[Sidenote: And further, it is admirably contrived that the pith, the most tender part of plants, is hid in the middle of the trunk, surrounded with hard and solid wood, and with an outer coat of bark to ward off the storms and weather.] {and} what woltow seyn of this þ{a}t thilke thing / þ{a}t is ryht softe as the marye (i. sapp) is / þ{a}t is alwey hidd in the feete al w{i}t{h} inne {and} þ{a}t it is defendid fro w{i}t{h} owte by the stidefastnesse of 2748 wode // {and} þ{a}t the vttereste bark is put ayenis the destemprau{n}ce of the heuene / as a defendowr myhty to suffren [[pg 98]] harm / [Sidenote: Admire, too, the diligence of nature in propagating plants by a multiplicity of seeds, which are as a foundation for a building, not to remain for a time, but as it were for ever.] {and} thus certes maystow wel sen / how gret is the diligence of natur{e} / For alle thinges renouelen {and} 2752 pupllisen hem w{i}t{h} seed .I.-multiplyed / nether nis no man þ{a}t ne wot wel þ{a}t they ne ben ryht as a foundement {and} edyfice for to duren / nat only for a tyme / but ryht as forto duren p{er}durablely by generacyou{n} // [Sidenote: Things inanimate incline to what is most suitable to their beings, and to preserve continuance.] {and} the thinges ek 2756 þ{a}t men wenen ne hauen none sowles / ne desir{e} they nat ech of hem by sem[b]lable resou{n} to kepyn þ{a}t that is hirs / þ{a}t is to seyn þ{a}t is acordynge to hyr natur{e} in conseruaciou{n} of hyr beynge {and} endurynge // [Sidenote: For why should the flame mount upwards by lightness, and the earth tend towards its centre by gravity (weight), unless these motions were agreeable to their respective natures?] For wher for elles berith 2760 lythnesse the flaumbes vp / {and} the weyhte p{re}sseth the erthe a-dou{n} // but For as moche as thilke places and thilke moeuynges ben couenable to eu{er}ich of hem // [Linenotes: 2718 _willynge_--wylnynge _or_--{and} 2719 _þing_--beest _out forþe_--owte forth 2720 _lyue_--lyuen 2723 _of lijf_--of hys lyf 2726 _soule_--sowles 2727 _appetite_--appetites 2729 _look_--loke 2730 _waxen firste_--wexen fyrst 2733, 2734 _some_--som 2734 _oþir_--oothre 2753 _pupllisen_--H. publisshen) 2755 _edyfice_--MS. edyfite _a tyme_--H. oon) tyme 2758 _that_--H. omits _hirs_--H. his] [Headnote: THE LOVE OF LIFE IS INSTINCTIVE.] [Sidenote: Whatever is agreeable to the nature of a thing preserves it. So what is contrary to its nature destroys it.] {and} forsothe eu{er}y thing kepith thilke þ{a}t is acordynge 2764 {and} propre to hym // ryht as thinges þ{a}t ben contraryes {and} enemys corompen hem //