218 NOVTJM ORGANUM 



agitated and retained in the latter; the latter action is that 

 of heat and the spirit, the former that of the tangible parts 

 themselves, after the spirit s emission. 



But when the spirit is neither entirely retained nor 

 emitted, but only strives and exercises itself, within its 

 limits, and meets with tangible parts, which obey and 

 readily follow it wherever it leads them, then follows the 

 formation of an organic body, and of limbs, and the other 

 vital actions of vegetables and animals. These are rendered 

 sensible chiefly by diligent observation of the first begin 

 nings, and rudiments or effects of life in animalculae sprung 

 from putrefaction, as in the eggs of ants, worms, mosses, 

 frogs after rain, etc. Both a mild heat and a pliant sub 

 stance, however, are necessary for the production of life, 

 in order that the spirit may neither hastily escape, nor be 

 restrained by the obstinacy of the parts, so as not to be able 

 to bend and model them like wax. 



Again, the difference of spirit which is important and 

 of effect in many points (as unconnected spirit, branching 

 spirit, branching and cellular spirit, the first of which is 

 that of all inanimate substances, the second of vegetables, 

 and the third of animals), is placed, as it were, before the 

 eyes by many reducing instances. 



Again, it is clear that the more refined tissue and con 

 formation of things (though forming the whole body of 

 visible or tangible objects) are neither visible nor tangible. 

 Our information, therefore, must here also be derived from 

 reduction to the sphere of the senses. But the most radical 

 and primary difference of formation depends on the abun 

 dance or scarcity of matter within the same space or dimen 

 sions. For the other formations which regard the dissimi 

 larity of the parts contained in the same body, and their 



