proposed in the same and by the same meanes to establish the truth oâ— the cause Q. From whence comes it that throwing in a perpendicular line a chippe or other piece of wood equally bigge within the water the upper end which first entereth within the water shall bee â—ooner remounted upon the water then that above shall sinke to the bottome A. It is certaine that wood being a thinne body containes very much ayre the naturall place whereof is above the water by reason whereof being thrust by violence under the water he riseth above by his owne nature in lesse time then the violence which thrusts him downe because it was but accidentary Q. Wherefore is it that a ball blowne full of winde being thrust downe by force under water sudâ—ainly mounts up againe upon the top of it A. Because that the Ayre or winde wherewith it is full comes to his naturall place which is above the water Q. Wherefore is it that a piece of wood being cast from high to low within the water with a piece of lead stone or any other hard or solid body of the same weight they shall both descend and fall in the same time upon the water yet neverthelesse the lead or stone shal sinke into the water and the wood shall swimme upon the top of the water A. The wood sinks not within the water because it is ayerie and the place of the Ayre is above the water the other sinks because they are earthly watery but in the ayre the wood descends as swiftly as the terrestriall and watery bodies because that the ayre as all other Elements excepting the fire weighs in his naturall place Finger Q. FRom whence comes it that the fourth finger of the left hand next to the little finger hath beene so esteemed amongst the Egyptians Greeks and Romans that they have onely adorned it with a gold Ring A. Because in making Anatomies dissections of the body they have found that there is a little nerve in the same which stretcheth and reacheth even to the heart and for the conjunction and ligature it hath with that noble part they more honoured it then the others and more they call it the medicinable finger Sleepe Q. WHerfore is it that Physitians forbid us to lie in our beds upon our backes and our bellies aloft A. The cause is that lying in that sort the Reines heate and the Phlegme which is there hardeneth whereby is ingendred the stone in the reines it chafes also the blood that is in the veine called Cave and the spirits that are within the great Artery and it likewise shuts and stops the conduits of the excrements whereof ensueth and proceedeth as saith Avicen Apoplexies Phrensies and Incubus Q. Wherefore is it that the morning sleepe is more pleasant then that of the night A. Because that the Sunne remounting in our Hemispheare and comming neare us mooveth sweetly in our bodies such vapours as provoke us to sleep Q. But wherefore is it that sleep after dinner is hurtfull A. If one have watched the night before I doe not condemne him to sleep in the day but having sufficiently rested the night and to take a nappe betwixt the two meales it corrupts the digestion looseth and slakes the members too much dulleth and makes the head heavy and brings one to be carelesse and unprofitable I will say neuerthelesse that although the Physitians permit old folkes to sleepe sometimes in the day because they cannot well rest in the night therefore they may take a nap when they desire it but it is not good to use it too soone after meat or if then but a short one with the Proverb Somnum Meridianum aut brevis aut Nihil Q. Wherefore is it that little children are very sleepy and old folkes on the contrary very watchfull A. Because that little children are very moist and neverthelesse abounding in naturall heat the which evaporates great quantitity of the humidity sendeth it to the brain so as the conduits by which the animal spirits flow from the brain to the other parts of the body being stoppen they sleepe easily Old folkes on the contrary are dry have besides litle natural heat in them is the cause that the matter efficient cause of sleep fails in them that they cannot long sleep whereas I say that aged folkes are dry I mean they have little of radicall moisture although they abound in ill humours the which neverthelesse are not the cause and matter of sleep Q. Wherfore is it that those which have their veines very small are more sleepy then those which have them great A. Because as Aristotle saith very well that the fumes and vapours which have their mouÌ„ture to the brain have their stopping by the conduits of the sence cannot easily flow nor be dissipated by the natural heat so easily as if the wayes were large and ample so then it is requisit they have more time to take away the cause of sleepe as also the effect lasteth n t long Q. From whence comes it that Harmony and a sweet consort of a well agreeing musick be it of voice or of instruments yea a sweet murmur of waters and Rivers the chirping of birds the humming of flyes and other such obiects of the hearing provoke sleep A. The same procedeth from that as the soule is greatly affected as it were seized charmed by the hearing gathereth all his forces for to send up great quaÌ„tity of spirits so as the other sences being altogether deprived remain as filled the Agitation of the same spirits mooving the vapours fumes to the Organes and conduits of the hearing provoke a sweet and pleasant sleep Q. How can it bee that sorrow breakes the sleepe and yet neverthelesse sleepe allaies sorrow anâ— griefe A. It is that sorrow and griefe troubles and hinders so much the concoction that imagination it selfe breaks the sleepe and neverthelesse rest increaseth the motion of the troubled spirits and releaseth the anguish and sorrow Q. How can it be that labour provoketh sleepe seeing it expandeth and throweth abroad naturall heate through all the body and neverthelesse naturall heate amasseth from the interiour is the efficient cause of sleepe making to vapour the fumes from the stomacke to the braine the which turning them into water stoppeth the conduits of the sense which remaines by this meanes filled and bound A. Sleepe comes not from the labour but by accident and mediately not as the nearest cause because labour ingenders wearinesse and wearinesse constraines us to rest so that during the rest naturall heate retires within and worketh so with that shee findes within the stomacke and inwards that it exhales the fumes and vapours to the braine the which provokes sleepe and stops the conduits of the Senses Q. Wherefore is it that the first sleepe is more strong more profound and holds the sense more bound and more drown'd in sleepe A. Because that then it sends
abateth this extraordinary boyling for so saith Aristotle in his Problems and the wisest Physitians approveit Frost Q. WHerefore is it that the Frost and Ice being ingendred of one selfe same matter that is Raine it freezeth not for all that as it raines in all seasons A. Because that the Snow and Raine comes from great clouds amassed from vapours which are drawne into the middle region of the Ayre and there hanging many dayes and the Hayle comes not but from vapours drawne from the bodies hanging one night the same vapours being not able to lift themselves high are congealed and taken together by the cold in cold seasons but in seasons temperate and warme they come to dissolve in small drops of water which wee call the dew Q. Wherefore is it that water and oyle congeales easily so doth not Wine nor Vinegar or saltish waters A. It is because that Wine or saltish waters having in them some heate resist easily the cold and cannot be brought to congeale but very seldome or by an extreame cold Vinegar also because it is very subtile and retaines some thing of the qualities of wine resisting also the cold but water beeing very cold and participating with the grosse vapours of the earth is easily taken congealed with the cold and oyle being temperate resisteth more the cold then the water but not so much as wine and liquors more hot Q. But wherefore is it that in frosty weather a little fall or an overturne maks us runne into the danger of breaking an arme or a legge sooner then in other seasons A. The cause is that the humidity being bound in by the cold the body and limbes are more stiffe more bended and by the same meanes more fraile brittle and more easie to break even as candles frozen be they of waxe of tallow or of rosin as also on the contrary the humidity being spread diffused through all the body the members are more loose flexible Q. Wherefore is it that Aqua vitae being mixt with any other liquour keepes it from freezing A. Because it is very hot and therefore it is called burning water and is very good in your inke in the winter-time Q. How comes it that the cakes of ice swimme upon the top of the water in Rivers A. Because they are made of the most light water that is to say of that which is uppermost for the bottome of Rivers congeale not because that all the heate retires thither flying the cold which seizeth upon the surface of the water of the earth Q. Wherefore is it that the bodies most grosse are sooner congcaled and frozen then the subtile and smooth as by example the mud sooner then the water A. Because that the more subtill being more active resists â—more then the passive neverthelesse if the more grosse bodies bee more hot and they resist yet more easily then the subtile cold so the wine resists the frost more then the water and the water of the Sea more then the water of the River Generation Q. FRom whence comes it that all the Animals of the world have appetite to ingender and beget their like A. Nature hath given them all this appetite to the end they should conserve their species and kinde Q. Wherefore is it that the naturalists hold that of all the motions and changings onely generation and corruption are done in an instant and without any consideration of times A. In asmuch that if generation and corruption should bee done with any space of time a thing should receive his being in part and part Q. From whence comes it that certaine Animals bring a great sort of little ones and others onely one A. Nature as I have said often above all things pleaseth her selfe with diversity but yet we must note herein the providence for commonly the Animals that live but a little while produce also often and that much more often then the others the multitude of their little ones where the frequent production repaireth the small lasting of their lives as in dogges in swine and also in all birds and fishes on the contrary those which live more long time produce seldome but one because that during their long lasting they may divers times beget many others as Men Elephants and Deere doe Q. Wherefore is it that during the blowing of the northern windes they beget more of males and when the winde blowes in the south they beget more femals A. Many learned and wise men say they have so observed it and the reason of this is that the North winde by his coldnesse makes to close and unite the naturall heat within the interiours so the males which are naturally more hot then the females are begot oftner in that time then on the contrary because that the south winde languisheth and letteth slack naturall heat the generation is lesse vigorous so that it must be then the Sex feminine which is more cold and more weak and begotten oftner then the masculine Q. From whence comes it that learned and prudent men often beget children unhealthfull weake and sots and the sots and ignorant on the contrary beget children unhealthfull well advised warie and strong A. It is because the sots and ignorants attend brutishly the carnall copulation and have not their spirits diverted other where so as they accomplish the act fully and from thence it comes that they beget children well complexioned and accomplished On the contrary men learned and wise have often such extravagancy of spirits that they least attend the carnall and brutish pleasure in this act of generation that they doe little and the children which are then begot are lesse accomplished Q. Wherefore is it that the Physitians hold that the corruption of one thing whatsoever it be is followed with the generation of another A. Because that there is no corruption but by the privation of the forme precedent and succession of another wholly new the matter alwayes remayning the which cannot bee naturally annihilated nor cannot change but in the formâ— Taste or tasting Q. HOw comes it that all bodies are not sappish that is to say savorous and perceptable by the taste A. For that the watry humidity is not decocted in all by the heate for savour and taste consisteth in the mixture of the dry in earth with the moist in water both concocted with heat Q. From whence comes it that fruits are of better taste in moderate and temperate Regions then in cold A. Because that in cold Regions the moisture is not sufficiently decocted by the heate and that the cold hinders them from full ripening Q. Wherefore is it that by the rigour of an extreame cold victualls become walowish and without taste A. Because that the taste I take the taste for the sauour according to the vulgar fashion consisting in a temperate heate so an extreame cold makes and takes away the taste from the victualls Q. Wherefore is it on the contrary that victualls too much decocted
lifted up unto the middle region of the Ayre which as wee have formerly sayd is cold in Summer by reason whereof the Snow is there conserved which falls not so to the lower parts where in in Summer the heate is predominant Q. How can it bee that hot water cover'd with strawe conserves and retaines his heate and that Snow covered also with straw in a fresh place remaines inâ—ire without resolving or melting retaining his coldnesse seeing that heat and cold are two qualities diametrally contrary A. It is because the straw is not properly of himselfe neither hot nor cold nor dry nor moyst and for this cause it is called of the Greeeks Apoion that 's to say exempt of quality and neverthelesse is susceptible of qualities of the subject to which it is applied to in as much more easily that if it participates of any of them it is therefore it conserves and entertaines hot things in their heate and cold things in their coldnesse from thence comes it also that it is very proper to conserve the fruits and to keepe them from corruption and rottennesse Drowning Q. WHerefore is it that the bodies of drowned folkes come againe to swimme upon the water after few dayes and notedly as they have observed upon the ninth day A. Some say that nine dayes after the body is drown'd and sunke under the water the gall splits and breakes and the bitter liquor which was therein contained being runne out the body lifteth it selfe upon the water Others hold that the gall crackes not for all that but that all the parts of the body being attenuated and thinned by the moisture of the water and the grosse humours being evacuated it is then more suple and comes againe upon the water some dayes after it is drowned But it seemes to me that it is rather because of windes which ingender within the caules filmes or membranes which cover the intestines and the belly called of the Physitians Omentum peritonium as an excessive swelling of the belly shews us for all corruption and rottennesse is ingender'd of heate and heate dissolves humidity and it ingenders winde the which reason is subtilly brought forth by Cardan Q. Wherefore is it that the bodyes of drowned men comming up upon the water swim upon their backs and those of women upon their bellies A. To attribute this as some have doe to the prudence of nature which hath a will to cover the secret partes of the one Sexe more then of the other seemeth to mee a reason too light and I will like better to say that it is because of the difference of the parts of the one and of the other for women have the vessells of before more ample large and capable then the men as the naturall parts the matrixe and the conduits of the Urine which is the cause that they are lesse subject to the stone and beare their children in their flancks besides that their breasts are spungeous and drink up a great quantity of water which weigheth and heavieth much more the fore parts of their bodyes and by consequent drawes it downeward for it is certaine that the most heaviest parts still incline downeward on the contrary men have their shoulders more grosse and large then the women and the bones and ligatures of the vertebres or back bones more strong great and firme by reason whereof those parts incline downeward as also that they have the organes and conduits of the voyce and of their respiration and breathing more ample as it appeares in this that they have the voyce more grosse and more strong which being filled with ayre lifts their bodies upward and the face towards the Heaven and the back upon the water Night Q. WHerfore is it that in the night time griefes wounds and other of our maladies gather together and increase A. Because that in the day we see heare breath smell taste runne and have many other divertments which allayeth our griefes and in the night the sence of the touch is onely busied and is also more affected with griefes together the excessive cold and moysture of the night aydes to it also very much Q. Wherefore is it that wee heare better and more further in the night then in the day A. Because that the noyse of Animals and an infinite of such like things ceaseth in the night and all beeing still in silence and in rest the hearing peirceth better upon his objects and moreover our other sences and especially the sight distracts us much in the day not exercising then their functions the hearing being then the most sharp Q. Wherefore is it that we rest sooner and better in the night then in the day A. The reason politick is that the day is more proper to us for travell and labour because of the light but the reason naturall is that the night is more cold and moyst then the day and the cold and the humidity provokes sleepe as also that having travelled hither and thither in the day we repose and rest better in the night Smells and Smelling Q. WHerfore is it that man excels not in smelling as many other Animals doe A. Because that man in regard of his corporall masse having much more of braine then any other Animal and the braine being cold and moyst and the Odours on the contrary holding more of hot and dry is the cause that the smelling of men is weakned by the neighbourhood of the braine for the faculty of smelling lies principally in certaine little bosses or rundells of flesh which the Physitians call Mamelles which are above the nares or nostrills joyning to the braine Q. Wherfore is it that those which have the braine tempered with hot and dry excell in smelling above others A. Because the odours are of the temperament of the hot and of the dry Q. Wherefore is it that those which excel in smelling have also ordinarily spirits good and subtile A. Because that their brain being of the above said temper the heat serves them to the prompt conception of the objects and the dry to retaine them which are the qualities of a faire spirit Q. Wherefore is it that they have seldome a good sight A. Because that the instrument of the sight is watrish and moyst and that of the smell is of the contrary temperature by reason whereof they cannot much excell in both the two together Q. Wherefore is it that Arabia Felix Africa and other hot regions are very aboundant and plant plentifull in all Oderiferous and Aromatick things A. Because that being hot and dry they have the same temperature as the odours are of Q. Wherefore is it that the flowers which grow neere to Oignions have a more violent smell then otherwise they would have A. Because that the Onyon dry and heate the earth and communicate by that meanes those two qualities to the flowers the which qualities fortifie the odours Q. Wherefore is it that those which are Rheumatick smell very little or