[An Account of Three Books]

The Anatomy of Plants: with an Idea of a Philosophical History of Plants: and several other Lectures, read before the Royal Society by Nehemiah Grew M.D. Fellow of the Royal Society, and of the College of Physicians. Printed by William Rawlins for the Author, 1682. This Work was begun, about Nineteen years past; since then, hath been carried on by the special Appointment of the Royal Society; and by their order, is now made publick. The Idea, prefixed to the Anatomy, gives us an account of the Materials and Methods necessary for making a compleat History of Plants; which are copiously proposed under these five General Heads of Enquiry: viz. First, Of those Things, which are of more External consideration about Plants, as their Figures &c. Secondly, Of their Compounding Parts, as Vessels &c Thirdly, Of their Liquors and other Contents. Fourthly, Of their Principles, as Salts &c. Fifthly, Of their Aliment, as Water and other means of Growth. Aiming, chiefly, at the discovery of the reason of Vegetation, and of the Virtues of Plants. The Anatomy is divided into four Books. In the First, all the Observations, except one or two, are made with the the naked Eye. To the End, a Proof might first be given, How far it is possible for us to go without the help of Glasses; which many Ingenious men want; and more, the patience to manage them. It begins with the Seed sown, and so proceeds to the Root, Trunk, Branch, Leaf, Flower, Fruit, and lastly to the Seed also to be sown again; for each, allowing one whole Chapter. In every Chapter, the Anatomy of the Part being first given; the Uses are subjoyned. And there being two Chapters for the Seed; in the first is shewed the manner of its Growth; and in the last, the manner of its Generation. The Second Book, is divided into Two Parts. The First, containeth the Anatomy of Roots: which is here prosecuted both with the naked Eye, and with the Microscope. It begins with some special Remarks of the Motions and some other properties of Roots. Next, proceeds to the Anatomy of the Skin, Bark, Wood, and Pith: giving the Description of several sorts of Sap Vessels; as also of the Air Vessels or Lungs; and of the Bladders and Fibres of the Pith and all the Parenchymous parts of a Plant; and shewing the elegant and accurate Work of Nature in all. Particularly, that the Pith is a Rete mirabile; herein more curious, than that in the Braine; in that its Fibres, are not only exquisitely small, very regularly composed together. The Second Part, gives a large account of the Vegetation of Roots: shewing, how the ground is prepared for it; How the Sap Imbib'd, and distributed to the several Parts; How the several Parts are nourished; How they are Formed; and how they come to be situate or dispos'd. How Roots obtain their different size and shape; How their different Motion; and different Age: How the Contents of the several Parts are made; and how their Odors, Colors, and Tasts. And what is here said, is also applicable to the same Parts in the Trunk &c. The Third Book, is also divided into Two Parts. The First, First, containeth the Anatomy of Trunks and Branches, which is here prosecuted in like manner, as the former of Roots. Further shewing, the admirable Artifice of Nature, in the Structure and Composition of all the Parts of a Plant. As amongst others, in Tab. 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40. In Tab. 29, f. 1, 2, 3; the Vessels are represented above six hundred thousand times bigger, than they appear to the naked Eye; the structure whereof cannot be discerned, without being magnified to that degree. The Second Part (omitting what is said of the Vegetation of Roots, and is thence applicable unto Trunks) insisteth on the further clearing of these following particulars, viz., The motion and course of the Sap; The motion and course of the Air; The Structure of the Parts; The Generation of Liquors; The Figuration of Trunks; The motion of Trunks; and their Nature, as fitted for Mechanical Use. The Fourth Book, is divided into four Parts. The First, of Leaves. In which, are described, first, their Protections and Folds; Then, those things which appear upon their Surface; The apparent Position of their Fibres, and the Measures of their Circumference, defined by the Arches of several Circles, having the same or divers centres and diameters, and the length of the Leaf, or certain equal parts thereof subtracted or multiply'd, being the Standard for the diameters of those Circles. Next the Apertures, Parts, and curious Texture of Leaves: and the Time, and manner in which they are formed. Where the Author designes an ascent to the highest step in the business of Generation. The Second Part, of Flowers. In which, are described the three General Parts of the Flower; viz. the Empalement; the Foliation; and the Attire, both the Seminiform, and the Florid, in which there is a great deal of curious and unexpected Variety; which Nature hath bestow'd upon these Parts, next to the Seed itself, of greatest For every Plant being appendiculatus the Attire, answers to the Genitals of Male and Female both together; and the Powder which they disburse let fall upon the Uterus, is the Sperme of Plants. The Time also, in which the Flower is form'd, is observed, nor to be the same Year in which it appears, as hath hitherto been thought, but the year before. Hereto is subjoyned an Appendix; being a Method proposed for the ready finding, by the Leaf and Flower, to what sort any Plant belongeth. The Third Part, of Fruits. In which are described these following, viz. an Apple, Limmon, Cucumber, Pear, Plum, Grape, Gooseberry, and some others; which are so many several sorts of the Fleshy Uterus. Next, of the Seed-case or Membranous Uterus. And lastly, the Use of the several Parts, both to the Fruit and Seed, is set down. Particularly, the manner of the Ejaculation of the Seed in Noli-me-tangere. The Last Part, of Seeds. Wherein we have first, a Description of the Various and Elegant Figures of Seeds. Next, an account of their Number, and several Motions, and for what purpose they are made. As for instance, in the Seed of Harts Tongue and all that Tribe, which are shot off with a spring contrived for it. The annual product of these Seeds from one Plant, being about a Million; of which, ten Thousand, are not so big as a white Pepper Corn. After this, the Description and Use of the Covers of the Seed, and of the Vitellum; Of the several Parts of the Fætus or true Seed; and lastly, a further account of the rare contrivance of the Stone in fruits, and of the three Membranes over the Seed, in order to the Generation and growth of the same. Thus far the Anatomy. The following Lectures are these. 1. Of the Nature, Causes, and Power of Mixture. In discourse whereof, a Foundation is laid for these Axioms, Sc. That the whole business of the Material World, is nothing nothing else but Mixture. That Natural and Artificial Mixture are the same, as also the Causes of both. And that therefore, so far as we can govern Mixture, we may do what Nature doth. As in rendering all Bodies sociable or mingleable; In making Artificial Bodies in imitation of those of Nature's own production; and other particulars, of which Instances are given. In a short Appendix to this Discourse, notice is taken of Mr. Pappius New Digestor; and how directly it is deducible from one of those Rules laid down in the fifth Chapter (Section the fifth) for the Mixture and Dissolution of Bodies. II. Experiments in Consort, of the Lactation arising from the Mixture of several Menstruum's with all sorts of Bodies. Being a Specimen of a Natural History of the Materia Medica. III. An Essay, of the various Proportions, wherein the Lixivial Salt is found in Plants. IV. A Discourse concerning the Essential and Marine or Muriatic Salts of Plants. In which is shewed the way of making the same. V. A Discourse of the Colours of Plants. VI. A Discourse of the Diversities and Causes of Tafts, chiefly in Plants. With an Appendix containing some observables of the Odors of Plants. VII. Experiments in Consort upon the Solution of Salts in Water. From whence, (amongst other Inferences of import in relation to Natural Philosophy,) the Cause of the Motion of the Mercury in the Barometre, is assign'd. The Plates to this Work, are fourscore and three, all upon Sheets and half Sheets. Excerpta ex literis Ill. & Clariss. Virorum ad Nob. Ampliss. & consultiss. D. Joh. Hevelium Cons. Gedanensem perscriptis, Judicia de Rebus Astronomicis, ejusdemque Scriptis, exhibentia, studio ac opera Johannis Erici Olhoffij Secretarii Gedani Anno 1683 4°. The Compiler of this Book being now Secretary of the Republick of Dantzig, has happily chosen a Subject which gives him Opportunity to publish the extraordinary merit of his friend, the famous and learned Hevelius; and at the same time to advance the Reputation of his Country, where such men have been bred up, and called to be Magistrates. The Work itself consists but of a part of Fifteen Volumes of Letters, written by some of the chiefest men of this Age, to Hevelius in Commendation of his Selenography, Cometography and Machina Coelestis, already published, and for his further encouragement to go on with his other Astronomical designs, yet unfinished. The Encomiums given in these Letters are greater than can be comprehended by those that have not read them, and are to be valued by the worth and honour of those persons they come from, among whom the Great Monsieur Colbert deserves well to be mentioned, the Sincerity of whose Praises need not be doubted of, since they came accompanied with good solid Bills of Exchange. Tradatus Tractatus de Poxagra & Hydrope per Tho Sydenham M.D. Londini 1633. The account this Treatise gives us of the Gout is grounded upon the Author's many Years experience, both of the disease itself, and of the method of cure. He is very exact in his description of the rise, progress, causes and Symptoms of it, and tells us those men are most commonly attacked by it in their age, whose Youth was pampered with spirituous Wines, and high Diet, whom though they perceived no inconveniences but what their exercises then carried off, yet the necessary unactivity of old age made them suffer what an active and vigorous Youth permitted them not to feel. Not that the young or the lean are totally exempt from it, inheritance and excess of Venery often bringing it upon those whose years and constitution might else have been privileged, and among all mankind he observes those most liable and made for it, whose large heads, and moist, lax, and full habit of body marks them out, and disputes for its reception. But if any man is so happy as to escape it till he is old, he is never so often or so much afflicted, as he who is seized in his youth, either death preventing the full growth of the disease, or the native heat being not strong enough to through off the materia morbifica upon the joints. The regular time of its invasion he assigns the latter end of January, or the beginning of February, the chief time of its fury is at night, with which the pain proportionably declines, a series of which short Fits constitute the general one, which sometimes last two or three Months, and those who are in years, or weakened by other Distempers seldom leaves till the full Summer drives it away. Among the other sad attendants of this distemper he brings in the Stone, which happens to most either from their long lying on their backs, or from the intermission of the usual secretions, or else because both distempers may probably spring from one and the same matter. Neither is the body alone thus afflicted, but the torments reach the mind, so that every Paroxysm is as much a fit of Anger, as of the Gout. Upon contemplation of all the Symptomes he imputes the whole distemper to the defect of concoction in the parts and humours of the body, which the want of animal spirits many other ways formerly wasted, necessarily infers, by the great decay of the ferments, whose force depends chiefly upon them. As for the cure he designs antecedently the digestion of the humours, and in the Fit the alloying of the heat, and Ebullition of them arising arising from their putrefaction; to the great opposition of which intentions he attributes the great difficulty commonly met with in endeavouring to remove this Distemper. The Dropsie he makes universal extending to all ages and Sexes, though women are more liable to it than men, and are most commonly exposed to it either when they are barren, or when age hath rendered them uncapable of Child-bearing. The true Symptomes of it are difficulty of breathing, little Urine and much thirst, the consumption of the other parts likewise in proportion to the encrease of the Hydropical constantly happens. The general cause he supposes the weakness of the blood, which not being able to assimilate the Chyle, lets its fall into the pendulous parts of the Body, till at last it enters the Abdomen, where while the quantity of it is small, nature forms little bladders to contain it, till at last exceeding all measure, it knows no bounds but those of the Peritonaeum. The causes which weaken the blood he takes to be the excess of Venefiction, or of any other Evacuation, any long distemper, or a constant abuse of spirituous drinks. His indications are to evacuate the water, and to strengthen the blood, for both which he gives particular directions, and among his remedies these two especially he commends, viz., Elaterium, and Crocus metallorum. Discoursing of the hidden conveyances nature carries of these waters by, he infers the great use of Anatomy in Physick, as being that, without which it is impossible to form clear Ideas either of the nature or causes of the diseases; And does not in the least doubt the success of his method, unless the viscera by long lying in the waters are corrupted. He does not much commend the Paracentesis or the Acupunctura, they being as likely to cause a Gangrene as Blisters themselves, by the way he takes notice of the burning with Moxa, which he will not allow to have a Specifick quality in its flame, any more than another actual fire, and although we owe this Medicine to the Indians, yet it was not unknown to the Antients, for Hippocrates directs cauterising with raw Flax in the very case of the Gout. OXFORD, Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD, Printer to the University, and are to be sold by Moses Pit at the Angel, and Richard Chiswel at the Rose and Crown in St. Pauls Church-yard, Hen. Rogers at the Sign of the Bible in Westminster Hall, and Sam. Smith at the Princes-Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard, 1683.