censory hidden within the skull and therefore they cannot perceive odours but by the conduct of the ambient air introsumed But Insects do not perceive odours by the attraction of air but by the alone presence of the thing to be smelled at the censory which organ in them is always open and exposed to smelling not unlike to the eyes of those animals that have no lids nor covering but always open M The material cause of Insects is double as the Insects themselves are of two kinds for some are gotten of slimy earth and putrid mud as for example from putrified Pot-herbs the Canker or Palmer-worm from putrid Water the Gnat from decayed Wine the Midge from Slime worms from Mud frogs others arise from a mixed putretude as Beetles from the karcass of an Ass Bees from a Bull Wasps from a Horse And as there are two kinds of Insects so there is also a double efficient cause of them for they which take their rise from putrid Matter their efficient cause is the heat of the Sun diffused in the Ambient air But they which are gotten of a mixed and cadaverous putretude are procreated meerly from the proper heat of the mixed putretude for that heat doth dispose the Matter and produce a substantial form of the same not by its proper force for an accident cannot make a living substance but by the vertue of the Celestial heat But some may say that heat of mixture is broken in putretude if putretude be the corruption of heat natural therefore the heat of a mixed body putrefied cannot be the efficient cause of Insects I answer In the natural decay of mixtures simply all heat doth not vanish so that none may be said to remain but broken as natural and according to that measure which is necessary to retain the humidity with the â—…iccity as in the destruction death or decay of living creatures all heat simply doth not vanish but that onely which was convenient for the existence of the soul in the body and the preservation of life therefore that heat which is yet left in a mixed putretude hath reason to be the efficient cause of Insects But some may further instance that heat in the generation of mixtures ought to domineer passively not actively according to Aristotle who saith that heat and cold do generate when they overcome and rule in passives but in putretude the heat of mixture doth not obtain the name of dominion because its wants strength and vigor and is so unfurnished that it cannot retain the moist with the dry for the preservation of the mixture therefore it cannot be the efficient cause of Insects which Insects are procreated of the unity and consistency of humidity and sicâ—…ity I answer The heat of the body putrefied may be considered two manner of ways either in respect of that mixture which doth putrefie or in respect of the animals which are produced from that mixture if it be considered after the first manner then it is preternatural and not fit to retain the humidity with the siccity because it doth not further rule in these passive qualities but if heat be considered in the second respect then it is natural and hath force and dominion over the moist and dry and it can terminate and couple them and out of that matter produce a substantial form by the concurrence of the celestial heat but now as the matter is various and diverse in which heat doth exercise its action so likewise various and divers animals and insects are produced for if the matter be much terrene and corpulent then it will produce testaceous animals but if tender thin and subtil then heat doth generate slender animals as Flies Gnats c. For as Aristotle says In the sea there is much of an earthly substance and thence it is that from the concretion thereof so many shell-fishes are procreated But again it may be objected by some Every thing that is generated must proceed from a thing that is like to it self for a celestial body and heat are not similar to those which do arise from coenous and putrid Matter therefore from these they cannot rightly be said to be generated I answer Every thing that is generated is said to be generated from its simile either according to an univocal generation or an equivocal generation by analogy I call that an univocal generation when one man begets another or one dog another for here the thing getting and the thing begotten are of one Genus for the bitch generating is an animal and the dog generated is an animal But an equivocal generation is made by similitude as a frog that is produced out of filth by the force of the sun and it is so called because the thing getting and the thing gotten are Heterogeneous But now although the Insects proceeding from such like bodies are not similar according to the univocal Genus yet they are generated a simile according to the equivocal Genus by analogy because they are produced by some existent act as by a celestial body or the like which concur in the way of act to produce a body CHAP. 15. Of Man and his Formation in the Womb. 1. HItherto we have Treated of irrational Creatures Now we shall say something of the rational viz. Man 2. Man is A an animal endowed with reason 3. And as he is the most noblest of all Creatures so he hath the most beautiful and excellent structure of body of all other animals being erect and looking up to heaven 4. But as every thing which is gotten doth proceed of something and from something so there are certain necessary principles to the generation of mans Body 5. The seed B therefore of both Sexes is plentiful and fruitful and pronounced by the ancients to be the Mother-blood of principles 6. The Seed is a humid body spumous and white generated from the flower or cream oâ—… the spirits elaborated by the insited force of the stones for generation sake 7. Hence it consists of two parts of a watrish humidity and spirit 8. The Serous humidity is generated of blood whence he affirms seed to be an excrement of the last sanguineous aliment not in substance but by a profitable abundance Arist. 1 de Gen. Anim. c. 18 29. 9. The Spiritual part C is no other then the vital spirit dilated by the spermatick arteries to the cods where it is exquisitely mixed with blood and of two becomes one perfect body therefore the Seed is compounded of spirit and water 10. Maternal blood D or menstruum another principle of our generation is a sanguineous excrement begotten from the heat of the female for the conservation of her species 11. It is called menstruous because it comes monethly which nevertheless after conception is forthwith stopped 12. It is called a sanguineous excrement not that it is like thereunto or noxious in its quality as the Neotericks do affirm but that it is too luxuriant in quantity and therefore it is
the plenty thereof whereby the 〈◊〉 heat the instrument of form is nourished together with the firmness and solidity of the whole Plant. 18. For such grow a long time As first have much soft and gentle humidity in them Secondly a solid substance Thirdly their roots long and thick Fourthly those that are barren and fruitless Fifthly such as grow in a dry place 19. On the contrary part those Plants are short lived and sooner perish by natural corruption as have not the contraries to the former 20. Preternatural or violent â—…ruption happens either by â—…tinction or â—…nt of nourishâ—… 21. Corruption happening 〈◊〉 extinction is when the Plant perishes by too much cold 22. When cold 〈◊〉 goâ—… to the bottom it hinders 〈◊〉 warm vapour or heat from coming to the roots and at length causes the whole to perish 23. This corruption doth not happen but when an extream cold comes and invades the roots denuded of earth 24. Corruption happening from want of nourishment and that by heat by which the Plant is as it were scorched the humidity thereof being C exhausted by the vehemency of heat 25. And there are two seasons especially wherein Plants are exposed to this injury the one when they begin to bud because then they are more laxi the other when they bear fruit when their juice is exhausted and made weak 26. That is called partial corruption or sideration when the native heat of any part is extinguished either by cold or heat or with a wound mortification of that part following 27. Furthermore some kinde of Plants grow of their own accord and some are propagated by the art and industry of man 28. Such arise of their own accord of seed as are either manifest or obscure 29. Those that grow of manifest seed have but one manner of rising as in all Herbareous Plants that are sown of seed and others are propagated divers manner of ways 30. From manifest seed after this manner seed falling into the moist earth is thereby softned and is cherished both with naturall and celestial heat and so swelling by reason of the plenty of humour flowing into them from the earth it breaks and out of that part which is broken a certain soft and tender sprout doth grow by so little becomes more firm and crass one part whereof being partaker of the airy nature ascends up the other which is terrestrial and crass resides in the earth and there coaâ—…esces 31. So then Plants arising â—…rom seed are cherished by the humour of the earth decocted â—…y heat and attracted by their â—…nternal nature 32. But the time of sprouting of Plants is not one and the same D for some do begin to grow within three days as the Bafil and Rape some on the fourth day as Lettice some on the fifth as the Gourd some on the sixth as Beet some on the eighth as Arach some on the tenth as Colwort Leeks in twenty days Smallidg forty or fifty Last of all Pyony and Mandrake â—…rce in the space of a whole year 33. The causes of this diversity of sproutings are these First 〈◊〉 strength of Form Secondly the strength or weakness of their inward heat Thirdly the variety or density fatness or hardness of the seeds for in hard and dense Bodies the humour cannot be illicited out of the earth so readily whereby seed must swell before it erupts 34. Certain Plants E according to the opinion of Theophrastus are said to grow without evident or manifest seed and he declares the cause to be a certain permistion of earth and putrefied water which being as it were preserved both by the heat of the sun and the propriety of the matter renders a fit generation of spontaneous Plants 35. This opinion is probable enough for as a strange heat is the cause of putretude so also into things of new forms which are putrefied and he makes the heat of the sun and stars to be a beneficial induction therâ—… 36. But besides these the air and the earth may be the cause of sproutings of such Plants as grow spontaneously If it be true that according to the various station of first and second qualities in substance various mutations and generations of things may be made 37. Moreover a Plant sometimes is produced out of a hard stone which happens when air is included therein and endeavors to asâ—…end but when it cannot finde a passage it is reflected and so waxes hot by its agitation whereby it draws the humor of the stone to it self That vapour with the humour breaks out and of that vapour and humour brought out of the stone a Plant is ingendered by the concurrent heat of the sun Arist. lib. 2. de Plantis c. 5. 38. Furthermore Plante are variously propagated by the art and industry of men by setting of roots or ingrafting yong slips 39. By setting of roots as Liquorice Lilly for these do easily attract aliment and so live 40. By ingrafting or planting and that either by fastning them in the earth or upon the stock of a tree 41. Planted or fixed in the earth as the Rose Willow Vine Mulberry which is called a propagation 42. Engrafted upon the stock of a tree by thrusting a slip into the wood of another which properly indeed is called insition as an Apple-tree into a Pear-tree 43. Indeed most Plants may be propagated all these ways as Olives Figgs and Cherry-trees 44. But there are invented other manner of propagations more artificially whereby a leaf digged out of the earth to bud in a new stock 45. But it is a question not to be contemned F why the dissected parts of Plants do live and thereby propaga ed when it is the cause of death in Animals This is said to happen because Plants have the strength and force of the soul engrafted within them and so diffused over all their parts Heat also which is an individual companion of the soul and moisture gentle and thin and therefore not dissipable but it is not so with Animals for they stand in need of that faculty which flows from the heart 46. Therefore part of a bough which is planted in the earth doth preserve in it self heat humour and strength of the soul and by that attracted humour begins to swell and receive spirit and by the strength of the soul it detaines and by the help of its innate heat it distributes the grossest parts of the humour from whence the roots are framed and the thinnest part it preserves which causes it to grow higher 47. The same manner is observed in engrafting for as Plants out of the earth as out of a womb so Grafts from those where they are grafted do preserve keep and attract the nutriment of the Plant by the force of the soul and heat and by a continued action a generation of parts is made 48. But Aliment which the Graft draws is by far more elaborate First in that was concocted before in the mother Secondly in that is made
and some three times a year the proximate cause of which is no other then the proximate form of every species 18. Of fecundine Plants some are fertile continently and that by the reason of the abundance of their heat and fatness of their humour as the Fig-tree which fructicates sometimes but every year the same is observed in Pear-trees and Apple-trees 19. These Trees are very profuse for they require so much aliment for the generation of fruit that if they receive not annually so much by reason of the season of the year they become barren for that year 20. The property of the substance of Plants may be discerned by their various affections whereby they exercise and act 21. Plants exercise their strength in things that are either Animate or Inanimate 22. Inanimate things as upon other Plants or Animals 23. Upon Plants they either exercise a sympathy or antipathy friendship or enmity so that the Olive-tree will be averse to the Oak the Cabadge to the Vine the Reed to the Fearn but on the contrary there is a friendship sympathy between Rue and the Fig-tree that each other profits much by their vicinity 24. The inquisition of these things is so obscure insomuch that some have referred their original to an occult cause and others have gone about to demonstrate it by reason 25. But however this is most likely the true meaning why they prosecute such a sympathy and antipathy by reason of the substraction of aliment and corruption for this cause it is that where the Oak is the Olive will not live because the aliment is corrupted by the dryness of the Oak and therefore is made more arrid then the nature of Olive is So the Cabbage and the Vine cannot grow together First because the roots of the Vine do draw abundance of aliment from all the parts of the ground where it is planted Secondly because the bushiness of the Vine obstructs the reflection of the sun upon the Cabbage 26. So in like manner do they exercise sympathy and friendship the Rue seems to have nutriment with the Fig-tree which is the cause of this loving correspondence for if the nature of the Fig-tree be hot it must needs attract hot nutriment which corresponds with the nature of Rue 27. Plants also have a sympathy and antipathy to Animals and that either to man alone or other Animals 28. Some Plants are friendly to mankinde others are adverse to humane nature and others do partake of a certain medium between both 29. Those that are friendly do repair and defend the universal Body or determinated parts 30. Those which are said to preserve the life of the universal Body are such as have a strong faculty in nourishing whose is the consent of principles if so be all things be nourished with its like 31. But whether this consent happens from the form or rather matter is an intricate doubt Indeed the hability of the matter is altogether necessary but the consent of the form ought to accede 32. And these Plants do nourish either in the whole or in part 33. Whole Plants that do nourish are such as these pot-herbs Lettice Cabbage Water-cresses Brooklime 34. Part of Plants as the roots of Rape Parsnip Radish fruits as of Mellons Cucumbers seeeds as of Beans and Pease corn as of Barley Wheat Rye c. 35. What things do defend a certain part of the body are various as Pyony the head Saffron the heart Mint the stomack Egrimony the liver Capers the spleen Hermodactyls the arteries the cause of which is a certain similitude and consent of that Plant with the form of that part to which ordained 36. Some Plants are enemies pernicious and hurtful and that either to the whole body or part to the whole they prove fatal by everting the continuity of union and depraving of life or stupefie or benum part of the body as Henbane to the head Pepper of the Mount to the liver Ervus to the reins and bladder Aloes to the hemorrhoids the cause of which antipathy or corruption is the controversie of the form 37. One and the same Plant is sometimes salutary to one man but noxious and death to another by reason of the peculiar constitution of the individuum 38. Some Plants there are partly friends and partly enemies to our bodies partaking of a middle nature between sympathy and antipathy 39. They are enemies indeed which are infested with a bad sapour or odour they are friends that are correspondent to our constitution which do bring out unprofitable juices out of our Bodies as Coloquintida and othâ—…r purging Plants 40. But as far as Medicaments act by purgation so far they operate upon nature by a â—…ertain force which may be accounted under the name of being an enemy to nature and those which draw corruption with humours are enemies though they be judged to draw them by a certain similitude and congruity 41. The strength of Plants have also a certain friendship and enmity with other Animals for Fennel is a friend to the Serpent but Rue an enemy the Ash to the Scorpion but Wolfs-bane infests him white Hellebore is a friend to him for if he be laid thereto he revives so Basil in which he hath been seen to ingender so the herbs Oenothara Crateva Lysimachus hung about the necks of mad Animals or untamed Bulls they will cause them as Antiquity hath observed to turn round all which do express necessarily a certain tacite consent of forms 42. Plants also do produce various effects in inanimite things for the ancients have left upon record that by the force and touch of Missletoe and the herb Aethiopis all Locks and Bolts do fly open The Spina of Theophrastus doth congeal water Radix Hybisci and the juice of Purslain and Mercury doth abate the force of fire this hath often been experimented in our time all which in reason we ought to believe to be acted no other ways then by the power of proper forms 43. Lastly for the nourishment and contemperation of the elementary qualities in Plants four degrees are constituted in Plants to wit that some be hot or cold moist or dry in the first or second third or fourth degree 44. And these degrees respectively taken are either remiss or intense those that are remiss are such as are placed in the first degree the rest are intense so that the fourth be the chief and exceed altogether mediocrity The Commentary A VVHy Plants are delighted to grow in various places is a thing not easily unfolded yet it is a thing worth inquiring Therefore according to the opinion of the Philosophers the place is the conservator of all things that as the nature of Plants is various so they have need of divers places to preserve life therefore that place alone or soyl is proper and profitable to the life of Plants which doth suggest convenient aliment unto them and in which the roots of the Plant may have foundation commodious for its nature
onely distinguish of those which are idoneous to be eaten of which sort are edible Fruits and Herbs Fruits as Wheat Rye Barley Oats c. all manner of pulse as Pease c. Pot-herbs as Radish Fennel c. and all other Herbs that are eaten or mingled with meats as the Cabbadge Lettice c. Those which are not fit for esure are healthful or exitial the use whereof is in medicine either to absterge calefie or refrigerate with many other properties which medicine requires exitial are those that have an excedent quality as Hemlock But why have Plants and Animals such a familiarity or hatred amongst themselves is a question worth resolving There are certain Herbs which are edible which preserve the life of Animals now the consent must be in principles for all things are nourished by their simile and corrupted by their contrary but whether this consent be from the form or matter is a question not yet resolved That it doth proceed from the matter is a thing seemingly to be proved because the aliment doth not come from the naked form but body of the Plants and when it begins to nourish for those aliments which nourish must be concocted by the innate heat of the Animal and so be changed divers manner of ways it seems rather to belong to the matter then the form but we must know that matter cannot be idoneous for the nourishment of any body unless also the consent of form doth concur for neither without the help of other can be the cause of any action For whatsoever is made from a body that doth consist of matter and form is so made that the actions may be given rather to the form then matter and the passions rather to the matter then form and therefore the familiarity of nutriment is chiefly to be referred to the form although that the concurrence of the hability of the matter be necessary From these may be gathered why certain herbs are so averse from putrefaction but on the contrary apt and ready to the breaking of the whole body and everting of life for the cause of corruption is the contrariety of form and the matter makes repugnancy lest that any nutriment happen to the other for so the seeds of Grapes have of the matter and yet not nourish men and the wolf Thos hath of form and matter and yet averse from the life of men CHAP. 7. Of parts contained in animate Bodies and first of all of Humors 1. HItherto we have spoken of the first kinde of natural Animates to wit of Plants We shall now prosecute the other kinde aistheton or such as have sense 2. Aisthetice is a nature which is indowed with sense 3. And it is Zoophyton or an Animal 4. An Animal is a A sensible and animated body moving it self to a place 5. For Sense belongs onely to Animals and they are constituted for them and herein they differ from Plants 6. This animated Body B is one and simple harmony of many parts by continuation and union of form and it is dividual and variable into almost infinite parts 7. Therefore all that is part of an animate Body into which the same body cannot be divided or remain well whole Arist. 7. Polit. c. 8. 8. And some things are contained in these parts 9. They are contained which when they have a fluent and coherent nature are yet sustained by help of others 10. Of which sort C are both humours and spirits 11. An humour is the liquid and fluent part of a body contained in the spaces of an animate body and so placed therefore for the preservation of the same 12. Therefore whatsoever doth flow in and from the body insomuch that a vessel is required to be subjected in which the thing may be contained is called an humour 13. And humour is either insite or acquisite the insite is engendered of the whole mass of the body having its rise from the seed and menstruous blood for the conformation of the body and it is also called radical or primogenial 14. And it is either airy or oleous in which the native heat is preserved even as a flame by the candle 15. It is daily made of aliment for whatsoever suffices in its place it is needful to be changed by the help of heat but heat in product of time begins to fade and therefore what happens of aliment is impure and if it be destitute of fit aliment then heat at length quite dissipates 16. The acquisite doth come out for reparation sake for the more profitable parts of aliments 17. And it is either primary or secondary 18. The primary is gotten immediately of aliments concocted in the liver 19. Chylus therefore is not to be accounted the first humour both for that it is unapt of it self to nourish the body or any part thereof and also that it is not as yet truly fluid and not cocted in the liver 20. Primary humours are either profitable or excrementitious 21. Those that are profitable and make much to nutrition are blood and flegme 22. Blood D is a hot humour temperate sweet rubicund prepared in the Miseraick veins and confected in the liver of the most temperate oleous and airy parts of chyle 23. With this alone are all the parts of animals nourished First when it is certain that we are nourished of those things of which we consist but we are made of pure blood in the womb Secondly because this humour alone is distributed by vessels over the whole body and so doth accede to every part Thirdly this alone also is sweet and apt to nourish other humours are either bitter or acid Fourthly this alone can concrete by the benefit of the fibres and be assimilated to the body Arist. l. 2. de part anim c. 23. 24. Therefore this alone is contained in the veins not mingled with any other humour although it be conflated of four divers parts which do so constitute the sanguineous Mass as Cheese and Whay belongs to the substance of milk 25. Therefore because nature is not one and the same in all parts therefore from this Mass several stocks of juices may be drawn 26. Those parts are various of which blood doth consist some improperly entitle them by the name of excrementitious humours 27. For those humours are not carried with blood into the body if it injoys fully its native health but if infested with any preternatural affection then it is not blood but an excrement as Aristotle calls it and the Philosophers Nosodes haima diseased blood 28. Flegme E is a cold humour moist white and insipid gotten of a cold portion of chyle in the liver that by the progress of time and greater concoction it may divert to blood and so nourish the body 29. Therefore nature prudently hath hid no receptacle which might expurge it therefore seeing it cannot be evacuated it requires to be altered 30. Furthermore there are excrementitious humours which are unprofitable to nourish the body
earth is necessary to the composition which doth afford matter for the unctuosity to astringe therefore stones are gotten of gross earth by the coalition of this humour which must be so understood not that the two other elements to wit the fire and the aire must be separated from their mixtion if so be the opinion of Philosophers be true that every mixed thing doth consist of four Elements The efficient causes of Metals or Minerals are two heat and cold heat persisting in the matter doth diduce moisture and unctuosity of â—…errene substance by certain tender parts and so doth coct and digest and perfectly mingle the portions of the several elements but especicially of water and earth and so purge them from all the excrementitious parts and at last doth prepare that matter rightly to produce the form of a stone and so cold at length doth condensate it with its astrictiveness expel all its superabundant humor and so indurate it into a stone But some may say that cold rather is the cause of corruption then generation I answer it is true in Animate bodies but in Inanimates to wit in meteors and metals coldness is the cause of generation Yet it may further be objected If stones do coalesce from coldness it follows by the same rule that they must melt by heat and so be resolved but that cannot be aâ—…â—…erefore nor the former I anâ—…wer Stones cannot be melted by heat alone without the affusion of some other humor because there is in them such an exquisite natural commixture of moisture and dryness that they refuse liquation by their contraries neither are they to be reduced to the action of their external faculty without the sympathy of some familiar quality B According to the divers and various subtilty of the matter whether pure or impure crass viscous or the like Stones both pure and impure noble and ignoble are ingendred whence it is that there is so great variety of Stones and Gemms and here an objection will arise whether precious Stones may change the matter of the earths generation Gems because of their noble fulgor and transparency do not seem to persist of earth which is dusky and blackish an enemy to such pulchritude whence many are of this opinion that Gems are partakers equally of celestial fire and water and from them to receive their fulgor and christalline clearness But we must know that Gems also do consist of certain earthly matter but not obscure but subtil mixed with a watrish humidity well cocted and tempered for the matter according to Logicians doth vary the dignity of things but the propinquity of the sun cocts better and stronger the matter of stone in Oriental regions makes the Gems and Stones both more excellent and precious Another question will here arise whether Stones do differ in forms and species We maintain the affirmative with this one undeniable reason divers actions and vertues do arise from divers Forms but there are divers actions in divers Stones therefore c. The assumption is proved because one stone resists poyson another discusses swellings another draws iron which are indeed divers effects C Pliny relates of the generation of the Pumice that it is gotten of Fruits some of Bays some of Thyme beyond the Columns of Hereules which are transformed into the Pumice which if it be true it is not strangâ—… why the Pumice cast into the water doth swim when it is made of porous and rare matter and therefore it hath its levity from its matter and will not sink to the bottom of water but that for use is accounted the best which is candid light and very spungious The flower of it according to Theophrastus doth take away drunkenneâ—…s D A Gemm properly is the sprouting or bud of a Tree fair and round bunching out at the first out of bunâ—…s and chiefly of Vines and so those precious Stones which reâ—…mble this form are wont to be called Gems because they respond thereunto in figure and form But the vertues and the effects of Gems are wonderful if we may believe Cardan Some says he are effectual in prolonging life others available in love in obtaining riches some for divination others for consolation some for wisdom others for good fortune some work effects to make men dull others joyful some sad others fearful some do resist poyson others help the concoction of the ventricle and liver But concerning the vertues of Gems read Scaliger Exer. 106. But Heaven no doubt hath infused into Gems many admirable properties and vertues concerning which Hermes Trismegistus hath sufficiently treated E But why doth the Adamant preserve its substance whole against the weighty stroaks of the hammer and furious flames of of the fire yet suffer it self to be dissolved with the blood of a goat There are some of our later writers who will admit of no occult property at all but go about to manifest every thing by plain reason therefore they judge goats blood by reason of its analogy which is in the beginning common to pierce the Adamant But says Scaliger what other thing is that anology of its common principle then an occult property No doubt but it is a great miracle of nature and why it should pierce so hard a body no man well can demonstrate F The Carbuncle comes from the Eastern regions shining like to white clouds but because it hath golden spots it is reckoned by some amongst Gems G Of which there are three sorts First that which shines in the dark they call Pyropus secondly that which is put in a black vessel shining water being powred upon it thirdly that is the basest which glisters onely when the light shines H Achates is of so many various kindes that it will scarce be credited to be one stone for it is clear red yellowish cineritious green dark blue insomuch that this one answers to all the colours of other Gems I Albertus Magnus relates that he hath tryed this that if this stone be hung about the neck it roborates the strength of the whole body which is incredible for by its frigidity it constringes the spirits By the same reason it is related that if it be hung about the belly it hinders venery whereupon the Indians every-where preserve themselves K Whether chrystal be glass is a subtil controversie between Cardan and Scaliger He denies it upon this reason because glass is dissolved by the fire but chrystal not unless for several days it lie in the midst of a vehement fire and be continually blown therefore Chrystal can never be glass Scaliger answers glass that hath never obtained the hardness of a stone is as yet water and therefore easily dissolvable by fire because it is but congealed with a little cold but when it is concreted and congealed by a diuturnal cold insomuch that it hath obtained the perfect form and hardness of a stone it will not easily melt or not at all but it is generated oftentimes under the earth
more exact in its new guest 39. Hence it is that wilde Plants if they be engrafted do remain firm because they are nourished by a more sincere Aliment so that a Domestick or Garden Plant engrafted into a wilde Plant wâ—… grow better and yield more pleasanter fruit 50. The Fruits of these respond in sapour colour and odour the nature of the Plant whence the Graft was taken because the juice whereby the fruit is nourished is of great moment in this matter The Commentary A NAture doth proceed always from the less perfect to the more perfect therefore it is in the first place disputed seeing that Plants by reason of forms do want of the perfection of Animals whether it be a body perfectly mixed First it is defined to be a Body perfectly mixed to difference it from Meteors in which there is an alteration of Elements made whereas in Plants and also in Metals there is a notable mutation of elementary parts therefore there is added in the definition endowed with 〈◊〉 vegetive soul. Therefore in the first place that I may take away the opinion both of Philosophers and Physitians who call that the form which governs the Plant and that the nature which is the soul for when Plants are nourished and increase they bear fruits and flowers which are the works of animate Bodies and they cannot want that soul Secondly to take away their opinion who declare that Plants are endowed with sense as Animals are concèrning which Plato Anaxagoras Empedocles and many others maintain to which many later writers assent but especially Cardan First Flight Hatred Aversion Appetite cannot be attributed to any Bodies but such as are endowed with a sensitive soul but Plants refuse and fly too much Heat as the Vine hath no propinquity with the Cabbadge and many other Plants also the Vine desires the Elm and almost all other Plants do gather what is familiar unto them and fly from what is unprofitable therefore by these actions it is not obscure that Plants are endowed with sense Secondly they are distinguished in the sex the Feminine Plant cannot consist with the Masculine each other desiring their congress neither can they come to ripeness or bear fruit without their mutual society But to the first we Answer That the Hatred Flight and Appetite of Plants is not proper but translated as Danaeus speaks indeed they contract and extend themselves by the benefit of their Fibres and so receive what is familiar and profitable by a certain natural faculty yet not with any sense onely endowed with the strength of a vegetive soul and led by the impulse of nature which Cicero calls an instinct for what things love or hate by sense those cannot hate or love as Scaliger saith Exer. 138. But for example the Cabbadge always refuses the Vine and hath a continual enmity against it and hence doth manifestly evade it But this Flight and Appetite of Plants is altogether without sense yet some attribute this to the Sex of the Plants which is to be understood metaphorically as a certain similitude taken from strength and weakness for the Masculine is more stronger then the Feminine the Feminine more weaker then the Masculine therefore we are to understand that masculine Plants are always strong and robust the feminine weak and fecundine But it is said in the Definition which do grow out of the earth for this is as it were the belly of Plants as Anaxagoras saith and out of this the Fibres of the roots whatsoever is profitable to them and agreable to their nature they attract and convert into their substance Further it is said to grow live nourish and increase in which vital actions the Plant differs from other Inanimate things which as they are destitute of a soul so they want these actions Hence it is that a Plant is said to be dissolved not that it hath onely an animate Body but organical also and so of it self alone and not of the earth as the Soicks would have it to have the beginning of its actions but although these strengths and actions are common to Animals yet notwithstanding they are insited in Plants the soul is used to the life and preservation of the Plants instrumentally with heat well tempered which Plants do draw out of the earth where they are placed by the roots and that heat which cleaves to the humid tressel and subject the defect whereof as it is death to Animals so it is dryness and corruption to Plants B The plenty of the inward humour causes the longevity of Plants for thereby the innate heat which is the instrument of form is thereby made First therefore when plenty of heat is discerned it suggests the aliment not easily to be dissipated but that the Plant will live long and yield much oleous and resinous juice Secondly when they are dense and compact they faithfully preserve their vital heat and moisture neither can they suffer external injuries and for this cause trees are more diuturnal then Fruits and Fruits then Herbs Thirdly the Longitude and crassitude of roots is of great moment by reason of their hardness for lengthening of life First because by how much the roots are deeper by so much they stick more firm and the more do resist the external injury of winde and heat Secondly the roots are as it were the beginning of Plants in which the hot moisture doth chiefly flourish and the subterranean heat and humour daily cherished for it is consonant to reason where there is much humidity and calidity there the roots must needs be ample and profound and therefore a small and simple root is defective of calidity and humidity and thereupon cannot grow long Fourthly fecundity also is the cause of shortning its life because of the too little dissipation of Juice whereby the inward humour is nourished which juice should go into the seed and fruit C Heat hurts Plants less then cold unless arridity accede which is called squalor and those are easily hurt by cold whose roots are not deep for there the sun doth the sooner pierce unto them and the proximate parts of the roots are affected strongly by the beams of the sun because the earth is wanting to nourish them D But why certain Plants do arise quickly after sowing the seed and others a long time after The first and chiefest cause is the force of form The second is the strength and imbecility of the insited heat The third is the rarity and density the softness and hardness of the seeds for in hard and dense Bodies the humour is elicited not so readily by the force of heat out of the earth whereby the seed doth swell and for this cause it is that the seed of Pyony doth bud so long after Sation and Mandrake longer which is more hard and dense which certain space of days of budding or sprouting happens according to the variety of the suns influence and heavens concurrence and hence it is that if dung be commixed
compelling them into one of the ligaments serving the arteries to a voluntary motion the fibres of the tendons growing of the junctures are joyned amongst themselves E They are called spermatick parts because they are generated of seed and not of blood which argues that their colour must be white and cold in substance All nerves do arise from the brain and not from the heart as Aristotle imagined their use is to carry that animal spirit gotten in the brain and the motive and sensitive faculty and to communicate it to the body F The veins and arteries are joyned with a friendly intercourse that the veins may supply them with matter of spirit for the spirit doth cherish the blood with its heat in the arteries and there are mutual orifices that the spirit may take nutriment out of the veins and the veins spirit and heat out of the arteries But the arteries and veins do differ First in their original because they come out of the sinister ventricle of the heart Secondly in their function because they subminister vital spirits to the whole body Thirdâ—…y in their substance for the arâ—…eries so likewise the veins do â—…onsist of a membranous body â—…et more solid harder and conâ—…rmed by more crasser tunicles Now a tunicle is twofold exterior interior that fibre which is knit with many strait and crooked windings hath the like crassitude and firmness with the tunicle of the veins but this hath five times a more harder and grosser substance lest the subtil spirit should exhale and the artery it self be broken with the perpetual motion of the heart Fourthly in motion for the arteries are moved without intermission by dilatation and contraction when dilated they draw the cold air and when contracted cast out hot fumes G This question is moved by Physitians and Philosophers about the veins Whether they have a force or faculty to generate blood Some maintain it that the blood which the veins contain within themselves to elaborate more exquisitely and to be made by an insited force and faculty and therefore in that blood that the chiefest degree of perfection is gotten But the falsity of this opinion is easily known by those who diligently mark the thin tunicle of the veins and its white substance Now it is provided by nature that every part of the body should be converted to the other and transmuted into its colour then how can the veins with their thinness and whiteness change white chyle and gross into red and pure blood Therefore more truer is that opinion that the generation of blood is onely the work of the liver which doth make blood by a certain force and faculty within it self seated all the sanguifick force is given to the veins yet they receive it from the liver as Avicen demonstrates H Aristotle and Hippocrates do prove that fibres do concrete the blood by their frigidity because that blood out of which fibres are taken can never be concreted by any cold for when blood is let out of the veins if it doth not concrete it is a sign of death I Fat is the matter of blood and although it be made of the cream of blood yet notwithstanding it is cold and without blood degenerating into fat by the want of heat and frigidity of the membrane it consists of coldness and dryness because by heat it is melted and by the humidity of other parts coagulated by cold The efficient cause is the want of heat which is thus proved because you shall finde no fat as to any quantity about the liver or the heart or any other hot part by reason of the heat of those parts K Take this as another definition of the cutis the skin is a thin part membranous porous endowed with blood the tegument or cover of all the parts of the body which as it is easily taken away by accident so it doth easily grow again which denotes thus much that the skin is not altogether endowed with a sensitive faculty but onely so far as it hath the nerves and of the faculty of blood in it and whereas it is defined to be membranous that is smooth simple thin and white and that it hath a middle nature between flesh and nerves for neither is it altogether without blood as the nerves are so neither doth it abound with blood as the flesh doth whence it is adjudged to be the rule of temperaments and indeed the skin about the hands in it there is the most exquisite and perfect faculty of sense but not so in other parts of the body and the skin is porous that it may thereby attract the coldness of the air and expulse the excrementitious vapours of the body Now the excrement which comes out of the pores is sweat sweat is an excrementitious humidity of the third coction breaking out by the skin in the species or form of water the matter of sweat is the whole humidity which is gotten in meat and drink which thing is necessary to all animals because it might make way for other aliment and not longer lie in the vessels it is of the same genus with urine onely differing in this that the urine is carried to the bladder this with blood a longer passage through the body its efficient cause is heat but not so vehement as to have a drying faculty but moist so calefying the nature of sweat by the habit of the body that it becomes thin and so softens the skin by relaxation that it may the better pass through those whose skins are hard and thick are very unapt to sweat L Flesh may be taken either properly or improperly when properly taken then absolutely that which is described by us and it is the chiefest part of the muscles for the substance of them doth truly and properly deserve the name of flesh that which is taken improperly is the flesh of the bowels generated of blood poured out as the liver heart and lungs CHAP. 10. Of External dissimilar Parts 1. HItherto we have spoken of similar parts Now of dissimilar or organical which are diversly compounded of the similar 2. And they are either external or internal 3. The external parts are first the head secondly the trunk of the body thirdly the artus under which we comprehend the arms and feet 4. The head is the highest part of the body globular set upon the neck the seat of the animal faculty 5. Its parts that are external are chiefly the skull and the face 6. The skull is a crafs bone of the head round distinguished into twenty bones and certain futures covering the brain environing it on every side 7. Its bones are thus distinguished there are two in the crown one in the front two in the temples one in the form of a wedge another in the form of a sieve twelve in the superior jaw and one in the hinder part of the head 8. There are three sutures The first is transverse the crown going from towards one ear to the
to be Dearticulated and absolute after forty five days living at first the imperfect life as it were of a Plant after the manner of an animal and at last the life of a man 47. And this happens not by reason of the form which is simple and individual but by reason of the matter that is of the organs 48. But the embryon takes aliment onely by the navel but after the liver is made it ministers to all the members but it doth not yet move though it hath life by reason of the imbecility of the brain and softness of nerves 49. The weak and tender members of the infant by little and little are dried by heat and so made more solid and then the yong begins to feel by perfect Sensories and by and by to be moved in the womb 50. But a man-childe doth move sooner then a female for boys because they are conformed in thirty days do move on the ninetieth day which compleatly make three moneths but because the female is framed in forty or forty two days she moves not till the hundred and twentieth day which is about the latter end of the fourth moneth 51. And the infant is nourished and doth increase all this space of time and when it is ripe it is brought forth partly by the endeavor of the womb for it being burthened with its weight and abundance of excrements it strives to be exonerated partly by its proper motion for the necessity of breathing the want of aliment and the narrowness of the place do enforce the yong to endeavor a passage out 52. At the time of birth the doors are opened which immediately after delivery are shut again This we see done saith Galen but how it is done we know not onely we may admire it Avicen calls it a work to be wondred at above all wonders 53. The womb being opened the infant begins to come out by the head and by many painful throws it draws out and brings with it three membranes and thus by the prescript of nature are we born into the world 54. The time of bringing forth is not fully defined nor can it for some are delivered at seven moneths end some at nine and most then some at ten but seldom and very seldom at eleven but in the eighth moneths end seldom any are delivered with a live childe 55. And this is the manner of the Conception Conformation and Procreation of the noblest of Creatures The Commentary A THe definition of a Man delivered consists of a Genus and Difference As to the Genus he is an animal and as to the Difference one endowed with reason And in this it is that man hath a Prerogative Dignity and Excellency above all other Creatures for his minde which is Divine is the Image of God and he differs much from other animals and as it were exercises a regality over them for are not Lyons and Elephants tamed by the strength of man and overcome and made subject to him Man is created with his face looking up to Heaven as it were contemplating upon God Hence Ovid could say Pronaque cum spectent animalia caetera terram Os homini sublime dedit caelumque tueri Jussit erectos ad sidera tollere vultus For whereas God created all other animals with their faces downwards to the ground man alone he erects with his eyes fixed upon heaven whither he should tend B The generation of man is made after this manner the seed of both Sexes being perfectly mixed the whole doth proceed from thence therefore the matter of the generation of mans Body is the seed both of the man and the woman plentiful and fruitful This seed doth consist of two parts watrish Humidity and Spirit the watrish Humidity proceeds from the blood whence Aristotle affirms blood to be a profitable excrement of the last aliment that is of the sanguineous aliment I say it is an excrement not supervacaneous in its nature or substance as Stones and Worms nor in its quality as Dung Sweat c. but onely in its abundance or quantity for because it superabounds from nourishing the parts of the body and cannot be assimilated thereunto it obtains the place of an excrement C The spiritual part of seed is no other thing then the vital Spirit which by reason of this Spirit it becomes hot and sometimes this Spirit is ingendred in the heart and thence sent out into the whole body so doth the Seed also according to the Spirit proceed from the whole because the Spirit is communicated from the heart to the whole Hence Aristotle saith if the Seed did not proceed from every part of the animal the cause of the similitude were false therefore seed ejected by the yard into the womb becomes fruitful when it is exquisitely mixed with the womans seed and it is the principal motion that is the first agent for the formotion of the yong by reason of the spirits contained in it For this going to the bottom as to its centre is cherished and preserved and so proceeds to action as to formation all which things are necessary for the framing of the yong for besides the seed of the man and the woman it is necessary that this vital spirit concur to the conception because the seed of man cannot besmear all the parts of the womb which else will impede conception and if the seed of the woman be onely present that will not cause conception by reason of its imperfection for the seed of man is more hot then womans and although this seed be not so perfect yet it concurs as an agent to the formation although not as the first agent for as Galen observes the mixture of the seed of man and woman is perfect seed whence Aristotle saith that what arises from the seed of man and woman do arise from contraries as when there are contraries in the same Genus and although each seed according to Aristotle is in its Genus an agent yet they do not act alike in power and strength but differ in these functions magis minus the seed of the woman doth concur as the matter of which both by reason of the seed of man which is its aliment for mans seed is nourished and made more perfect by womans seed as also by reason of the membranes which are produced out of it But in this place we may take notice what the Peripateticks in a manner aledge that the woman emits no seed but they are basely and injuriously dealt withall it is an aspersion cast upon them by some later Philosophers because Aristotle saith That the seed of the woman is not so crass while hot and full of spirit as the seed of man but he doth not say that women emit no seed at all D Besides the seed of both Sexes the menstruous blood of the woman concurs to generation it is called menstruous blood because it is an excrement yet it differs from that blood whereby a woman is