more than the Fiue Senses Neither doe we well know whether some Beasts and Birds haue not Senses that we know not And the very some of Dogs is almost a sense it selfe Secondly the Pleasures of the Touch are greater and deeper than those of the other Senses As we see in Warming vpon Cold Or Refrigeration vpon Heat For as the Paines of the Touch are greater than the Offences of other Sense So likewise are the Pleasures It is true that the Affecting of the Spirits immediately and as it were without an Organ is of the greatest Pleasure Which is but in two things Sweet Smells And Wine and the like Sweet Vapours For Smells wee see their great and sudden Effect in fetching Men againe when they swoune For Drinke it is certaine that the Pleasure of Drunkennesse is next the Pleasure of Venus And Great Ioyes likewise make the Spirits moue and touch themselues And the pleasure of Venus is somewhat of the same Kinde It hath beene alwayes obserued that Men are more inclined to Venus in the Winter and Women in the Summer The Cause is for that the Spirits in a Body more Hot and dry as the Spirits of Men are by the Summer are more exhaled and dissipated And in the Winter more condensed and kept entire But in Bodies that are Cold and Moist as Womens are the Summer doth Cherish the Spirits and calleth them forth the Winter doth dull them Furthermore the Abstinence or Intermission of the Vse of Venus in Moist and Well Habituate Bodies breedeth a Number of Diseases And especially dangerous Impostumations The Reason is euident For that it is a Principall Euacuation especially of the Spirits For of the Spirits there is scarce any Euacuation but in Venus and Exercise And therefore the Omission of either of them breedeth all Diseases of Repletion The Nature of Viuification is very worthy the Enquiry And as the Nature of Things is commonly better perceiued in Small than in Great and in vnperfect than in perfect and in Parts than in whole So the Nature of Viuification is best enquired in Creatures bred of Putrefaction The Contemplation whereof hath many Excellent Fruits First in Disclosing the Originall of of Viuification Secondly in Disclosing the Originall of Figuration Thirdly in Disclosing many Things in the Nature of Perfect Creatures which in them lye more hidden And Fourthly in Traducing by way of Operation some Obseruations in the Insecta to worke Effects vpon Perfect Creatures Note that the word Insecta agreeth not with the Matter but we euer vse it for Breuities sake intending by it Creatures bred of Putrefaction The Insecta are found to breed out of seuerall Matters Some breed of Mud or Dung As the Earth-wormes Eeles Snakes c. For they are both Putrefactions For Water in Mud doth Puttifie as not able to Preserue it selfe And for Dung all Excrements are the Refuse and Putrefactions of Nourishment Some breed in Wood both Growing and Cut down Quare in what Woods most and at what Seasons We see that the Worms with many Feet which round themselues into Balls are bred chiefly vnder Logs of Timber but not in the Timber And they are said to be found also many times in Gardens where no Logs are But it seemeth their Generation requireth a Couerture both from Sunne and Raine or Dew As the Timber is And therfore they are not Venemous but contrariwise are held by the Physitians to clarifie the Bloud It is obserued also that Cimices are found in the Holes of Bed-Sides Some breed in the Haire of Liuing Creatures As Lice and Tikes which are bred by the Sweat close kept and somewhat are fied by the Haire The Excrements of Liuing Creatures do not only breed Insecta when they are Excerned but also while they are in the Body As in Wormes whereto Children are most subiect and are chiefly in the Guts And it hath beene lately obserued by Physitians that in many Pestilent Diseases there are Wormes found in the vpper Parts of the Body where Excrements are not but onely Humours Putrified Fleas breed Principally of Straw or Mass where there hath beene a little Moisture Or the Chamber and Bed-straw kept close and not Aired It is receiued that they are killed by Strewing Worme-wood in the Rooms And it is truly obserued that Bitter Things are apt rather to kill than engender Putrefaction And they be Things that are Fat or Sweet that are aptest to Putrifie There is a Worme that breedeth in Meale of the shape of a large white Magget which is giuen as a great Dainty to Nightingales The Moath breedeth vpon Cloth and other Lanifices Especially if they be laid vp dankish and wet It delighteth to be about the Flame of a Candle There is a Worme called a Wenill brad vnder Ground and that feedeth vpon Roots As Parsnips Carrets c. Some breed in Waters especially shaded but they must be Standing-waters As the Water-Spider that hath six Legs The Fly called the Oad-fly breedeth of somewhat that Swimmeth vpon the Top of the Water and is most about Ponds There is a Worme that breedeth of the Dregs of Wine Decayed which afterwards as is obserued by some of the Ancients turneth into a Gnat. It hath bin obserued by the Ancients that there is a Worme that breedeth in old Snow and is of Colour Reddish and dull of Motion and dieth soone after it commeth out of Snow Which should shew that Snow hath in it a secret Warmth For else it could hardly Viuisie And the Reason of the Dying of the Worme may be the sudden Exhaling of that little Spirit as soone as it commeth out of the Cold which had shut it in For as Butterflies quicken with Heat which were benummed with Cold So Spirits may exhale with Heat which were Preserued in Cold. It is affirmed both by Ancient and Moderne Obseruation that in Furnaces of Copper and Brasse where Chalcites which is Vitrioll is often cast in to mend the working there riseth suddenly a Fly which sometimes moueth as if it tooke hold on the walls of the Furnace Sometimes is seene mouing in the Fire below And dieth presently as soone as it is out of the Furnace Which is a Noble Instance and worthy to be weighed for it sheweth that as well Violent Heat of Fire as the Gentle Heat of Liuing Creatures will Viuifie if it haue Matter Proportionable Now the great Axiome of Viuification is that there must be Heat to dilate the Spirit of the Body An Actiue Spirit to be dilated Matter Viscous or Tenacious to hold in the Spirit And that Matter to be put forth and Figured Now a Spirit dilated by so ardent a Fire as that of the Furnace as soone as euer it cooleth neuer so little congealeth presently And no doubt this Action is furthered by the Chalcites which hath a Spirit that will Put forth and germinate as we see in Chymicall Trialls Briefly most Things Putrified bring forth Insecta of seuerall Names But wee will
it doth easily exhale In Italy and the Hotter Countries there is a Fly they call Lucciole that shineth as the Glo-worme doth And it may be is the Flying Glo-worme But that Fly is chiefly vpon Fens and Marrishes But yet the two former Obseruations hold For they are not seene but in the Heat of Summer And Sedge or other Greene of the Fens giue as good Shade as Bushes It may be the Glo-wormes of the Cold Countries ripen not so farre as to be Winged The Passions of the Minde worke vpon the Body the Impressions following Feare causeth Palenesse Trembling The Standing of the Haire vpright Starting and Skritching The Palenesse is caused for that the Bloud runneth inward to succour the Heart The Trembling is caused for that through the Flight of the Spirits inward the Outward Parts are destituted and not sustained Standing Vpright of the Haire is caused for that by the Shutting of the Pores of the Skin the Haire that lyeth asloape must needs Rise Starting is both an Apprehension of the Thing feared And in that kinde it is a Motion of Shrincking And likewise an Inquisition in the beginning what the Matter should be And in that kinde it is a Motion of Erection And therefore when a Man would listen suddenly to any Thing he Starteth For the Starting is an Erection of the Spirits to attend Skritching is an Appetite of Expelling that which suddenly striketh the Spirits For it must be noted that many Motions though they be vnprofitable to expell that which hurteth yet they are Offers of Nature and cause Motions by Consent As in Groaning or Crying vpon Paine Griefe and Paine cause Sighing Sobbing Groaning Screaming and Roaring Teares Distorting of the Face Grinding of the Teeth Sweating Sighing is caused by the Drawing in of a greater Quantity of Breath to refresh the Heart that laboureth like a great Draught when one is thirsty Sobbing is the same Thing stronger Groaning and Screaming and Roaring are caused by an Appetite of Expulsion as hath beene said For when the Spirits cannot expell the Thing that hurteth in their Strife to do it by Motion of Consent they expell the Voice And this is when the Spirits yeeld and giue ouer to resist For if one doe constantly resist Paine he will not groane Teares are caused by a Contraction of the Spirits of the Braine Which Contraction by consequence astringeth the Moisture of the Braine and thereby sendeth Teares into the Eyes And this Contraction or Compression causeth also Wringing of the Hands For Wringing is a Gesture of Expression of Moisture The Distorting of the Face is caused by a Contention first to beare and resist and then to expell Which maketh the Parts knit first and afterwards open Grinding of the Teeth is caused likewise by a Gathering and Serring of the Spirits together to resist Which maketh the Teeth also to set hard one against another Sweating is also a Compound Motion by the Labour of the Spirits first to resist and then to expell Ioy causeth a Chearefulnesse and Vigour in the Eyes Singing Leaping Dancing And sometimes Teares All these are the Effects of the Dilatation and Comming forth of the Spirits into the Outward Parts Which maketh them more Linely and Stirring We know it hath beene seene that Excessiue Sudden Ioy hath caused Present Death while the Spirits did spread so much as they could not retire againe As for Teares they are the Effects of Compression of the Moisture of the Braine vpon Dilatation of the Spirits For Compression of the Spirits worketh an Expression of the Moisture of the Braine by Consent as hath beene said in Griefe But then in Ioy it worketh it diuersly viz. by Prepulsion of the Moisture when the Spirits dilate and occupy more Roome Anger causeth Palenesse in some and the Going and Comming of the Colour in Others Also Trembling in some Swelling Foaming at the Month Stamping Bending of the Fist. Palenesse and Going and Comming of the Colour are caused by the Burning of the Spirits about the Heart Which to refresh themselues call in more Spirits from the Outward Parts And if the Palenesse be alone without Sending forth the Colour againe it is commonly ioyned with some Feare But in many there is no Palenesse at all but contrariwise Rednesse about the Cheekes and Gills Which is by the Sending forsh of the Spirits in an Appetite to Reuenge Trembling in Anger is likewise by a Calling in of the Spirits And is commonly when Anger is ioyned with Feare Swelling is caused both by a Dilatation of the Spirits by Ouer-Heating and by a Liquefaction or Boyling of the Humours thereupon Foaming at the Mouth is from the same Cause being an Ebullition Stamping and Bending of the Fist are caused by an Imagination of the Act of Reuenge Light Displeasure or Dislike causeth Shaking of the Head Frowning and Knitting of the Bâ—â—â—es These Effects arise from the same Causes that Trembling and Horrour doe Namely from the Retiring of the Spirits but in a lesse degree For the Shaking of the Head is but a Slow and Definite Trembling And is a Gesture of Slight Refusall And we see also that a Dislike causeth often that Gesture of the Hand which wee vse when we refuse a Thing or warne it away The Frowning and Knitting of the Browes is a Gathering or Serring of the Spirits to resist in some Measure And we see also this Knitting of the Browes will follow vpon earnest Studying or Cogitation of any Thing though it bee without Dislike Shame causeth Blushing And Casting downe of the Eyes Blushing is the Resort of Bloud to the Face Which in the Passion of Shame is the Part that laboureth most And although the Blushing will be seene in the whole Breast if it be Naked yet that is but in Passage to the Face As for the Casting downe of the Eyes it proceedeth of the Reuerence a Man beareth to other Men Whereby when he is ashamed he cannot endure to looke firmely vpon Others And we see that Blushing and the Casting downe of the Eyes both are more when we come before Many Ore Pompeij quid mollius Nunquà m non coram pluribus erubuit And likewise when we come before Great or Reuerend Persons Pity causeth sometimes Teares And a Flexion or Cast of the Eye aside Teares come from the same Cause that they doe in Griefe for Pity is but Griefe in Anothers Behalfe The Cast of the Eye is a Gesture of Auersion or Loathnesse to behold the Obiect of Pity Wonder causeth Astonishment or an Immoueable Posture of the Body Casting vp of the Eyes to Heauen And Lifting vp of the Hands For Astonishment it is caused by the Fixing of the Minde vpon one Obiect of Cogitation whereby it doth not spatiate and transcurre as it vseth For in Wonder the Spirits fly not as in Feare But onely settle and are made lesse apt to moue As for the Casting vp of the Eyes and Lifting vp of the Hands it is a Kinde of Appeale
is in September For that they need the whole Summers Feed and Grasse to make them fit for Generation And if Raine come Earely about the Middle of September they goe to Rut somewhat the sooner If Drought somewhat the later So Sheepe in respect of their small Neat. generate about the same time or somewhat before But for the most part Creatures that generate at certaine Seasons generate in the Spring As Birds and Fishes For that the End of the Winter and the Heat and Comfort of the Spring prepareth them There is also another Reason why some Creatures generate at certaine Seasons And that is the Relation of their Time of Bearing to the time of Generation For no Creature goeth to generate whilest the Female is full Nor whilest shee is busie in Sitting or Rearing her Young And therefore it is found by Experience that if you take the Egges or Young Ones out of the Neasts of Birds they will fall to generate againe three or foure times one after another Of Liuing Creatures some are Longer time in the Wombe and some Shorter Women goe commonly nine Moneths The Cow and the Ewe about six Moneths Doe's goe about nine Moneths Mares eleuen Moneths Bitches nine Weekes Elephants are said to goe two Yeares For the Receiued Tradition of ten Yeares is Fabulous For Birds there is double Enquiry The Distance betweene the Treading or Coupling and the Laying of the Egge And againe betweene the Egge Layed and the Disclosing or Hetching And amongst Birds there is lesse Diuersity of Time than amongst other Creatures yet some there is For the Hen sitteth but three Weekes The Turky-Hen Goose and Ducke a Moneth Quare of others The Cause of the great Difference of Times amongst Liuing Creatures is Either from the Nature of the Kinde Or from the Constitution of the Wombe For the former those that are longer in Comming to their Maturity or Growth are longer in the Wombe As is chiefly seene in Men And so Elephants which are long in the Wombe are long time in Comming to their full Growth But in most other Kindes the Constitution of the Wombe that is the Hardnesse or Drinesse thereof is concurrent with the former Cause For the â—â—lt hath about foure yeares of Growth And so the Fawne And so the Calfe But Whelps which come to their Growth commonly within three Quarters of a yeare are but nine Weekes in the Wombe As for Birds as there is lesse Diuersity amongst them in the time of their Bringing forth So there is lesse Diuersity in the time of their Growth Most of them comming to their Growth within a Twelue-Moneth Some Creatures bring forth many Young Ones at a Burthen As Bitches Hares Conneyes c. Some ordinatily but One As Women Lionesses c. This may be caused either by the Quantity of Sperme required to the Producing One of that Kinde which if lesse be required may admit greater Number If more fewer Or by the Partitions and Cells of the Wombe which may feuer the Sperme There is no doubt but Light by Refraction will shew greater as well as Things Coloured For like as a Shilling in the Bottomes of the Water will shew greater So will a Candle in a Lanthorne in the Bottome of the Water I haue heard of a Practise that Glo-wormes in Glasses were put in the Water to make the Fish come But I am not yet informed whether when a Diuer Diueth hauing his Eyes open and swimmeth vpon his Backe whether I say he seeth Things in the Aire greater or lesse For it is manifest that when the Eye standeth in the Finer Medium and the Obiect is in the Grosser things shew greater But contrariwise when the Eye is placed in the Grosser Medium and the Obiect in the Finer how it worketh I know not It would be well boulted out whether great Refractions may not be made vpon Reflexions as well as vpon Direct Beames For Example We see that take an Empty Basen put an Angell of Gold or what you will into it Then goe so farre from the Basen till you cannot see the Angell because it is not in a Right Line Then fill the Basen with Water and you shall see it out of his Place because of the Reflexion To proceed therefore put a Looking-Glasse into a Basen of Water I suppose you shall not see the Image in a Right Line or at equall Angles but aside I know not whether this Experiment may not be extended so as you might see the Image and not the Glasse Which for Beauty and Strangenesse were a fine Proofe For then you should see the Image like a Spirit in the Aire As for Example If there be a Cesterne or Poole of Water you shall place ouer against it a Picture of the Deuill or what you will so as you doe not see the Water Then put a Looking-Glasse in the Water Now if you can see the Deuills Picture aside not seeing the Water it will looke like a Deuill indeed They haue an old Tale in Oxford that Friar Bacon walked betweene two Steeples Which was thought to be done by Glasses when he walked vpon the Ground A Weighty Body put into Motion is more easily impelled than at first when it Resteth The Cause is Partly because Motion doth discusse the Torpour of Solide Bodies Which beside their Motion of Grauity haue in them a Naturall Appetite not to moue at all And partly because a Body that resteth doth get by the Resistance of the Body vpon which it resteth a stronger Compression of Parts than it hath of it Selfe And therefore needeth more Force to be put in Motion For if a Weighty Body be Pensile and hang but by a Thred the Percussion will make an Impulsion very neare as easily as if it were already in Motion A Body Ouer-great or Ouer-small will not be throwne so farre as a Body of a Middle Sixe So that it seemeth there must be a Commensuration or Proportion betweene the Body Moued and the Force to make it moue well The Cause is because to the Impulsion there is requisite the Force of the Body that Moueth and the Resistance of the Body that is Moued And if the Body be too great it yeeldeth too little And if it be too small it resisteth too little It is Common Experience that no Weight will presse or cut so strong being laid vpon a Body as Falling or strucken from aboue It may be the Aire hath some part in furthering the Percussion But the chiefe Cause I take to be for that the Parts of the Body Moued haue by Impulsion or by the Motion of Grauity continued a Compression in them as well downwards as they haue when they are throwne or Shot thorow the Aire forwards I conceiue also that the quicke Loose of that Motion preuenteth the Resistance of the Body below And Priority of the Force alwaies is of great Efficacy As appeareth in infinite Instances Tickling is most in the Soles of the Feet and
must be Wrapped vp Close as farre as the Ointment goeth that it taketh no Wind. Ninthly the Ointment if you wipe it off from the Sword and keepe it will Serue againe and rather Increase in Vertue than Diminish Tenthly it will Cure in farte Shorter Time than Ointments of Wounds commonly doe Lastly it will Cure a Beast as well as a Man which I like best of all the rest because it subiecteth the Matter to an Easie Triall I would haue Men know that though I reprehend the Easie Passing ouer of the Causes of Things by Ascribing them to Secret and Hidden Vertues and Proprieties For this hath arrested and laid asleepe all true Enquiry and Indications yet I doe not vnderstand but that in the Practicall Part of Knowledge much will be left to Experience and Probation whereunto Indication cannot so fully reach And this not onely in Specie but in Indiuiduo So in Physicke if you will cure the Iaundies it is not enough to say that the Medicine must not be Cooling For that will hinder the Opening which the Disease requireth That it must not be Hot For that will exasperate Choler That it must goe to the Gall For there is the Obstruction which causeth the Disease c. But you must receiue from Experience that Powder of Chamapytis or the like drunke in Beere is good for the Iaundies So againe a wise Physitian doth not continue still the same Medicine to a Patient But he will vary if the first Medicine doth not apparently succeed For of those Remedies that are good for the Iaundies Stone Agues c. that will doe good in one Body which will not doe good in Another According to the Correspondence the Medicine hath to the Indiuduall Body The Delight which Men haue in Popularity Fame Honour Submission and Subiection of other Mens Mindes Wills or Affections although these Things may be desired for other Ends seemeth to be a Thing in it selfe without Contemplation of Consequence Gratefull agreeable to the Nature of Man This Thing surely is not without some Signification as if all Spirits and Soules of Men came forth out of one Diuine Limbus Else why should Men be so much affected with that which others thinke or say The best Temper of Mindes desireth Good Name and True Honour The Lighter Popularity and Applause The more depraued Subiection and Tyranny As is seene in great Conquerours and Troublers of the World And yet more in Arch-Heretickes for the Introducing of new Doctrines is likewise an Affectation of Tyranny ouer the Vnderstandings and Beleefes of Men. A TABLE OF the Experiments Century I. OF Strayning or Percolation Outward and inward Experiments 8. page 1 Of Motion vpon Pressure Experiments 5. page 3 Of Separations of Bodies Liquid by weight Exper. 3. pag. 4 Of Infusions in Water and Aire Exper. 7. pag. 5 Of the Appetite of Continuation in Liquids Exper. 1 pag. 6 Of Artificiall Springs Exper. 1. pag. 7 Of the Venemous Quality of Mans Siesh Exp. 1. ibid. Of Turning Aire into Water Exp. 1. pag. 8 Of Helping or Altering the Shape of the Body Exp. 1. ibid. Of Condensing of Aire to yeeld Weight or Nourishment Exp. 1. pag. 9 Of Flame and Aire Commixed Exp. 1. pag. 10 Of the Secret Nature of Flame Exp. 1. ibid. Of Flame in the Midst and on the Sides Exp. 1. pag. 11 Of Motion of Grauity Exp. 1. ibid. Of Contraction of Bodies in Bulke Exp. 1. pag. 12 Of making Vines more fruitfull Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Seuerall Operations of Purging Medicines Exp. 9. ibid. Of Meats and Drinkes most Nourishing Exp. 15. pag. 15 Of Medicines applied in Order Exp. 1. pag. 19 of Cure by Custome Exp. 1. pag. 20 Of Cure by Excesse Exp. 1. ibid. Of Cure by Motion of Consent Exp. 1. ibid. Of Cure of Diseases contrary to Predisposuion Exp. 1 pag. 21 Of Preparation before and after Purging Exp. 1. ibid. Of Stanching Bloud Exp. 1. pag. 22 Of Change of Aliments and Medicines Exp. 1. ibid. Of Diets Exp. 1. ibid. Of Production of Cold. Exp. 7. ibid. Of Turning Aire into water Exp. 7. pag. 24 Of Induration of Bodies Exp. 8. pag. 26 Of Preying of Aire vpon Water Exp. 1. pag. 28 Of the Force of Vnion Exp. 1. pag. 29 Of Making Feathers and Haires of diuers Colours Exp. 1. ibid. Of Nourishment of young Creatures in the Egge or Wombe Exp. 1. pag. 30 Of Sympathy and Antipathy Exp. 3. ibid. Of the Spirits or Pneumaticalls in Bodies Exp. 1. pag. 31 Of the Power of Heat Exp. 1. pag. 32 Of Impossibility of Annihilation Exp. 1. pag. 33 Century II. OF Musicke Exp. 14. page 35 Of the Nullity and Entity of Sounds Exp. 9. page 39 Of Production Conseruation and Delation of Sounds Exp. 14. p. 41 Of Magnitude Exility and Damps of Sounds Exp. 25 pag. 45 Of Loudnesse and Softnesse of Sounds Exp. 3. pag. 49 Of Communication of Sounds Exp. 3. ibid. Of Equality and Inequality of Sounds Exp. 9. pag. 50 Of more Treble and Base Tones Exp. 6. pag. 52 Of Proportion of Treble and Base Exp. 4. pag. 53 of Exteriour and Interiour Sounds Exp. 4. pag. 54 Of Articulation of Sounds Exp. 9. ibid. Century III. OF the Lines in which Sounds moue Exp. 6. pag. 57 Of the Lasting or Perishing of Sounds Exp. 5. pag. 58 Of the Passage or Interception of Sounds Exp. 5. pag. 59 Of the Medium of Sounds Exp. 4. pag. 60 Of the Figures of Bodies yeelding Sounds Exp. 3. pag. 61 Of Mixture of Sounds Exp. 5. pag. 62 Of Melioration of Sounds Exp. 7 pag. 63 Of Imitation of Sounds Exp. 6 pag. 64 Of Reflexion of Sounds Exp. 13 pag. 65 Of Consent and Dissent betweene Audibles and Visibles Exp. 23 pg. 68 Of Sympathie and Antipathie of Sounds Exp. 5. pag. 72 Of Hindring or Helping of Hearing Exp. 4. pag. 73 Of the Spiritual and Fine Nature of Sounds Exp. 4. ibid. Of Orient Colours in Dissolutions of Metalls Exp. 1. pag. 74 Of Prolongation of Life Exp. 1. pag. 75 Of the Appetite of Vnion in Bodies Exp. 1. ibid. Of the like Operations of Heat and Time Exp. 1. pag. 76 Of the Differing Operations of Fire and Time Exp. 1. ibid. Of Motions by Imitation Exp. 1. ibid. Of Infectious of Diseases Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Incorporation of Powders and Liquours Exp. 1. pag. 77 Of Exercise of the Body And the Benefits or Euils thereof Exp. 1. ibid. Of Meats soone Glutting or No Glutting Exp. 1. ibid. Century IV. Of Clarification of Liquours and the Accelerating thereof Exp. II. pag. 81 Of Maturation and the Accelerating thereof And of the Maturation of Drinks and Fruits Exp. 15. pag. 83 Of Making Gold Exp. 1. pag. 86 Of the Seuerall Natures of Gold Exp. 1. pag. 88 Of Inducing and Accelerating Putrefaction Exp. 12. ibid. Of Prohibiting and Preuenting Putrefaction Exp. 11. pag. 90 Of Rotten Wood Shining Exp. 1. pag. 93 Of Acceleration of Birth Exp. 1. pag. 94 Of Acceleration of Growth and Stature Exp.
Who are serued with great and comely order And towards the end of Dinner which in the greatest Feasts with them lasteth neuer aboue an Houre and an halfe there is an Hymne sung varied according to the Inuention of him that composeth it for they haue excellent Poesie But the Subiect of it is alwayes the prayses of Adam and Noah and Abraham Wherof the former two Peopled the World and the last was the Father of the Faithfull Concluding euer with a Thankesgiuing for the Natiuitie of our Sauiour in whose Birth the Births of all are onely Blessed Dinner being done the Tirsan retireth againe And hauing withdrawne himselfe alone into a place where hee maketh some priuate Prayers hee commeth foorth the third time to giue the Blessing with all his Descendants who stand about him as at the first Then he calleth them forth by one and by one by name as he pleaseth though seldome the Order of Age bee inuerted The person that is called the Table being before remoued kneeleth downe before the Chaire and the Father layeth his Hand vpon his Head or her Head and giueth the Blessing in these Wordes Sonne of Bensalem or Daughter of Bensalem thy Father saith it The Man by whom thou hast Breath and Life speaketh the word The Blessing of the Euerlasting Father the Prince of Peace and the Holy Doue bee vpon thee and make the dayes of thy Pilgrimage good and many This he saith to euery of them And that done if there be any of his Sonnes of eminent Meritt and Vertue so they be not aboue two hee calleth for them againe And saith laying his Arme ouer their shoulders they standing Sonnes it is well yee are borne giue God the prayse and perseuere to the end And withall deliuereth to either of them a Iewel made in the Figure of an Eare of Wheat which they euer after weare in the front of their Turban or Hat This done they fall to Musick and dances And other Recreations after their manner for the rest of the day This is the full order of that Feast By that time sixe or seuen Dayes were spent I was fallen into straight Acquaintance with a Merchant of that Citty whose Name was Ioabin Hee was a Iew and Circumcised For they haue some few Stirps of Iewes yet remaining amongst them whom they leaue to their owne Religion Which they may the better doe because they are of a farre differing Disposition from the Iewes in other Parts For whereas they hate the Name of CHRIST And haue a secret inbred Rancour against the People amongst whom they liue These contrariwise giue vnto our SAVIOVR many high Attributes and loue the Nation of Bensalem extreamely Surely this Man of whom I speake would euer acknowledge that CHRIST was borne of a Virgin And that hee was more then a Man And hee would tell how GOD made him Ruler of the Seraphims which guard his Throane And they call him also the Milken Way and the Eliah of the Messiah And many other High Names which though they be inferiour to his Diuine Maiestie Yet they are farre from the Language of other Iewes And for the Countrey of Bensalem this Man would make no end of commending it Being desirous by Tradition amongst the Iewes there to haue it beleeued that the People thereof were of the Generations of Abraham by another Sonne whom they call Nachorans And that Moses by a secret Cabala ordained the Lawes of Bensalem which they now vse And that when the Messiah should come and sit in his Throne at Hierusalem the King of Bensalem should sit at his feete whereas other Kings should keepe a great distance But yet setting aside these Iewish Dreames the Man was a wise Man and learned and of great Pollicy and excellently seene in the Lawes and Customes of that Nation Amongst other Discourses one day I told him I was much affected with the Relation I had from some of the Company of their Custome in holding the Feast of the Family For that me thought I had neuer heard of a Solemnity wherein Nature did so much preside And because Propagation of Families proceedeth from the Nuptiall Copulation I desired to know of him what Lawes and Customes they had concerning Marriage And whether they kept Marriage well And whether they were tyed to one Wife For that wher Population is so much affected and such as with them it seemed to be ther is commonly Permision of Plurality of Wiues To this he said You haue Reason for to commend that excellent Institution of the Feast of the Family And indeed wee haue Experience that those Families that are partakers of that Blessing of that Feast doe flurkish and prosper euer after in an extraordinary manner But heare mee now and I will tell you what I know You shall vnderstand that there is not vnder the Heauens so chast a Nation as this of Bensalem Nor so free from all Pollution or foulenesse It is the Virgin of the World I remember I haue redd in one of your Europaean Bookes of an holy Hermit amongst you that desired to see the Spirit of Fornication and there appeared to him a little foule vgly Aethiope But if he hed desired to see the Spirit of Chastitie of Bensalem it would haue appeared to him in the likenes of a faire beautifull Cherubin For there is nothing amongst Mortall Men more faire and admirable then the Chast Mindes of this People Know therefore that with them ther are no Stewes no dissolute Houses no Curtisans nor any thing of that kind Nay they wonder with detestation at you in Europe which permit such things They say ye haue put Marriage out of office For Marriage is ordained a Remedy for vnlawfull Concupiscence And Naturall Concupiscence seemeth as a spurr to Marriage But when Men haue at hand a Remedy more agreeable to their corrupt will Marriage is almost expulsed And therefore that are with you seene infinite Men that marry not but chuse rather a libertine and impure single Life then to be yoaked in Marriage And many that doe marry marry late when the Prime and Stength of their Yeares is past And when they doe marry what is Marriage to them but a very Bargaine Wherin is sought Alliance or Portion or Reputation with some desire almost indifferent of Issue And not the faithfull Nuptiall Vnion of Man and Wife that was first instituted Neither is it possible that those that haue cast away so basely so much of their Strength should greatly esteeme Children being of the same Matter as Chast Men doe So Likewise during Marriage is the Case much amended as it ought to bee if those things were tolerated onely for necessitie No but they remaine still as a very Affront to Marriage The Haunting of those dissolute places or resort to Curtizans are no more punished in Married Men then in Batchellers And the depraued Custome of change and the Delight in Meretricious Embracements wher sinne is turned into Art maketh Marriage a dull
Parts Or of the Subtilty of the Motion is little inquired And yet these be the Things that Gouerne Nature Principally And without which you cannot make any true Analysis and Indication of the Proceedings of Nature The Spirits or Pneumaticals that are in all Tangible Bodies are searce knowne Sometimes they take them for Vacuum wheras they are the most Actiue of Bodies Sometimes they take them for Aire From which they differ exceedingly as much as Wine from Water And as Wood from Earth Sometimes they will haue them to be Naturall Heat or a Portion of the Element of Fire Wheras some of them are crude and cold And Sometimes they will haue them to be the Vertues and Qualities of the Tangible Parts which they see whereas they are Things by themselues And then when they come to Plants and liuing Creatures they call them Soules And such Superficiall Speculations they haue Like Prospectiues that shew things inward when they are but Paintings Neither is this a Question of Words but infinitely materiall in Nature For Spirits are nothing else but a Naturall Body rarified to a Proportion included in the Tangible Parts of Bodies as in an Integument And they be no lesse differing one from the other than the Dense or Tangible Parts And they are in all Tangible Bodies whatsoeuer more or lesse And they are neuer almost at rest And from them and their Motions principally proceed Arefaction Colliquation Concoction Maturation Putrefaction Viuification and most of the Effects of Nature For as we haue figured them in our Sapientiâ Veterum in the Fable of Proserpina you shall in the Infernall Regiment heare little Doings of Pluto but most of proserpina For Tangible Parts in Bodies are Stupide things And the Spirits doe in effect all As for the differences of Tangible Parts in Bodies the industry of the Chymists hath giuen some light in discerning by their Separations the Oily Crude Pure Impure Fine grosse Parts of Bodies and the like And the Physitians are content to acknowledge that Herbs and Drugs haue diuers parts As that Opiums hath a Stupefactiue Part and a Heating Part The one mouing Sleepe the other a Sweat following And that Rubarb hath Purging Parts and Astringent Parts c. But this whole Inquisition is weakly and Negligently handled And for the more subtill differences of the Minute Parts and the Posture of them in the Body which also hath great Effects they are not at all touched As for the Motions of the Minute Parts of Bodies which doe so great Effects they haue not beene obserued at all because they are Inuisible and incurre not to the Eye but yet they are to be deprehended by Experience As Democritus said well when they charged him to hold that the World was made of such little Moats as were seene in the Sunne Atomus saith he necessitate Rationis Experientia esse connincitur Atomum enim nemo vnquam vidit And therefore the Tumult in the parts of Solide Bodies when they are compressed which is the Cause of all Flight of Bodies thorow the Aire and of other Mechanicall Motions as hath beene partly touched before and shall be throughly handled in due place is not seene at all But neuerthelesse if you know it not or enquire it not attentiuely and diligently you shall neuer be able to discerne and much lesse to produce a Number of Mechanicall Motions Againe as to the Motions Corporall within the Enclosures of Bodies wherby effects which were mentioned before passe betweene the Spirits and the Tangible Parts which are Arefaction Colliquation Concoction Maturation c. they are not at all handled But they are put off by the Names of Vertues and Natures and Actions and Passions and such other Logicall Words It is certaine that all Powers in Nature Heat is the chiefe both in the Frame of Nature and in the workes of Art Certaine it is likewise that the Effects of Heat are most aduanced when it worketh vpon a Body without losse or dissipation of the Matter for that euer betrayeth the Account And therefore it is true that the power of Heat is best perceiued in Distillations which are performed in close Vessels and Receptacles But yet there is a higher Degree For howsoeuer Distillations doe keepe the Body in Cells and Cloisters without Going abroad yet they giue space vnto Bodies to turne into Vapour To returne into Liquour And to Separate one part from another So as Nature doth Expatiate although it hath not full Liberty wherby the true and Vltime Operations of Heat are not attained But if Bodies may be altered by Heat and yet no such Reciprocation of Rarefaction and of Condensation and of Separation admitted then it is like that this Proteus of Matter being held by the Sleeues will turne and change into many Metaworphoses Take therefore a Square Vessell of Iron in forme of a Cube and let it haue good thicke and strong Sides Put into it a Cube of Wood that may fill it as close as may be And let it haue a Couer of Iron as strong at least as the Sides And let it be well Luted after the manner of the Chymists Then place the Vessell within burning Coales kept quicke kindled for some few houres space Then take the Vessell from the Fire and take off the Couer and see what is become of the Wood. I conceiue that since all Inflammation and Euaporation are vtterly prohibited and the Body still turned vpon it Selfe that one of these two Effects will follow Either that the Body of the Wood will be turned into a kinde of Amalgama as the Chymists call it Or that the Finer Part will bee turned into Aire and the Grosser sticke as it were baked and incrustate vpon the Sides of the Vessell being become of a Denser Matter than the Wood it selfe Crude And for another Triall take also Water and put it in the like Vessell stopped as before But vse a gentler Heat and remoue the vessell sometimes from the Fire And againe after some small time when it is Cold renue the Heating of it And repeat this Aloeration some few times And if you can once bring to passe that the Water which is one of the Simplest of Bodies be changed in Colour Odour or Taste after the manner of Compound Bodies you may be sure that there is a great Worke wrought in Nature and a Notable Entrance made into strange Changes of Bodies and productions And also a Way made to doe that by Fire in small time which the Sunne and Age do in long time But of the Admirable Effects of this Distillation in Close for so we will call it which is like the Wombes and Matrices of liuing creatures where nothing Expireth nor Separateth We will speake fully in the due place Not that we Aime at the making of Paracelsus Pigmey's Or any such Prodigious Follies But that we know the Effects of Heat will be such as will scarce fall vnder the Conceit of Man
a Chameleon be burnt vpon the Top of a House it will raise a Tempest Supposing according to their vaine Dreames of Sympathies because he nourisheth with Aire his Body should haue great vertue to make Impression vpon the Aire It is reported by one of the Ancients that in Part of Media there are Eruptions of Flames out of Plaines And that those Flames are cleare and cast not forth such Smoake and Ashes and Pummice as Mountaine Flames doe The Reason no doubt is because the Flame is not pent as it is in Mountaines and Earth-quakes which cast Flame There be also some Blinde Fires vnder Stone which flame not out but Oile being powred vpon them they flame out The Cause whereof is for that it seemeth the Fire is so choaked as not able to remoue the Stone it is Heat rather than Flame Which neuerthelesse is sufficient to Enflame the Oyle It is reported that in some Lakes the Water is so Nitrous as if Foule Cloaths be put into it it scoureth them of it selfe And if they stay any whit long they moulder away And the Scouring Vertue of Nitre is the more to be noted because it is a Body Cold And we see Warme Water scoureth better than Cold. But the Cause is for that it hath a Subtill Spirit which seuereth and diuideth any thing that is soule and Viscous and sticketh vpon a Body Take a Bladder the greatest you can get Fill it full of Winde and tye it about the Necke with a Silke thred waxed And vpon that put likewise Wax very close So that when the Neck of the Bladder dryeth no Aire may possibly get in nor out Then bury it three or foure foot vnder the Earth in a Vault or in a Conferuatory of Snow the Snow being made hollow about the Bladder And after some Forthnights distance see whether the Bladder be shruncke For if it be then it is plaine that the Coldnesse of the Earth or Snow hath Condensed the Aire and brought it a Degree nearer to Water Which is an Experiment of great Consequence It is a Report of some good credit that in Deepe Caues there are Pensile Crystall and Degrees of Crystall that drop from aboue And in some other though more rarely that rise from below Which though it be chiefly the Worke of Cold yet it may be that Water that passeth thorow the Earth gathereth a Nature more clammy and fitter to Congeale and become Solide than Water of it selfe Therfore Triall would be made to lay a Heape of Earth in great Frosts vpon a Hollow Vessell putting a Canuase betweene that it falleth not in And poure Water vpon it in such Quantitie as will be sure to soake thorow And see whether it will not make an harder Ice in the bottome of the Vessell and lesse apt to dissolue than ordinarily I suppose also that if you make the Earth narrower at the bottome than at the Top in fashion of a Sugar Loafe Reuersed it will helpe the Experiment For it will make the Ice where it Issueth lesse in Bulke And euermore Smalnesse of Quantity is a Helpe to Version Take Damaske Roses and pull them Then dry them vpon the Top of an House vpon a Lead or Tarras in the hot Sunne in a cleare day betweene the Houres onely of twelue and two or there abouts Then put them into a Sweet Dry Earthen Bottle or a Glasse with narrow Mouthes stuffing them close together but without Bruising Stop the Bottle or Glasse close and these Roses will retaine not onely their Smell Perfect but their Colour fresh for a yeare at least Note that Nothing doth so much destroy any Plant or other Body either by Putrefaction or Arefaction as the Aduentitious Moisture which hangeth loose in the Body if it be not drawne out For it betrayeth and tolleth forth the Innate and Radicall Moisture along with it when it selfe goeth forth And therefore in Liuing Creatures Moderate Sweat doth preserue the Iuyce of the Body Note that these Roses when you take them from the Drying haue little or no Smell So that the Smell is a Second Smell that issueth out of the Flower afterwards The Continuance of Flame according vnto the diuersity of the Body Enflamed and other Circumstances is worthy the Enquiry Chiefly for that though Flame be almost of a Momentany Lasting yet it receiueth the More and the Lesse we will first therefore speake at large of Bodies Enflamed wholly and Immediately without any Wieke to helpe the Inflammations A Spoonefull of Spirit of Wine a little heated was taken and it burnt as long as came to 116. Pulses The same Quantity of Spirit of Wine Mixed with the Sixth Part of a Spoonefull of Nitre burnt but to the space of 94. Pulses Mixed with the like Quantity of Bay-salt 83. Pulses Mixed with the like Quantity of Gunpowder which dissolued into a Blacke water 110. Pulses A Cube or Pellet of Yellow Waxe was taken as much as halfe the Spirit of Wine and set in the Middest and it burnt onely to the space of 87. Pulses Mixed with the Sixth Part of a spoonefull of Milke it burnt to the space of 100. Pulses And the Milke was crudled Mixed with the Sixth Part of a spoonefull of Water it burnt to the space of 86. Pulses With an Equall Quantity of Water onely to the space of 4. Pulses A small Pebble was laid in the Middest and the Spirit of Wine burnt to the space of 94. Pulses A Peece of Wood of the Bignesse of an Arrow and about a Fingers length was set vp in the Middest and the Spirit of Wine burnt to the space of 94. Pulses So that the Spirit of Wine Simple endured the longest And the Spirit of Wine with the Bay-salt and the Equall Quantity of Water were the shortest Consider well whether the more speedy Going forth of the flame becaused by the Greater Vigour of the Flame in Burning Or by the Resistance of the Body mixed and the Auersion thereof to take Flame Which will appeare by the Quantitie of the Spirit of Wine that remaineth after the Going out of the Flame And it seemeth cleerely to be the latter For that the Mixture of Things least apt to burne is the Speediest in going out And note by the way that Spirit of Wine burned till it goe out of it selfe will burne no more And tasteth nothing so hot in the Mouth as it did No nor yet sowre as if it were a degree towards Vinegar which Burnt Wine doth but flat and dead Note that in the Experiment of Wax aforesaid the Wax dissolued in the burning and yet did not incorporate it selfe with the Spirit of Wine to produce one Flame but wheresoeuer the Wax floated the Flame forsooke it till at last it spread all ouer and put the Flame quite out The Experiments of the Mixtures of the Spirit of Wine enflamed are Things of discouerie and not of Vse But now wee will speake of the Continuance of Flames
The Spirit or Soule of the World By which they did not intend God for they did admit of a Deitie besides But only the Soule or Essentiall Forme of the Vniueâ—se This Foundation being laid they mought build vpon it what they would For in a Liuing Creature though neuer so great As for Example in a great Whale the Sense and the Affects of any one Part of the Body instantly make a Transcursion thoâ— rowout the whole Body So that by this they did insinuate that no Distance of Place nor Want or Indisposition of Matter could hinder Magicall Operations But that for Example wee mought here in Europe haue Sense and Feeling of that which was done in China And likewise we mought worke any Effect without and against Matter And this not Holpen by the Cooperation of Angels or Spirits but only by the Vnitie and Harmonie of Nature There were some also that staid not here but went further and held That if the Spirit of Man whom they call the Microcosme doe giue a fit touch to the Spirit of the World by strong Imaginations and Beleefes it might command Nature For Paracelsus and some darksome Authors of Magicke doe ascribe to Imagination Exalted the Power of Miracle-working Faith With these Vast and Bottomelesse Follies Men haue been in part entertained But wee that hold firme to the Works of God And to the Sense which is Gods Lampe Lucerna Dei Spiraculum Hominis willen quire with all Sobrietie and Seueritie whether there be to be found in the Foot-steps of Nature any such Transmission and Influx of Immateriate Vertues And what the Force of Imagination is Either vpon the Body Imaginant or vpon another Body Wherein it will be like that Labour of Hercules in Purging the Stable of Augeas to separate from Superstitious and Magicall Arts and Obseruations any thing that is cleane and pure Naturall And not to be either Contemned or Condemned And although wee shall haue occasion to speake of this in more Places than One yet we will now make some Entrance thereinto Men are to be Admonished that they doe not with-draw Credit from the Operations by Transmission of Spirits and Force of Imagination because the Effects faile sometimes For as in Infection and Contagion from Body to Body as the Plague and the like it is most certaine that the Infection is receiued many times by the Body Passiue but yet is by the Strength and good Disposition thereof Repulsed and wrought out before it be formed into a Disease So much more in Impressions from Minde to Minde or from Spirit to Spirit the Impression taketh but is Encountred and Ouercome by the Minde and Spirit which is Passiue before it worke any manifest Effect And therefore they worke most vpon Weake Mindes and Spirits As those of Women Sicke Persons Superstitious and Fearfull Persons Children and Young Creatures Nescio quis teneros Oculus mihi fascinat Agnos The Poet speaketh not of Sheepe but of Lambs As for the Weaknesse of the Power of them vpon Kings and Magistrates It may be ascribed besides the maine which is the Protection of God ouer those that Execute his Place to the Weaknesse of the Imagination of the Imaginant For it is hard for a Witch or a Sorcerer to put on a Beleefe that they can hurt such Persons Men are to be Admonished on the other side that they doe not easily giue Place and Credit to these Operations because they Succeed many times For the Cause of this Successe is oft to be truly ascribed vnto the Force of Affection and Imagination vpon the Body Agent And then by a Secondary Meanes it may worke vpon a Diuers Body As for Example If a Man carry a Planets Seale or a Ring or some Part of a Beast beleeuing strongly that it will helpe him to obtaine his Loue Or to keepe him from danger of hurt in Fight Or to preuaile in a Suit c. it may make him more Actiue and Industrious And againe more Confident and Persisting than otherwise he would be Now the great Effects that may come of Industrie and Perseuerance especially in Ciuill Businesse who knoweth not For wee see Audacitie doth almost binde and mare the weaker Sort of Minds And the State of Humane Actions is so variable that to trie Things oft and neuer to giue ouer doth Wonders Therefore it were a Meere Fallacie and Mistaking to ascribe that to the Force of Imagination vpon another Body which is but the Force of Imagination vpon the Proper Body For there is no doubt but that Imagination and Vehement Affection worke greatly vpon the Body of the Imaginant As wee shall shew in due place Men are to be Admonished that as they are not to mistake the Causes of these Operations So much lesse they are to mistake the Fact or Effect And rashly to take that for done which is not done And therefore as diuers wise Indges haue prescribed and cautioned Men may not too rashly beleeue the Confessions of Witches nor yet the Enidence against them For the Witches themselues are Imaginatiue and beleeue oft-times they doe that which they doe not And People are Credulous in that point and ready to impute Accidents and Naturall Operations to Witch Craft It is worthy the Obseruing that both in Ancient and Late times As in the Thassalian Witches and the Meetings of Witches that haue beene recorded by so many late Confessions the great Wonders which they tell of Carrying in the Aire Transforming themselues into other Bodies c. are still reported to be wrought not by Incantations or Ceremonies But by Ointments and Annointing themselues all ouer This may iustly moue a Man to thinke that these Fables are the Effects of Imagination For it is certaine that Ointments doe all if they be laid on any thing thicke by Stopping of the Pores shut in the Vapours and send them to the Head extremely And for the Particular Ingredients of those Magicall Ointments it is like they are Opiate and Soporiferous For Annointing of the Fore-head Necke Feet Back-Bone we know is vsed for Procuring Dead Sleepes And if any Man say that this Effect would be better done by Inward Potions Answer may be made that the Medicines which goe to the Ointments are so strong that if they were vsed inwards they would kill those that vse them And therefore they worke Potently though Outwards We will diuide the Seuerall Kindes of the Operations by Transmission of Spirits and Imagination Which will giue no small Light to the Experiments that follow All Operations by Transmission of Spirits and Imagination haue this That they Worke at Distance and not at Touch And they are these being distinguished The First is the Transmission or Emission of the Thinner and more Airy Parts of Bodies As in Odours and Infections And this is of all the rest the most Corporeall But you must remember withall that there be a Number of those Emissions both Wholesome and Vnwholesome that giue no Smell at all
Fellowes in many Effects Heat drieth Bodies that doe easily expire As Parchment Leaues Roots Clay c. And so doth Time or Age arefie As in the same Bodies c. Heat dissolueth and melteth Bodies that keepe in their Spirits As in diuers Liquefactions And so doth Time in some Bodies of a softer Consistence As a manifest in Honey which by Age waxeth more liquid And the like in Sugar And so in old Oyle which is euer more cleare and more hot in Medicinable vse Heat causeth the Spirits to search some Issue out of the Body As in the Volatility of Metalls And so doth Time As in the Rust of Metalls But generally Heat doththat in small time which Age doth in long Some Things which passe the Fire are softest at first and by Time grow hard As the Crumme of Bread Some are harder when they come from the Fire and afterwards giue againe and grow soft as the Crust of Bread Bisket Sweet Meats Salt c. The Cause is for that in those things which waxe Hard with Time the Worke of the Fire is a Kinde of Melting And in those that waxe Soft with Time contrariwise the woke of the Fire is a Kinde of Baking And whatsoeuer the Fire baketh Time doth in some degree dissolue Motions passe from one Man to another not so much by Exciting Imagination as by Inuitation Especially if there be an Aptnesse or Inclination before Therefore Gaping or Yawning and Stretching doe passe from Man to Man For that that causeth Gaping and Stretching is when the Spirits are a little Heauy by any Vapour or the like For then they striue as it were to wring out and expell that which loadeth them So Men drowzy and desirous to sleepe Or before the Fit of an Ague doe vse to Yawne and Stretch And doe likewise yeeld a Voice or Sound which is an Interiection of Expulsion So that if another be apt and prepared to doe the like he followeth by the Sight of another So the Laughing of another maketh to Laugh There be some knowne Diseases that are Infectious And Others that are not Those that are Infectious are First such as are chiefly in the Spirits and not so much in the Humours And therefore passe easily from Body to Body Such are Pestilences Lippitudes and such like Secondly such as Taint the Breath Which wee see passeth manifestly from Man to Man And not inuisibly as the Affects of the Spirits doe Such are Consumptions of the Lungs c. Thirdly such as come forth to the Skinne And therefore taint the Aire or the Body Adiacent Especially if they consist in an Vnctuous Substance no apt to dissipate Such are Scabs and Lepronsie Fourthly such as are meerely in the Humours and not in the Spirits Breath or Exhalations And therefore they neuer infect but by Touch onely and such a Touch also as commeth within the Epidermis As the Venome of the French Poxe And the Biting of a Mad Dog Most Powders grow more Close and Coherent by Mixture of Water than by Mixture of Oyle though Oyle be the thicker Body As Meale c. The Reason is the Congruity of Bodies which if it be more maketh a Perfecter Imbibition and Incorporation Which in most Powders is more betweene Them and Water than betweene Them and Oyle But Printers Colours ground and Ashes doe better incorporate with Oyle Much Motion and Exercise is good for some Bodies And Sitting and lesse Motion for Others If the Body be Hot and Void of Superflous Moistures too much Motion hurteth And it is an Errour in Physitians to call too much vpon Exercise Likewise Men ought to beware that they vse not Exercise and a Spare Diet both But if much Exercise then a Plentifull Diet And if Spâ—ring Diet then little Exercise The Benefits that come of Exercise are First that it sendeth Nourishment into the Parts more forcibly Secondly that it helpeth to Exceme by Sweat and so maketh the Parts assimilate the more perfectly Thirdly that it maketh the Substance of the Body more Solide and Compact And so lesse apt to be Consumed and Depredated by the Spirits The Euills that come of Exercise are First that it maketh the Spirits more Hot and Predatory Secondly that it doth absorbe likewise and attenuate too much the Moisture of the Body Thirdly that it maketh too great â—â—â—â—â—sion especially if it be violent of the Inward Parts which delight more in Rest. But generally Exercise if it be much is no Friend to Prolongation of Life Which is one Cause why Women liue longer than Men because they stirre lesse Some Food we may vse long and much without Glatting As Bread Flesh that is not fat or rancke c. Some other though pleasant Glutteth sooner As Sweet Meats Fat Meats c. The Cause is for that Appetite consisteth in the Emptinesse of Mouth of the Stomacke Or possessing it with somewhat that is Astringent and therfore Cold and Dry. But things that are Sweet and Fat are more Filling And do swimme and hang more about the Mouth of the Stomacke And goe not downe so speedily And againe turne sooner to Choler which is hot and euer abateth the Appetite Wee see also that another Cause of Society is an Ouer-custome and of Appetite is Nouelty And therefore Meats if the same be continually taken induce Loathing To giue the Reason of the Distast of Society and of the Pleasure in Nouelty and to distinguish not onely in Meats and Drinkes but also in Motions Loues Company Delights Studies what they be that Custome maketh more gratefull And what more tedious were a large Field But for Meats the Cause is Attraction which is quicker and more excited towards that which is new than towards that whereof there remaineth a Rellish by former vse And generally it is a Rule that whatsoeuer is somewhat Ingrate at first is made Gratefull by Custome But whatsoeuer is too Pleasing at first groweth quickly to satiate NATVRALL HISTORIE IV. Century ACCELERATION of Time in Works of Nature may well be esteemed Inter Magnalia Naturae And euen in Diuine Miracles Accelerating of the Time is next to the Creating of the Matter We will now therfore proceed to the Enquiry of it And for Acceleration of Germination we will referre it ouer vnto to the place where we shall handle the Subiect of Plants generally And will now begin with other Accelerations Liquours are many of them at the first thicke and troubled As Must Wort Iuyces of Fruits or Hearbs expressed c. And by Time they settle and Clarifie But to make them cleare before the Time is a great Worke For it is a Spurre to Nature and putteth her out of her pace And besides it is of good vse for making Drinkes and Sances Potable and Seruiceable speedily But to know the â—â—â—â—â—â— of Accelerating Clarification we must first know the Causes of Clarification The first Cause is by the Separation of the Gresser Parts of the
Liquourâ— from the Finer The second by the Equall Distribution of the Spirits of the Liquour with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parts For that â—â—â—â—â— representeth Bodies Cleare and Vntroubled The third by the Resining the Spirit it selfe which therby giueth to the Liquour more Splendour and more Lustre First for Separation It is wrought by Weight As in the ordinary Residence or Settlement of Liquours By Heat By Motion By Precipitation or Sublimation That is a Calling of the seuerall Parts either vp or downe which is a kinde of Attraction By Adhesion As when a Body more Viscous is mingled and agitated with the Liquour which Viscous Body afterwards seuered draweth with it the grosser Parts of the Liquour And Lastly By Percolation or Passage Secondly for the Euen Distribution of the Spirits It is wrought By Gentle Heat And By Agitation or Motion For of Time we speake not because it is that we would anticipate represent And it is wrought also By Mixture of some other Body which hath a vertue to open the Liquour and to make the Spirits the better passe thorow Thirdly for the Refining of the Spirit it is wrought likewise By Heat By Motion And by Mixture of some Body which hath Vertue to attenuate So therefore hauing shewen the Causes for the Accelerating of Clarification in generall and the Enducing of it take these Instances and Trialls It is in common Practise to draw Wine or Beere from the Lees which we call Racking wherby it will Clarifie much the sooner For the Lees though they keepe the Drinke in Heart and make it lasting yet withall they cast vp some Spissitude And this Instance is to be referred to Separation On the other side it were good to try what the Adding to the Liquour more Lees than his owne will worke For thought the Lees doe make the Liquour turbide yet they refine the Spirits Take therfore a Vessell of New Beere And take another Vessell of New Beere and Rack the one Vessell from the Lees and powre the Lees of the Racked Vessell into the vnracked Vessell and see the Effect This Instance is referred to the Refining of the Spirits Take New Beere and put in some Quantitie of Stale Beere into it and see whether it will not accelerate the Clarification by Opening the Body of the Beere and Cutting the Grosser Parts wherby they may fall downe into Lees. And this Instance againe is referred to Separation The longer Malt or Herbs or the like are Infused in Liquour the more thicke and troubled the Liquour is But the longer they be decocted in the Liquour the clearer it is The Reason is plaine because in infusion the longer it is the greater is the Part of the Grosse Body that goeth into the Liquour But in Decoction though more goeth forth yet it either purgeth at the Top or fettleth at the Bottome And therfore the most Exact Way to Clarifie is First to Infuse and then to take off the Liquour and Decoct it as they doe in Beere which hath Malt first Infused in the Liquour and is afterwards boiled with the Hop This also is referred to Separation Take Hot Embers and put them about a Bottle filled with New Beere almost to the very Neck Let the Bottle be well stopped lest it flie out And continue it renewing the Embers euery day by the space of Ten Dayes and then compare it with another Bottle of the same Beere set-by Take also Lime both Quenched and Vnquenched and set the Bottles in them vt Supra This Instance is referred both to the Euen Distribution and also to the Refining of the Spirits by Heat Take Bottles and Swing them Or Carry them in a Wheels-Barrow vpon Rough Ground twice in a day But then you may not fill the Bottles full but leaue some Aire For if the Liquour come close to the Stopple it cannot play nor flower And when you haue shaken them well either way poure the Drinke into another Bottle stopped close after the vsuall manner For if it stay with much Aire in it the Drinke will pall neither will it settle so perfectly in all the Parts Let it stand sorce 24. houres Then take it and put it againe into a Bottle with Aire vt supra And thence into a Bottle Stopped vt supra And so repeat the same Operation for seuen dayes Note that in the Emptying of one Bottle into another you must doe it swiftly lest the Drinke pall It were good also to trie it in a Bottle with a little Aire below the Neck without Emptying This Instance is referred to the Euen Distribution and Refining of the Spirits by Motion As for Percolation Inward and Outward which belongeth to Separation Triall would be made of Clarifying by Adhesion with Milks put into New Beere and stirred with it For it may be that the Grossar Part of the Beere will cleave to the Milke The Doubt is whether the Milke will feuer â— ell againe Which is soone tried And it is vsuall in Clarifying Ippoerasse to put in Milke Which after seuereth and carrieth with it the Grosser Parts of the Ippoerasse as hath beene said elsewhere Also for the better Clarification by Persolation when they run New Beere they vse to let it passe through a Strainer And it is like the finer the Strainer is the clearer it will be The Accelerating of Maturation Wee will now enquire of And of Maturation it selfe It is of three Natures The Maturation of Fruits The Maturation of Drinkes And the Maturation of Impostumes and Vlcers This last we referre to another Place where wee shall handle Experiments Medicinall There be also other Maturations as of Metalls c. whereof we will speake as Occasion serueth But we will begin with that of Drinkes because it hath such a Affinitie with the Clarification of Liquours For the Maturation of Drinkes it is wrought by the congregation of the Spirits together whereby they digest more perfectly the Grosser Parts And it is effected partly by the same meanes that Clarification is wherof wee spake before But then more that an Extreme Clarification doth spread the Spirits so Smooth as they become Dull and the Drinke dead which ought to haue a little Flouring And therefore all your Cleare Amber Drinke is flat We see the Degrees of Maturation of Drinkes In Must In Wine as it is drunke And in Vinegar Whereof Must hath not the Spirits well Congregated Wine hath them well vnited so as they make the Parts somewhat more Oylie Vinegar hath them Congregated but more Ieiune and in smaller Quantitie The greatest and finest Spirit and Part being exhaled For we see Vinegar is made by setting the Vessell of Wine against the hot Sun And therefore Vinegar will not burne For that much of the Finer Parts is Exhaled The Refreshing and Quickning of Drinke Palled or Dead is by Enforcing the Motion of the Spirit So wee see that Open Weather relaxeth the Spirit and maketh it more liuely in Motion Wee see also Bottelling
Herbs Cut c. will grow soonest if they be Set or Cut in the Increase of the Moone Also that Braines in Rabits Wood-cocks Calues c. are fullest in the Full of the Moone And so of â—â—â— in the Bones And so of Oysters and â—â—â— which of all the rest are the easiest tried if you haue them in Pits Take some â—â—â—â—â—â—â—â— and set some of them immediately after the Change And others of the same kinde immediately after the Full Let them be as Like as can be The Earth also the Same as neare as may be And therefore beft in Pots Let the Pots also stand where no Raine or Sunne may come to them lest the Difference of the Weather confound the Experiment And then see in what Time the Seeds Set in the Increase of the Moone come to a certaine Height And how they differ from chose that are Set in the Decrease of the Moone It is like that the Braine of Man waxeth Moister and Fuller vpon the Full of the Moone And therefore it were good for those that haue Moist Braines and are great Drinkers to take Fume of Lignum Aloës RoseMary â—â—â—â— about the full of the Moone It is like also that the â—â—â— in mens Bodies Increase and Decrease as the Moone doth And therefore it were good to Purge some day or two after the Full For that then the â—â—â— will not replenish so soone againe As for the â—â—â— of the Motion of the Spirits you must note that the Growth of Hedges Herbs Haire â—â—â— is caused from the Moone by â—â—â— of the Spirits as well as by Increase of the Moisture But for Spirite in particular the great Instante is in â—â—â— There may be other Secret Effects of the Influence of the Moone which are not yet brought into Obseruation It may be that if it so fill out that the Wind be North or North-East in the Full of the Moone it increaseth Cold And if South or South-West it disposeth the Aire for a good while to Warmth and Raine Which would be obserued It may be that Children and Young Cattell that are Brought forth in the Full of the Moone are stronger larger than those that are brought forth in the Wane And those also which are Begotten in the Full of the Moone So that it might be good Husbandry to put Rams and Bulls to their Females somewhat before the Full of the Moone It may be also that the Egs lay'd in the Full of the Moone breed the better Bird And a Number of the like Effects which may be brought into Obseruation Quare also whether great Thunders and Earth-Quakes be not most in the Full of the Moone The Turning of Wine to Vinegar is a Kinde of Putrefaction And in Making of Vinegar they vse to set Vessels of Wine ouer against the Noone-Sunne which calleth out the more Oyly Spirits and leaueth the Liquour more Soure and Hard. We see also that Burnt-Wine is more Hard and Astringent than Wine Vnburnt It is said that Cider in Nauigations vnder the Line ripeneth when Wine or Beere soureth It were good to set a Rundlet of Veriuyce ouer against the Sunne in Summer as they doe Vinegar to see whether it will Ripen and Sweeten There be diuers Creatures that Sleepe all Winter As the Beare the Hedge-hog the Bat the Bee c. These all wax Fat when they Sleepe and egest not The Cause of their Fattening during their Sleeping time may be the Want of Assimilating For whatsoeuer Attimilation not to Flesh turneth either to Sweat or Fat These Creatures for part of their Sleeping Time haue been obserued not to Stirre at all And for the other part to Stirre but not to Remoue And they get Warme and Close Places to Sleepe in When the Flemmings Wintred in Noua Zembla the Beares about the Middle of Nouember went to Sleepe And then the Foxes began to come forth which durst not before It is noted by some of the Ancients that the Shee-Beare breedeth and lyeth in with her Young during that time of Rest And that a Beare Big with Young hath seldome beene seene Some Liuing Creatures are Procreated by Copulation betweene Male and Female Some by Putrefaction And of those which come by Putrefaction many doe neuerthelesse afterwards procreate by Copulation For the Cause of both Generations First it is most certaine that the Cause of all Viuification is a Gentle and Proportionable Heat working vpon a Glutinous and Yeelding Substance For the Heat doth bring forth Spirit in that Substance And the Substance being Glutinous produceth Two Effects The One that the Spirit is Detained and cannot Breake forth The Other that the Matter being Gentle and Yeelding is driuen forwards by the Motion of the Spirits after some Swelling into Shape and Members Therefore all Sperme all Menstruous Substance all Matter whereof Creatures are produced by Putrefaction haue euermore a Closenesse Lentour and Sequacity It seemeth therefore that the Generation by Sperme onely and by Putrefaction haue two Different Causes The First is for that Creatures which haue a Definite and Exact Shape as those haue which are Procreated by Copulation cannot be produced by a Weake and Casuall Heat Nor out of Matter which is not exactly Prepared according to the Species The Second is for that there is a greater Time required for Maturation of Perfect Creatures For if the Time required in Viuification be of any length then the Spirit will Exhale before the Creature be Mature Except it be Enclosed in a Place where it may haue Continuance of the Heat Accesse of some Nourishment to maintaine it and Closenesse that may keepe it from Exhaling And such Places are the Wombes and Matrices of the Females And therefore all Creatures made of Putrefaction are of more Vncertaine Shape And are made in Shorter Time And need not so Perfect an Enclosure though some Closenesse be commonly required As for the Heathen Opinion which was that vpon great Mutations of the World Perfect Creatures were first Engendred of Concretion As well as Frogs and Wormes and Flies and such like are now Wee know it to be vaine But if any such Thing should be admitted Discoursing according to Sense it cannot be except you admit a Chaos first Commixture of Heauen and Earth For the Frame of the World once in Order cannot effect it by any Extesse or Casualtie NATVRALL HISTORIE X. Century THe Philosophie of Pythagoras which was full of Superstition did first plant a Monstrous Imagination Which afterwards was by the Schoole of Plato and Others Warred and Nourished It was that the World was One Entire Perfect Liuing Creature Insomuch as Apolloniâ— of Tyaâ—a a Pythagorean Prophet affirmed that the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea was the Respiration of the World drawing in Water as Breath and putting it forth againe They went on and inferred That if the World were a Liuing Creature it had a Soule and Spirit Which also they haâ—â—â— calling it Spiritus Mundi