C 739 ) 
ggur'd ftones we fee, in regard of thofe many grounds we have 
for the contrary. But I take thefe to be the chief reafons which 
make fome fo ready to embrace fo generally this conceit of pe- 
trifaftion, becaiifethey are prepoffeft with an opinion againft 
the vegetation of all Stones, and for that they think it impoffi- 
ble for Nature to exprefs the fhapes of Planes and Animals 
where the Vegetative lifeis wanting, this being a faculty pecu- 
liarly belonging to that foul, whereas they feem ro erre in both: 
For,as what has been faid concerning our Stone-plantSjmay fuf- 
fice to prove their vegetation; fo it will be as eafie to fliew,that 
Nature can and does work the fliapes of^Plants and Animals 
without the help of a Vegetative foul,at leaft, as it is Chut up in 
common feeds and organs. To be fatisfi'd of this^ letthem view 
the figurations in Smw ; let them view thofe delicate Landskipt 
which are very frequently (at leaft in this Country) found de- 
pifled on ftones, carrying the refemblance of whole groves of 
TreeSjMountains and Vallies, &c 5 let them defcend into Coal- 
mines, where generally with us the clifts near the Coal are all 
wrought with curioii'S reprefentations of feveral forts oiherbs\ 
iomztxi&\y "c^ftmhVmgFern-hranchts^ and therefore by our 
Miners calTd the Fern brAmh cUft \ fome refembling the leaves 
of SorreL^diViii feveral ftrangeHerbSy which haply the known Ve- 
getable kingdom cannot paralleljand though it could, herecan 
be no colour for a petrifaaion,it being only a fuperficial delino- 
ation.The like may be faid of Animals, which are oftea found de- 
piSed on Sconesjas all Mineral hiftories will fufficiently inform 
them. Now fince here is no place for Petrifaftion, or a Vegeta» 
tive foul, we can only iay,that here is that feminal root fthough 
hindred by the unaptnefs of the place to proceed to give thefe 
things a principle of life in rhemfelves) which in the firft gene- 
ration of things made all Plants, and, I may fay, Animalsrife up 
in their diftind fpecies ; Cod commanding the Earth and Wa* 
ters to produce both, as fome Plants and Animals rife up ftill in 
certain places without any common feed. 
It feems to be a thing of a very difficult fearch, to find what 
this Semiml root is, which is the efficient caufe of thefe figures-. 
Many of the Ancients thought it to be fome outward mover 
which wrought the figures in things for fome end 5 the Feripa- 
Micks rather judg'd it to be fome vertue implanted in the feed, 
and in fubftances having an analogous nature wiih the feed. As 
, I. 
