( 194 ) 
to be the only Principle or Ingredient of all natural 
things. They fuppofe that, by I cannot tell what Pro- 
cefs of Nature, Water is tranfmuted into Stones^ into 
Plant and, in brief, all other Subftances whatever, 
jj Complexio- Helmont [[. particularly, and his Followen^ are very pofi- 
nvm atque Mi- j^yg \^ t^js : and ofFcr feme Experiments to render it ere- 
^Figm. dible. Nay a very extraordinary Perfon of our own 
* Mr. Boyl, JNation "* tries thofe Experiments over again : and dif- 
Scept. Chym, covcrs a great Propenfity to the fame Thoughts and 
par, 2. Opinion they had; declaring for ih\s Tranfmutation of 
Water into Plants and other Bodies^ tho' with* great Mo- 
defty and Deference, which was his ufual manner. 
The Experiments they infift upon are cheifly two-, 
the jirft is, that Mint and feveral other Plants profper and 
thrive very greatly in Water. The other is this ) they 
take a certain quantity of Earth, and bake it in an O- 
ven ; then they weigh it, and put it into an Earthen 
Pot. Having well water'd this Earth, they make choice 
of fome fit Plant, which, being firft carefully weigh'd^ 
they fet in it. There they let it grow, continuing to 
Water it for fome time, 'till *tis much advanced in big-- 
nefs. Then they take it up ; and tho' the Bulk and 
Weight of the Plant be much greater than when Jirji fef^ 
yet upon Baking the Earthy and weighing it, as at firft, 
they find it little or not at all diminijhed in weight ; 
and therefore conclude 'tis not the Earth but Water that 
nourifhes and is turned into the Subftance of the 
Plant. 
I muft confefs I cmnot fct how this Experiment cm 
ever be made with xht nicety mA j'^/z^ that is requi- 
fit^, in order to Build upon it fo much as thefe Gentlemen 
do. 'Tis hard to weigh Earth in that quantity, or Plants 
of the fize of thofe they mention, with any great ex- 
aSlneJs : or to bake the Earth with that Accuracy, as to 
reduce it twice to juft the fame Drynefs. But I may 
wave all this y for tho' the Experiment be never fo ea- 
