BOOK 11.] S1MILAU 1SS1AHCES. 493 



the roots and brandies, except that the root is buried in the 

 earth, and the branches are exposed to the air and sun. Per if 

 one take a young and vigorous shoot, and bend it down to a 

 small portion of loose earth, although it be not fixed to the 

 ground, yet will it immediately produce a root, and not a branch. 

 And, vice versd, if earth be placed above, and so forced down 

 with a stone or any hard substance, as to confine the plant and 

 prevent its branching upwards, it will throw out branches into 

 the air downwards. 



The gums of trees, and most rock gems, are similar instances ; 

 for both of them are exudations and iiltered juices, derived in 

 the former instance from trees, in the latter from stones ; the 

 brightness and clearness of both arising from a delicate and 

 accurate filtering. For nearly the same reason, the hair of 

 animals is less beautiful and vivid in its colour than the plumage 

 of most birds, because the juices are less delicately filtered 

 through the skin than through the quills. 



The scrotum of males and matrix of females are also similar 

 instances ; so that the noble formation which constitutes the dif 

 ference of the sexes appears to differ only as to the one being 

 internal and the otlier external ; a greater degree of heat caus 

 ing the genitals to protrude in the male, whilst the heat of the 

 female being too weak to effect this, they are retained in 

 ternally. 



The fins of fishes and the feet of quadrupeds, or the feet and 

 wings of birds, are similar instances ; to which Aristotle adds 

 the four folds in the motion of serpents ; b so that in the forma 

 tion of the universe, the motion of animals appears to be chiefly 

 effected by four joints or bendings. 



The teeth of land animals, and the beaks of birds, are similar 

 instances, whence it is clear, that in all perfect animals there is 

 a determination of some hard substance towards the mouth. 



Again, the resemblance and conformity of man to an inverted 

 p^ant is not absurd. For the head is the root of the nerves and 

 UTiimal faculties, and the seminal parts are the lowest, not in 

 cluding the extremities of the legs and arms. But in the plant, 

 the root (which resembles the head) is regularly placed in the 

 lowest, and the seeds in the highest part. c 



Lastly, we must particularly recommend and suggest, that 



b Is not this very hasty generalization? Do serpents move with 

 four folds only? Observe also the motion of centipedes and other iu- 

 sects. 



c Shaw states another point of difference between the objects cited 

 in the text, animals having- their roots within, while plants have 

 theirs without ; for their lacteals nearly correspond with the fibres oi 

 the roots in plants ; so that animals seem nourished within themselves 

 as plants are without. Ed. 



