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species of instances escapes rather our observation than our 

 senses; for men are wonderfully indolent upon this subject, 

 consulting nature in a desultory manner, and at periodic 

 intervals, when bodies have been regularly finished and 

 completed, and not during her work. But if any one were 

 desirous of examining and contemplating the talents and 

 industry of an artificer, he would not merely wish to see 

 the rude materials of his art, and then his work when fin 

 ished, but rather to be present while he is at labor, and 

 proceeding with his work. Something of the same kind 

 should be done with regard to nature. For instance, if any 

 one investigate the vegetation of plants, he should observe 

 from the first sowing of any seed (which can easily be done, 

 by pulling up every day. seeds which have been two, three, 

 or four days in the ground, and examining them diligently), 

 how and when the seed begins to swell and break, and be 

 filled, as it were, with spirit; then how it begins to burst 

 the bark and push out fibres, raising itself a little at the 

 same time, unless the ground be very stiff; then how it 

 pushes out these fibres, some downward for roots, others 

 upward for the stem, sometimes also creeping laterally, if 

 it find the earth open and more yielding on one side, and 

 the like. The same should be done in observing the hatch 

 ing of eggs, where we may easily see the process of anima 

 tion and organization, and what parts are formed of the 

 yolk, and what of the white of the egg, and the like. The 

 same may be said of the inquiry into the formation of ani 

 mals from putrefaction; for it would not be so humane to 

 inquire into perfect and terrestrial animals, by cutting the 

 foetus from the womb; but opportunities may perhaps be 

 offered of abortions, animals killed in hunting, and the like. 

 Nature, therefore, must, as it were, be watched, as being 



