2 2 o Of Vegetation. 



of air, which has a wonderful property of 

 ftrongly attracting in a fixt ftate, or of re- 

 pelling in an elaftick ftate, with a power 

 which is fuperior to vaft compreffing forces ; 

 and it is by the infinite combinations, action 

 and re-action of thefe principles, that all the 

 operations in animal and vegetable bodies are 

 effected. 



Thefe active aereal particles are very fer- 

 viceable in carrying on the work of Vege- 

 tation to its perfection and maturity $ not 

 only in helping by their elafticity to diftend 

 each ductile part, but alfo by enlivening and 

 invigorating their fap, where, mixing with 

 the other mutually attracting principles, they 

 are by gentle heat and motion fet at liberty 

 to affimilate into the nourifhment of the re_ 

 fpective parts : " The foft and moift nourim- 

 ment eafily changing its texture by gentle 

 heat and motion, which congregates homo- 

 geneal bodies, and feparates heterogeneal 

 " ones." Ne<wto?is Opticks, qu. 31. The 

 fum of the attracting power of thefe mutu- 

 ally acting and re-acting principles being, 

 while in this nutritive ftate, fuperior to the 

 fum of their repelling power 5 whereby the 

 work of nutrition is gradually advanced 

 by the nearer and nearer union of thefe 



prin- 



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