second General Consideration, by what happens to plants nourish'd only
with fair water, and Eggs hatch'd into Chickens, that by changing the
disposition of the component parts of a Body, Nature is able to effect
as great Changes in a parcell of Matter reputed similar, as those
requisite to Denominate one of the _Tria Prima_. And though _Helmont_
do somewhere wittily call the Fire the Destructor and the Artificial
Death of Things; And although another Eminent Chymist and Physitian be
pleas'd to build upon this, That Fire can never generate any thing but
Fire; Yet You will, I doubt not, be of another mind, If You consider
how many new sorts of mixt Bodies Chymists themselves have produc'd by
means of the Fire: And particularly, if You consider how that Noble
and Permanent Body, Glass, is not only manifestly produc'd by the
violent action of the Fire, but has never, for ought we know, been
produc'd any other way. And indeed it seems but an inconsiderate
Assertion of some _Helmontians_, that every sort of Body of a
Peculiar Denomination must be produc'd by some Seminal power; as I
think I could evince, if I thought it so necessary, as it is for me to
hasten to what I have further to discourse. Nor need it much move us,
that there are some who look upon whatsoever the Fire is employ'd to
produce, not as upon Natural but Artificial Bodies. For there is not
alwaies such a difference as many imagine betwixt the one and the
other: Nor is it so easy as they think, clearly to assigne that which
Properly, Constantly, and Sufficiently, Discriminates them. But not to
engage my self in so nice a Disquisition, it may now suffice to
observe, that a thing is commonly termed Artificial, when a parcel of
matter is by the Artificers hand, or Tools, or both, brought to such a
shape or Form, as he Design'd before-hand in his Mind: Whereas in many
of the Chymical Productions the effect would be produc'd whether the
Artificer intended it or no; and is oftentimes very much other then he
Intended or Look't for; and the Instruments employ'd, are not Tools
Artificially fashion'd and shaped, like those of Tradesmen, for this
or that particular Work; but, for the most part, Agents of Nature's
own providing, and whose chief Powers of Operation they receive from
their own Nature or Texture, not the Artificer. And indeed, the Fire
is as well a Natural Agent as Seed: And the Chymist that imployes it,
does but apply Natural Agents and Patients, who being thus brought
together, and acting according to their respective Natures, performe
the worke themselves; as Apples, Plums, or other fruit, are natural
Productions, though the Gardiner bring and fasten together the Sciens
of the Stock, and both Water, and do perhaps divers other wayes
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