and Convenience: fome to heal the moft ftubborn and dangerous Diftempers (23), to alleviate and eafe the Pains (24) of our poor infirm Bodies, all the World over: And fome defigned for the peculiar Service and Good of particular Places, either to cure fuch Diftempers as are peculiar to them, by growing more plentifully there than elsewhere (25) ula, quibus perforandis auribus, macerandi corporis gratia, Indis uri mos erat cum Damonum vacarent cultui; item acicule, acus, tribuli militares & raftilla idonea pellendis fubtegminibus. Prateren e fucco mananti, cujus evulfis germinibus internis foliifve tenerioribus cultis [Yztlinis] in mediam cavitatem, ftillat planta, unica ad 50 interdum amphoras (quod diclu eft mirabile ) Vina, Mel, Acetum ac Saccharum parantur [The Methods of which he tells.] Idem fuccus menfes ciet, alvum lenit, Urinam evocat Renes Veficam emundat. E radice quoque Refles fiunt firmiffime Craffiores foliorum partes, truncufque, decolta fub terra, edendo funt apta, fapiuntque Citrea frufta faccharo condita: quin & vulnera recentia mire conglutinant. Folia quoque affa & affecto loco impofita convulfionem curant, ac dolores leniunt (præcipue fi fuccus ipfe calens bibatur) quamvis ab Indica proficifcantur lue, fenfum babetant, atque torporem inducunt. Radicis fuccus luem Veneream curat apud Indos ut Dr. Palmer. Ray ib. L. 21. c. 7. See also Dr. Sloane Voy. to Jamaica. P 247. There are also two forts of Aloe befides, mentioned by the fame Dr. Sloane, one of which is made ufe of for Fishing-Lines, Bow-ftrings, Stockings, and Hammocks. Another hath Leavesthat hold Rain-water, to which Travellers, c. refort to quench their Thirft, in scarcity of Wells, or Waters, in those dry Coun tries. ibid. p. 249. ། (23) For an Inftance here, I fhall name the Cortex Peruvianus which Dr. Morton calls Antidotus in levamen ærumnarum vitæ humane plurimarum divinitus conceffa. De Febr. Exer.v. c. 3. In Sanitatem Gentium proculdubio a Deo 0. M. conditus. Cujus gratia, Arbor vita fiqua alia, jure merito appellari poteft. Id. ib. c. 7. Eheu! quot convitiis Herculea & divina hec Antidotus jactabatur ? Ibid. To this (if we may believe the Ephemer. German. Ann. 12. Obfer. 74. and fome other Authors) we may add Trifolium paludofum, which is become the Panacas of the Germans and Northern Nations. (24) Pro doloribus quibufcunque fedandis præftantiffimi femper ufus (25); or else to obviate fome Inconvenience there, or to fupply fome conftant Neceffity, or Occafion, not poffible, or at least not eafy, to be fupplied any other Way (26). Tis, for Inftance, an admirable Provifion made for fome Countries fubject ta ufus Opium habetur; quamobrem merito Nepenthe appellari folet, & remedium vere divinum exiftit. Et quidem fatis mirari vix poffumus, quomodo urgente vifceris aut membri cujufpiam tortura infigni, intolerabili cruciatu, pharmacum hoc, incantamenti inftar, leva men avargnoiav fubitam, immo interdum abfque fomno, aut faltem prius quam advenerit, concedit. Porro adbuc magis stupendum eft, quod donec particule Opiatica operari, & potentiam fuam narcoticam exerere continuant, immo etiam aliquamdiu poftquam fomnus finitur, fumma alleviario, do indolentia in parte affect a perfifti. Willis, Phar. rat. par. 1. S.7. C. I. §. 15. (25) Tales Plantarum fpecies in quacunque regione a Deo creantur quales bominibus & animalibus ibidem natis maxime conveniunt; imo ex plantarum nafcentium frequentia fe fere animadvertere poffe quibus morbis [endemiis] qualiber regio fubje&ta fit, Seribit Solenander. Sic apud Danos, Frifios, Hollandos, quibus Scorbutus frequens, Cochlearia copiofe provenit. Ray. H. Pl. L. 16. C. 3. To this may be added Elmer's Obfervations concerning the Vertues of divers Things in his Obfervations de Vincetoxico Scropbularum remedio. F. Germ. T. 1. Obf. 57. John Benerovinus, a Phyfician of Dort, may be here confulted, who wrote a Book on purpose to fhew, that every Country hath every Thing ferving to its Occafions, and particularly Remedies afforded to all the Diftempers it is fubject anto. V. Bener. 'Aurápneia, Batav. five Introd. ad Medic. indigenam. (26) The Defcription Dr. Sloane gives of the Wild-Pine is, that its Leaves are channelled fit to catch and convey Water down into their Refervatories, that these Refervatories are fo made, as to hold much Water, and clofe at Top when full, to hinder its Evaporation; that thefe Plants grow on the Arms of the Trees in the Woods every where [in thofe Parts] as alfo on the Barks of their Trunks. And one Contrivance of Nature in this Vegetable, he faith, is very admirable. The Seed hath long and many Threads of Tomentum, not only that it may be carried every where by the Wind but alfo that it may by thofe Threads, when driven through the Boughs, be held faft, and stick to the Arms, and extant Parts of the Barks of Trees. Sa to Drought, that when the Waters every where fail, there are Vegetables which contain not only Moisture enough to fupply their own Vegetation and Wants, but afford Drink alfo both to Man and other Creatures, in their great Extremities (27); and a great deal more might be inftanced in' of So foon as it sprouts or germinates, although it be on the under Part of a Bough,its Leaves and Stalk rife perpendicular, or ftrait up, because if it had any other Pofition, the Ciftera (before-mentioned, by which it is chiefly nourished made of the hollow Leaves, could not hold Water, which is neceffary for the Nourishment and Life of the Plant In Scarcity of Water, this Refervatory is neceffary and fufficient, not only for the Plantit felf, but like wife is very useful to Men, Birds, and all forts of Infects, whether they come in Troops, and feldom go away without Refreshment. Id. ib. p. 188. and Phil. Tranfact. No. 251. where a Figure is of this notable Plant, as also in Lowthorp's Abridg. V. 2. p. 669. The Wild-Pine, fo called, c. hath Leaves that will hold a Pint and a half, or Quart of Rain Water; and this Water refreshes the Leaves, and nourishes the Root. When we find thefe Pines, we ftick our Knives into the Leaves, just above the Root, and that lets out the Water, which we catch in our Hats, as I have done many times to my great Relief. Dampier's Voy. to Campeachy, ch. 2. p. 56. (27) Navarette tells us of a Tree called the Bejuco, which twines about other Trees, with its End hanging downwards; and that Travellers cut the Nib off it, and prefently a Spout of Water runs out from it, as clear as Cryftal, enough and to fpare for fix or eight Men. I drank, faith he, to my Satisfaction of it, found it cool and sweet, and would drink it as often as I found it in my Way. It is a Juice and natural Water. It is the common Relief of the Herds-men on the Mountains. When they are Thirfty, they lay hold on the Bejuco, and drink their Fill. Colle&t. of Voy. and Trav. Vol. 1. in the Suppl. to Navarette's Account of China, p. 355. The Waterwith of Famaica hath the fame Ufes, concerning which, my before-commended Friend, Dr. Shane, favoured me with this Account from his Original Papers: This Vine growing on dry Hills, in the Woods where no Water is to be met with, its Trunk, if cut into pieces two or three Yards long, and held by either End to the Mouth, affords fo plentifully a limpid, innocent, and refreshing Water, Ee 4 Book X. of a like Nature, and Things that bear fuch plain Impreffes of the Divine Wifdom and Care, that they manifeft the Super-intendance of the infinite Creator. Thus I have given a Sketch of another Branch of the Creation, which (although one of the meaneft, yet) if it was accurately viewed, would abundantly manifeft it felf to be the Work of God. But because I have been fo long upon the other Parts, although lefs than they deferve, I must therefore content my felf with thofe general Hints I have given, which may however ferve as Specimens of what might have been more largely faid about this inferiour Part of the animated Creation. As to the Inanimate Part, fuch as Stones, Minerals, Earths, and fuch-like, that which I have already faid in the Beginning fhall fuffice. Water, or Sap, as gives new Life to the droughty Traveller or Hunter. Wpence this is very much celebrated by all the Inhabitants of these, Ilands, as an immediate Gift of Providence to their diftreffed Con dition. To this we may add what Mr. Ray takes notice of concerning the Birch-Tree. In initiis Veris antequam folia prodiere, vulne rata dulcem fuccum copiofe effundit, quem fiti preffi Paftores in fliis fæpenumero potare folent. Nos etiam non femel eo liquore recreati fumus, cum herbarum gratia vaftas peragravimus fylvas, inquit ragus. Raai Cat, Plant. circa Cantabr. in Betula. BOOK 425 BOOK XI. Practical INFERENCES from the foregoing SURVEY. AVING in the preceding Books carH ried my Survey as far as I care at prefent to engage my felf, all that remaineth, is to draw fome Inferences from the foregoing Scene of the great Creator's Works, and fo conclude this Part of my intended Work, CHAP. I. That GOD's Works are Great and Excellent. TH (1) Equidem ne laudare quidem fatis pro merito poffum ejus Sapientiam ac Potentiam, qui animalia fabricatas eft. Nam ejufmodi opera non Laudibus modo, verum etiam Hymnis funt majora, qua priufquam infpexiffemus, fieri non poffe perfuafum habeamus, confpicati vero, falfos nos opinione fuiffe comperimus. Galen. de uf. Part. L. 7. c. 15. |