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Show eAn Idea of a Philofophical History of Plants. ned and fitted for Prop nt, how fometimes the ott “ks in putting forth Roots ; ce Sa ( 3 ,1 emflelves 5 whereof, in the Se- thall give fome inftances. other Heads of In juiry of this kind. bin g. Norare the Natures, Faculties, and Contents of Vegetables ious, or a particular Infpe¢ hereinto, of lef§ concernment. For fince All, or Moft, feem to grow inthe fame manner, with one Suz, one Ratz, indifferently well upot 1one Soil, and, to outward appearance, to have the fame Covuson Partss it may be asked, Hi m itcomes to pafs, that their Liquors, or other Contained Parts, are of fuch differe Kinds; one being Watry, another Winy, athird Oily, a fourth MilAy, and the like, Hem alfo there is fuch a variety in their Se Qualities, as their Col uffes, and Smells 3 what thofe which are neceflary to the Berg of thefe Qualities 5 ormalities, wherein their E/f doth confift; asw a Plant, or Flower, to be white o 3 bdaoe or to be ofanyotherCol ch ng hereupon 3 as they cannot bu tion of fome, andthe finding out ofothers, But efpecially their Me. dicinal 5 fome Plants which have hitherto been neglected, may be apa plied to ufe; the Perverted ufes of fome, and. the Confufed ules of others, may be reétified, What may beft corre& their Malignancies, or inforce their Virtues; Whenneedful to addthe preparationsofArt to That of Nature; HowtoEnlarge thofe of Art, and ReG@tifie thofe which are indeed: Inartificial, may hereby be better conjectured, The knowledge of all which, that we may know howfar it is acceffible, and what probable Approaches may be made towards it; thofe feveral Means I have thoughtof, and fuppofe neceflary thereunto,are next to be propofed. 9. §. Reflecting then uponthe prefent Defign, and feeing this to lie wide; we fhall, in the firft place, conclude the Means attending thereon, fhould do fo likewife. Wherefore, although fome may prefent themfelves unto us as more promifing; yet let us fuppofe what feveral Perfons, were they hereunto engaged, each according to his Senfe and Genius, would poflibly make choice of, Believing, that although Confidering Men may vary, in the approval of their own Senfe and Notion 5 yet not always mearly, becaufe it “is their owns but becaufe each, may probably fee fomewhat more in his own, than others do. Wherefore it will be our fureft Logick to conclude, Not Reafon of Man to t nfequious to them , fo fome fatisfaction, no lefs reward it. Efpecially nfidered, that befides ourfatisfation as to the Nature of fome further Light, to divers other parts of Knowledge, 1 hence arife. 8. §. Reafon of their ufe, in fuch particular Trades and Manufactures, al- ready known; andthe difcoveryof other ufes yet unknown. As alfo their Alimental, with refpect both to Meats and Drinks ; the prepara- becaufe no Mean may be approved byall Men, that all Meas fhould be rejected 5 but rather, becaufe each may be approved by fome,that therefore,all be made choice of And thefe, Ithink, maybe compre- Forfincethe prefent Defign will ingage us, to an accurate hended under Five General Heads of Enquiry. Firf?, Ofthofe Things, which are of more Exterval Confideration about Plants, as their Fi- and multifarious Obfervation of Plants; we may hereby be enabled to range and fort them with morecertainty , according to the Degrees of their Affinity. And all Exoticks, Plants or Parts of Plants, may gures, Ge. ation of the State of Aximals; as whether there are not divers material Agreements betwixt them both; and what fideration, as the Figures, Proportions, Motions, Seafins, Situations of General ly be reduced to fome fuch Domefficks, unto which they may the beft Refemblance. Again, it may frequently condué our hey I by w out of w are. Whereiz alfo they mayconfiderably di re which a1 and what thofe ore eflential to their diftinguifhment. And be- t only to compare what isalready knownof both ; but alfo, y be obfervedinthe ove, to fuggeft and facilitate the finding mayyet be unobferved in the other. So aljo the confide- ration of the Colours, smells and Taftes of Vegetables, may conduce to ofthe fame Qualities in General; or of what it is, that conttitutes uch, in any other Body: not they are aéfnally re- 5 but far, as fuch Materials or external Cirenmffan- ite to their becon he Adequate Objeéfs thereof. It fo to inquire into further Ways of Cultivation, with re} hole Plaxt, or to the Flower, Fruit, or other Part: fo amer themas totheir Sizes, Colours, Taftes, Pruitfulnefs, or otherwife: To think of other Waysof Propagation 3 or to apply thofe already known toother Plamts than hath been ufed. Likewife the Knowledge of their Mechanical Ufes mayhereby be enlarged; both astothe Rea- Secondly, OF their Compounding Parts, as Vefels, cc. Thirdly, OF their Liquors, and other Contents. Principles, as Salis,c. Means ofGrowth. to. §. Fourthly, Of their Fifibly, Of their Aliment, as Water, and other AND FIRST ofall, whatever is of more Eaterval Con- The Firft Vegetables, andoftheir feveral Purts, fhould be obferved. In doing Mean. which, a particular furveyof all their Varieties fhould be taken. And then a Comparifon made betwixt thefe,andthe fveral Plants, or Parts of Plants, whereof they are the Properties. Tothe end, We may, if poflible, be thereby condutted to find out, what other, cither fenf- ble, or morereclufe Property, any of them mayagree together in. For it isnot morecertain, that the three Angles of every Reéfilinear Triangle, becaufe all ways equal to two Right Angles, are therefore, if put together, always the fame: than that ove Property, agreeing to divers Vegetables, fhould have one Caufe: For althoughthe Sv ope and End may varys yetthe Can/e, as it isthe Canfé of that Property, mult be one: and confequently, muft alfo import {ome Identity in the Nature of all thofe Vegetables wherein it Acts. Wherefore bythus comparing of them, we fhall be able more exactly to ftate the Orders and Degrees oftheir Affmities ; Better to underftand both the Caufes and Ends of their Varieties : And more probably to conjecture of their Natures and Vertues. 11.$, Firth Ca |