CHAP. VIII. 



Nature Active and Animated, 



1. J:\FTKRalongcourseof microscopic observa- 

 tions, Mr. Needham hath remarked, that they all con- 

 tributed to make appear, that animal and vegetative 

 substances are originally the same ; that they recipro- 

 cally turn into one another, by a very easy change ; 

 that they decompound themselves into an infinite num. 

 ber of zoophytes, which separting, produce all the 

 different species of common microscopic animals, 

 which after a certain time become immovable, separat- 

 ing themselves again, and producing other zoophytes, 

 or animals of au inferior species; that the spermatic 

 animalcules have the same property of separating 

 themselves, and in their decomposition of producing 

 still smalU-r animals, till at last they become so 

 very small, that they entirely escape notice. Tne 

 author of these observations believes, that it is pro- 

 bable besides, that every animal or vegetable sub. 

 itauce advances as much as it can to its dissolution, to 

 return by degrees to the principles common to aii 

 bodies, and which are of a general nature. 



2. The author then insinuates, that in their de- 

 composition, bodies so subtilize themselves themselves, 

 that the resistance continually diminishes, and the ac- 

 tive moving force,proportionally augments; ; that after 

 having passed the line of spontaneity, the movement 

 diminishes quicker or slower, till it becomes purely 

 oscillatary ; and of course, matter ought to be consi- 

 dered as continually passing from one state to ano- 

 ther ? and constituting elements more and more active. 

 D 5 



