The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 1Browne, Thomas, Sir
Religion
The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 1
Browne, Thomas, Sir
Christianity; Ethics; Religion and medicine
Some verity it may also have in it self, as truly declaring the
corruptive constitution in the present sap and nutrimental juice of the
Tree; and may consequently discover the disposition of that year,
according to the plenty or kinds of these productions. For if the
putrifying juices of bodies bring forth plenty of Flies and Maggots,
they give forth testimony of common corruption, and declare that the
Elements are full of the seeds of putrifaction, as the great number of
Caterpillars, Gnats, and ordinary Insects do also declare. If they run
into Spiders, they give signs of higher putrifaction, as plenty of
Vipers and Scorpions are confessed to do; the putrifying Materials
producing Animals of higher mischiefs, according to the advance and
higher strain of corruption.
3. Whether all Plants have seed, were more easily determinable, if we
could conclude concerning Harts-tongue, Fern, the Caterpillaries,
Lunaria, and some others. But whether those little dusty particles, upon
the lower side of the leaves, be seeds and seminal parts; or rather, as
it is commonly conceived, excremental separations, we have not as yet
been able to determine by any germination or univocal production from
them when they have been sowed on purpose: but having set the roots of
Harts tongue in a garden, a year or two after there came up three or
four of the same Plants, about two yards distance from the first. Thus
much we observe, that they seem to renew yearly, and come not fully out
till the Plant be in his vigour: and by the help of Magnifying Glasses
we find these dusty Atoms to be round at first, and fully representing
seeds, out of which at last proceed little Mites almost invisible; so
that such as are old stand open, as being emptied of some bodies
formerly included; which though discernable in Harts-tongue, is more
notoriously discoverable in some differencies of Brake or Fern.
But exquisite Microscopes and Magnifying Glasses have at last cleared
this doubt, whereby also long ago the noble _Fredericus Cæsius_ beheld
the dusts of Polypody as bigg as Pepper corns; and as _Johannes Faber_
testifieth, made draughts on Paper of such kind of seeds, as bigg as his
Glasses represented them: and set down such Plants under the Classis of
_Herbæ Tergifætæ_, as may be observed in his notable Botanical Tables.
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