Another collection of philosophical conferences of the French virtuosi upon questions of all sorts for the improving of natural knowledg made in the assembly of the Beaux Esprits at Paris by the most ingenious persons of that nation / render'd into English by G. Havers, Gent. & J. Davies ..., Gent.

CONFERENCE CLXIIII. Of Zoophytes or Plant-Animals. (Book 164)

THe comprehensiveness of this Universe appears in that in the division of Entity and Substance, not onely each Member answers to as many things as are in Nature, but there are as many others as there can be several combinations made of the Members of this division. Thus in the division of Souls into vegetative, sensitive, and rational, there are found middle ones not onely between sense and reason, but also between Vegetati∣on and Sense: Examples whereof may be seen in the Families of Animals and Vegetables. Some Plants have no Root as Misleto and Mushrooms; others nothing but Root, as Trubs and Truffles: some have onely leaves, as Duckmeat; others neither flowers nor seed, as Ferne; some want leaves, as Venus-Navil; others com∣monly put forth the Fruit before the Leaf, as the Fig-Tree; and lastly, some Flower without bearing Fruit, as the Flower-Cherry-Tree: Of Animals, some are bred of putrefaction, and of others, some remain a while without motion or life (to ap∣pearance) as the Silk-Worm in its bag, and Snails in Winter; others remain alwayes immoveable, as Oysters: And because this manner of being nourish'd and growing without any progres∣sive motion is proper to Plants, and yet by opening and shutting their Shells they testifie some sense; therefore they are call'd Plant-animals, in which the Soul seems to be compounded, and to resemble changeable colours, which consist of two extreams, as Gray doth of White and Black, being wholly neither, but both together. So also a Zoöphyte is something less then an Animal, and more then a Plant.

The Second said, That Forms and particularly Souls are indi∣visible. Indeed one may be comprehended in another, as the Vegetative is in the Sensitive, and this in the Rational (which comprehends all eminently) but it cannot enter into the compo∣sition of another, much less be divided, informing a body that is half Plant and half Animal; otherwise by the same reason there might be others half Men and half Beasts, which is not imaginable, but under the form of a Monster. Moreover, such division would proceed to infinity, there being a Latitude and Degrees without end between one extream and another; of one whereof that which partakes most, would constitute a new Spe∣cies, or rather a new genius, which is absurd, and contrary to

Philosophy; which admits not multiplication of things without nec••ssity.

The Third said, That by the same reason Plants and Animals being of the same species there can be no doubt but these two at∣tributes might be found in the same Subject. For Vegetation and Sense being onely several operations of the same Soul, which acts differently, according as it findes the Organs of its Subject dispos'd; hence the multiplication of Souls is unnecessary, see∣ing they are all but one. And as in Brutes the sensitive faculty supervening to the vegetative in their generation, adds no new form to the former; so the vegetation of Plants is nothing less then the sensitive: the dispositions of the matter being the sole causes of this diversity. An Animal depriv'd of the use of some senses, is no less an Animal then another that hath all: why then is a Tree less an Animal, because it exercises fewer operations of its soul then Animals do? Nor is it a conclusive reason that Plants are wholly destitute of the faculties of sense, because the same are not perceptible to our Senses, which yet finde some∣thing to satisfie themselves in the sensitive Plant, growing (as Scaliger and others relate in Zanolha, a part of Tartary, where the Inhabitants sowe a Grain like that of our Melons, but some∣what longer; from which grows an Herb which they call Borra∣metz, that is, a Lamb, whereof it hath the whole figure, espe∣cially the Feet, Hoofs, and Ears, yea, all the Head excepting the Horns; instead whereof it hath a tuft of Hair upon the Forehead. 'Tis cover'd with very soft Hair, employ'd by the Natives to make Caps of. Its Flesh resembles that of Crevices, and being wounded, sends forth blood, being also of a very sweet taste: It adheres to the earth by its root, which sends forth a Stem or Stalk which is inserted into its Navil. To all which wonders they adde, That it lives as long as there is any green Grass about it, and dyes when the same is wither'd either by time or purposely. And to make the comparison full, they say that of all devouring Animals Wolves alone desire to feed of it, We finde also some example of this double Life in the Wood of Scotland, which being humected in water is turn'd in∣to Ducks: as also in the Leaves of another Tree like that of the Mulberry, which Anthony Pigafet reports to have two little feet, on which they run away as soon as one touches them, and live onely of Aire. Such likewise are the Mandrakes of upper Hungary, which grow in the axact shapes of Men and Women; The Baraas mention'd by Josephus, which shines in the night, and whose flight cannot be stopt but by the menstrual blood of a woman. The Balsam-Tree which Pliny affirms to tremble at the approach of the Iron that is to make incision in it; and that other Tree which Scaliger saith grows about eight foot high in the Pro∣vince Pudiferam, and upon the approach of a man or other Ani∣mal contracts its boughs, and extends the same again upon their departure, whence it took the name of Arbor Pudica: which con∣striction

and dilatation is also attributed to the Spunge. In all which effects we observe powers and faculties near of kin to those of Animals. The same uniformity of nature between Plants and Animals is prov'd also, in that, both the one and the other live and dye, have their nutrition, augmentation, and ge∣neration. If Animals have their time of being salacious, Plants have theirs of being in Sap. They have dictinction of Sex, as appears particularly in the Cypress, Hemp, and the Palm, which beareth not fruit unless planted near the Male, or at least some branch thereof be fastned to it. They seem too to have some kinde of respiration; for besides that they love the free Aire, towards which they encline when planted near a high Wall, or under great Trees; their Root, which is their mouth, hath some discernment of taste, eschewing hurtful soils, and spreading freely into good ground, and not imbibing all sorts of liquors indifferently, but onely such as are convenient for them. Hence their parts have names common to those of Animals; as the Marrow, Flesh, Veins, Skin: In a word, they seem to want one∣ly local-motion, which yet, besides the foregoing examples, is found in the Herba Viva of Acosta which folds up it leaves and flowers when it is toucht; as likewise Tulips do in the evening, and open the same again in the morning; Marigolds follow the Sun, and thence have gotten the Latin name Solsequia; but more manifestly the Sun-flower, and the white Carline Thistle, call'd the Almanack of Peasants, who therefore hang it at their doors, because it folds up its flowers when a Tempest is at hand. 'Tis notorious that the Bon-Chretien Pear-Tree, and the Mulber∣ry-Tree languish in places not frequented by men; and on the contrary, testifie by their vigour and fertility that they delight in their conversation. Hereunto might be added the experience of Wood-Cleavers who finde that a wedge enters further at the first blow then for many following; as if the substance of the Tree clos'd it self upon the first feeling it hath of its enemy. But the bending of Hazle-rods towards Mines of Gold and Silver, seems to denote something more in them then in Animals them∣selves. In brief, the motion of creeping Herbs may be call'd progressive: amongst others, that of the Gourd and Cucumber which follow the neighbouring water, and shape their fruit in length to reach it.