compacted into a Stone. But however it came there, I dare confidently affirm, it was not there fpontaneously generated. For else, either there was fuch a Cavity in the Stone before the Toad was generated; which is altogether improbable, and Gratis Dictum, afferted without any Ground; or the Toad was generated in the folid Stone, which is more unlikely than the other, in that the foft Body of fo fmall a Creature should extend itself in fuch a Prison, and overcome the Strength and Refiftance of fuch a great and ponderous Mass of folid Stone.

And whereas the Affertors of Equivocal Generation, were wont to pretend the Imperfe&ion of thefe Animals as a Ground to facilitate the Belief of their Spontaneous Generation; I do affirm, that they are as perfect in their Kind, and as much Art fhewn in the Formation of them, as of the greatest; nay more too, in the Judgment of that great Wit and Natural Historian Pliny. In

* Lib. II. cap. 2.

magnis fiquidem corporibus, (faith he) aut certè majoribus facilis officina fequaci materia fuit; in his tam parvis atque tam nullis, que ratio, quanta vis, quam inextricabilis perfectio? In the greater Bodies the Forge was eafy, the Matter being ductile and fequacious, obedient to the Hand and Stroke of the Artificer, apt to be drawn, formed or moulded into fuch Shapes and Machines, even by clumfy Fingers: But in the Formation of thefe, fuch diminutive Things, fuch Nothings, what

Cun

Cunning and Curiofity! What Force and Strength was requifite, there being in them fuch inextricable Perfection!

To what Proofs or Examples of Spontaneous Generation may be brought from Infects bred in the Fruits or Excrefcencies of Plants, I have already made Answer in my fecond Particular, which contains the Teftimonies of our beft modern Naturalifts concerning thefe Things.

In my Denial of the Spontaneous Genera tion of Plants, I am not fo confident and peremptory; but yet there are the fame Objections and Arguments against it, as against that of Animals, viz. becaufe it would be a Production out of indifpofed Matter, and conLequently a Creation; or if it be faid, there is difpofed Matter, prepar'd by the Earth, or Sun,' the Heat, or whatever other Agent you can affign; I reply, this is to make a thing act beyond its Strength, that is, an inferiour Nature which hath nothing of Life in it, to prepare Matter for a fuperiour, which hath some Degree of Life; and for the Preparation of which, it hath no convenient Veffels or Inftruments. If it could do fo, what need of all that Apparatus of Veffels, Preparation of Seed, and as I also fuppofe, Diftinction of Masculine and Feminine that we fee in Plants? I demand farther, whether any of the Patrons of Spontaneous Generation in Plants, did ever fee any Herbs or Trees, except thofe of the Grafs leaved Tribe, come up without two SeedLeaves;

Y

Y 3

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Part II. Leaves; which if they never did nor could, it is to me a great Argument that they came all of Seed; there being no reafon elfe, why they fhould at firft produce two Seed-Leaves different from the Subfequent. And if all thefe Species (which are far the greatest Number) come from Seed, there is not the leaft reafon to think that any of the reft come up fpontaneously. And this, with what I have written before, may fuffice concerning this Point.

Whereas I have often written in many Places,that such and such Plants are fpontaneous, or come up fpontaneously; I mean no more by that Expreffion, but that they were not planted or fown there induftriously by Man.

the

Having fpoken of the Body of Man, and Ufes of its feveral Parts and Members, I fhall add fome other Obfervations, giving an Account of the particular Structure, Actions and Uses of fome Parts, either common to whole Kinds of Animals, or proper to fome particular Species different from thofe of Man, and of the Reafon of fome Inftincts and Actions of Brutes.

First of all, The Manner of Refpiration, and the Organs ferving thereto in various Animals, are accommodated to their Temper of Body, and their Place and Manner of living; of which I have obferved in more perfect Animals three Differences.

327 1. The hotter Animals, which require abundance of Spirits for their various Motions and Exercises, are provided with Lungs, which indefinently draw in and expell the Air alternately without Intermiffion, and have a Heart furnished with two Ventricles, because to maintain the Blood in that Degree of Heat, which is requifite to the Performance of the Actions of all the Muscles, there is abundance of Air neceffary. I fhall not now take Notice of the Difference that is between the Lungs of Quadrupeds and Birds, how the one are fixed and immoveable, the other loofe and moveable; the one perforated, tranfmitting the Air into large Bladders, the other enclosed with a Mem

brane.

It is here worth the Notice taking, that ma ny Animals of this Kind, both Birds and Quadrupeds, will endure and bear up against the extremeft Rigor of Cold that our Country is expofed to. Horfe, Kine and Sheep, as I have experienced, will lie abroad in the open Air upon the cold Ground during our long WinterNights, in the fharpest and feverest Frosts that ever happened with us, without any Harm or Prejudice at all; whereas one would think, that at least the Extremities of their Members fhould be bitten, benummed and mortified thereby. Confidering with myself by what Means they were enabled to do this, and to abide and refift the Cold, it occurr'd to my Thoughts, that the Extremities of their Toes were fenc'd with Hoofs, which in good MeaY 4

tre

Part II. fure fecured them: But the main thing was, that the Cold is, as it were, its own Antidote; for the Air being fully charged and fated with nitrous, or fome other Sort of Particles (which are the great Efficients of Cold, and no lefs also the Pabulum of Fire) when infpired, doth by means of them cause a great Accenfion and Heat in the Blood (as we fee Fewel burns rafhly in fuch Weather) and fo enable it to refift the Impreffions of the Cold for fo fhort a time as its more nimble Circulation exposes it thereto, before it comes to another Heating. From hence may an Account be given, why the Inhabitants of hot. Countries may endure longer Fafting and Hunger, than thofe of colder; and thofe feemingly prodigious, and to us fcarce credible, Stories, of the Faftings and Abftinence of the Egyptian Monks be render'd probable.

2. Other Animals, which are of a colder Temper, and made to endure a long Inedia or Fafting, and to lie in their Holes almost torpid all Winter, as all Kinds of Serpents and Lizards, have indeed Lungs, but do not inceffantly breathe, or when they have drawn in the Air, neceffarily expire it again, but can retain it at their Pleasure, and live without Refpiration whole Days together, as was long fince experimented by Sir Thomas Brown, M. D. in a Frog tied by the Foot under Water for that Purpose by him: This Order of Creatures have but one Ventricle in their Hearts; and the

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