istf 



'fates its egress: the root insensibly sinks into the earth, 

 and derives from thence more substantial and copious 

 nourishment. The small stalk, which, till this time, lay 

 hid under the coverings of the seed, now begins to shew 

 itself; the teguments unfold themselves, in order to ad- 

 mit a free passage for it: strengthened by an accession 

 of fresh juices, it pierces through the earth, and ud- 

 Tances into the air. 



3. An egg is an organized body, which, under divers 

 teguments, of various strength and number, incloses an 

 animal in miniature. A fluid matter, of a glutinous na- 

 ture, fills the inside of the egg: a number of infinitely 

 small vessels spread themselves out in this matter, and 



, are connected with the germ by different branches. 

 Being warmed in a sufficient degree, either by nature or 

 art, the inside of the egg begins to receive life : by means 

 of a gentle heat, the matter surrounding the germ insi- 

 nuates itself into the small ramifications, from whence it 

 passes into the heart, whose motion it augments; thus 

 the animal becomes a living creature. It increases in 

 .size and strength every day, by receiving fresh supplies 

 of more nourishing and perfect juices: after these juices 

 are exhausted, the animal has acquired all the growth it 

 was capable of in the egg. It finds the apartment as- 

 signed it to be too narrow : it endeavours to set itself at 

 liberty. T^atnre 1ms provided it with an easy method 

 of affecting this, either by arming it with instruments 

 proper for piercing or tearing the coverings which in- 

 close it, or by giving to the egg such a structure as fa-* 

 Yours its efforts : the animal is produced, and enjoys a 

 new life* 



4. The seed then is to the plant what the egg is to 

 the animal. But the plant is not only oviparous, but 

 likewise viviparous; and the fetus is the same with re- 

 spect _ to the animal, as the bud is to the vegetable. 



Being concealed under the rinfl, the bud there re- 

 ceives its first growth. It is minutely inclosed in mem- 

 braneous teguments, analogous to those c>f the seed ; it 



