2 04. Mijceltattea Curio fa. 



But though Antiquity thus gave its Vote for 

 Terreftrial Matter, ftveral of the Moderns, and 

 fome of very great Name too, both here and 

 abroad, have gone quite counter, and given 

 theirs in behalf of Water. The Dignity of the 

 Perfons that have efpoufed it, as well as their 

 Numbers, renders this Doctrine very confide- 

 rable , and well worth our enquiring into. 

 The great Reftorer of Philofophy in this laft 

 Age, my Lord Bacon, is of Opinion, That for 

 Nourifhment of Vegetables, the pPater is almoft 

 aH in all j and that the Earth doth but keep the 



Plant upripht, and fave it from 

 •f- Kit. ffiflory, over-heat, and over-cold f. O- 

 Cenu 5. §. 411. thers there are who are ftill 



more exprefs ; and affert Wa- 

 ter to be the only Principle or Ingredient of 

 all Natural Things. They fuppole that, I can- 

 not tell by what Procefs of Nature, Water is 

 tranfmuted into Stones, into Plants, and in brief, 



alf other Subftances whatever. 

 J**"?' ftto, # particularly, and 

 Jcmenu Lm. hls Followers, are very pofitive 



in this and otter fome Ex- 

 periments to render it credible. Nay, a very 



Extraordinary P erf on of our 

 + Mr. Boyle, Scept. own Nation t tries thofe Ex- 

 Cbjm. par. 2. periments over again ; and 



difcovers a great Propenfity to 

 the fame Thoughts and Opinion they had j de- 

 claring for this Tranfmutation of fVater into 

 Plants and other Bodies, though with great Mo- 

 defty and Deference, which was his gfual man- 

 ner. 



The Experiments they irifift upon are chiefly 

 jwo' 3 the fir ft is, that Mint, and feveral othr 



Plants 



! 



