CKNTURY VII. 281 



consisteth not in the heat or coolness of spirits ; for 

 cloves and other spices, naptha and petroleum, have 

 exceeding hot spirits, hotter a great deal than oil, 

 wax, or tallow, &c. but not inflamed. And when 

 any of those weak and temperate bodies come to be 

 inflamed, then they gather a much greater heat than 

 others have uninflamed, besides their light and 

 motion, &c. 



602. The differences, which are secondary, and 

 proceed from these two radical differences, are, first, 

 plants are all figurate and determinate, which inani 

 mate bodies are not ; for look how far the spirit is 

 able to spread and continue itself, so far goeth the 

 shape of figure, and then is determined. Secondly, 

 plants do nourish, inanimate bodies do not ; they 

 have an accretion, but no alimentation. Thirdly, 

 plants have a period of life which inanimate bodies 

 have not. Fourthly, they have a succession and 

 propagation of their kind which is not in bodies 

 inanimate. 



603. The differences between plants, and metals 

 or fossils, besides those four before-mentioned, for 

 metals I hold inanimate, are these ; first, metals are 

 more durable than plants ; secondly, they are more 

 solid and hard ; thirdly, they are wholly subterrany ; 

 whereas plants are part above earth and part under 

 earth. 



604. There be very few creatures that participate 

 of the nature of plants and metals both ; coral is 

 one of the nearest of both kinds : another is vitriol, 

 for that is aptest to sprout with moisture. 



