An entire body of philosophy according to the principles of the famous Renate Des Cartes in three books, (I) the institution ... (II) the history of nature ... (III) a dissertation of the want of sense and knowledge in brute animals ... / written originally in Latin by the learned Anthony Le Grand ; now carefully translated from the last corrections, alterations, and large additions of the author, never yet published ... by Richard Blome.

CHAP. IX. Of the Original of Plants.

I. There is Virtue in the Earth, whereby it is impow∣red to bring forth Plants. IT cannot be questioned, but that in the Be∣ginning of the World there was a Power com∣municated to the Earth of producing Plants, and that great variety of Vegetables that are found in all Countries. In the first Chapter of Genesis we find these words, Let the Earth bring forth Grass, the Herb yielding Seed, and the Fruit-Tree yield∣ing Fruit after its kind, whose Seed is in it self after his kind. Now this virtue imparted to the Earth continues still in its full vigor, neither doth any thing spring out of the Earth, but by this virtue. But forasmuch as many Vegetables seem to spring of themselves, whereas others are mani∣festly beholden to Root or Seed, for their Growth or Production; we are to enquire how this twofold Production is performed, and how it comes to pass that some spring as of themselves, whereas others stand in need of a manifest Seed for their Pro∣duction.

II. What those Plants are that grow of them∣selves. Those Plants are said to spring of themselves, which the Earth produceth without the sowing of Seed, and to grow by accident, as the Schools express it. Such as are Purslain, Housleek, Penny∣royal, &c. which, as some tell us, do of themselves grow out of the Earth that is dug up, in a shady and moist Wood, being put into Earthen Pots. PORTA tells us, lib. 2. Phyt. cap. 1. that having exposed some Earth that had been dug up from the deepest foundations of a House, to the Air, within a few days, several kinds of Herbs sprung up from it, familiar to the Soil and Climat of of Naples. And the famous Lord VERULAM assures us, that the Earth dug up from the founda∣tions of Houses, or from the bottom of Wells, be∣ing put into Pots, will after a set season produce several sorts of Herbs. For if you take up Earth not above an Ell deep, it will be fruitful the first year; but if you take up that which lies deeper, it will not produce any thing till after a years time, and sometimes 2 years.

III. The Plants which are said to grow of themselves, owe their Rise to Seeds. Some Philosophers are of opinion, that such Plants as these are produced without any Seeds at all, and that the Earth produceth them by an in∣nate vertue of their own. But that which hinders me from assenting to this opinion is, because I find that all Countries do not produce the same Plants; which could not so happen if there were not di∣verse dispositions in them, proper for their several Productions. But what can these different Dispo∣sitions be, but Seeds; or those first Buds from whence Plants arise? For what else doth the Sun do, when it cherisheth the Earth with its heat, mixeth it with Water, exhales the moisture from it, dries the Particles of it, &c. but work such dispo∣sitions in the Earth, and so fit the insensible parts of it, as that from the due ranging of them, the Roots of Plants, their Strings▪ Ribs and Veins are formed, through which their Aliment may be conveighed, and being sufficiently prepared, break forth in the other parts of it?

IV. What are the Seeds of Plants, that are said to grow of themselves. The Seeds therefore of these Plants, are those Insensible Particles, which by the agitation of the Subtil matter do obtain such a situation, figure, and motion, as are needful to form the first Rudiment of a Plant. And forasmuch as this disposition of parts is not to be found in all Parts of the Earth alike; therefore it is no wonder, that all Plants grow not in all Countries. We are to take Notice also, that there is no difference betwixt these kind of Seeds, and those which are the Product of Plants; save only this, that the Parts of these latter are more closely compacted together, and more or∣derly framed: Whereas those which arise from the various Motion, Spreading, Mixture, and Com∣position of concurring Particles, are not so exactly joyn'd and formed, and therefore Plants are more slowly produc'd by them.

V. The first Trees were produc'd without Seed. Some Authors relate as Miracles, that sometimes tall Trees, yea, whole Woods, have sprung out of the Earth, without Seeds: But they did not con∣sider, that vast store of Seeds, which are hid in the Earth, and are the beginnings and first Draughts of those Seeds that are the products of Herbs and Trees. THEOPHRASTUS ob∣serves, 3 Histor. 2. that the Earth in Crete, pre∣sently after it was dig'd up, did bring forth Cypress Trees, which are also propagated by Slips. Can any one believe, that the first Trees were the pro∣duct of Seeds fallen from Trees? Or, that the Great Woods that are found up and down, were sown by Men? For seeing that the World had a Beginning, and that we cannot admit a progress to Infinite, we must come at last to those Trees which had no such Seeds, whence they were pro∣duc'd, and for the production whereof the Nature of the Climat and Soil were sufficient. For Cin∣namon, Myrrh, Frankinsence, and Cassia, did al∣ways abound in Southern Countries; as the Nor∣thern Grounds never wanted Willows, Oaks, Firr∣trees, Elms, &c. which delight most in those places, and will not without care and difficulty grow else∣where. According to that of Virgil:

The blackest Ebony from India comes, And from Sabaea Aromatick Gums.

VI. Calcin'd Earth pro∣duceth greatabun∣dance of Plants. Some observe, that Earth that is burnt or cal∣cin'd, when expos'd to the Air and water'd with plentiful Showers, doth immediately bring forth great store of Vegetables; because the Pores of the Earth being opened by this means, the Seeds are set free from their Prisons, and meeting together are entangled, and so constitute little Masses, from whence those Plants proceed. It is a thing very notorious, that in Walks that are thick overspread with Sand, the Earth the first Year produceth only knotted Grass, and the following Years a thick and swoln Grass, like the blade of Corn; because the hardness of the Sand or Gravel hath hindred the due coagulation of the Seeds; but as the surface of the Earth comes to be more freed from the Sand, the Seeds can the better come together, and thus produce common Grass; to which Showers do very much contribute, by moistning the Earth, and thereby setting the Seeds that are in it more at liberty.

VII. How Plants are pro∣duc'd from perfect form'd Seeds. As to Plants that are Sown by Men, the Expli∣cation of their way of Production is not difficult. For when, by Example, a Pea or Bean is put into the Earth, and there meets with a due moisture and moderate heat, it first begins to swell, and distends its Skin or Husk, and having at last broke it, the same Causes continuing, do afford it new Matter, and the first beginning of the Plant, which we call the Bud, appears; which by thin Fibres or Strings, spreading it self through the pores of the Earth, and the Parts of it pressing upon it, must needs grow hard; and thus is the Root of the Plant formed. The Matter being thus digested into a Root, being recruited by new Incoms of Heat, and dilated by the same mounting upwards, the tender and green Substance, which is com∣monly call'd the Leaf or Bud, riseth and springs up; which still growing higher, turns to a Stalk: For a purer Juice being now duly prepared in the Roots, doth by degrees ascend from thence into the Stalk, which Motion upwards is much promoted by the pores of the woody Stalk or Stem. More∣over, Heat being active and impatient of Idleness, continually drives the moisture or Juice upwards; and so the Stalk becomes extended, and riseth to a considerable height. Now when the Juice doth not ascend so fast, and that the parts of it, by the agitation of Heat are more depurated, they are by the driving of the Fire carried above the Stalk, where meeting with the cold Air, they are stopt from mounting any higher; where still more par∣ticles of the said Juice joyning them, they swell into a Bud. And whereas the affluence of Heat through the Stalk still continues, is bursts open, or splits the Bud, and by this means makes way for the Subtil matter to break forth, and display it self in the appearance of a beautiful Flower. And lastly, after that the Alimentary Juice hath still attain'd a further degree of Perfection, another Substance succeeds in the room of the Flower, which being hollow within, contains the Fruit, that is, the Pea or Bean, and is a defence to it, against the Injuries of the Air. For in all Natural things there is, as it were a kind of Circle, whilst the Seed of the Plant, under a different respect, is called the Antecedent Principle; and the Fruit the Conse∣quent.