Chap. XIV. Of Change of Species. 221 



thefe proper Differences were ftamp'd or written upon 

 the vegetable Particles ; which Particles themfelves, 

 he fays, were fcarce vifible. Certainly it muff, be a 

 great Art (much beyond that of Dr. JVallis) to decy- 

 pher the Language of Plants, from invifible Cha- 

 racters. 



But that this Dream may deceive none, except fuch 

 who are very fond of old Errors, there is an Experi- 

 mentum Cruris which may convince them ; viz. At the 

 proper Seafon, tap a Birch-tree in the Body or Boughs, 

 and you may have thence a large Quantity of clear 

 Liquor, very little altered from Water ; and you may 

 fee, that every other Species of Plants, that will grow 

 in Water, will receive this •, live and grow in it, as 

 well as in common W T ater. You may make a like 

 Experiment by tapping other Trees, or by Water 

 difiilled from Vegetables ; and you will find no Species 

 of Plants, into which this Water will not enter, and 

 pafs through it, and nourifh it too; unlefs it be fuch a 

 Species as requires more Heat than Water admits ; or 

 unlefs the peculiar VefTels of that it has firft paffed 

 through, have fo altered the vegetable Particles con- 

 tained in that Water, as that it acts as Poifon upon 

 fome other particular Species. 



The Doctor concludes, ' That Water is only the 

 c Agent that conveys the vegetable Matter to the 



* Bodies of Plants, that introduces and diftributes 

 c it to their feverai Parts for their Nourifhment : 



* That Matter is fluggiffi and inactive, and would 

 c lie eternally confin'd to its Beds of Earth, without 



* ever advancing up into Plants, did not Water, or 

 c fome like Instrument, fetch it forth, and carry it 

 c unto them.' 



That Water is very capable of the Office cf a Car- 

 rier to Plants, I think the Doctor has made molt 

 evident ; but as to the Office of fuch an Agent as 

 his Hypothefis beftows upon it, it feems impoffible 

 to be executed by Water. For it cannot be imagined, 



that 



