The philosophie, commonlie called, the morals vvritten by the learned philosopher Plutarch of Chæronea. Translated out of Greeke into English, and conferred with the Latine translations and the French, by Philemon Holland of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke. VVhereunto are annexed the summaries necessary to be read before every treatise

CHAP. I. What is Nature?

SInce then, our intent and purpose is to consider and treat of Naturall philosophie, I thinke it needfull, to shew first, what is Nature: for absurd it were, to enterprise a discourse of Natu∣rall things, and meane-while to be ignorant of Nature and the power thereof. Nature then (ac∣cording to the opinion of Aristotle) is the beginning of motion and rest, in that thing wherein it is properly and principally, not by accident: for all things to be seene (which are done neither by fortune nor by necessitie, and are not divine, nor have any such efficient cause) be called Na∣turall, [ 10] as having a proper and peculiar nature of their owne; as the earth, fire, water, aire, plants, and living creatures. Moreover, those other things which we do see ordinarily engendered, as raine, haile, lightning, presteres, winds, and such like; for all these have a certeine beginning; and every one of them was not so for ever, and from all eternitie, but did proceed from some originall: likewise, living creatures and plants, have a beginning of their motion; and this first principle, is Nature: the beginning not of motion onely, but also of rest and quiet; for whatso∣ever hath had a beginning of motion, the same also may have an end: and for this cause, Nature is the beginning aswell of rest as of moving.