_Of the nature of things appertaining to this worke._
Know thou that the Philosophers haue giuen them diuerse names: for
some haue called them Mynes, some Animal, some Herball, and some by
the name of Natures, that is Natural: some other haue called them by
certaine other names at their pleasures, as seemed good vnto them. Thou
must also know, that their Medicines are neere to Natures, according
as the Philosophers haue said in their bookes, that Nature commeth
nigh to nature, and Nature is like to nature, and Nature is ioyned
to nature, and Nature is drowned in nature, and Nature maketh nature
white, & Nature doth make nature red, and generation is retained with
generation, & generation conquereth with generation.