450

The SLEEP of PLANTS explained.

die rib of the leaf. From this part they
are carried in a mill compacted bundie,
ftrait forward to the extremity of the rib;
and there, as there is an odd lobe to clofe
the leaf, they terminate in a point, covered
by the common integuments. From each
fide of the middle rib rife the footftalks of
the feparate lobes. Thefe are formed of
a multitude of delicate vefels, ranged
clofe together, and confined by the co-
vering, which is the common rind of the
plant continued to that part. At the bafe
of each lobe, there is another complex
clufter of fibies. From this part they are B
protended forward, frait to the end of the
lobe; and they tend out only slight branches
into the feveral parts of the leaf. This is
the particular fabrick of the Abrus leaf,
as feen upon a careful diffection, and with
a good microfcope: It agrees with the ge-
neral conftruction, we have given before, C
as the comnion couife of nature in thefe

Sept.

rizontally; flat, and perfectly expanded. Long before fun-fet they began to droop again; and towards evening they were clofed underneath, as at firit. Next day the plant was fet in a room, where there was leis light. The lobes were raifed in A the morning, but not to a horizontal fituation; and they died, drooping earlier, at evening. The third day it was fet in a fouth window, open to the full fun. Early in the morning the leaves had obtained their horizontal fituation; by nine o'clock they were railed confiderably; and they continued in this ftate till toward evening, when they, by degrees, fell to the horizontal fituation; and from that drooped gradually to the ufual ftate of reft. The fourth day the plant flood in the fame place; but the fun did not appear. The lobes obtained early their horizontal fituation, but did not rife beyond it: And in the evening, clofed as ufually, below.

parts; and it will regularly explain the
change of potture in the lobes, under the
different influence of light. Light is fub-
tile, active, and penetrating: By the
Imalines of its conftituent parts, it is ca-
pable of entering bodies; and by the vio- D
fence of its motion, of producing great
effects and changes in them. There are
not permanent, because those rays which
occafion them, are, in that very action,
extinguished, and loft. Bodies may act
on light without contact; for the rays
will be reflected when they come extreme- E
ly near But light can act on bodies only.
by contact; and in that contact the rays
are loft. The change produced in the po-
fition of the leaves or plants by light, is
the refult of a motion occafioned by its
rays among their fibres: To excite this
motion, the light might touch thofe fi-
bres; and where light touches, it adheres
and becomes immediately extinguished."

Thefe experiments fhew the effects of various degrees of light: At the fame time, that they prove the whole change to be occafioned by light only. The effect of moderate light, that is, the light of a bright day out of the fun-fhine, is to raile the lobes to an horizontal position: Lefs than this places them at an obtufe angle downwards: More, at an obtuse angle upwards. The fifth day the plant was fet in a lefs enlightened room: And the leaves had obtained, by nine o'clock, their pofition at an obtufe angle downwards: It was then brought into the lighter room, and they rofe to the horizontal fituation in a quarter of an hour. It was then removed to the window, where the fun fhone, and the lobes were elevated as before; and being thence carried into F the leis light room, they drooped again. All thefe changes were produced between the hours of nine and two, the weather the fame, and only the place of the plant changed. On the fixth day it remained in moderate light; and kept its leaves horizontal. On the feventh I made the final G experiment. It appeared to me that if light were the fole caufe of the motion, and change of pofition of the leaves, then denying the plant the benefit of light at any time, muft bring on that change: That it would not be difficult to darken the place where the plant ftood, at any time: And that the confequence of this may be, if the principles already laid down were true a bringing on of the change at any time of the day. This experiment appeared as a jutt proof of the foregoing reafonings : If darknefs would at any time throw down the lobes, the fyftem of that motion

After which he gives us the following experiments: "I removed a plant of the Abrus from a flove, in the evening of the feventh of Auguft, and placed it in my ftudy, where it could have the effect of moderate day-light, without being expofed to the immediate action of the fun. This might be conceived the most natural and equable degree of light; and therefore fitteft for the first experiments. The lobes of the leaves were at evening, when the plant was brought in, fallen perpendicuJarly from the middle rib, and clofed to- H gether by their under fides. Thus they continued during the night; in a state of perfect repofe. Half an hour after daybreak they began to feparate; and in a quarter of an hour after fun-rife food ho

3

before

1757. SHIPS taken by the FRENCH.

before delivered must be true; if not, that all the reafonings must be falfe. The affent of the world must alfo depend on this. Deductions of reafon may be dif puted, but it will be allowed certainly, that we understand the caufe of a change we can produce. In the evening of the A fixth day I fet the plant in a book-cafe, on which the morning fun thines; and throwing open the doors, left the whole to nature. The fucceeding day was bright. The lobes which had met in their drooping pofition at evening, and continued fo during the night, began to open, early in B the morning, and by nine o'clock they had paffed their horizontal fituation, and were elevated in the ufual manner. I then fhut the doors of the book-cafe: The plant was by this left in darknefs; and, on opening them an hour afterwards, the full change had happened: The lobes were all C dropped, and it was in the fame ftate that it would have fhewn at midnight. On the opening of the doors the change began very foon; and in twenty minutes the lobes had obtained their elevated fituation. this experiment I have fince many times repeated, and always have the fame fuc- D cels. It is in our power therefore to bring on this ftate of repofe at pleasure; and by the admiffion or exclufion of light, to make the plant, at our own time, put on all its changes, from the drooping to the moft elevated pofition of the lobes. We know that, in thefe experiments, light alone is the caufe: We are therefore certain, that what is called the fleep of plants, is the effect of the abfence of light alone, and that their various intermediate flates are owing to its different degrees.”

E

LIST of SHIPS taken by the French, F
continued from p. 494.

Sally, Ray, from Leghorn, for Gibraltar.
Two Brothers, Bowers, from Gotten-
burgh, for London.

Hope, Debell, from Rotterdam, for
London.

Prince of Wales, Fell, from, for
Prefton, Harrifon, from Preiton,

London.

for

Unity, Mitchell, from Rotterdam, for
Yarmouth.

York Merchant, Frebairne, from Oporto,
for London.

451

Concord, Thompfon, from Malaga for
London.

Eggleton, Kerwood, from Glafgow for

Rotterdam.

Pofboy, Kelly, from Malaga, for Chester.
Nancy, Lewis, from Falmouth, with Pil-;

chards.

Francis, Fagen,
Swallow, Batman,
Andrew, Jeffon,
Succefs, Study,
Geo. and Eliz. Wallis,
Hopewell, Perry,
Parkinfon, Rice,
Difpatch, Corbett,
Maria, Jenkins,
Vernon, Robertson,
King George,

>Coafters.

Sarah, Hog, from Berwick, for Venice.
Diepe Packet, Walker, from Seville, for
Boston.

Peggy, Freeman, from Newcastle, for
Boston.

Edinburgh Cafle, Riddle, from Galli

poly, for London.

William, Wellar, from Malaga, for ditto.
Sydenham, Wilcox, from Virginia, for
Glafgow.

Sweet, from Rhode Island, for Amfterdam.

Hornet, Sutton, from Philadelphia, for
Barbadoes.

Charming Molly, Montier, from Belfast,
for Jamaica.

New Britain, of London,
Thomas, of Antigua,

Little Betty, of St. Kitt's,

Privateer nteers.

The above bring our list down to January, 1757.

[To be continued, with the Lift of Captures from the French, in our next.]

On a Lady's drinking the Bath Waters.

HE gufhing ftreams impetuous flow,
Tin hatte to Delia's lips to go,
With equal hate and equal heat,
Who wou'd not rush thofe lips to meet ?
Blefs'd envy'd streams! ftill greater blifs
G Attends your warm and liquid kifs :
For from her lips your welcome tide,
Shall down her heaving bofom glide;
There fill each fwelling globe of Love,
And touch that heart I ne'er could move.
From thence in foft Manders ftray,
And find at laft the blissful way
Which thought may paint, tho' verfe
mayn't fay.

Alexander and Margaret, and the John, H

Forbes, from Newcattle, with Salmon.
Polly, Baker, from London, for Leghorn.
Toby, Ogle, from Malaga, for London.
A fhip, in bailaft, from Ferrol.
Friendship, Moncrief from London, for
Africa.

Too happy rival, dwell not there
To rack my heart with jealous care;
But quit the bleft abode, tho' loth,
And, quickly paffing, eafe us both.

LII 2

DAPHNE.

DAPHN E. A NEW SONG.

No more for another my bosom should glow, If Daphne would

hear me, and pi-ty my woe, If Daphne would hear me, and pity my

I'd in rap

tongue can't exprefs, that my eyes fhould in-treat; What my

Poetical ESSAYS in SEPTEMBER, 1757.
A NEW MINUET.

1

Poetical ESSAYS in SEPTEMBER, 1757.

454 Poetical ESSAYS in SEPTEMBER, 1757.

The morbid fymptoms o'er thy body spread;
When dire contagion with enfeebling pains,
Inflam'd and revell'd thro' thy tainted veins ;
'Till healing med'cine could no aid impart,
To ease the throbbing anguish of thy heart:
But nature languid funk, with grief oppreft,
And torpid death reliev'd thy tortur'd breaft:
The parting foul, to happier climes convey'd,
Where all the toils of virtue are repay'd:
Where in full tides celeftial pleasure flows,
And purer (pirits live in fweet repofe ;
Their great fruition may' thouglorious fhare,
Abfolv'd from anguith, and repining care:
Which thy relenting friends intenfely feel,
Unconscious of thy more exalted weal;
Of which the wond'rous blifs cou'didifplay,
In this exequial, tributary lay,

The fair defcription fhould their faith engages Supprefs their murmurs, and their grief affage.

'Tis this immortal hope my bofom chears! Sublimes my views, and diffipates my fears; That when diffolv'd, triumphant we fhallrife, Renew our friendship, and enjoy the skies. S. W. Wooburn, June 1, 1757.

Woo died of the Small-pex.