A Trutifi of B O D I E S. Chap. 2 4. 



creatures, is obvious enough to be comprehended; and that the 

 ftcps of ic are poffible to be let down; if one would but take 

 the pains and afford the time that is uecefiary ( leiTe then thac 

 Phiiofopher, who for fo many years give himfclf wholly up 

 to the finqle obferving of the nature of bees ) to note dilioentlv 



cJ C7 S mJ w 



all the cucumftances in every change of ic. In every one of 

 which the thing that wasjbecometh ablblutely a new thing; and 

 is endewed with new properties and qualities different from 

 thof? it had before, as Phyluians from their certain experience 

 do allure us. And yet every change is fuch, as in -the ordinary 

 and generall courfe of nature ( wherein nothing is to beconfi- 

 dered, but the neceflary erfeiis following out of fuch Agents 

 working upon fuch patients, in fuch circumftances ) it is impof- 

 fible that any other thing fhould be made of the precedent, but 

 that which is immediately fubfequent unto it. 



Now if all tins orderly fucceffion of mutations be neeeflarily 

 mad; in a bean, by force of fundry circumftancej and externall 

 accidents; why may it not be conceived that the like is alfb dpne 

 in fenfible creatures* but in a more perreft manner, they befing 

 perfe&er fub<iances ? Surely the progreflfe we have fetdown is. 

 much more reafonable, then to conceive that in the meal of the 

 bean are contained in little, ieverall fimilar fubftances; as^ of a 

 a root, of a leaf, a ftalk, a flower, a cod, fruit, and the reft; 

 and that every one of thefe, being from the firft ftill the fame 

 that they diall be afterwards, do but fuck in more moifhirefrom 

 the earth, to fwell and enlarge themfelves in quantity. Or, that 

 in the ieed of the male, there is already in a&, the fubftahce of 

 . flefli, of bone, offinews, of veins, and the reft of thofc ieverall 

 fimilar parts which are found- in the body of an animall; and 

 that they are but extended to their due magnitude, by the humi- 

 dity drawn from the mother, without receiving any fubftantiall 

 mutation from what they were originally in the feed. 



Let us then confidently conclude, that all generation is made 

 of a fitting , but remote, homogencall compounded fubftanec: 

 upon which, outward Agents,working in the dne courfe of na- 

 ture, do change it into another fubftanec, quite diffetcnt from the 

 firft, and do make it lefife homogeneall then the firfi was. And 

 other circumftances & agents do change this lecond into a third; 

 that third, into a fourth; and fo onvvards,by fucceffive mutations 



(thac 



