Of J/egetation\ 317 
refcarches rewarded with very confiderablc 
and ufeful difeoveries. 
CHAP. VIL 
Of Vegetation. 
TTTE are but too fenfible, that our rea- 
VV fonings about the wonderful and 
intricate operations of nature are fo full 
of uncertainty, that as the wife-man truly 
obferves, hardh do we guefs aright at the 
things that are upon earthy and with labour 
do we find the things that are before us. 
Wifdom Chap. ix. v. 16. And this obferva- 
tion we find fufficiently verified in vege- 
table nature, whofe abundant produftions, 
tho* they are moil vifible and obvious to us, 
yet are we much in the dark about the nature 
of them, becaufe the texture of the veflels of 
plants is fo intricate and fine, that we can 
trace but few of them,tho* aflifted with the 
beft microfeopes. We have however good 
reafon to be diligent in making farther and 
farther refearches 5 for tho' we can never hope 
to come to the bottom and firft principles of 
things, yet in fo incxhauftiblc a fubjecl, where 
4 every 
