to the Nature of it in general (especially when I shall have an
Opportunity to Declare to you my thoughts on that subject more fully)
but may on some Occasions also be Serviceable to me in the Insuing
Part of this Discourse.
But, to look back Now to that part of our Discourse, whence this
Excursion concerning Mistion has so long diverted us, though we there
Deduc'd, from the differing Substances obtained from a Plant nourished
only with Water, and from some other things, that it was not necessary
that nature should alwaies compound a Body at first of all such
differing bodies as the fire could afterwards make it afford; yet this
is not all that may be collected from those Experiments. For from
them there seems also Deducible something that Subverts an other
Foundation of the Chymical Doctrine. For since that (as we have seen)
out of fair Water alone, not only Spirit, but Oyle, and Salt, and
Earth may be Produced; It will follow that Salt and Sulphur are not
Primogeneal Bodies, and principles, since they are every Day made out
of plain Water by the Texture which the Seed or Seminal principle of
plants puts it into. And this would not perhaps seem so strange, if
through pride, or negligence, We were not Wont to Overlook the Obvious
and Familiar Workings of Nature; For if We consider what slight
Qualities they are that serve to denominate one of the _Tria Prima_,
We shall find that Nature do's frequently enough work as great
Alterations in divers parcells of matter: For to be readily dissoluble
in water, is enough to make the body that is so, passe for a Salt. And
yet I see not why from a new shufling and Disposition of the Component
Particles of a body, it should be much harder for Nature to compose a
body dissoluble in Water, of a portion of Water that was not so
before, then of the Liquid substance of an Egg, which will easily mix
with Water, to produce by the bare warmth of a hatching Hen, Membrans,
Feathers, Tendons, and other parts, that are not dissoluble in Water
as that Liquid Substance was: Nor is the Hardness and Brittleness of
Salt more difficult for Nature to introduce into such a yielding body
as Water, then it is for her to make the Bones of a Chick out of the
tender Substance of the Liquors of an Egg. But instead of prosecuting
this consideration, as I easily might, I will proceed, as soon as I
have taken notice of an objection that lies in my Way. For I easily
foresee it will be alledged, that the above mentioned Examples are all
taken from Plants, and Animals, in whom the Matter is Fashioned by the
Plastick power of the seed, or something analogous thereunto. Whereas
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