CENTURY VI. 249 



but seeing there appear some manifest instances of 

 it, the opinion of impossibility is to be rejected, and 

 the means thereof to be found out. We see, that in 

 living creatures, that come of putrefaction, there is 

 much transmutation of one into another, as cater 

 pillars turn into flies, &c. And it should seem pro 

 bable, that whatsoever creature, having life, is gene 

 rated without seed, that creature will change out of 

 one species into another. For it is the seed, and the 

 nature of it, which locketh and boundeth in the 

 creature, that it doth not expatiate. So as we may 

 well conclude, that seeing the earth of itself doth 

 put forth plants without seed, therefore plants may 

 well have a transmigration of species. Wherefore, 

 wanting instances which do occur, we shall give 

 directions of the most likely trials ; and generally 

 we would not have those that read this work of 

 &quot; Sylva sylvarum&quot; account it strange, or think that it 

 is an over-haste, that we have set down particulars 

 untried ; for contrariwise, in our own estimation, 

 we account such particulars more worthy than those 

 that are already tried and known ; for these latter 

 must be taken as you find them; but the other 

 do level point-blank at the inventing of causes and 

 axioms. 



526. First, therefore, you must make account, that 

 if you will have one plant change into another, you 

 must have the nourishment over-rule the seed ; and 

 therefore you are to practise it by nourishment as 

 contrary as may be to the nature of the herb, so 

 nevertheless as the herb may grow, and likewise 



