C 37 ] 



Being then my felf no adept, I was 

 unwilling to go on my own little experi- 

 ence ; and as yet not qualified diredly to 

 approve, or reject a practice recommended 

 by fo great a triumvirate as Rapin, Evelyn^ 

 and Law/on^ I gave my felf up implicitly 

 to the guidance of fuch leaders ; more efpe- 

 cially on account of the vogue Mr. Evely?2*s 

 works at that time of day had ^ as part of 

 the fame wxre WTOte under the fulfrages of 

 the Royal Society^ and fome at the inftigati- 

 on of the CommiJJioners of the Navy, So 

 not dreading an ignis fatuus to light me 

 onward, to work I went to perform the 

 Execution y Purgation^ Coercifion^ and Re- 

 cijion \{ot that was the form of fcholarly 

 writing in his timie) of the under branches 

 of fome young Oaks, the height of whofe 

 bodies I was defirous to advance, by the im- 

 mediate help of the inftruments recommend- 

 ed. But tho' gay were my expedlations, and 

 highly pleafing my hopes ; yet I found fuf- 

 ficient reafon not to repeat thofe trials above 

 two feafons \ as fo many ramufculi like 

 Hydra'^ heads fprung out thereupon, near 

 the feveral amputations. 



If 



