitude of the action is proportioned to the number of hairs touched by the infect. This motion in fome degree refembles that which takes place in the limb of an animal kept in a state of flexion by a tumour in the joint: when the matter which obftructed the motion is difcharged, the limb inftantly refumes its former position. Some botanists have given a very ingenious explanation of the motion in in the fenfitive plant; they attri- horizontal line. The fame thing bute it to a congeries of corpufcles in the veffels of the plant, which are difengaged the moment it is touched: but the caufe in the prefent cafe is much more evident. The phenomena that depend on the abundance of the fluids are particularly apparent in plants which grow in wet foils; the drofera and dionaa are of this kind: and it is known by the experiments of Meff. Dufay and Duhamel, that fenfitive plants are particularly fenfible when the fun is obfcured by clouds, and the air warm and moist. The influence of external caufes fometimes fo modifies the vital motions in plants, that we would be tempted to afcribe them to volition, like those that entirely depend on that faculty in animals. If we fet a pole in the ground near a twining plant, it always lays hold of the pole for fupport, in whatever place we put it. The fame thing occurs in the tendrils of the vine, which always attach themselves to the fupport prefented to them, on whatever side of them it may be placed, Provided they can reach it but thefe motions are entirely vital; the twining plant and the tendrils direct themselves to every quarter, and confequently cannot fail of meeting with the bodies within their reach. Thefe motions are performed as long as the parts continue to grow; but when they ceafe to elongate, if they have not been able to reach any body on which they could fix, they are bent back upon themselves. Suppofe a root growing near the perpendicular wall of a ditch; if it purfued the horizontal direction, it would foon expose itself to the air and perish; but it makes a turn be fore it has reached the ditch, and, as if directed by a fort of inftinct, it pushes downwards, paffes under the ditch, afcends on the other fide, and then continues to run in the happens when it is obftructed by a folid body. If a root be laid bare, and a sponge full of water placed near it, without being in contact with it, the root approaches the sponge, and continues to direct it. felf towards it, however often, with refpect to the root, its place may be changed. This obfervation fhews how far the vital motions in plants may be modified by external caufes, and how effentially they differ from thofe that are the effect of volition in animals. The motions produced by the prefence of fluids in the veffels are more or lefs fenfible in the leaves of different fpecies of plants. Some appear endowed with no fort of motion, fome have leaves that can move in different directions: their motions are generally modified by different caufes; but none appear poffeffed of this faculty fo eminently as what is called the moving plant, (Hedyfarum gyrans Lin.) This fingular vegetable was difcovered in Bengal, growing in a wet clay foil near Dacca, by Lady Monfon, whofe zeal for natural history had induced her to undertake a voyage to the Indies; a zeal fo much the more laudable, as perfons of her fex have feldom the power, and ftill feldomer the courage, to direct their minds to fimilar objects. Death furprifed her in the midst of her botanical excurfions; and Linnæus thought it his duty to dedicate a genus of plants to her memory, under the name of Monfonia. No part of this plant fhews any figns of irritability upon application of stimuli; and the motion of its foliola ceafes when the larger leafets are agitated by the wind. In animals, perfpiration is principally accelerated by the courfe of the blood, by the action of the mufcles, &c. In plants, where the circulation of the fluids is very flow, per fpiration Anecdotes of Peter Pindar, Esq. 161 Ipiration feems to be increased by the organs are in greateft perfection. When the fructification is compleated, the leafets cease to move: fenfitive plants after this time are hardly fenfible, and the petals of many plants no longer hut periodically. external causes, and the agitation of the air is one of the chief: the leaves, which are the organs deftined to perform this function, are generally fupported by flender footftalks, which allow of a free motion in every direction. If this ftructure is wanting, the organs of vegetables are differently formed; the heat of the fun, moilture, or a great abundance of fluids in the veffels, conftructed in a particular manner, determine the perfpiration of feveral plants. The dionaa, drofera, &c. grow in moist places where fluids abound most fenfitive plants are produced where the air is little agitated; or those that do not transpire in any of these ways have a finall number of leaves, and thofe generally fucculent, with a very thin epidermis. When the fun is warm, the little leaves of the hedyfarum are also immoveable; but when the weather is moist, as well as warm, or when it rains, they move very freely. This motion feems indifpenfably neceffary to the plant, for it begins as foon as the firft leaves unfold, and continues even during the night; but in time it grows weaker. In our ftoves, it is moft confiderable during the first year; in the fecond, it is not very fenfible: in its native place all the leaves have a motion which I have never observed here. The moving leafets are most agitated while the plant is in full flower, and the process of fructification goes on. In plants, as in animals, the time of the reproduction of individuals is always that in which all The ofcillatory motions in the he dyfarum gyrans is fo natural to it, that it not only remains for three or four days in the leafets of a branch that has been cut off and put in water, but is even continued though the branch is left expofed to the air. May not this latter cafe be compared in fome measure with the throbbing of the heart in animals, after that organ has been taken out? The leaves feem to perform the office of the heart in vegetables. They accelerate by their motions the course of the fluids, as the heart determines the circulation of the blood by its contractions. When a plant is ftripped of its leaves, the progrefs of vegetation is arrefted, and fuch vegetables refemble thofe animals that have a periodical sleep, induced by a dimi nution of the action of the heart. Motion, as we have just feen, is an attribute lefs effential to vege tables than to animals: many plants hardly fhew any figns of it, many feem alfo wholly cataleptic; which is rarely found in animals, except in fuch as approach in their form to the vegetable kingdom. fingularity is particularly remarkable in a fpecies of a dracocephalum, a native of Virginia: the footftalks of its flowers preferve themfelves in whatever pofition they are placed. Anecdotes of Peter Pindar, Esq. T HE lives of literary men are generally fo little employed in the bustle of the world, that their This characters are perhaps more pro U 2 obfervations of their conduct. The prefent fubject, however, of our biographic notice, has mixed fo much with mankind, and has been diftinguished for such an extensive intercourfe with the various conditions of human life, that nothing of the ufual barren uniformity of literary pursuits is to be deemed defcriptive of his career; though indeed it must be acknowledged, that all reprefentations of it, not furnished by himfelf, must neceffarily be confidered as partial and inadequate. The imagination of the poet muft undoubtedly be formed by Nature; but if he wishes to render his art efficacious, and raise the estimation of mankind, he must turn his eyes diligently upon the works of his great Benefactrefs, and the opera tions of human life, that this imagination may be ftored with mate rials for her labours, and enabled to borrow illuftrations from all that can give force and variety to her That the lively genius who at prefent engages our attention has been liberally gifted in point of imagination, and that his original capacity has been enriched by wide and perfevering industry, the multiplicity of new conceptions, and variety of allufions obfervable in his works, will abundantly teflify. But as most of our readers are probably as well acquainted with his productions as ourselves, they may perhaps chufe to exercife their own judge ments on this lead, and require fome Anecdotes, refpecting the life of a man who has, by novelty of imagery, boldness of fatire, and force of poetical genius, fo much fignalized him felf at this period. We will readily Fay before them all that we have been able to procure refpecting the private life of this extraordinary off fpring of the Mufes; and alfo make fuch references to his works as may tend to justify the very high opini on we profess to entertain of his 2bilities. The Gentleman then who has figured in the Poetical World under the appellation of PETER PINDAR, in reality bears the name of W-LC-T, and is defcended from a refpectable family in Devonfhire. He was bred to the study of phyfic, and practifed fome time with fuccefs in Cornwall: but notwithstanding that he applied himself very seriously to his profeffion, a genius like his could not be. reftrained within the dull limits of formal bufinefs; he was therefore found frequently ad dreffing the Ladies of Heliçon. In this county he formed a connection with the late Sir William Trelawny, and followed his fortunes to Jamaica, of which ifland he was made Governor during the adminiftration of Lord Shelburne. At this place we find the Doctor at the fummit of medical elevation, by being appointed Phyfician General to the island, enjoying and enjoyed by the lively inhabitants. If we do not mistake, the Doctor, during his refidence in this ifland, was induced to enter into the clerical function, on a profpect of important preferment: but being difappointed, he relinquifhed the profeffion of a divine before his departure for England, and has never fince refumed it. This circumstance of his life we understand honest Peter has always been unwilling to acknowledge; but as impartial Biographers, we think it our duty to reveal it to our readers. On his return to England, he re-aflumed and purfued his original profeflion for feveral years but chufing, as it is faid he often has wifely declared, rather to live happy on one guinea than miferable on ten, he quitted the gloomy chambers of fickness for the chearful region of Parnaffus. It is needlefs to obferve what opportunity of penetrating into the cha racter, Anecdotes of Peter Pindar, Esq. 163 racter, and observing the weakness that arifes from the freedom in which he has fuffered his Mufe to indulge herself on the character of a Great Perfonage. Kings are characters that should not be fo flightly sported with, for they are actually neceffary to the peace and decorum of Society; which, befides the folid support of ufeful laws, derives confiderable ftrength from the reverence in which the firft Magiftrate of a country is held by the generality of the people: for however juft the cenfure, the character fhould be facred; though to the credit of our author it must be acknowledged, that his effufions feem more characterised by good-humour than by the acrimonious feverity which difgraces the lays of Churchhill, and the letters of the elegant, but virulent Junius. There is, however, one circumftance in the life of our author, which, as it tends to the fupport of a beautiful art, deferves to be recorded. Let it then be mentioned, that to him is Painting indebted for Oris. This great Artist was found by our author in the mines of Cornwall, where his genius first discovered itfelf in fuch rude efforts as might have paffed unobserved by a less intelligent eye than that of the Doctor, who faw, in its rougheft fhape, the excellence which has fince expanded into fuch importance. of human nature, the Doctor muft have derived from his profeffion, and how far this might tend to affift him in his poetical purfuits. The Doctor's attachment to poetry, how ever, at last obtained fuch an afcendency over him, that though his repute as a phyfician was very high in his native county, and confequently productive of confiderable emolument, he found it impoffible to extinguifh the poetic fervor: and as the confined sphere in which he moved in Cornwall could not afford fufficient materials to exercife, or fufficient entertainment to gratify a genius like his, he entirely relinquifhed his medical profeffion, and commenced his literary career in a place more adapted to his powers, the ample field of the Metropolis. And here it must be obferved, that the Doctor enjoyed an advantage feldom poffeffed by poets in general; for having fome family-inheritance of his own, large enough to fupply all the decent comforts of life, he was under no neceffity of courting the favour, or fubmitting to the controul. of bookfellers; and was therefore enabled to give an unbridled indulgence to the bent of his genius, which seems vehemently to have directed him to fatire; in which he has certainly equalled the firft writers this country has produced. It now becomes us to make fuch references to the works of this verfatile author as may juftify the high opinion we have declared of his genius; which indeed is of fo Protean a kind, that it appears in almoft every shape; and when one fally of his fancy excites our admiration, another perhaps immediately occurs, of fo very different a fpecies, that it is hardly poffible to fuppofe they were both the progeny of the fame mind. In one refpect we confefs, however, there is a draw-back on our partiality to this author; and As far as we have been able to trace the poetical career of our author, his works have appeared in the following order: His first production was an EPISTLE TO THE REVIEWERS, a compofition of truly ironical and laughable fatire. The next offspring of his Mufe was LYRIC ODES TO THE ROYAL ACADEMICIANS; which, with all their merit, we must confefs, in fome of the ftrictures, are deficient in candour, and appear to flow more from a love of fatire, than from a conviction of the de merits of the objects of his critical feverity. We dare cite Mr West as |