From the Leaves, and Downs, and Beards of Plants, we come at last to the
Seeds; and here indeed seems to be the Cabinet of Nature, wherein are laid
up its Jewels. The providence of Nature about Vegetables, is in no part
manifested more, then in the various contrivances about the seed, nor
indeed is there in any part of the Vegetable so curious carvings, and
beautifull adornments, as about the seed; this in the larger sorts of seeds
is most evident to the eye; nor is it lest manifest through the
_Microscope_, in those seeds whose shape and structure, by reason of their
smalness, the eye is hardly able to distinguish.
Of these there are multitudes, many of which I have observ’d through a
_Microscope_, and find, that they do, for the most part, every one afford
exceeding pleasant and beautifull objects. For besides those that have
various kinds of carv’d surfaces, there are other that have smooth and
perfectly polish’d surfaces, others a downy hairy surface; some are cover’d
onely with a skin, others with a kind of shell, others with both, as is
observable also in greater seeds.
Of these seeds I have onely described four sorts which may serve as a
_specimen_ of what the inquisitive observers are likely to find among the
rest. The first of these seeds which are described in the 17. _Scheme_, are
those of Corn-Violets, the seed is very small, black, and shining, and, to
the naked eye, looks almost like a very small Flea; But through the
_Microscope_, it appears a large body, cover’d with a tough thick and
bright reflecting skin very irregularly shrunk and pitted, insomuch that
it is almost an impossibility to find two of them wrinkled alike, so great
a variety may there be even in this little seed.
This, though it appear’d one of the most promising seeds for beauty to the
naked eye, yet through the _Microscope_ it appear’d but a rude misshapen
seed, which I therefore drew, that I might thereby manifest how unable we
are by the naked eye to judge of beauteous or less curious _microscopical_
Objects; cutting some of them in sunder, I observ’d them to be fill’d with
a greenish yellow pulp, and to have a very thick husk, in proportion to the
pulp.
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