I have now done with Inanimate Bodies both Simple and Mixt. The Animate are
First, Such as are endued only with a Vegetative Soul, and therefore commonly called Vegetables or Plants; of which if we consider either their Stature and Shape, or their Age and Duration, we shall find it wonderful. For why should some Plants rise up to a great height, others creep upon the ground, which perhaps may have equal seeds, nay the lesser Plant many times the greater seed? Why should each particular so observe its kind, as constantly to produce the same Leaf for consistency, figure, division, and edging; and bring forth the same kind of Flower, and Fruit, and Seed, and that though you translate it into a Soil which naturally puts forth no such kind of Plant, so that it is some1 […] which doth effect this or rather some intelligent plastick Nature, as we have before intimated. For what account can be given of the determination of the growth and magnitude of Plants from mechanical Principles, of matter moved without the presidency and guidance of some superiour Agent? Why may not Trees grow up as high as the Clouds or Vapours ascend, or if you say the Cold of the superiour Air checks them, why may they not spread and extend their lateral Branches so far till their distance from the Center of Gravity depress them to the Earth, be the Tree never so high? How comes it to pass that though by Culture and Manure they may be highly improved, and augmented to a double, treble, nay some a much greater proportion in magnitude of all their Parts; yet is this advance restrained within certain limits? There is a maximum quod sic which they cannot exceed. You can by no Culture or Art extend a Fennel Stalk to the stature and bigness of an Oak. Then why should some be very long lived, others only Annual or Biennial? How can we imagine that any Laws of Motion can determine the situation of the leaves, to come forth by pairs, or alternately, or circling the stalk; the flowers to grow singly, or in company and tusts, to come forth the bosoms of the leaves and branches, or on the tops of branches and stalks; the figure of the leaves, that they should be divided into so many jags or escallops and curiously indented round the edges, as also of the flowerleaves, their number and site, the figure and number of the stamina and their apices, the figure of the Style and Seed-vessel, and the number of Cels into which it is divided. That all this be done, and all these parts duly proportioned one to another, there seems to be necessary some intelligent Plastick Nature, which may understand and regulate the whole Oeconomy of the Plant: For this cannot be the Vegetative Soul, because that is material and divisible together with the Body: Which appears in that a Branch cut off of a Plant will take Root and grow and become a perfect Plant it self, as we have already observed. I had almost forgotten the complication of the Seed-leaves of some Plants in the Seed, which is so strange that one cannot believe it to be done by Matter however moved by any Laws or Rules imaginable. Some of them being so close plaited, and straitly folded up and thrust together within the membranes of the Seed, that it would puzzle a man to imitate it, and yet none of the folds sticking or growing together; so that they may easily be taken out of their cases, and spread and extended even with ones Fingers.
Secondly, If we consider each particular Part of a Plant, we shall find it not without its End or Use: The Roots for its stability and drawing nourishment from the Earth. The Fibres to contain and convey the Sap. Besides which there is a large sort of Vessels to contain the proper and specific Juice of the Plant: and others to carry Air for such a kind of Respiration as it needeth; of which we have already spoken. The outer and inner Bark in Trees serve to defend the Trunk and Boughs from the excesses of Heat and Cold and Drought, and to convey the Sap for the Annual augmentation of the Tree. For in truth every Tree may in some sence be said to be an Annual Plant, both Leaf, Flower and Fruit proceeding from the Coat that was superinduced over the Wood the last Year, which Coat also never beareth any more, but together with the old Wood serves as a Form or Block to sustain the succeeding annual Coat. The Leaves before the Gemma or Bud be explicated to embrace and defend, the Flower and Fruit, which is even then perfectly formed; afterwards to preserve the Branches, Flowers and Fruit from the Injuries of the Summer Sun, which would too much parch and dry them, if they lay open and exposed to its Beams without any Shelter; the Leaves I say qualifie and contemper the Heat, and serve also to hinder the too hasty evaporation of the moisture about the Root; not to mention the pleasant and delectable, cooling and refreshing Shade they afford in the Summer time; which was very much esteemed by the Inhabitants of hot Countries, who always took great delight and pleasure to sit in the open Air under shady Trees: Hence that expression so often repeated in Scripture, of every Mans sitting under his own Vine, and under his own Fig-Tree, where also they used to eat; as appears by Abrahams entertaining the Angels under a Tree, and standing by them when they did eat. Gen. 18. 8. Moreover the Leaves of Plants are very beautiful and ornamental. That there is great pulchritude and comliness of Proportion in the Leaves, Flowers and Fruits of Plants, is attested by the general Verdict of Mankind, as Dr. More and others well observe. The adorning and beautifying of Temples and Buildings in all Ages, is an evident and undeniable Testimony of this. For what is more ordinary with Architects than the taking in Leaves and Flowers and Fruitage for the garnishing of their Work; as the Roman the Leaves of Acanthus sat. and the Jewish of Palm. Trees and Pomegranates; and these more frequently than any of the five regular Solids, as being more comly and pleasant to behold. If any man shall object, that comliness of Proportion and Beauty is but a meer conceit, and that all Things are alike handsom to some men who have as good Eyes as others; and that this appears by the variation of Fashions, which doth so alter mens Fancies, that what erewhile seemed very handsom and comly, when it is once worn out of Fashion appears very absurd, uncouth and ridiculous. To this I answer, that Custom and Use doth much in those Things where little of Proportion and Symmetry shew themselves, or which are alike comly and beautiful, to disparage the one, and commend the other. But there are degrees of things; for (that I may use2 Dr. Mores Words) I dare appeal to any man that is not sunk into so forlorn a pitch of degeneracy that he is as stupid to these things as the basest of Beasts, whether, for example, a rightly cut Tetraedrum, Cube or Icosaedrum have no more Pulchritude in them than any rude broken Stone, lying in the field or high-ways; or to name other solid Figures, which though they be not regular properly so called, yet have a settled Idea and Nature, as a Cone, Sphere, or Cylinder, whether the sight of those do not more gratifie the minds of Men, and pretend to more elegancy of shape than those rude cuttings or chippings of Freestone that fall from the Masons hands, and serve for nothing but to fill up the middle of the Wall, as fit to be hid from the Eyes of Men for their ugliness. And therefore it is obvable, that if Nature shape any thing but near to this Geometrical accuracy, that we take notice of it with much content and pleasure, and greedily gather and treasure it up. As if it be but exactly round, as those Spherical Stones found in Cuba, and some also in our own Land, or have but its sides parallel, as those rhomboideal Selenites found near St. Ives in Huntington shire, and many other places in England. Whereas ordinary Stones of rude and uncertain Figures we pass by, and take no notice of at all. But though the Figures of these Bodies be pleasing and agreable to our Minds, yet (as we have already observed) those of the Leaves, Flowers and Fruits of Trees, more. And it is remarkable, that in the Circumscription and Complication of many Leaves, Flowers, Fruits, and Seeds Nature affects a regular Figure. Of a pentagonal or quincuncial Disposition Sir Tho. Brown of Norwich produces several examples in his Discourse about the Quincunx. And doubtless instances might be given in other regular Figures, were men but observant.
The Flowers serve to cherish and defend the first and tender Rudiments of the Fruit: I might also add the masculine or prolifick Seed contained in the chives or apices of the stamina. These beside the elegancy of their Figures are many of them endued with splendid and lovely Colours, and likewise most grateful and fragrant Odours. Indeed such is the beauty and lustre of some Flowers, that our Saviour saith of the Lilies of the Field (which some not without reason fuppose to have been Tulips) that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. And it is observed by3 Spigelius, That the Art of the most skilful Painter cannot so mingle and temper his Colours, as exactly to imitate or counterfeit the native ones of the Flowers of Vegetables.
As for the Seeds of Plants,4 Dr. More esteems it an evident Sign of Divine Providence, that every Kind hath its Seed. For it being no necessary result of the motion of the matter (as the whole contrivance of the Plant indeed is not) and it being of so great consequence that they have Seed for the continuance and propagation of their own Species, and also for the gratifying mans Art, Industry and Necessities (for much of Husbandry and Gardening lies in this) it cannot but be an Act of Counsel to furnish the several Kinds of Plants with their Seeds.
Now the Seed being so necessary for the maintenance and increase of the several Species, it is worthy the observation, what Care is taken to secure and preserve it, being in some doubly and trebly defended. As for instance, in the Walnut, Almond and Plums of all sorts, we have first a thick pulpy covering, then a hard shell, within which is the Seed enclosed in a double membrane. In the Nutmeg another Tegument is added besides all these, viz. the Mace within the hard Shell immediately inveloping the Kernel. Neither yet doth the exterior Pulp of the Fruit or Pericarpium serve only for the defence and security of the Seed, whilst it hangs upon the Plant: But after it is mature and faln upon the Earth, for the stercoration of the Soil, and promotion of the growth, though not the first germination of the Seminal Plant. Hence (as5 Petrus de Crescentiis tells us) Husbandmen to make their Vines bear, Manure them with Vineleaves, or the Husks of expressed Grapes, and that they observe those to be most fruitful, which are so manured with their own: Which Observation holds true also in all other Trees and Herbs. But besides this use of the Pulp or Pericarpium for the guard and benefit of the Seed, it serves also by a secondary intention of Nature in many Fruits for the Food and Sustenance of Man and other Animals.
Another thing worthy the nothing in Seeds, and argumentative of Providence and Design, is that pappose Plumage growing upon the Tops of some of them, whereby they are capable of being wafted with the Wind, and by that means scattered and disseminated far and wide.
Furthermore most Seeds having in them a seminal Plant perfectly formed, as the Young is in the Womb of Animals, the elegant complication thereof in some Species is a very pleasant and admirable Spectacle; so that no man that hath a Soul in him can imagine or believe it was so formed and folded up without Wisdom and Providence. But of this I have spoken already.
Lastly, the immense Smalness of some Seeds, not to be seen by the naked Eye, so that the number of Seeds produced at once in some one Plant may amount to a Million, is a convincing Argument of the infinite Understanding and Art of the Former of them.
And it is remarkable that such Mosses as grow upon Walls, the Roofs of Houses and other high Places, have Seeds so excessively small, that when shaken out of their Vessels they appear like Vapor or Smoak, so that they may either ascend of themselves, or by an easie impulse of the Wind be raised up to the Tops of Houses, Walls or Rocks: And we need not wonder how the Mosses got thither, or imagine they sprung up spontaneously there.
I might also take notice of many other particulars concerning Vegetables, as, First, That because they are designed for the Food of Animals, therefore Nature hath taken more extraordinary Care and made more abundant Provision for their Propagation and increase; so that they are multiplied and propagated not only by the Seed, but many also by the Root, producing Off sets or creeping under Ground, many by Strings or Wires running above Ground, as Strawberry and the like, some by Slips or Cuttings, and some by several of these Ways. Secondly, That some sorts of Plants, as Vines, all sorts of Pulse, Hops, Briony, all Promiferous Herbs, Pumpions, Melons, Gourds. Cucumbers, and divers other Species, that are weak and unable to raise or support themselves, are either endued with a faculty of twining about others that are near, or else furnished with Claspers and Tendrels, whereby as it were with Hands they catch hold of them and so ramping upon Trees, Shrubs, Hedges or Poles, they mount up to a great height, and secure themselves and their Fruit. Thirdly, That others are armed with Prickles and Thorns, to secure them from the browsing of Beasts, as also to shelter others that grow under them. Moreover they are hereby rendred very useful to Man, as if designed by Nature to make both Quick and Dead Hedges and Fences, The great Naturalist Pliny, hath given an ingenious Account of the Providence and Design of Nature in thus arming and fencing them in these Words. Inde (speaking of Nature) excogitavit aliquas aspectu hispidas, tactu truces, ut tantùm non vocem ipsius Naturae fingentis illas, rationémque reddentis exaudire videamur, ne se depascat avida quadrupes, ne procaces manus rapiant, ne neglecta vestigia obterant, ne insidens ales infringat; his muniendo aculeis telisque armando, remediis ut salva ac tuta sint. Ità hoc quoque quod in iis odimus hominum causâ excogitatum est.
As for the Signatures of Plants, or the Notes impressed upon them as Indices of their Virtues, though6 some lay great stress upon them, accounting them, strong Arguments to prove that some understanding Principle is the highest Original of the Works of Nature; as indeed they were, could it certainly be made appear that there were such Marks designedly set upon them; because all that I find mentioned and collected by Authors, seem to me to be rather fancied by men, than designed by Nature to signifie or point out any such Vertues or Qualities as they would make us believe, I have elsewhere, I think upon good Grounds, rejected them; and finding no reason as yet to alter my Opinion, I shall not further insist on them.
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