LXXXII. Saint Austin says wisely, that what is most surprizing, does not seem to strike us, although it is the object of our daily experience; which is a maxim, the saint applies to the wonders of nature, and falls in exceedingly _à propos_ to suit with our present discussion. All the philosophers he observes, admire as portentous things, the flight of the iron to the load-stone, the pointing of this last to the poles, and the flux and reflux of the ocean. If we ask them why they consider these motions as wonderful, they will answer, it is because they cannot ascertain their causes. But we cannot help remarking, that this answer amounts to a virtual acknowledgment, that all the movements of nature are equally wonderful, with those of the iron, the load-stone, and the ocean, for their causes are equally disputed, because we are equally ignorant of them. The only difference between them is, that these motions are confined to particular or determined entities, and the others are common, or nearly common to all. LXXXIII. I confess for my own part, that on whatever side I view nature, I equally wonder, because I find myself equally ignorant of it. The same Saint Austin, whom we have just quoted (Tract. 24. in Johan.), observes, that the ordinary multiplication of grain, which is obtained at harvest, by means of the fertility of the earth, is equally a prodigy, with that extraordinary multiplication of loaves and fishes, which was effected by the majesty of Christ in the desert. Let now the vain philosopher boast, that he is able to decipher that great mystery, only because he is possessed of a compleat apparatus of faculty phrases; such as _seminal virtue, previous dispositions, the corruption of one form, and the introduction of another, attraction of the nutritious juice, the conversion of it into the proper substance, vegetation, nutrition_, &c. Was Saint Austin peradventure ignorant of those phrases, or of others equivalent to them? Yet notwithstanding this, he looked upon that natural multiplication of grain, as an impenetrable mystery. These phrases, only express or describe those operations which are familiar and open to our experience; but do not reveal to us, their causes, or the manner in which they are performed. The rustics, are acquainted with many more terms than we, expressive of the various operations with which nature in succession, proceeds to perfect that work. Are they peradventure on this account great philosophers? what do I explain, by calling vegetation or nutrition, that progression, by which a plant acquires its increase in bulk? does this afford me any philosophical knowledge, respecting the manner in which that operation is performed? There are two principal things to be considered in vegetation; the first is, the ascent of the nutritious juice by the fibres of the plant; the second is, the conversion of this juice into the vegetable substance; and we perceive in those two things, two great mysteries.