( i66 ) 



than grains of fund feen by the naked eye ; and thefe globules feemed 

 to me to be filled with an oily fubftance. But I could not difcern 

 the leaft trace of any living animalcules on the furface of the leaves, 

 and I am certain, that, had there been any fuch, though an hun- 

 dred millions of degrees lefs than a grain of fand, they would have 

 been vifible by my microfcope. 



This oil, wherein the virtue of Sage cohfifts, is produced on every 

 leaf of it in fuch abundance, as no one would believe, but from expe- 

 rience ; infomuch tiiat one can fcarcely touch a leaf of Sage, but an 

 incredible quantity of oily particles will adhere to the fingers. 



My admiration was greatly excited, by obferving that the greater 

 number of the capillaments I have mentioned, were formed v\ ith three 

 joints, and fome, which flood on the vefl'els of the leaves, with four. 

 Thefe joints 1 do not remember to have feen in the capillaments ou 

 any other leaf, but whether that is to be attributed to my want of at- 

 tention, I do not know. 



When Sage is dried, its leaves exhibit a whitifli colour, and that is 

 caufed by thefe caj)illaments, which, lying thick one on another, do, 

 by their tranfparency, produce that whitenefs. 



This fame Kircher, in his writings, gives it as his opinion, that 

 Sage, and alfo Fennel, are very wholefome herbs, but, that in them is 

 produced a maggot, which, being inadvertently eaten, will caufe 

 grievous fymptoms, and even death itfelf ; and he moreover pretends 

 to have found by experience, that there is no plant which does not 

 breed fome maggot or moth ; but 1 lirely, if he had been provided with 

 a good microlcope, and had underltood how to ufe it in the difledtion 

 and examination of minute animals, he never could have broached 

 fuch abfurdities. 



For my part, it is my fixed and fettled opinion, that no leaf, no tree, 

 nor any root, ever did, or ever can, produce or breed any animal en- 

 dued with life and motion. But, a fmall animal may lay its eggs, or 



