( 5^7^ ) 
An Accompt of fome Books. 
J. traUatm de 1SIATV1{A SVbSTANTIJL ENEJ{GET1CA^ 
JeudeVltA ISIATVFjE, ejufq:^ Tribus primis Facultatibus'^ 
Perceptiva, Appetitiva, Motwa^ &c. Juth, Franc. GlilTonio, 
Med. D5 (3 P. & CoS^ Med. Lond^ Socio^ nec wowSocietatis Re. 
galis Colleg^^ Londini. i6]2, in\^. 
'^''^^He famous Anchor of this Philolophical Treatife endea- 
j vors to naake it ouc^ that matter is thePrime and Radical 
fubjeft of Ljfe-^or^ that Life is the inmoft cffence of matter, and 
inli parable from the fame: And.becaufe the very Effence of 
matter is fubjed: to v?.rious Modifications, that thence its life 
alfois capableof being varioufly modified^fo as to be different 
in Plants and Animals 5 being in all their kinds varied by a 
ftrange diverfity of Strudlure and Organization. 
This Life our Author efteems to be the very Energetical na* 
ture of a fubftance, whereby it is fitted for Operation, that is, 
made a Principle of Perception^ Appetirion and Motion ; not 
producible in his opinion by any external power^ motion, tex- 
ture, figure, organizatiouy proportion, or connexion of parts, 
but by the fole Firit Caufeof all things. 
The fame Life,as 'cis eflfential to matter, is here diftinguifli'c 
from the Senfes ; which to our Author are not the very firft and 
iimple perception of Nature, but fome Organical Modifica- 
tions thereof^j forafrauch aSsin his opinion, if there were no 
IV iz/2/r^/ perception, no modification or organization of matr 
ter would be able Co change it into Animal or Senfitivex, but 
a Natural one being given, this, flowing immediately from the 
fubftajitial nature of the matter, will be fubjedl to as many 
kinds of Modifications, as the matter itfeifis capableof. And 
it feemsj that the ma-ill fcope of this book was, to invefligate 
thofe various Modificarions of life ^ though the Author inge- 
nioufly confeffcthj to hive met u?ith fuch difficulties in this 
argument, that as yer he hath not fo much a? gone through alf 
the variations of Inanimat Subftances ; much lefs through thofe 
very fubtile Formations of and Animals, 
If it b^ asked. How this 'Natural Perception becomes 
fiiiveoz Animal I the Doftor anfwers, That difpofed matter, 
finding It felf capable, fo far to raifeits perceptions, as to re- 
double ir, whereby it may be enabled to judge of its owa 
adis and to behold diem with delight, falls upon organizing. 
