i^o An ESSAY Chap. 5. 



'^^^I'Tn Befides the feveral Virtual Qualities of the 

 o/^/V. ^Air, in relation to the Bodies both of Man 

 and Beaft, and Plants, we ihall find it of 

 large Extent in the Creation in general, 

 without whofe Animation nothing in Nature 

 can poflibly fubfift. 

 Di/K^'A'j I ft^U firft reckon it as it helps to difperfe, 

 of^j^T'^'^^^' as may be faid more properly, to waft 

 Emh, away the foggy humid Vapours that arife 

 from the Ground, and would inevitably, 

 without it, ftagnate and poifon the whole 

 Face of the Earth : But the Air, by the 

 afliftance of the Sun, affumes and fublimates 

 thefe into the Upper Regions 5 "by which 

 Sublimation, and the coercive Power of the 

 Sun and Air, they are rarefied, and made of 

 fecond Ufe in Vegitation. 

 c.x4^,s of If to this be accounted, that the Cloudy 

 ^^^"' Treafures of Rain are blown up and broke 

 open by this Agent, it will ftill add to the 

 Matter I have been fpeaking of: But this 

 1 have already handled. 

 Se.trches But it has a much more imperceptible, and 

 ^!!^\^^^ yet no lefs advantageous Operation within the 

 Earth, fay its Subtility perfpiring through the 

 Pore?, there affifting m the Rarefaction of the 

 Crudities of the Earth, difpelling all Super- 

 fluities of Moifture, and entringinto the very 

 Roots and Veins of the Tree, Herb, &c. 

 So that, farther than Philofophers contend 

 for it, (as an Inabitant of all Vacuities) the 

 Air infenfibly affumes the Nature, and mixes 

 itfelf with the Bodies of Trees themfelves 5 



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