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thinking on thofe fubjects, far more liberal than formerly. In short, among the rulers of a bigotted and ignorant people, this refpectable nobleman will probably occupy a diftinguished rank, in the recording pages of future hiftorians.

It has been generally believed, that the government is much afraid of having that free mode of reasoning which now prevails in France, introduced into Spain ;—and probably it is fo-Nor is it to be doubted, but the infection will fpread thither fooner or later. It has alfo been fuppufed, that the late armaments were fecretly intended to favour the cause of the king of France against his fubjects, with a view to reinftate him, upon the throne, had circumftances appeared to be favourable for it. But what truth was in thefe allegations, we pretend not to fay.-It is easier to fay, that if thefe were his real intentions, it was probably more lucky for the king of Spain, that he has been prevented from interfering in that quarrel; as it is highly probable, had the fubjects of the two ftates been fuffered to mix freely together, they might have catched the fo much dreaded difeafe, as the French did in America; and have carried it with them into the heart of their own country, long before the time it could otherwife find its way thither.

Spain had carried on a fort of defultory war with the piratical ftates of Barbary, which is now alfo concluded; fo that at prefent, that country enjoys the most profound peace. Long may it continue fo! Nor, from the pacific temper of the minifter, do we expect, that she will be eafily induced to difturb that tranquillity, with an intention to forward the ambitious views of the Emprefs of Ruflia, who wishes to get them heartily to efpoufe her caufe.

The late king of Spain was of a mild pacific difpofition, and remarkable for the upright integrity of his mind,though his talents were much below par.-What will be the bent of the difpofitions of the prefent king, is not yet known.--While Prince of Afturias, he was much efteemed at court. Some have fuppofed, that the ftiffness of the Sparish court in her late struggle with Britain, was to be afcribed solely to him.

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THE BEE,

OR

LITERARY WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER,

FOR

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9. 1791.

2:00

Enfete.

BOTANICAL researches, when united with a difpofition to philanthropy, are highly ufeful. They bring to light many plants that may prove beneficial to man, by being tranfported from the places of their native growth, to other favourable fituations, where they have not been planted by nature.

In his researches, perhaps, the botanift fhould bestow his chief attention to the discovery of fuch plants as afford a wholefome nourishment to man himself, efpecially if they thrive in fituations where the common kinds of efculent plants do not abound. The Enfete of Abyffinia, according to Mr Bruce's account, must be ranked in this clafs. It prospers only in marshy wet fituations, without any culture. It rifes with a thick fucculent ftem, to the height of eight feet, which being foft and pliable, bends by its own weight at the top. The leaves, and whole figuré of the plant, has some refemblance to the Banana, though it differs from that in many obvious particulars.

VOL. I.

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The part of the Banana tree which forms the food of man, is the fruit. It is the stalk only of the Enfete which is eatable. "The figs of the Enfete are not earable; they are of a tender, Toft fubftance, watery, tasteless, and in colour, and comfiftence fimilar to a rotten apricot; they are of a conical form, crooked a little at the lower end, about an inch and a half in length, and an inch in breadth, where thickeft. In the infide of these is a large ftone, half an inch long, of the shape of a bean, or Cashew nut, of a dark brown colour; and this contains a fmall feed, which is feldom hardened into fruit, but confifts only of skin.

“When you make use of the Enfete for eating, adds Mr Bruce, yo" cut it immediately above the fmall detached roots, and perhaps a foot or too higher, as the plant is of age: You ftrip the green from the upper part, till it becomes white; when foft, like a turnip well boiled, if ate with milk and butter, it is the best of all food, wholefome, nourishing, and easily digefted." It might add much to the conveniences of life were this plant to be tranfplanted to fome parts of the Weft Indies, or other tropical climates. fuited to its nature. They have already in the Eaft Indies a plant which does not grow in fwamps, but in deep water, the Nymphæa aquatica, which affords food to a great part of the natives of these countries.

The general appearance of this plant fo much refembles that of the Banana, that Mr B. with great proba bility, conjectures it has been often mistaken for that plant by modern authors. "The Hippopotamus, he fhrewdly obferves, is generally fuppofed to reprefent a Nile, that has been fo abundant as to be destructive. When therefore we fee upon the obelisks the Hippopotamus destroying the Banana, we may fuppofe it cant that the extraordinary inundation had gone fo ar, as not only to deftroy the wheat, but alfo to retard or hurt the growth of the Enfete, which was to fupply.

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