(53) 



Experiments wade of tke fucccjfe of the cuttings off dt\ 

 ve s plants fet in water. 



Becaufe in fome difquihtions of naturail Phi'ofo- 

 phy, there may fome matter of argument arife from 

 experiments of the conversion of water into num-j 

 mentand fubftance of various and very different 

 plants ,whereof fome are hot, others cold , fomee- 

 fteerned of a frelTi , others of a fait nature , fome in 

 regard of mans boiy of healing , others of exroria- 

 ting and bliftring qualityes , fome fpecificues for the 

 head ,' and thedifeafes thereof, others for the heart, 

 and others for the wombe: I ihall let down the truth 



of fome few trialls concerning the ^ro.vth or corrup- 



• i • i • 



tionoffuch cuttings , of divers Vegetables as with- 

 out roots I kept in my chamber , in Vialls of water. 

 Kot willing thence to make any motion towards the 

 redauration of the ancient doctrine concerning the 

 production of all things out of water ,or to rake up the 

 fcatter'd judgments of the once renowned Tbafes, 

 which he made from the observation of the generati- 

 on of fifties', and petrifa&ion by this element; as like- 

 wife from the influence (for he was aware thereof), 

 and caufalitie it has in the production and noriftimenr: 

 of vegetable , and (if not immediately) by'conie- 

 quence of- animall bodyes.Nor deiiring to* make from 

 chefe experiments (though I beleive the inibneemay 

 be as well proper as fpecious) any argument for the 

 mo r e f afhion ^ble opinion of Epicurus ,by (hewirg the 

 various productions that may be made by the elvers 

 fhuflfiings and pohtions of that which has the repute 

 of the mod pure and defecated element , but clearly 

 in: ending to keep to my task, which is Hiilory , and 

 rather to ferve^han to be the Philofopher : I in fbort 

 ' "" '" " v - *' "". ' "S* rather 



