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CHAP. XIII.
Of Plants and Animals.
AT the end of his meteors he proposeth to speak of Similar parts; as Blood, and the like; what they are, and to what end, their matter and reason, but especially whence they have their moti∣on; next to proceed to dissimilar parts, and lastly to speak of those which consist therof, as men, Plants, and the like. Hence Patricius conjectures that his Books of the parts of living Creatures did im∣mediately succeed those of the Meteors, wherein he treateth (as he proposeth) of Similar parts unto the tenth Chapter, of the se∣cond Book, and from thence of the dissimilar. But to reduce his Books of living Creatures to this method is the lesse certain, for as much as many of these (besides those which treated particular∣ly of Anatomy) have been lost, of which perhaps were some which might better have cleared the series, for in the Books themselves concerning Animals, there is nothing to ground it upon.
For the same reason, it is uncertain where his Books of Plants ought to have been placed, which are lost. Perhaps they might precede those of Animals; for he asserts that Plants have souls, (contrary to the Stoicks) endued with vegetative power; that they live even though cut asunder, as insects, whereby two or more are made of one; that the substance they receive by aliment and the ambient air is sufficient for the preservation of their naturall heat.
As concerning Animals, we have, Of their Going, one Book. Of their History, ten Books. Of their parts, four Books; Of their Gene∣ration, five Books. So exquisitely hath he treated upon this sub∣ject, as cannot well be expressed by an abridgement, and there∣fore we shall omit it; the rather because little or nothing was done herein by the Academicks or Stoicks, a collation with whom is the principall design of this summary.