
THE 
PREFACE 
SN T is a Politich or Civil Virtue in every 
5 prudent mans Eye, To fet himfelf an 
example, in what he doth, unto others. 
And in fo doing, he looks upon him- 
¥ felf as accountable, in fome fort, to all 
Men. To thofe therefore, who may 
either -exprefly, or tacitly, expeét the Reafons, upon 
which I firft undertook the Azatomy of Plants, and al« 
fo made the after-progrefs therein; I fhall fumme them 
up as follows. 

The firtt occafion of directing my Thoughts this 
way, was in the Year 1664, upon reading fome, of 
the many and curious Inventions of Learned Men, in 
the Bodies of Animals. For confidering, that both 
of them came at firft out of the fame Hand; and 
were therefore the Contrivances of the fame Wifdom: 
I thence fully affured my felf, that it could not be a 
vain Defign; to feek itin both. And being then new- 
ly furnifhed. with a good ftock of Seeds, in order to 
raife a Nurfery of Plants; 1 refolved, befides what 1 
firft aimed at, to make the utmoft ufe of them for 
that purpofe: that fo I might put fomewhat npon that 
fide the Leaf which the beft Botanicks had left bare 
and empty. And in which, notwithftanding fome o- 
ther Learned Men had inferted fomewhat of this na~ 
ture; as Dr. Highmore in his Book of Generation, Dr. 
Sharrock of the Propagation of Plants, and Mr. Hook 
in his Micrography: yet but collaterally, and whithout 
fhewing any purpofe of managing this Part of Na- 
tural Hiftory. And although it feemed at firft an Ob- 
a jection 

