g. VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



% I . Vegetable MECHANISM confifts of two contrary fubfta nces. 



The Corporeal external one, including, nourifhing, defcend- 

 ing, adhering to the earth, carefully furrounding the 

 pith, hardifh, growing with a very tender point. 



The internal Pith, or Medulla, included, vivifying, de- 

 liquifcent at thebafe, afcendingatthe point, infinite in multi- 

 plication in divifibility and in termination, enlivened at its cre- 

 ation, fecretly and gradually from its begining extends itfelf 

 where there is leaft refiflance, to its final exit $ where, the 

 more feebly it is confined by the corporeal part, the fooner 

 it breaks its prifon, about to undergo its metamorphofis ; 

 and efcaping joins itfelf with the corporeal part, that dif- 

 perfing itfelf into new lives the circle of vegetation may 

 be perennial. 



22, GERMINATION is produced from the Seeds being difperfed 



and abforbing water by thcHile ; whence the membranes are 

 burft bv the bibulous fwelling Cotyledons; which give nou- 

 rifhment to the Heart ; till the Beak of the foetus puts out 

 Rootlets; by which the Plume is elevated growing into an 

 annual Herb, terminating in a fuper-decompounded Bud. 



23. VEGETATION is produced by the Rovtlets fucking up the aque- 



ous tincture of the Soil ; which, by daily addition of heat, 

 is gently driven through the venels of the external corporeal 

 part ; whence the nutrition of the exterior and interior plant, 

 the fuperfiuous moifture exhaling, the Bark depofiting the 

 Rind on its interior furface, which annually changes itfelf 

 into a Woody fubflance, (in Annual ringlets interfperfed with 

 the Alburnum, which at length almort oinfies as t\\t lower 

 branches decay) mis woody fubftance afterwards fuflains the 

 afcending Stock, in the fummits of which the living Pith 

 advances. 



I conceive the Medulla, or Pith, to eonfifr. of a bundle of 

 equally diverging Nervous fibres ; in which medulla the pro- 

 trufive vital power breaks the ultimate nerves j which there 

 diverging, penetrate the bark, as yet gelatinous ; where thefe 

 medullary nerves at the fummit are in like manner multiplied 

 in the Bud. From th'e velfel afcending through this nerve 

 being divided, and the afcent of the propelled fluid being im-. 

 peded beneath, the bark is extended into a Leaf, 



Tnis Leaf which is agitated by the pairing winds, attracts 

 and prepares the fluids (except thofe of the Parahte-Plants, 

 which are previoufly prepared,) inhales electric mater from 



the 



