But though _Antiquity_ thus gave its _Vote_ for _Terrestrial Matter_, several of the _Moderns_, and some of very _great Name_ too, both _here_ and _abroad_, have gone quite counter, and given _theirs_ in behalf of _Water_. The _Dignity_ of the _Persons_ that have espoused it, as well as their _Numbers_, renders this Doctrine very considerable, and well worth our enquiring into. The great Restorer of _Philosophy_ in this last Age, my Lord _Bacon_, is of Opinion, _That for Nourishment of _Vegetables_, the Water is almost all in all; and that the Earth doth but keep the Plant upright, and save it from over-heat, and over-cold[2]._ Others there are who are still more express; and assert Water to be the only Principle or Ingredient of all Natural Things. They suppose that, I cannot tell by what Process of Nature, Water is _transmuted_ into _Stones_, into _Plants_, and in brief, all other Substances whatever. _Helmont_,[3] particularly, and his _Followers_, are very positive in this; and offer some _Experiments_ to render it credible. Nay, a very _Extraordinary Person_ of our own _Nation_[4] tries those _Experiments_ over again; and discovers a great Propensity to the same Thoughts and Opinion they had; declaring for this _Transmutation of Water_ into _Plants_ and _other Bodies_, though with great Modesty and Deference, which was his usual manner. The _Experiments_ they insist upon are chiefly _two_; the _first_ is, that _Mint_, and several _other_ _Plants_ prosper and thrive very greatly in _Water_. The _other_ is this; they take a certain quantity of _Earth_, and _bake_ it in an _Oven_; then they weigh it, and put it into an _Earthen Pot_. Having well water'd this _Earth_, they make choice of some fit _Plant_, which, being first carefully _weigh'd_, they _set_ in it. There they let it grow, continuing to _water it_ for some time, till 'tis much advanced in _bigness_: Then they take it up; and though the _Bulk_ and _Weight_ of the _Plant_ be much greater than when _first set_, yet upon _baking_ the _Earth_, and _weighing_ it, as at first, they find it little or not at all diminished in _weight_; and therefore conclude, 'tis not the _Earth_ but _Water_, that nourishes and is _turn'd_ into the Substance of the _Plant_.