Chap. 25. exf Treattfe of B O D I E S. 287 



the broadnefle and thicknefle are not fb exactly uniform, but 

 that they exceed a little more at the bottom then at the toppe j 

 which is occafioncd partly by the contracting of the juice in- 

 to a narrower circuit the further it is from the Iburce ; and 

 partly by reafon of the branches ; which (hooting forth, 

 do convey away a great part of the juice from the main 

 ftock. 



Now if we confider the matter W'ell ; we fhall find, that , ? 

 what is done in the whole tree the very fame is likewife done in ftrinc <j!are < d 

 every litde leaf of it : for a leaf confifteth of little branches in leafs of trets 

 /hooting out from one greater branch, which is in the middle : 

 and again, other lefler branches are derived from thofe fecond 

 branches : and fo ftill lefler and lefler, till they weave them- 

 lelves into a clofe work, as thick as that which we fee women 

 ufe to fill up with filkor crewell, when in tentwork they em- 

 broader leafs or flowers upon canvas : and this again, is co- 

 vered and as it were glcwed over, by the humour which ftick- 

 hig to thefe little thriddes, ftoppeth up every little vacuity, and 

 by the ayre is hardned into fuch a skinne as we fee a leafcon- 

 fiftcth of. 



AndTthns it appearcth how an account may be given of the 

 figure of the leafs, as well as of the figure of the main body of 

 the whole tree : the little branches of the leaf, being propor- 

 tionate in figure to the branches of the tree it felf ( fo that each 

 leaf feemeth to be the tree in lirle ; ) and the figure of the leaf 

 depending of the courfe of thefe litrle branches, fo that if the 

 greateft branch of the tree be much longer then the others, the 

 leaf will be a long on : but if the lefler branches fpread broad- 

 wayes, the leaf will likewife be a broad one ; fo farre, as even 

 to be notched at the outfides, round about it, in great or lictle 

 notches, according to the proportion of the trees branches. 

 Thefe leafs, when they firft break out are foulded inwards, in 

 (uch fort as the fmalnefle and round nefle of the paflage in the 

 wood through which they iflue, conftraineth them to be : where 

 neverthelefle the drinefle of their parts keep them afunder, fb 

 that one leaf doth not incorporate it fclf with another : but as 

 foon as they feell the heat of the funne ( after they are broken 

 out into liberty ) their tender branches by little and little 



grow 



