It is concluded by the PeripateticksPeripatetics, and Orthodox Philosophers, that the -
thing nourishing is converted into the substance of the thing nourished, and -
assimilated to it, not indeed before, but after the alteration of it, and that is ac=
counted an infallible axiomeaxiom: for how would the thing nourishing (which is all=
ready before the like and the same with the thing nourished) have need of
the mutation of its essence, which if it should happen, it would not remayneremain
the same nor the like; or how should those things, which cannot be assimilated
to the thing nourished, be taken for nutriment, such as are wood, stones and -
the like? as therefore the first is vaynevain, soeso the other is contrary to nature; but
for an Infant new borneborn to be nourished by the milkemilk of animallsanimals, is a thing
not repugnant to nature: because assimilation of it may be made, but far
more easily of the mothers, than of anothers: wherefore PhysitiansPhysicians doedo con=
clude, that it conducethconduces to the health, similitude of substance and manners,
as allsoalso strength of an Infant, if it be allwayesalways nourished by the milkemilk of its -
owneown mother, on the contrary if by anothers. This is the harmony of every
nature, that like delights in its like, and followesfollows its footsteps, soeso farrefar as it
is able, in all things, with a certainecertain tacit consent and conspiration: the same
thing usually happens in the naturallnatural workework of the Philosophers, which is æquallyequally
governed by nature in the conformation of it, as an infant in the mothers -
wombewomb; and though a father and mother, and nurcenurse itself be by way of si=
militude ascribed to it, yet it is not more artificiallartificial, than the generation of
every animallanimal: two seeds are by a certainecertain pleasant artifice joyndjoined together
by animallsanimals, and both humanehuman sexes, which being united doedo by successive
alteration produce an Embryo, which growesgrows and is increased, acquires life -
and motion, and then is nourished by milkemilk: but necessary it is for the wo=
man in time of conception and imprægnationimpregnation to carry herselfeherself temperately
in heat, meat and drinkedrink, motion and rest, and other circumstances, otherwise
an abortion will follow, and destruction of the conceived Embryo, which -
observation in six things not naturallnatural, because it is præscribedprescribed by Physi=
tiansPhysicians according to their art, is allsoalso artificiallartificial. After the same manner if the -
seeds be not joyned together in the PhilosophicallPhilosophical workework, they ought to be
joynedjoined: but if they could be found somewhere joynedjoined together, as the seed
of the CockeCock and HenneHen are had in an eggeegg subsisting together in one -
continent, then would the Philosophers workework be yet more naturallenatural, than
the generation of animallsanimals. But let us grant, as the Philosophers doedo assert,

that one comes from the east and another from the west, and are made one,
what more is administredadministered to them, than mixtiureon in their owneown vessellvessel, tem=
perate heat and nutriment? the vessellvessel is indeed artificiallartificial, but herein is
noeno difference, whether the nest be made by the HenneHen herselfeherself, or dispo=
sed by a rustickerusticcountry dame in an unsome certainecertain place, as coḿoncommon it is, the generation of
the eggs, and the hatching of chickens from them will be the same. Heat
is a naturallnatural thing, whether it proceed from the temperate fire of fur=
naces, and putrefaction of dung, or from the SunneSun and aireair, or bowellsbowels
of the mother, or elswhereelsewhere: thus the ÆgyptianEgyptian doth by art administer -
naturallnatural heat by his furnaces for the hatching of eggs: the Seeds of Silkesilk=
worms, yea even hennehen eggs are saydsaid to be hatched by the warmth of a Virgins
breasts: Art therefore and Nature doedo mutually helpehelp, soeso as to officiate one for the -
other: neverthelessenevertheless nature is allwaysalways the MistresseMistress, and Art the servant. But to say
the earth is the NurceNurse of the PhilosophicallPhilosophical babe, might create an objection to any
one, the earth being of all the elements most dry and voydvoid of juice, to which siccity
as the proper quality appertains: but it may be answerdanswered, that the earth elemented
is here understood, not the Element, which weewe tooketook notice enough of in the first
day of the PhilosophicallPhilosophical weekeweek, and explained nature: This (earth) is the Nurcenurse -
of CœlumCoelum, not in opening, washing or watering the babe, but coagulating, fix=
ing and colouring, and converting it into mere juice and blood: For nutri=
tion implyesimplies augmentation in length, breadth, and depth, that is, extending -
itselfeitself through all dimensions of the body, which being here, and performdperformed
by earth alone to the PhilosophicallPhilosophical babe, the name of NurceNurse is not -
without reason to be ascribdascribed to earth: but a thing contrary to the other -
kinds of milkemilk, which are converted and doedo not convert, happens in this
admirable terrestriallterrestrial juice, it by reason of its most efficacious virtue -
much altering the nature of the thing nourished, even as the milkemilk of
the wolfewolf is beleiv'dbelieved to have disposed the body of Romulus into a mag=
nanimous nature, and propense to warrewar. . . . . . . .