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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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