But how does the earth exist in the intelligible world? What is its
essence? How can the earth in the intelligible world be alive there?
Let us first examine our earth, that is, inquire what is its essence?
It must be some sort of a shape, and a reason; for the reason of the
plant is alive, even here below. Is there then a living ("seminal)
reason" in the earth also? To discover the nature of the earth,
let us take essentially terrestrial objects, which are begotten or
fashioned by it. The birth of the stones, and their increase, the
interior formation of mountains, could not exist unless an animated
reason produced them by an intimate and secret work. This reason is
the "form of the earth,"[92] a form that is analogous to what is
called nature in trees. The earth might be compared to the trunk of a
tree, and the stone that can be detached therefrom to the branch that
can be separated from the trunk. Consideration of the stone which is
not yet dug out of the earth, and which is united to it as the uncut
branch is united to the tree, shows that the earth's nature, which
is a productive force, constitutes a life endowed with reason; and
it must be evident that the intelligible earth must possess life at
a still higher degree, that the rational life of the earth is the
Earth-in-itself, the primary Earth, from which proceeds the earth here
below.