And as for the Matter whereof the Plants and Animals there conſiſt, tho’ it is impoſſible ever to come to the Knowledge of its Nature, yet this we may venture to aſſert (there being ſcarce any Doubt of it) that their Growth and Nouriſhment proceeds from ſome liquid Principle. For all Philoſophers agree that there can be no other way of Nutrition; ſome of the Chief among them having made Water to be the Original of all Things: For whatſoever’s dry and without Moiſture, is without Motion too; and without Motion, it’s impoſſible there ſhould be any Increaſe. But the Parts of a Liquid being in continual Motion one with another, and inſinuating and twiſting themſelves into the ſmalleſt Places, are thereby very proper and apt to add not themſelves only, but whatſoever elſe they may bring along with them, to the Increaſe and Growth of Bodies. Thus we ſee that by the Means of Water the Plants grow, bloſſom, and bear Fruit; and by the Addition of that only, Stones grow together out of Sand. And there’s no doubt but that Metals, Cryſtals, and Jewels, have the ſame Method of Production: Tho’ in them there has been no opportunity to make the ſame Obſervation, as well by reaſon of their ſlow Advances, as that they are commonly found far from the Places of their Generation; thrown up I ſuppoſe by ſome Earthquakes, or Convulſions. That the Planets are not without Water, is made not improbable by the late Obſervations: For about Jupiter are obſerved ſome Spots of a darker Colour than the reſt of his Body, which by their continual change ſhow themſelves to be Clouds: For the Spots of Jupiter which belong to him, and never remove from him, are quite different from theſe, being ſometimes for a long time not to be ſeen for theſe Clouds; and again, when theſe diſappear, ſhowing themſelves. And at the going off of theſe Clouds, ſome Spots have been taken notice of in him, much brighter than the reſt of his Body, which remained but a little while, and then were hid from our Sight. Theſe Monſieur Caſſini thinks are only the Reflection from the Snow that covers the Tops of the Hills in Jupiter: But I ſhould rather think that it is only the Colour of the Earth, which happens to be free from thoſe Clouds that commonly darken it.