VEGETABLE STRUCTURE. 
4j 
in them ; and being reduced by this natural operation to its firlT: liate, it 
is ready equally to feed, and fill, and compofe one or the other of them. 
Thales, the Greek, faid all was formed of water. He feems to mean, 
that all bodies are compofed of one and the fame matter, which is infipid, 
and void of every quality. This matter, he fuppoles, tho’ compofed of 
folid particles, to have been originally fluid ; as that condition rendered it 
rnofl: eafily fufceptible of the various necelfary arrangements. Solidity in 
thefe appeared to him a condition of reftraint : and, perhaps, there was 
perfedl truth in this philofophy. 
CHAP. in. 
Of the Arrangement of Matter into a Vegetable Body. 
'"J^HE firfl: view we take of a Vegetable, gives us an idea of an almofl: 
infinite number and variety of parts, different in form and ilrudure ; 
and we are led to confider it as complex in fo high a degree, that the 
arrangement of matter for the forming all thofe parts, feems in every in- 
dividual a new miracle. TheRoox, the Stem, theCup, the Petals of 
the Flower, the Filaments, and the Seed Vessel, are all diflindt from 
one another in Colour, Form, and Office. Thus much appears of 
difference externally ; and when we attempt the leaft article of a difledlion, 
there arife new wonders, in the conftrudlion of each part, and its peculiar 
veffels. Thefe are of one kind in the outer, and of another form and 
ffrudfure in the inner rind, ftill different from both in the internal parts, 
and full of new variety. The appearance has diflaeartened many Irom 
profecuting the refearch, who might have made difeoveries; for large 
draughts are needful of this fpring, and they are, indeed, Pierian. 
Perseverance in the examination, will divefl: the fubjedl of all this 
feeming intricacy: the parts which appeared fo numerous, will be reduced 
to a very fmall account ; and the two fources of variety will be reduced 
to one. 
A careful Maceration, in foft water, will fepnrate the real parts from 
one another, and fhew that many are but diftindl in appearance. By 
diffolving the parenchymatous fubftance of entire Vegetables, we obtain 
the vafcular parts, feparate from one another, and entire : and whenfo- 
ever we begin the account, we find them only feven. Thefe are, i. an 
G 2 outer 
