134 ^^^ ESSAY concernmg the Chap^ 4. 



to our prefent Purpofe ^ I mean, its Attraftive 

 and Diffufive Power, in regard to Man, to 

 Plants and Trees, and the Earth on which 

 they germinate, flourilh and grow. 

 The Attra- ^5 for the Attractive Virtue of the Siin^ 

 6/7/;fsun! ^^ ^s no-where more confpicuous and intel- 

 ligible, than in the Exhalation of thofe crude 

 and unwholfome Vapours with which the 

 Earth is fometimes infefted ^ which if fuf- 

 fer'd to remain long, wou d of courfe fufFo- 

 cate all that is upon the face of it, and leave 

 it a moft miferable Defart : Befides, that by 

 the Sublimation of thofe crude and noxious 

 Vapours, (as has before been obferv'd) and 

 their Rarefaftion preliminary to their Defcen- 

 jion and Oiftribution, a fecond Agent is form'd 

 for the refrefliing the Earth 5 I mean Rain^ 

 of which I have already fpoke^ an Affiftant, 

 which tho' of lefs account, is of great con- 

 fequence in Vegetation : To this may be ad- 

 ded the Attraction of Plants, which in them 

 4creates a kind of Emulation which fliall 

 afpire the fafteft, and as it were touch the 

 Aereal Region firft. 

 Attraaion, B^t fittce I am upon Attraftion, it may be 

 rphat. 'requifite I fliould fay fomething of the Word 

 itfelf, and the Nature and Effefts of it 5 fince 

 /IttraElion, properly fo fpeaking, is a Qiieftion 

 that hath been much debated amongft the 

 Philofophers ^ and perhaps moft of thofe 

 EfFefts, which the Antients, not knowing fo 

 well the Caufes of, did ufe to attribute to 

 Attradtion, may now be very well folv'd by 



Pulfion. 



