Mifcellanea Curiofa. 303 



Some Thoughts and Experiments 

 concerning Vegetation. jBjJohn 

 Woodward, M. D. of the Col- 

 lege ofPhyficians^ and R. S> and 

 Profejfer of Vhyjick in Greftiam 

 College. 



TH E Ancients generally Intitled the Earth 

 to the Produ&ion of the Animals, Vege- 

 tables, and other Bodies upon and about it j and 

 that for that Reafbn 'twas, that they gave it fo 

 frequently the Epithets of Parent 

 and Mother*. They were of * Terra Parens. 

 opinion, that it furnilhed forth Tw 

 the Matter whereof thoje Bo- Terra Matter, 

 dies confift j and received it all 

 back again at their Diffolution for the Gompofure 

 of others. Even thofe who afferted four Elements, 

 fuppofed that the Earth was the Matter that cow 

 ftituted thofe Bodies ; .and that Water and the 

 reft, (erv'd only for the Conveyance and Diftribw 

 tion of that Matter, in order to the forming and 

 compojitidn of them. 3 Tis true, Thales, a Philo- 

 fopher of the firft Rank in thofe early Ages, has 

 been thought to have Sentiments very different 

 from thefe ; but that without juft Grounds, as 

 I think I have fufficiently prov'd in another Pa- 

 per, which I am ready to produce, 



'But 



