An Accompt of Some Books

An Accomp of some Books. I. The ANATOMY of VEGETABLES begun; with a General accompt of VEGETATION, founded thereon: by Nehemiah Grew M.D. Fellow of the Royal Society, 1671. The Ingenious and Learned Author of this Book considering with himself, that the Anatomy of Vegetables hath hitherto been much uncultivated, and that yet it very well deserved the labours of diligent Naturalists, hath here attempted to make a very particular Inquiry into the Constitution and Structure of Plants, and thereupon to found a rational Discourse concerning the Nature of Vegetation. Which being undertaken by him, he advertiseth those that shall think fit to examine these Observations of his, not only, that they begin, and so proceed till they end again, with the Seed; but also, that they confine not their Inquiries to one time of the Year, but to make them in several Seasons, wherein the Parts of a Vegetable may be seen in their several Estates: And then, that they neglect not the Comparative Anatomy, confronting several Vegetables and their several parts together. The Method he chuseth in the prosecution of this subject, is the Method of Nature herself, in her continued Series of Vegetations, proceeding from the Seed sown, to the formation of the Root, Trunk, Branch, Leaf, Flower, Fruit; and lastly, of the Seed to be sown again, or in its state of Generation. Discoursing of the Seed as Vegetating, he dissects a Garden-Bean, and shews the two Coats thereof; the Foramen in the outer Coat; and what is generally observable of the Covers of the Seed. This done, he displays the proper Seed itself, and therein finds three constituent and as 'twere Organical parts of the Bean, viz. the Main Body, always divided into two Lobes (though in some few other seeds into more;) and two other appendant to the basis of the Bean; whereof the or is called by him the Radicle, being that, which, upon the vegetation of the Seed, becomes the Root; the other, the Plume, which becomes the Trunk of the Plant; and being divided at its loose end into divers pieces, (all very close set together as Feathers in a bunch) these pieces are so many true and already form'd, though not displayed, Leaves, intended for the said Trunk, and moulded up in the same plication; wherein, upon the Bean's sprouting, they do appear. These Organical parts he finds composed of these Similar ones, viz. 1. the Cuticle, extending it self over the whole Bean, and herein distinguish from the Coats, that whereas these, upon setting the Bean, do only administer the sap, and then die; the Cuticle is with the Organical parts of the Bean nourish't, augmented, and co-extended. 2. The Parenchyma itself, having some similitude to the pith, while fappy, in the roots and trunks of plants; common to, and the same in, the Lobes, Radicle and Plume of the Bean. 3. The Inner Body, distributed throughout the parenchyma, but with all essentially different from it; called by the Author the Seminal Root, and distinguish't from the Radicle, in that the former is the Original root within its feed, the latter is the Plant-root, which the Radicle becomes in its growth; the parenchyma of the feed being, in some resemblance, that to the seminal root at first, which the mould is to the Plant-root afterwards; and the seminal root being that to the Plant-root, which the Plant-root is to the Trunk. Having viewed these parts, he inquireth into their Use, and in what manner they are the Fountain of Vegetation, and concurrent to the Being of the future Plant. Proceeding to the Root, (which he finds substantially one with the Radicle, as are the Parts of an Old man with those of a Fetus,) he therein observeth its Skin, Cortical Body, and Lignous part, together with the Original of each of these, and the Pores of the two latter, and their proportions; as also the Pith, and its Original, sometimes from the Seed, sometimes from the Cortical Body, together with its Pores, and Proportions: Moreover, the Fibres of the Lignous body dispersed through the pith, and the Cavity and Pith of those Fibres. Where he explains, How the Root grows, and what is the Use of its parts; how it grows in length and breadth; and how it descends; adding the Use of the Pith, viz. for the better advancement of the Sap, and its quicker and higher Fermentation, begun in the Cortical Body, inserted through the Lignous part, by which Insertions the Sap, like the Blood of the disseminations of the Arteries, is conveyed to its intimate parts: Our Author conjecturing, that the design whereto all these parts are together concurrent, is the Circulation of the Sap. Having thus declared the degrees of Vegetation in the Root, he next shews the Continuance thereof in the Trunk; the observables and parts of which are, 1. The Skin, derived from the Cuticle of the Seed; 2. The Cortical Body, originated from the Parenchyma of the Seed; 3. The Lignous Body, being the Prolongation of the Inner Body, distributed in the Lobes and Plume of the Seed; 4. The Insertment and Pith, proceeding also from the Plume, as the same in the Root from the Radicle; so that, as to their Substantial parts, the Lobes of the Seed, the Radicle and Plume, the Root and Trunk, are all one. Here notice is taken of the Shooting of the Lignous body in breadth; wherein are observable its Fibres, Production of Rings, and especially Pores; and these of three sorts, greater, lesser, and least of all; all continuous and prolonged by the length of the Trunk: which he proveth by an Experiment made by Mr. Hook, by filling up (suppose in a piece of Charcoal) all the said Pores with Mercury, which appears to pass quite through them, as is visible by a good Glass. The result of all is, that the Woody part of a Vegetable is nothing else but a Cluster of Innumerable and extraordinary Small Vessels or concave Fibres. He farther shews the Insertions of the Cortical body in the Trunk, and the Pores of those Insertions; in none of which pores he could observe anything, that may have the true nature and use of Valves; the non-existence of which he is asserting. He discourses also of the Position and Tract of the Pores: and concludeth this Chapter by declaring, How the Trunk ascends; How its parts, in consequence of that Ascent are disposed; How that disposition is consequent to the different nature and energy of the Sap; what the effects are of that difference; which way, and how the Sap ascends, viz. by the joint subserviency of the Lignous and the Cortical Body in some, but in most, and principally, of the Lignous Body, and Pith; the latter being here consider'd as a Curious Filter of Nature's own contrivance: where he examines, How the Pores of the Pith are permeable; and renders a reason why a piece of dry Elder-pith, set in some tinged liquor, the liquor doth not then penetrate the Pores, so as to ascend through the Body of the Pith? To this part is annexed, by way of Appendix, some Considerations of the Trunk-Roots and Claspers, and the Use of both. After this, he proceeds to the Germen, Branch, and Leaf, and finds in the two former the same parts with those of the Trunk, viz. the same Skin, and the same Cortical and Lignous Bodies, as also the same Insertment and Pith, hereinto propagated, and distinctly observable in it. Further, he shews the manner of their growth, and nutrition, and how the Germen is secured; as also the Use of the Knots. Then he lays open the parts of a Leaf, and explains the Positions of the Fibres in the Stalks of Leaves, and the Cause of their different shape, and of their being flat. Then he discourses of the Foulds of Leaves, their kinds and Use, together with the Uses of the Leaf itself. To this Chapter also he makes an Appendix of Thorns, Hairs, and Globulets, explaining both their Constitution and Use. Next, he gives an Accomp of the Flower, and its three general parts, the Empalement, the Foliation, and the Attire; explaining the formation, nature, and uses of all three, but most particularly of the Attire, which he finds to be of two kinds, Seminy and Florly; the Seminy, made up of two parts, Chives and Semes, the latter of which are hollow, yet not so but that they are filled up with minute particles, like a powder. The Florly Attire is commonly called Thrumb, which are several Suit, of which this Attire is made up: The outer part of every Suit, is its Floret, which is the Epitome of a Flower, and, in many Plants, all the Flower. The next part is from within its Tube brought to sight, and is called the Sheath, likewise concave. The third part and the innermost of the Suit is the Blade, which is solid, yet at its point evermore divided into two halves; upon which division there appears a Powder of Globulets, of the same nature with those of a Seme. The Use of the Attire he assigns to be not only Ornament and Distinction to us, but also Food to a vast number of little Animals, who have their peculiar provisions visions stored up in these Attires of Flowers; each Flower becoming their Lodging and their Dining-room, both in one: Though it cannot as yet be determined, Wherein the particular parts of the Attire may be more distinctly serviceable, this to one Animal, that to another; or to the same Animal, as a Bee, whether this for the Honey, another for their Bread, a third for the Wax; or whether all do only suck from hence some Juice, or some may not also carry some of the parts, as the globulet, wholly away, &c. In the following Chapter he treats of the Fruit, considering the Number, Constitution, and Original of the Parts of an Apple, Bean, Plum, Nut, and Berry; and observing, that the general Composition of all Fruits is one, that is, their Essential and Vital parts, are in all the same, and but the Continuation of those, which in the other parts of a Vegetable he hath already taken notice of. To which he subjoyns the Uses of Fruits, both for Man and Beast, as also for the Seed; to which latter it serveth for supply of Sap, and for Protection and Security, the whole Fruit being, by comprehension, that to the Seed, what the Hen, by Incubation, is to the Egg or Chick. In the Last Chapter he considers the Seed again, but in its state of Generation; as he before examined it in its state apt for Vegetation: where occurs, what in the other state was either not distinctly existent, or not so apparent, or not so intelligible. As first the Case of the Seed, and its outer Coat, their figures, various surface and Mucilages; together with the nature of the outer coat and its original: Then, the original and nature of the inner coat, in which the Lignous Body or Seed branch is described. Whereupon he observeth, that all the Parts of a Vegetable, the Root, Trunk, Branch, Leaf, Flower, Fruit, and Seed, are still made up of two substantially different Bodies; and that, as every part hath two, so the whole Vegetable, taken together, is a Compound of two only, and no more; all properly Woody parts, Strings and Fibres, being one Body; all simple Barks, Piths, Parenchyma's and Pulps, and, for substance, Pills and Skins also, all but one Body: The several parts of a Vegetable differing from each other other only by the various proportions and mixtures, and variously sized pores of these two Bodies. But to return, besides these three Covers, he finds a fourth, which is the innermost, called by him the Secondine, the concave of which membrane is filled with a transparent liquor, out of which the Seed is formed. Through this membrane, the Lignous Body or Seed-branches, distributed in the inner Coat, at last shoot down-right two slender Fibres, like two Navils, one into each Lobe of the Bean: These Fibres, from the superficies of each Lobe, descend a little way directly down; and then presently each is divided into two Branches, one distributed into the Lobes, the other into the Radicle and Plume. As for the Generation of the Seed, dependent upon the History delivered, he faith, that the sap, having in the Root, Trunk, and Leaves, passed divers Concoctions and Separations, in the manner by him described, 'tis at last, in some good maturity, advanced towards the Seed. The more Copious and Cruder part hereof is again separated by a free reception into the Fruit, or other part analogous to it. The more Essential part is entertained in the Seed branches, which being considerably long and very fine, the sap becomes therein, as in the Spermatick vessels, still more mature. From hence it is next deliver'd up into the Coats of the Seed, as into a Womb, and the meaner part hereof is again discharged to the outer Coat, as aliment good enough; the finer, is transmitted to the inner, which being a Parenchymous and more spacious body, the sap therefore is not herein a meer aliment, but in order to its being farther prepared by Fermentation. The sap being thus prepared in the inner coat, as a liquor now apt to be the matter of the future Seed Embryo, by fresh supplies is thence discharged, or filtered, or transpired through the Secondine above-mentioned; and the deposition thereof, answerable to the Colliquamentum in an Egg, or to the Semen muliebre, is at last made into the Concave of the same. The other part of the purest sap, imbosom'd in the ramulets of the Seed branch, runs a Circle, and so becomes, as the Semen masculinum, yet more elaborate. With this purest Sap the said ramulets being supplied, from thence at last the Navel-fibres shoot (as the Artery into the Colliquamentum) through the Secondine into the aforeaid liquor, deposited therein. Into which liquor being now shot, and its own proper Sap or tinctures mixt therewith, it strikes it thus into a Coagulum, or into a Body consistent and truly parenchymous. And in the interim of the Coagulation, a gentle fermentation being also made, the said Parenchyma or Coagulum becomes such, not of any Constitution indifferently, but is raised (as we see Bread in baking) into a Congeries of fixed Bubles; the parenchyma of the whole Seed being such. The whole is illustrated by several Figures, and these explicated with great care. II. Dissertations sur la Nature du FROID & du CHAUD; par le Sieur Petit, Conseiller du Roy, Intendant des Fortifications, &c. Avec un Discours sur la Construction & l'Usage d'un Cylindre Arithmetique, inventé par le même Auteur. A. Paris, 1671. The famous Author of these two Tracts, examins in the former, First, the Nature, Subject, Cause, and Effects of Cold. As to its Nature, he esteems it to be a Positive thing, and not a meer Privation, the Effects of it being as sensible to us, as those of Heat. For the Subject of it, he placeth the Supreme Cold in the Pure Air, and maketh the Heat, that is sometimes in the Air, meerly adventitious, produced in it by the Sun, but the Cold natural to the same. Concerning the Cause of this Cold in the Air, he will not acknowledge it to be Nitre, (all sorts of Salt being by him esteem'd hot) much less an Universal Spirit, or any Stars; but esteems, that the Air is the Primum Frigidum by nature; the same Cause, that hath made it Air, having made it Cold. The Effects of Cold being too obvious to discourse of them in print, he enlarges upon the Manner of its operation, performed by the insinuation of the Air into the pores of Bodies, and increased by the force of Northerly winds; where he notes, that the Cold Air, by its parts, figur'd for the purpose, and penetrating such bodies as are disposed to glaciation, divides the parts of the same, and arrests their motion. Here he endeavours to prove, that Frozen water is not properly condensed, though it be hardened and fixed, but that 'tis rather dilated by the ingrefts of the Cold Air; whence he observeth that Ice is really lighter than Water. Secondly, he discourses of Fire, after he hath discarded it from being one of the common Four Elements, and dislodged it from its reputed place above the Air under the Concave of the Moon: And affirms, that 'tis the Heat of the Sun, which moves, quickens, and coagulates the three families of Mixts, Animals, Vegetables and Minerals, yet withall taking in a Subterraneous heat for the production of Minerals. In the Latter Tract of this Book, the Author explains an Invention of his, of an Arithmetical Cylinder. For, finding that in the Rabdology of the Noble Nepper, the multitude and embarrassment of those sticks, filled with numbers on all sides, proved longsom and tedious, and that thereupon the practice of the Invention had ceased; he consider'd of a way to render it more expedit and easie, and at length concluded, to take bands of past-board instead of sticks, on which having written the self-same Multiples from 1 to 9, and made the same distribution of the numbers into little squares, separated by a diagonal, drawn from the left to the right hand upwards, (as those Sticks are;) he added thereto a file of Roman Numbers, I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, to be put on the side, and over against the Multiplying and Dividing Numbers; very useful as well for marking the beginning and end of the said numbers, to stop where 'tis needful (all the bands not being used in all operations,) as for marking the Multiple, which you shall use in each number. As, (e.g.) to multiply 7 by 5 or by 9, instead of being at the trouble of counting the ranks of these Multiples 5 and 9, they may may be presently seen in one or other of the Files of those Roman Numbers. Having then employed these bands in raising or abasing them on a table, to make those principal numbers, that are necessary, to appear over against one another, he further bethought himself (for a yet shorter way,) to dispose those pieces into circles very equal, and to glue, upon each of them, 3 or 4 small buttons of wood, of the bigness of a pins-head, and then to put them upon a Cylinder of wood or past-board, on which they might be turned by means of those buttons: Which form made him call this little Instrument an Arithmetical Cylinder, which is of the bigness or diameter of a Childrens Drum, or of the form of an Hat, and of what height you will, to hold as many bands or circles as you shall desire to make great Operations. The practice of this Instrument is shewed by divers Examples, as may be seen in the Book itself. III. La DIOPTRIQUE OCULAIRE, par le Pere Cherubin d'Orleans, Capucin. A Paris, 1671. in Fol. The Author of this large and elegant Volume, having proposed to himself to comprehend in it and to teach all that concerns the Theory, Use, and Mechanism of the Telescope (by him called the Ocular Dioptrique,) divides it into three principal Parts. The First contains the Doctrine of Opticks and Dioptricks, or, of Simple vision Direct, and that which is made by rays Refracted; both by him pretended to be handled with a succinct, but singular, Method. Discoursing of Refraction, he declares, That the Refraction of a visual ray in Glass to 30 degrees of inclination, is proportional to the Inclination of the ray, as far as sense is able to judge of it. And that, the Inclination not exceeding 30 degrees, the Angle of the refraction of the ray, which enters into Glass, is about a third part of the Angle of the Inclination of the ray passing into the Air: But that the same Inclination not exceeding 30 degrees, the Angle of the refraction of the ray issuing out of the Glass into the Air, is about the half of the Angle of its Inclination in the Glass. Examining, what the Dissection of an Eye may conduce to the knowledge of the Refractions of its Humors, he noteth, That the Extinction of the vital spirits in a dead Animal doth extremely alter the consistence of the Humors of his Eye, which contributed much to the perfect vision in the living animal: And that all the Experiments, that can be made by dissecting of Eyes, to come to the knowledge of the Refractions of the Humors, and of the other parts that conducted to Vision, cannot give the true knowledge thereof; Experience proving, that the Christallin and Vitreous humors do reciprocally change their consistence. He observeth also, that not only the different Diaphaneities of the Humors of the Eye do contribute to the refraction of the visual rays passing through them; but also the Figures of their Surfaces, on which those rays fall unequally inclin'd. He noteth likewise, that the visual rays, having penetrated the Corneous tunique and the Aqueous humor of the Eye, do not suffer any great refractions upon the Anterior surface of the Christallin, though it be finer than the Aqueous humor; because that its Spherical convexity is concentrique to that of the Cornea and of the Aqueous humor, which are likewise spherical: But that they receive their greatest refractions, when they pass through the Posterior surface of the Christallin, which is opposite to them, and of a very small Sphere, and upon which they are found much inclined. He taketh further notice, That the surfaces of the Christallin humor are not Hyperbolical but perfectly Spherical; and that the exactness, which by that means is pretended for Vision, is contrary to Experience, by which he asserts it to be undeniable, that, though by Glasses of an hyperbolic cal figure, the rays, coming from the principal point of the object to the Eye, would more exactly meet in one point at the bottom of the Retina, and consequently, that from one certain point of a determinate distance you would more perfectly see that point; yet would not such a figure reunite the rays of the other lateral points of the object, each exactly in a point of concourse in the said retina. So that, if the visible object were nothing but a point, and the surfaces of the Chrystallin hyperbolical, (which they are not,) there would then be made a more exquisite vision of that only point. The second part delivers the Theory of the Telescope in all its kinds: which is usher'd in by a History of the Invention and Antiquity of Telescopes; and by a Discourse concerning the Difference of the Ancient Glasses from the Modern. This done, he explains the matter of this second Part in XI. Sections. 1. Shews the power, which diaphanous medium's, less subtile than Air, and of figures simply Spherical, have in refracting the visual rays passing thorow them. 2. Declares the Effects of Spherical Convex Glasses, to serve for the construction of the Telescope of the first kind, which always supposeth the Eye between the Glass, and its point of Concurrence. 3. Considers the Affections of Spherical Concaves, to serve for the construction of the same kind of Telescope. 4. Demonstrates the Effects of the Conjunction of Spherical Convexes and Concaves, in the Construction of the same sort of Telescope. 5. Examins the Affections of Spherical Convexes, in the Construction of a Telescope of the second kind; wherein the Eye is always more distant from the Convex Objective Glass, than its point of Concurrence, and which admits no Concave. 6. Shews the Effects of the Composition or Multiplication of Spherical Convexes, in the construction of all sorts of Telescopes of the second sort. 7. Demonstrates, that the long Telescopes, which serve to see remote objects, may also serve to see near objects that are small. 8. Demonstrates the Construction of Microscopes, to see the smallest Objects. 9. Shews the Construction of a kind of Mixt or Cata-dioptrique Telescope, composed of Refraction and Reflection. 10. Shews, that one may see at one and the same time, with both Eyes, one and the same Object, by a Telescope; and how to make such an one. 11. Treateth of the Proportion of the respective Convexities and Concavities of Glasses, to serve for the construction of a Telescope. The Third part of this Volume is subdivided into two, which the Author calls the Positive, and Mechanical. The Positive teacheth the actual Construction of Telescopes, and their Uses, and that in 12 Sections. 1. Delivers the manner of proportioning positively the Power of Glasses for Telescopes; together with the choice of their figure, though spherical, and the tryal and graduation of their goodness. 2. Teaches how to work actually all sorts of Telescopes, and how to use them. 3. Teaches the manner, actually to put into use the Cata-dioptrique Telescope, which redress the object by Reflection, that before had been inverted by Refraction. 4. Shews the way of making a double Telescope in all its kinds, to make Objects to be seen by both Eyes at the same time, much greater and much clearer, than with one Eye alone. 5. Teaches in general, how to make actually all sorts of Microscopes, to see distinctly and to magnifie very considerably the smallest objects. 6. Treats of the Use of the Telescope generally in all its kinds. 7. Teaches a New and peculiar use of Telescopes, for drawing drawing to the life in proportion, from a great to a small volume, any Terrestrial objects, that are at a competent distance to be well seen; without a necessity of having any skill in drawing. 8. Contains the Use of the Microscope in all its kinds; together with a way of measuring, how much a Microscope magnifies the Object. 9. 10. 11. Treat of the Use of Telescopes in the Observations of Celestial Objects: Where the Author enumerates the many excellent Discoveries, that by their means have been made by modern Astronomers, who therefore may be said, Admovisse oculis distantia sidera nostris, Ætheraque ingenio supposuisse suos. Such as are, 1. The Conjunction of Mercury with the Sun. 2. Venus having her phases like the Moon. 3. The Body of the Moon appearing like an other Earth, full of Mountains and Vallies, Seas, Rocks, Islands, Lakes, Forests and vast Plains; as also the Libration of the Moon. 4. Spots in the Sun. 5. The Four Satellites of Jupiter. 6. A Satelles of Saturn, and Rings about the same. 7. Several Belts about Jupiter, and divers Spots in Mars, Venus, &c. 8. The Milky Way nothing but an innumerable company of small Stars, near to one another. 9. The finding an Eclipse to begin and end sooner when observed with the naked Eye, than when seen with a Telescope; as also, that it appears always less by a digit, being observed by the bare Eye, than it is indeed. 10. Pleiades consisting of many more Stars than Seven. 11. Orion having 80 other Stars besides those three in his Belt, and the six in his Sword: And the same having in his head 21, instead of the one, called the Nebula. 12. The Observation of many New Stars, as in Cassiopea, in Cete, in Cygno, Andromeda, &c. Here the Author taketh occasion to intimate, that the rich Blew of the Sky seems to be nothing else, but a Confusion of the mixture of lights diffused by that innumerable number of Stars, dispersed through the whole extent of that immense profundity of the Æthereal Region. 12. Teaches a new way, of using a Telescope for drawing in proportion all the new Appearances in the Heavens; for measuring the Bodies of the Planets, and of the Fixt Stars themselves and their distances, in such parts, that a Line (the twelfth part of an inch) shall contain a 1000 of them; an inch (the twelfth part of a foot) 12000, and a foot, 144000: Besides, a very easy and certain way of making all these parts (though very small) perceptible to the bare Eye. So far of the first Head of this Third Part. The other Head is the Mechanical, shewing the several ways of Forming and Polishing all sorts of Glasses, that serve for Telescopes; which is done in six Sections. 1. Rectifies the Common way of forming Glasses Spherically, and all the Moulds, in which the Vulgar Artists are wont to work them. 2. Teaches a way of excellently forming and polishing such Glasses by hand, without any Engin. 3. Teaches a way of working Glasses by the hand guided by a simple Engin. 4. Treats of the working of Glasses by Instruments and Engins, regulating and directing the hand. 5. Teaches a New way of working Spherical Concave Eyeglasses, to serve Telescopes of the first kind, above-mentioned. 6. Teaches a New way of working all sorts of Spherical Glasses, Convex and Concave, for Telescopes, very universally, speedily, with ease, and in a small room; even for the longest Tubes. All which the Author concludes with a Direction for a way of making Tubes that may serve to fit up Telescopical Glasses. ERRATA. In Numb. 74. p. 2221. l. 25. r. is by Bruerus described to Muffet. In this Numb. 78. p. 3029. l. 23. r. predicted, for practised, p. 3029. l. 16. &c. unum. ibid. l. 25. r. spectaculum. LONDON, Printed for John Martyn, Printer to the Royal Society. 1671.