it Imperfect it will continue so for Nature is like a Clay Potter that if his Pot be made awry if once confirmed and hardened with Heat he cannot alter it Of the Sickness in the Spring THE Reason there are more sick in the Spring than in the Winter is that the Pores of the Body being closer shut in Winter by the Contraction of the Cold than in any other Season keeps in the Fire the Smoke and Vapour that should and would if it could issue out But the Parts being stopp'd having not a sufficient Vent to transport a proportionable Quantity it lyes and corrupts for want of Agitation the Quantity increasing it overcharges the Body that by such time the Spring is arrived the Body is so distempered as it falls sick the Corruption having bred a Malignity that infects the Noble Parts For the Body having more Vapour than the Natural Heat can digest makes it not onely corrupt for want of a sufficient Heat to purifie it but that Corruption quenches out the Natural Heat which causeth Agues and begets an Unnatural Heat which causeth Feavers and the like Diseases and the Corruption causeth the Small-Pox Meazels Imposthumes Soar Throats and many such kinds of Diseases But when this Distemper of the Body is joyned to the like Corrupted Vapours drawn from the Earth it is most commonly deadly and produceth great Plagues the Summer following the Body being then like Rotten Wood which is quickly set on Fire and soon burnt out But if the Body hath a Sufficiency of Natural Heat to clarifie the Vapour that arises from the Stomack and Bowels and to dry up the Superfluous Moysture the Body is safe from Danger but if the Body have more Heat than Moysture it feeds upon the Noble Parts and causeth Hective Feavers But Hective Feavers are seldome cured by the stoppage of the Pores for the Natural Heat in the Body is like External Fire which is extinguished if it be stopp'd and hath not Vent But there are several sorts or kinds or manners of Unnatural Heat caused by Obstructions and other Accidents as there is a Smothering Heat in the Body caused by Obstructions and there is a Smoking Heat of the Body caused by too violent External Motions or such Meats that actually heat also a Fiery Heat in the Body caused by too much and too strong Interior Motion but these Heats that are Moyst Heats and Unnatural cause Corruption Of the Sickness in Autumn THE Reason there is more Sickness in Autumn than in Summer is that the Powers of the Sun abating let fall by degrees all the Dregs and Dross of that Vapour it drew up from the Earth when it was in its full Strength which having more power to draw than to digest the Superfluity corrupts which Corruption falls back upon the Earth infecting the Air also the Bodies of Men and many times Beasts yet the Infection is received or infects according as the Bodies are tempted For if the Bodies are full of Humours and the Blood corrupt the Air is apt to catch hold as having a Sympathy each to other for as the old Proverb is Like will to like and those Bodies and also those Meats that are moyst are most apt to corrupt for Heat and Moysture are said to be the Father and Mother to Curruption which causeth those that eat much Fruits and Herbs in the Summer time to fall into Fluxes and Feavers and the like Diseases in the Autumn for those Humours that are bred in the Summer the Body strives to cast forth in Autumn like a Child birth for when the Humours are come to such a Growth the Body is in travel with painfull Throbs and strives to be delivered where some are soon delivered of their Burthen others dye in their Labour Diseases of the Spring Summer Autumn and Winter THE Diseases in the Spring are Agues Small-Pox Meazels Imposthumes and the beginning of Plagues for all the Malignity that was tunn'd up in the Body in the Winter is set abroch in the Spring by the returning Sun whose Beams though weak yet peirce like small Gimlets or Spiggots all the Pores of the Earth and the Creatures thereon The Diseases in the Summer are Phrenzies by reason the Heat burns and inflames the Spirits and Plagues by reason the Heat inflames those Malignant and Corrupted Humours that the Winter hath bred by Obstructions like Houses that are musty and fusty and smoky and foul for want of Air to sweeten them and full of Spiders and Cobwebs and Flyes and Moths bred from the dusty dirty Filth therein for want of Vent to purge them for the Winter shuts up all the Windows and Dores which are the Pores likewise the Blood corrupts and the Body is apt to rot like Linnen that is laid up damp or in a moyst place for the Rheums that are subject to be in the Winter corrupt and rot the Lungs and the Vital Parts of the Body likewise Sweatings and Faintings are Summer-diseases by reason the Natural Moysture is rarified so thin and the Pores open so wide as it evaporates all out even the Radical Moysture and the Vital Spirits issue out therewith The Diseases of Autumn are Fluxes by reason the Summer breeds sharp Humours with the Heat and the Drought besides the Diets of Men are crude and raw in that Season as eating of Fruits Roots Herbs and the like Also this Season is subject to Meagrums and Feavers which are also caused by sharp Humours likewise Head-akes and Vomitings caused by sharp Chorerick Humours which the Summer Diet breeds likewise Plurisies that are caused by burnt or corrupted Blood which is bred by too much Heat or an Unnatural Heat and a Supersluity of Moysture also Collicks by reason the Summer rarifies the Vapours into Wind which causeth not onely in the Bodies of Men great Collicks but in the Bowels of the Earth which causeth Earthquakes and great Tempestuous Winds in the Air for in this Season of the Year there are greater Winds than in any Season and hold the longest for though in March when the Pores of the Earth are first opened as I may say by the returning Sun whereupon the thinnest Matter will first fly out yet those Winds are neither so strong so long nor so frequent as those in Autumn The Diseases of the Winter are Coughs and Rheums by reason the Pores being closer drawn and the Air grosser and thicker in Winter it doth as it were daub rather up like Morter upon a Wall that hath Holes and Crevises than enter in which causeth a closer Stoppage which Stoppage causeth Dew and Distillations for the Heat and Moysture stewing together the Body becomes like a Still or rather like a Pot or Vessel that is close covered which hath Meat or some Liquid Substance in it where by Heat the Moysture thereof is rarified into Vapour and ascending to the Cover and at the Top as the Cover thereon finding a Depress straight gathers into a Dew and so into Drops then
Corruption But there is a Natural Heat and Moysture which produceth Legitimate Issues and there is also an Adulterate Heat and Moysture from whence proceed Bastardly Diseases which are as Numerous as Natural Children Of Feavers in the Blood BUT in Feavers where onely the Heat causeth the Blood to boyl and so to become scalding hot when the Feaver is taken away that is when the bitter and sharp Humours are cast out of the Body by some Evacuation or that the Fire is quenched out with some cooling Julips the Blood will be the same again without any alteration as Water is onely in the boyling the Blood may wast and evaporate forth of the Body through the Pores as Water doth forth of the Vessel it is boyling in But if the Blood be corrupted or mix'd with Humours as Water is often with Mud there is no way but letting it forth drawing it out of the Veins that the Heart and the Liver as the Springs may send in more which may be Fresh and Clear into the Veins again unless those Springs be corrupted and then there is no Remedy for then Death will alter the Course of Life in that Body Sleeping and Waking SLeeping and Waking are the flowing and ebbing of Vapour for when Vapour flows to the Extreme Parts it causeth Sleep as it were for a time Or filling up all the Outward Senses as Water doth a Pipe or a Vessel or as Wind doth a Bladder where nothing can be received therein untill they be empty so no Outward Objects can enter in at the Five Senses untill the Vapour wherewith they are filled be dispers'd or falling back by contracting into a Lesser Compass which when they are contracted or dispers'd they wake so that Vapour in the Body is as necessary for Life as Food And indeed Food is the chief Cause of Vapour for Heat and Moysture make Vapour and like as Food received into the Body doth either distemper or nourish it so doth Vapour that slows in the Body make Sleep sound and easy or trouble some and unquiet for Malignant and Corrupted Vapours are like Malignant and Corrupted Humours for as Malignant Humours cause the Body to be sick or painfull so Malignant Vapours cause Sleeps to be full of Dreams Startlings and often Wakings though many times Dreams are caused by Rarified Vapours like a Wind which blows upon the Brain causing many Motions therein or rather furrows the Grosser Vapours causing them to role in Billows and Waves hindring them from flowing easy and smooth which Tempestuous Winds beat the Vapours backward as it were or drive them from the utmost Extent which hinders the Senses from being thorowly fill'd which causeth not so sound Sleeps for when the Senses are not fill'd the Vapours are like Water in a Vessel not half full which when it is quite full there is little or no Motion though the Vessel be moved the Water stirs not much but when it is but half full or three parts when the Vessel is stirred it flashes and sprinkles about Of not Sleeping in Feavers THE reason those that are in great Feavers or the like hot Disease cannot sleep is that the Heat being too strong for the Moysture it rarifies it so thin as it is like the forementioned Wind which instead of stopping causeth Waking Dreams that is Frantick Fancies for there is as Natural a Degree of this Vapour as there is a Natural Temper proper to every Animal Body Or else it burns the Body and dryes up the Natural Moysture so much as there can arise no Vapour therefrom for it is to be observed that the dryest Constitution sleeps the least and those sleeps they have are short One and the same Cause differs in the same Effect of Sleep SOme and the same things or Acts will cause Sleep or put by Sleep as for the Passions sometimes Grief Joy Anger and the like will cause Sleep othertimes hinder it the reason is according as the Passions work inwards or extend outwards for when the Passions settle or move most inwards they draw all the Vapours backwards and when they flow outwards they carry Vapours with them and as Passions many times carry out Vapours so Vapours many times carry out Passions as we may observe by the Effects as Sighing Groaning and Weeping as Railing Threatning Cursing Fighting Laughing Hooping Hollowing Praising Singing and Dancing which are all Exteriour Motions But where they work inward the Heart beats or works and the Brain thinks stronglyer than the Natural Constitution requires which Motion causeth Unnatural Heat which drinks up the Vapours or else the Brain or the Heart are so strongly bound to an Object and holding as it were so fast thereon as it draws all the Powers of Life to assist therein This causeth Deep Musing Heart-griping fix'd Eyes and slow Pulses which draws the Vapours so much inward as almost extinguisheth the Fire of Life and smothers the Understanding starves the Body and makes the Senses unusefull and many times the Slow Motions congeal the Vapours like Ice making them unapt to slow As for Exteriour Action much Labour or Exercise causeth them to flow or produceth Sleep to those that have Gross Bodies and too Thick Vapours for the Vapours may be too Thick as well as too Thin for the use of Rest in these Bodies and Constitutions much exerciseth and rarifieth the Vapours to such a Degree as makes a General Aptness to flow to the Extreme Parts wherewith the Senses are stopp'd as being full which otherwise would not be so apt to slow but to Lean Bodies and Dry Constitutions much Labour and Exercise either contracts the Vapour into so Gross a Body as it cannot slow or rarifies that little Vapour they have so thin as it evaporates out by Insensible Inspirations or the Unnatural Drought and Heat drinks it up so as there is no Vapour to fill the Senses to a Repose Of Agues AGues are half Sisters to Feavers which are like Fuel half dry set on Fire by Accidental Motions and not kindled by a Natural Course This Fuel half dry is Humour half concocted the other part raw and undigested which is like Hay or the like not dryed enough by the Sun so Digestion wants Natural Heat to dry which is to concoct the Superfluous Moysture for when the Moysture is too much for the Heat although it be not sufficient to quench it out yet it doth damp and smother in the Heat staying the Quickness of the Motion blunting the Edge and Sharpness allaying the Penetrating Faculty and the Heat being not strong enough to drink up the Superfluous Moysture at once but onely hath so much strength as to rarify it into Vapour which Vapour is Smoke which Smoke is thinner and thicker according to the quantity and quality of the Moysture or as the Heat and Moysture doth predominate for when the Heat is Master the Vapour is so thin as it flashes into a Flame as Lightning from a Cloud which is an Intermixing Feaver
surely invention is easier then imitation because invention comes from nature and imitation from paintul and troublesome inquirie and if he goeth not just the path that hath been trod before him he is out of the way which is adouble pain at first to know the path and then to tread it out but invention takes his own wayes besides invention is easie because it is born in the brain Where imitation is wrought and put into the brain by force EPISTLE SOme say as I heare that my book of Poemes and my book of Philosophical Fancies was not my own and that I had gathered my opinions from several Philosophers To answer the first I do protest upon the grounds of Honour honesty and Religion they are my own that is my head was the forge my thoughts the anvil to beat them out and my industry shaped them and sent them forth to the use of the world if any use may be made thereof but my Lord was the Master and I the Prentice for gathering them from Philosophers I never converst in discourse with any an hour at one time in my life And I may swear on my conscience I never had a familiar acquaintance or constant conversation with any prosest Scholar in my life or a familiar acquaintance with any man so as to learn by them but those that I have neer relation to as my Husband and Brothers it is true I have had the honour sometime to receive visits of civility from my Noble and Honorable acquaintance wherein we talk of the general news of the times and the like discourse for my company is too dull to entertain and too barren of wit to afford variety of discourse wherefore I bend my self to study nature and though nature is too specious to be known yet she is so free as to teach for every straw or grain of dust is a natural tutor to instruct my sense and reason and every particular rational creature is a sufficient School to study in and our own passions and affections appetites and desires are moral Doctors to learn us and the evil that follows excesse teaches us what is bad and by moderation we finde and do so learn what is good and how we ought to live and moderate them by reason and discourse them in the minde and there is few that have not so much natural capacity and understanding but may know if not finde out what is needful for life without artificial education for nature is the chief master art and education but the under ushers in the School of life for natural objections may be applied without the help of arts and natural rules of life may lead us safe and easy wayes to our journeys end and questionlesse nature was the first guide before art came to the knowledge and if it were not for nature art many times would lose her followers yet let nature do what she can art oft times will go out of the right way but many will say it is the nature of man that invents and the nature of man to erre that is t is the nature of man to be so ambitious as to strive to be wiser then nature her self but if nature hath given men ambition yet nature hath given men humilitie to allay that fiery appetite and though nature hath given men ignorance yet nature hath given men undestanding to bring them out of that darknesse into the light of knowledge and though nature hath obscured the secrets of the natural cause yet he hath given men nature to observe her effects and imaginations to conjecture of her wayes and reason to discourse of her works and understanding to sinde some out and these gifts are general to mankinde wherefore I finde no reason but my readers may allow me to have natural imagination understanding and inquiries as well as other Philosophers and to divulge them as they have done if that they beleeve that I am produced by nature and not by artifices hand cut out like a stone-statue but if my readers will not allow my opinions and fancies to be my own yet truth will but there is a natural education to all which comes without pains taking not tormenting the body with hard labour not the minde with perturb'd study but comes easy and free through the senses and grows familiar and sociable with the understanding pleasant and delightful to the contemplation for there is no subject that the sense can bring into the minde but is a natural in structour to produce the breeding of rational opinions and understanding truthes besides imaginary fancies if they will give their minde time as to think but most spend their time in talk rather then in thought but there is a wise saying think first and speak after and an old saying that many speak first and think after and doubtlesse many if not most do so for we do not alwayes think of our words we speak for most commonly words flow out of the mouth rather customarily then premeditately just like actions of our walking for we go by custome force and strength without a constant notice or observation for though we designe our wayes yet we do not ordinarily think of our pace nor take notice of every several step just so most commonly we talk for we seldom think of our words we speak nor many times the sense they tend to unlesse it be some affected person that would speak in fine phrases and though speech is very necessary to the course of mans life yet it is very obstructive to the rational part of mans minde for it imployes the minde with such busy and unprofitable maters as all method is run out of breath and gives not contemplation leave to search and enquire after truth nor understanding leave to examine what is truth nor judgment how to distinguish truth from falshood nor imagination leave to be ingenious nor ingenuity leave to finde invention nor wit leave to spin out the fine and curious threed of fancy but onely to play with words on the tongue as balls with rackets Besides a multiplicity of words consounds the solid sense and rational understanding the subject in the discourse yet to think very much and speak yery seldom makes speeed uneasy and the tongue apt to faulter when it is to deliver sense of the matter they have and want of uncustomary speaking makes the Orator to seek for words to declare the sense of his meaning or the meaning of his sense besides want of eloquence many times loseth not onely rational opinions but conceals truth it self for want of perswading rhetorick to raise up belief or to get understanding so that a contemplatory person hath the disadvantage of words although most commonly they have the advantage of thoughts which brings knowledge but life being short those that speak much have not time to think much that is not time to study and contemplate wherefore it is a great losse of time to speak idle word that is words that are
the power to keep a Friendship for there was never any of our Senses that could constantly be unwearied of any one Subject or Object having naturally a various quality which makes them great Admirers but uncertain Lovers and Friends neither is it altogether the Strength of Love but the Length that makes a perfect Friendship Friendship of Kings SOme say that Kings are unhappy because they cannot have a Bosome-friend for there must be some Equality for True Friendship and a Prince makes himself a Subject or his Subject as great as himself in making particular Friendships which may cause Danger to his Person and State But a King that hath Loyal Subjects wants no Friend But say they a Friend is to open and disburthen the Thoughts from his Heart of all Joys Griefs and Secrets which are not so convenient or satisfactory to be published to all his Loyal Subjects To all which may be answered that his Privy Council is a Secret Friend where he may and ought to disburthen his Mind being an united Body or should be so which will increase his Joys with their Joys and ease his Griefs with their Counsel which is the part of a Friend So as a Privy Council to Kings is as a Private Friend to another Man Friendship of Parents and Children IT is said Parents and Children cannot have Friendship for they must have no tyes of Nature but be Voluntary and Free where in Parents it is rather a Self love or Self-interest than a clear Friendship Where I answer that there can be no Friendship but proceeds from Self-love and Interest for their delight is in their Friend and to dye for a Friend is because they cannot live without him Besides say they there is a Bar that hinders the Friendship of Parents and Children which is the Duty and Respect which ought to be in the Child towards the Parent and a Reservedness of the Father to the Child But to my thinking it is a strange Reason that Duty and Respect should hinder Friendship as if Friendship were built upon an open Rudeness But certainly True Love which is that which makes Dear Friendships takes more pleasure to be Commanded and to Obey those they love than to Command and be Obeyed Besides Respect hinders not the disclosing or the receiving into the Mind or helping with their Bodies or Estates or parting with Life which are the Acts of Friendship For I take Duty and Obedience to be from the Mind as consenting to their Desires and respect as towards the Body by an humble presenting of it self But a Reservedness of the Parent to the Child is rather a proud Insulting and Love of Authority than out of Love or Consideration for their good or to keep their Natural Affection for it must be a very Ill Nature that sweet and kind Perswasions free and open Relations seasonable and secret Counsellings willing and reasonable Actions shall not onely keep the Natural Love as from the Child to the Parent but tye a perfect Friendship as from Man to Man unless you will say there can be no perfect Friendship except there be an equality of their Ages which indeed a Child and a Parent can never be even in But Parents are so far from making of Friendship with their Children as they know less and are more unacquainted with them than with Strangers by their reserved Formalities or else they are so rudely Familiar with their Children as makes their Children rudely Familiar with them in which kind of Natures and Humours can be no tyes of Friendship neither with their own nor Strangers Of Madness in general THere are more that run Mad for the loss of Hope than for the loss of what they have Enjoyed as for example How many have run Mad for the loss of their Servant or Mistress which are called Lovers but few or none for their Husbands or Wives every Town or Kingdome at least may be an Example of the first but few in the whole World to be heard of the last And how many Parents have run Mad for the loss of their Children because they have lost the hopes of their Perfections or Excellencies which Time might have brought forth that might have been an Honour to their Name and Posterity which by Death were cut off So as it is not so much for the present Comfort they lost in their Child for few Parents make their Children their onely or chief Society but the expectation of the Future being lost is that they most commonly run Mad for for there are none that wish not themselves in a good Condition and there are very few that not onely wish themselves in a better Condition though they have no cause to complain but hope to be so and where the Hopes are cut off and the Desires remain they must needs grow Impatient and Impatiency grows Extravagant and Extravagancy is Madness But how seldome is it heard that Children run Mad for their Parents the reason is because there is little hopes from them but of their Estates or Titles if they have any for Men never consider so much what is past as what is to come unless it be to compare the past time with the present that they might guess at the Future So that there is nothing to hope from Parents because all things are past from them for Men joy more in looking forward through their Posterity than in looking back upon their Ancestors the one is a Contemplation of Life the other but a Contemplation of Death and though they are sometimes proud of their Forefathers worthy Actions yet they take more delight in the hopes of their own Posterity And when Men grow Mad for the loss of their Estates it is not for what they have enjoyed but for what they would or might have enjoyed had not Ill Fortune been but now they cannot And when Men fall Mad through Despair it is because they have no hopes of Heaven So that Hope is the Life of Mans Thoughts and the Ground of his Actions it makes Piety in the Church and Industry in the Common-wealth where the want of it is a Death in Life An Epistle to the Unbelieving Readers in Natural Philosophy MANY say That in Natural Philosophy nothing is to be known not the Cause of any one thing which I cannot perswade my self is Truth for if we know Effects we must needs know Causes by reason Effects are the Causes of Effects and if we can know but one Effect it is a hundred to one but we shall know how to produce more Effects thereby Secondly That Natural Philosophy is an endless Study without any profitable Advantage but I may answer That there is no Art nor Science but is produced thereby if we will without Partiality consider from whence they were derived Thirdly That it is impossible that any thing should be known in Natural Philosophy by reason it is so obscure and hid from the knowledge of Mankind I answer That it is impossible that
Water-Mills draw up Vapours from the Sea and the Sun as the hottest Planet doth by his heat as it were Calcine the Salt Vapour although the Vapour cannot be so salt as the Sea-Water because the Gross Salt is not so light to be drawn up but rather remains as fixt but when the Sun hath Calcined it the Volatil part flyes up to the Body of the Sun or else staies in the middle Region and there meeting with a Sulphurous and Bitumenous Matter mixeth therwith and makes a Matter of the nature of Gunpowder which shoots Thunder flashes Lightning the Watry part distills back again on the Earth in Showres of Rain and that fresh Water distilled which falls upon the Earth soaks into the Earth and fills the Veins therein causing fresh Springs to rise where the Veins are too full But in Egypt or the like where it seldome Rains because the Sun is there fierce and heady that it hath not patience to draw by degrees as in Vapour but draws up a Sea at once which they call Nilus for the Appetite and the Strength joining together draws up so great a quantity that the Strength being not able to draw it up high makes it only swell up which heaves no higher than to cover the Earth some small depth as some few Yards or Feet high and the Reason why it riseth but twice a year is that the Sun is gathering his Forces half a Year to make a sufficient Strength to compass that Work and the Reason that it seldome or never faileth is because it is the Nature of the Sun in those Parts to draw Moisture after that manner and what is Natural is a constant Habit or Custome Of the Sea-water running thorow the Veins of the Earth SOme are of opinion That the Sea runs thorow the Veins of the Earth as the Blood thorow the Body of an Animal as a Man which to my reason is very unlikely for then there must be much more Water than Earth if so the Earth would be drowned with a superabundant quantity what with the Sea that runs about it and the Rain that falls upon it and the Water that runs thorow it perpetually For put the Case it be as they say that it runs out at some places as fast as it comes in at others yet it would wash and moulder away the Earth by the perpetual concourse and recourse if not the Solidst part yet the most Porous part Besides if it were so the Earth would not be so dry as in many places it is unless they hold that some parts of he Earth have Veins and other parts none But if they say that the Earth being so much greater in quantity than the Sea which is the Watry part of the World it hath not alwaies a sufficient quantity to satisfie the Drought which causes the Veins to be dry that Reason would make me think that there should not be a sufficient Quantity of Water to keep in a Body to make a Sea so large to run about it especially of that depth the Sea is of and to run through the vast Earth besides feeding the Air with Vapours Thus if there were less Water than Earth the Earth-Ball would be burnt up or at least so dry as to bear nothing and if the Water were more than the Earth the Earth would be drowned Wherefore in my opinion the Ingredients of the World are equally mix'd and proportionably made as Earth Water Air and Fire so the Sun proportionable to the rest of the Planets and the Planets proportionable to the Sun so that the whole Globe is in equal temper and the whole Body sound and though we who know not the Constitution of the World may think sometimes the Elements are distempered which is their natural temper to be so but not in our knowledge to know how The Sun peirceth not deep into the Earth IT is not the Sun that is the Cause of the Elixar in the Earth or the Golden Mines nor yet of other Metals which are in the Bowels of the Earth as for example all Cellars and Vaults are cold in the Summer when all the surface of the Earth is soultry hot and if the Sun cannot peirce thorow a little Vault or Cellar sure it cannot pass so far as into a deep Mine This sheweth if Heat maketh Metals it must be in the Bowels of the Earth Autumn is warmer than the Spring AUtumn is warmer than the Spring by reason of Sun-beams which beat hotter and longer upon the Earth in the Summer when as Winter is cold and hath frozen the Earth which cannot suddenly be thawed Besides the Sun hath not onely drawn forth the raw and undigested Vapours out of the Earth but hath incorporated his Heat into her all the Summer long for though the Earth hath a Heat in her self a Sun as we may say in the Center yet towards the Circumference it is so weak as it is not sufficient to bring things to Maturity without the help of the Sun Thus the Autumn is as much to be preferred before the Spring as Maturity to Immaturity Of Heat and Cold. SOme say that Fire is onely sensible to that which hath Heat in it self and by a Similitude is forced thereunto but there is nothing more contrary than Ice and Fire yet Ice is sensible of Fire which is proved by the melting and the Water thereof will be scalding hot Thus what is Cold will grow Hot. Of the Moon THere may be an Opinion that the Moon is all Water for we find that Planet cold and moyst and why may not the inequalities of that we see in the Moon by Perspective-glasses be the Reflexion of the Earth on that Watry Body the Moon And as we see our Image in a Pond or Pail of Water so do we see Mountains Rocks and Valleys of the Earth in the Face of the Moon Some may say this Opinion may be contradicted in the Eclipses of the Sun for if the Moon were all Water it could not shadow the Sun from the Earth by reason the Sun would shine thorow it but this is not a sufficient Contradiction for a little Cloud will shadow the Sun wherefore so great a Body of Water must needs darken it Then some may say the Figure must needs be weak and not subject to our Eyes because the Distance is so great it may be answered though the Distance be great the Depth of the Moon is so also and the deeper the Water is the fuller and perfecter it represents the Image that is set to the view besides it may be like a Magnifying Glass or like those Glasses that cast forth the Image as Concaves and Convexes do and for Experience what a way will a Figure come out wherefore how far will the Convex Moon or Earth as may be both cast or draw out the Image of the Earth And why may not the Moon be thought all Water as well as the Sun all Fire since the Effects of the Moon
unity nor conformity there must needs be discord and confusion reasoning is the cause of raising of doubts reason is to allay them so that reasoning makes a man mad but reason makes a man sober But some will say we should never come to reason but by reasoning but I say reason comes by observation of consequences and accidents and reasoning is vain inbred-imaginations without the experience of the concurrence of outward things so reason is bred with strickt observing and produced by fear of losing and hopes of keeping or getting but reasoning is bred in vanity and produced by vain glory Of the Senses and Brain SOme say that there is such a nature in man that he would conceive and understand without the senses though not so clearly if he had but life which is motion Others say there is nothing in the understanding that is not sirst in the senses which is more probable for the senses bring all the materials into the brain and then the brain cuts and divides them and gives them quite other forms then the senses many times presented them for of one object the brain makes thousands of several figures and these figures are those things which are called imagination conception opinion under standing and knowledge which are the Children of the brain these put into action are called arts and sciences and every one of these have a particular and proper motion function or trade as the imagination and conception builds squares inlayes grinds moulds and fashions all opinion caries shows and presents the materials to the conception and imagination understanding distinguishes the several parcels and puts them in right places knowledge is to make the proper use of them and when the brain works upon her own materials and at home it is called poetry and invention but when the brain receives and words journey-work which is not of its own materials then it is called learning and imitation but opinion makes great faction and disorder among them disagreeing much with the understanding in presenting and bringing the wrong for the right and many times with clamour and obstinacy carries it especially when a strange opinion out of another brain comes and joyns with the other the brain many times is so taken with his neighbour brains figures that he fills up his house so full of them that he leaves no roome for his own to work or abide in but some brains are so weak as they have few or no figures of their own but onely plain pieces and some again so slow of motion and so lazy as they will not take paines to cut and to carve or to try but lets that which the senses bring in lie like bags or stone and makes no use of them and will furnish his head neither with his own nor others but the brain is like unto Common-wealths for some brains that are well tempered are like those Common-wealths that are justly and peaceably governed and live in their own bounds other braines that are hotly tempered are like those common-wealths that make wars upon their neighbours others again that are unevenly tempered are like those that are incombred with civil wars amongst themselves a cold brain is like those Nations that are so lazy as they will use no industry to the improving of their Country so a brain may be compared to several soyls as some are rich in mines and quarries others pleasant and fruitful some brains are barren and insipid some will be improved with change of tillage or working others the more it is used the better it is and some the worse and though accidents give the grounds to some arts yet they are but rude and uneasy until the brain hath polished and fitted them for as the senses give the brain the first matter so the brain sends that matter formed sigured to the senses again to be dispersed abroad which sometimes is sent by the understanding sometimes by opinions so he that hath his senses most imployed and perfectest knows more then they that have not their senses exercised in varicties yet the senses give not the height of knowledge unlesse the brain be of such a temper to dispose them for the brains are like eyes where some are so quick as they cannot fasten upon an object to view the perfection of it others so dull they cannot see clearly or so slow they cannot untie themselves soon enough but dwels too long upon it so it is the discussing of the object well that increases or begets knowledge Of sense reason and faith A Man hath sense reason and faith reason is above sense and under faith for one half of reason joyns to sense which is the part that is demonstrative but that part that is not demonstrative is beyond the sensitive knowledge so as it fallsinto conjectures and probabilities and from probabilities to belief and an excessive belief is faith for we cannot call that a perfect knowledge which our reason singly tell us but what our perfect and healthful senses joyned with our reason distinguish to us there are two sorts of faith the one is divine which is given to man by an inspiring grace and the other natural which is by rational conjectures probabilities and comparatives Of wisdom and foolishnesse THat we call wisdom doth not onely consist in perfect knowledge or clear understanding but observations carefully put in practise in times of occasion which is that we cal prudence and where accidents are not observed but follows the appetites the senses perswade to take are called fools so wisdom is the clerk to mans life to write down all and the trustee to receive all the steward to lay out all but not the surveigher to know all for that belongs to a clear and general understanding one may be wise and yet not know all the difference betwixt a fool and a wise man is that the wise man seekes the food of his appetite with care observing all accidents watching all times taking all opportunities to the best for himself the fool runs wildly about without a sking or learning the best neerest or right wayes yet greedily hunts after his desires which desires are according to every mans delectation Of mad men and fools MAd men and fools meet in one and the same point of wanting of judgement which is to distinguish what is most likely to be the best or worst for themselves I say most likely because none knows absolutely but by the event for chance hath such power over every thing that many times it becomes rather her work then the choosers but yet she doth not take away the likelyhood or probability of it where all concurrences meet and though chance lie so obscure as the providen'st man cannot espie her so as to avoid her yet a wise man prepares for her assaults but a mad man or a fool leaves all to chances disposing not to judgments ordering or directing A man that is mad is not out of his wits WE cannot say a
all the rest are begot or derived Also there are but two Parent-Dispositions in the Body the one good the other bad from whence Dispositions are begot or derived A good Disposition is caused by an equal Temper of the Constitution of the Body and an orderly Habit belonging thereunto also when the Humours therein be fresh sweet clear and thin A bad Disposition is caused from an unequal Temper of the Body and a disorderly Habit belonging thereunto also when the Humour is gross muddy corrupt and full of malignity But Love and Hate are created in the Mind increased and abated by Imaginations Conceptions Opinions Reason Understanding and Will But those two Parent-Passions and Dispositions do so resemble one another as they are often times mistaken being taken one for another When the inbred Humours of the Body produce one kind and the Nature of the Mind another Of a Hating Disposition or a Passionate Hate THere is a difference betwixt a Hating Disposition and a Passionate Hate A Hating Disposition is produced from a Weak Constitution of Body and an overflowing of Malignant Humours which rise like a High Tide which cause an Aversion Loathing or Nauseousness to their Object or Subject From this Disposition proceeds Frights and Fears Soundings and Faintings as at the sight of what they hate but when it is against their own kind it produceth Malicious Thoughts Slandering Words and Mischievous Actions But Passionate Hate makes open War and onely pursueth that which it thinks is Evil and is the Champion of Virtue the Sword of Justice the Guard and Protector of Innocents and the Pillar of Commonwealths Of Loving Dispositions and Passionate Love THere is a Loving Disposition and the Passion of Love This Loving Disposition proceeds from Moyst Humours and a Sanguine Constitution which makes the Disposition facile or pitiful tender-hearted as we say and Amorously kind From this Disposition Tears flow often through the Eyes large Professions and Protestations fond Embracements kind Words and dear Friendships as long as it lasts but dissolved upon every small Occasion and never fails to break all to pieces and those pieces to rise up as Enemies if any Misfortune comes But Passionate Love professeth but a Little and promiseth Nothing but will endure all Torments and dye Millions of several waies if it had so many Lives to give for what is loves Of Amorous Love AMorous Dispositions are a Mullet and an Extravagancy of Nature got betwixt the Humours of the Body and the Passions of the Mind for the Passions of the Mind and the Dispositions of the Body although they be taken by the Ignorant for one and the same having some resemblance as a Horse and an Ass yet they are of two several kinds and different Natures the one being Industrious Couragious Generous Noble and Free the other Slothfull Fearfull and fit for Slavery But the Passions of the Mind are Rational the Humours of the Body Bestial for Lust is the Natural Breed of a Sluggish Body Pure Love the Natural Breed of a Rational Soul But Amorosity is begot betwixt both being not so foul as Lust nor so pure as Love but is of a mixt nature and like Mules that produce no Creature so Amorosity neither produceth a Noble Of-spring from the Mind nor seldome any Issue from the Body for it is rather a whining Contemplation than a real Act. Of a Cholerick Disposition and a Cholerick Passion THere is a difference betwixt a Cholerick Disposition and a Cholerick Passion A Cholerick Disposition proceeds from a dry hot Constitution and a bitter or salt Humour that is bred in the Body either by an evil habit of the Liver and Stomack or an unwholsome Diet This produceth a froward Disposition being alwaies a Disquiet to it self which causes the Words to be cross the Voyce to be loud the Countenance to be stern and the Behaviour ruff and rude But a Cholerick Passion is the Fire of the Mind giving Heat to the Thoughts which raiseth Ambition and gives Courage to the Active Vigour to the Strong Quickness to the Words Confidence to the Countenance with a Resolved Behaviour c. The Sympathy of the Spirits THere are Sympathies of Sensitive Spirits and Rational Spirits the one proceeds from the Body the other from the Mind or Soul the one is Fondness the other is Love this makes Fondness last no longer than the Senses are filled which every Sense is not onely capable of a Satisfaction of every particular Object but an overflowing even to a Surfet and Dislike but an Affection that is made by the Sympathy of the Rational Spirits which is Love dwels in the Soul and is never satisfied but the more it receives the more it desires so that this Sympathy is the Infinite of Loves Eternity Of the offering up of Life THere are few that will freely offer up their Lives to take a certain Death yet there be three sorts that are the likeliest to do it as the Ambitious the Consciencious and Lovers the Ambitious Fame perswades them the Consciencious Fear and Hope perswades them Lovers Love perswades them Ambition seeks Fame Fame seeks Applause Applause seeks Action Action seeks Honour Honour seeks Danger Danger seeks Death Fear and Hope seek Religion Religion seeks Faith Faith seeks Martyrdome Martyrdome seeks Death Love seeks Ease Ease seeks Peace Peace seeks Rest Rest seeks Death Those that dye for unlawfull Desires or in desperate Fury or the like these deserve Pity and Tears of Sorrow because their Death was their Dishonour but to dye for their Country their Religion Friends or Chastity there Tears should be wiped from all Eyes and Acclamations of Joy should ring for the Renown of such Constant Virtue as to seal it with Voluntary Death where Life was onely a Cover to hide it besides the Spirits they beget by example they give but this kind of Valour hath few Companions The yielding up Life A Valiant Man will not wilfully part with his Life nor yet unjustly keep it but if his God his Country or his Friend require it he willingly offers it up as a Sacrifice upon the Altar of Honour when Desperateness throws his Life into the Jaws of Death for a Vainglorious Fame The Difference of killing themselves and yielding up of Life THere are more kill themselves than willingly offer up their Lives because those that offer up their Lives are as a Sacrifice or Atonement for the good of one another more than themselves and would rather live than dye could they keep their Life with Honour but their Death being a Rescue to something as they think which is more worthy than their Life they willingly yield it up where those that kill themselves do it out of Fear of a Miserable Life for those do deliver up their Lives Freely and Nobly that give it not to avoyd worse Inconveniencies to themselves as out of Poverty Pain Fear or Disgrace or the like but those that leave Health Wealth Strength Honours Friends and all
Nature should perfectly understand and absolutely know her self because she is Infinite much less can any of her Works know her yet it doth not follow that nothing can be known As for example There are several parts of the World discovered yet it is most likely not all nor may be never shall be yet most think that all the World is found because Drake and Cavendish went in a Circular Line untill they came to that place from whence they set out at first and I am confident that most of all Writers thought all the World was known unto them before the West-Indies were discovered and the Man that discovered it in his Brain before he travelled on the Navigable Sea and offered it to King Henry the Seventh was slighted by him as a Foolish Fellow nor his Intelligence believ'd and no question there were many that laugh'd at him as a Vain Fool others pity'd him as thinking him Mad and others scorned him as a Cheating Fellow that would have cosened the King of England of a Sum of Money but the Spanish Queen being then wiser than the rest imployed him and adventured a great Sum of Money to set him forth in his Voyage which when the Success was according to the Mans Ingenious Brain and he had brought the Queen the discovery of the Golden and Silver Mines for the Spanish Pistols Then other Nations envyed the King of Spain and like a Company of Dogs which fought for a Bone went together by the Ears to share with him So the Bishop that declared his opinion of the Antipodes was not onely cryed down and exclaimed against by the Vulgar which hate all Ingenuity but Learned Sages stood up against him and the Great and Grave Magistrates condemned him as an Atheist for that Opinion and for that reason put him from his Bishoprick and thought he had Favour in that his Life was spared which Opinion hath since been found true by Navigators But the Ignorant Unpracticed Brains think all Impossible that is not known unto them But put the Case that many went to find that which can never be found as they say Natural Philosophy is yet they might find in the search that they did not seek nor expect which might prove very beneficial to them Or put the case ten thousand should go so many waies to seek for a Cabinet of pretious Jewels and all should miss of it but one shall that one be scorn'd and laugh'd at for his Good Fortune or Industry this were a great Injustice But Ignorance and Envy strive to take off the gloss of Truth if they cannot wholly overthrow it But I and those that write must arm our selves with Negligence against Censure for my part I do for I verily believe that Ignorance and present Envy will slight my Book yet I make no question when Envy is worn out by Time but Understanding will remember me in after Ages when I am changed from this Life But I had rather live in a General Remembrance than in a Particular Life The Worlds Olio LIB III. PART II. Of Philosophy THere have been of all Nations that have troubled their Heads and spent the whole time of their Lives in the study of Philosophy as Natural and Moral the first is of little or no use onely to exercise their Opinions at the guessing at the Causes of Things for know them they cannot the last is a Rule to a strict Life which is soon learned but not so soon practiced as they have made it in the dividing it into so many and numerous parts having but four chief Principles as Justice Prudence or Providence Fortitude and Temperance Justice is but to consider what one would willingly have another to do to him the same to do to another which is the beginning of a Commonwealth Prudence or Providence is to observe the Effect of Things and to compare the past with the present as to guess and so to provide for the Future Fortitude is to suffer with as little Grief as one can and to act with as little Fear Now Temperance is something harder as to abate the Appetites and moderate our Passions for though there are but two principal ones as Love and Hate yet there are abstracted from them so many as would take up a Long Life to know them after the strict Rules of Temperance But indeed it is as impossible to be justly Temperate as to know the first Causes of all Things as for example A Man loseth a Friend and the Loser must grieve so much as the merit of the Loss deserves and yet no more than will stand with his Constitution which in many is impossible For some their Constitution is so weak that the least Grief destroys them so that of Necessity he must needs be Intemperate one way either for the not sufficient Grief for the merit of his Friend or too little care for himself So for Anger a Man must be no more angry than the Affront or any Cause of his Anger doth deserve and who shall be Judge since there is no Cause or Act that hath not some Partiality on its side and so in all Passions and Appetites there may be said the like Therefore he that can keep himself from Extravagancy is temperate enough But there are none that are more intemperate than Philosophers first in their vain Imaginations of Nature next in the difficult and nice Rules of Morality So that this kind of Study kils all the Industrious Inventions that are beneficial and Easy for the Life of Man and makes one sit onely to dye and not to live But this kind of Study is not wholly to be neglected but used so much as to ballance a Man though not to fix him for Natural Philosophy is to be used as a Delight and Recreation in Mens Studies as Poetry is since they are both but Fictions and not a Labour in Mans Life But many Men make their Study their Graves and bury themselves before they are dead As for Moral Philosophy I mean onely that part that belongs to every particular Person not the Politick that goeth to the framing of Commonwealths as to make one Man live by another in Peace without which no Man can enjoy any thing or call any thing his own for they would run into Hostility though Community of Men will close into a Commonwealth for the Safety of each as Bees and other Creatures do that understand not Moral Philosophy nor have they Grave and Learned Heads to frame their Commonwealths NAture is the great Chymist of the World drawing out of the Chaos several Forms and extracted Substances the gross and thicker part goeth to the forming of Solid Bodies the Fume to Air and Water the thinnest part to Fire and Light the Sense or Spirits to Life Of Naturalists NAturalists that search and seek for hidden Causes are like Chymists that search for the Philosophers Stone wherein they find many excellent and profitable Medicines but not the Elixar So Naturalists
are cold and moyst as the Effects of the Sun are hot and dry for we must guess of the Quality or Cause by the Effects besides the Light shews it Water for when the Sun shines upon the Seas the Reflexion casts a Pale Light so the Moon gives a Silver Light Of the Prospect of Water WE cannot see with a Perspective glass the several Drops of the Sea as we see the several Parts in a Heap of Sand for if we look into the Sea it only shews a shining Body but look on the Sand and every little Grain will seem a little Stone and so a small Heap seems like a Rock and the Perspective shews perfectly what it is because it lyes in distinct Parts which may be magnified But we cannot magnifie the Drops of Water because it is a Liquid Body where every part mingles into one another or cleaves so close as it becomes one entire Body so as there are no distinct Parts visible Of Perspectives JUST as a Perspective glass carries the sight afar off so a Trunk or Pipe conveys the sound and voyce to the Ear at a great distance Thus we may perceive that the Figure of a round Circle hath the nature to gather up and to draw to a Point all Species whatsoever for they do not onely gather these from the Brain but those that come from outward Objects and the more round Circles there are the straiter and further the several Species go and the sharper is the Point as being bound not having Liberty to stray forth That is the reason that the longer the Perspective is or the Pipe or Trunk the clearer and perfecter we see and hear for a Pipe or a hollow Trunk gathers up the several Letters and Words as a Perspective gathers up the several Objects Besides the Eye and the Ear are much of the nature of a Burning-glass which gathers all the loose and scattered Beams of the Sun to a Point becoming there so strong being united as the Reflexion strike upon all Bodies it meets and peirceth into whatsoever is Porous Just so the Reflexions of what the Senses have gathered together strike upon the Optick Nerve and peirce into the Brain and if the Species of Sense were so material as those Species which are drawn from grosser Bodies the Nose would see a Sent and the Ear see a Sound as well as the Eyes see a grosser Object which is presented to it But the Matter being Thin and Aery the Objects cannot be so soild and substantial as to make a Figurative Body to last so long as for our gross Senses to see Of going about the World IT is said that Drake and Cavendish went round the World and others because they set out of one place and went till they came to the same place again without turning But yet in my conceit it doth not prove they went round the whole World for suppose there should be round Circle of a large Extent and within this Circle many other Circles and likewise without so that if one of these inward or outward Circles be compass'd shall we say it was the Circumference Circle when it may be it was the Center Circle But it may easily deceive the Understanding since we can truly judge but according to what we sind and not to what we know not But surely the World is bigger than Mens Compass of Embracing and Man may make a Globe of what he knows but he cannot make a Globe of what he knows not so that the World may be bigger than Man can make Globes for any thing he knoweth perfectly This Globe Man makes for the whole World is but an inward Circle and that there may be many of them which we do not know because not found out as yet although Ships are good Scouts to bring Intelligence Of Nature WE find that Nature is stinted her self as well as Man is stinted by her for she cannot go beyond such Rules and Principles which shews there is something more powerfull than Nature as to govern her as she governs the World for if she were not limited there might be new Worlds perpetually and not a Repetition in this course of one and the same Motion Matter and Form which makes it very probable that Nature hath wrought to the height of her Invention and that she hath plowed and sowed to the length of her Limits and hath reaped the plentifullest Crops or at least as plentifull as she can which makes it very Unlikely or indeed Impossible that there should be better and quicker Wits or sounder Judgements or deeper Understandings or exacter Beauties or purer Virtues or clearer Truths than have been in former Ages and we find by her Acts past that all was begot from the first-grounded Principles Variation indeed there may be but not any thing entirely new And that there have been as good if not better in the same kind before Neither can we rationally think but the very same Patterns of all her Principles have been before in the Generality of her Works although not made known in the Particulars of every of her Works But every Age are apt to flatter themselves out of a Natural Self-love that Nature hath out-wrough her former Works which if so there must be no Perfection because no End of Increasing for nothing can be Perfect that hath a Superiour or which is not finished and done or that Nature being Imperfect cannot finish what she hath begun or that her Principles are Imperfect which she works upon But we find that Nature hath a constant and setled course in all she doth and whatsoever she works are but Patterns from her old Samplers But the several Stiches which are the several Motions are the same and the Stuff which she worketh upon which is the Matter is the same and the Figures she makes are after the same kind and we find through many ages since that it is the same as Salomon saith Nothing is new c. Of Augury BY the Sympathy and Antipathy of Matter or at least in the several Forms of all so in the Motion of Nature if Man the chief Work of Nature would observe we might foreknow Effects to come by past Effects and present Effects if we would but study the Art which in former times those that were called Augures were learned in and certainly did foretell many things truly well and without the help of a Devil but by Natural Observations of Natural Effects though unknown Causes And why may not this Learning be as well as Astronomy which by Observations of Effects hath found out the Reason of Eclipses and can foretell their times and many other things concerning all the Planets and fixed Stars And why not as well as Physicians that have found out the Effects of Vegetables and Minerals and the Diseases by which kind and waies of applying hath produced a Cure which is not onely a Restauration but a kind of Creation and can foretell whether such kind of Diseases are
Night piece for it wants the Sun of Rhetorick to make it a Glorious Day The Worlds Olio LIB III. PART III. Much Praise makes a Physician think himself Learned IT is a strange thing to see into what great Errours Men will run as suppose a Person shall find out or have it by Receipt a rare Medicine as to cure one Disease which is curable and for the Fame of this one Medicine shall have a whole Country flock to him for Medicines for their several Diseases and shall not be perswaded from it and at last perswade him as Self-love is easily perswaded to practice that he hath no skill in and so kill more by his Ignorance than his Medicine can qure by its Virtue Of Physicians IT is almost impossible for all Physicians to know all Diseases and their Remedies as they prosess to do by their general Practices for we find to learn a mean Art it is the study and service of seven Years and certainly it is much more difficulty to know Diseases which are like Faces not any one alike Besides Diseases lye so hid in the Body of an Animal as they are never perfectly known but guess'd at and to know the Cure of a Disease is as hard as to know the Disease and indeed we can never know a perfect Cure unless we could know the undoubted Cause But Physicians should watch as Philosophers the Stars with Observations and in time they may guess so well as seldom to fail of a Remedy Wherfore it were good that every particular Physician should be bound by a Law to study onely a single Disease and the Cure thereof and not to confound their Brains with tearms and names of Diseases and to kill the Patient by being ignorant of the Cause But let every Disease go to a proper Physician for though there be a multitude of Diseases yet there are more Physicians but such is the sad Condition that they rather adventure to Chance or Luck than Skill for Diseases are like several Countenances in Faces though there be one and the same kinds of Faces as Man-kind Horse-kind and Cow-kind yet every Horse-face is not alike nor every Mans Face is not alike so Diseases as Pox-kind and Plague-kind and Feaver-kind yet all Feavers are not alike nor Plagues nor Pox for they are different in degrees wherefore one and the same Medicine will not cure one kind of Disease but the Medicine must differ as the Disease for as the Countenance of the Disease changeth so must the Medicine But it is harder to take the degrees of Diseases than to draw a Picture to the Life for it is hard to know in what Degree a Disease is in But the Second Part of my Philosophical Fancies will treat more at large of Diseases and their Cures The Motion of the Blood THE most Renowned and most Learned Physician Doctor Harvey hath found out the Circulation of the Blood by his industrious study so methinks it should be very beneficial towards the health of Man to find out the Motion of the Blood as it runs whether it hath one intermixing Motion as it runs or whether the Blood doth not do as the Water seems to do which going in a swift source where the following Drops are as great Strangers to the leading Drops as the situation of either Pole for though the hinder Drops press forwards and drive on the former like Crouds of People one shuffling another yet they do not seem to intermix or incorporate but rather seem to break and divide into parts for if they should intermix and incorporate one drop into another their intermixing Motion would hinder their running Motion so much as it would be scarce perceivable how it went forward and if the Blood do not intermix then some Veins may have foul and corrupted Blood and some very pure Blood which we many times see which makes me think it doth not intermix if so we may take out our good Blood and leave our bad behind us not knowing where the Corrupted Blood lyeth and this Corrupted Blood may infect the Vital Parts as it runs along This makes some that when they let Blood in Feavers they are never the better because that Vein was not open where it lay so that Physicians had better strike two or three Veins and venture the loss of Good Blood than miss the Bad for it may corrupt all the rest though not by intermixing yet by corrupting the Liver as it floweth Of letting Blood THere are more Diseases come in having too much Blood than too little for when the Veins are too full the Blood hath no liberty to run out and for want of Motion corrupts which Corruption bursts out into Small-Pox Fistaloes Kings Evils and many such like Diseases But if the Humour thrusts not Outwards it corrupts the Inward Parts as the Liver the Lungs or else breeds Imposthumes and many such Diseases But if there be much Blood and thin then by the agitation it grows hot or else by the many Spirits in much Blood it begets too much Motion Motion Heat and Heat and Motion fires the Blood and inflames the Spirits which causeth Feavers of all sorts Frenzies and Consumptions for there may be as well too much Motion in the Body as too little But when the Parts of the Body are congeal'd or tyed up with Cold then the Blood cannot run nor the Spirits work but Motion ceaseth and the ceasing of Natural Motion is Death Or if the Blood run too fast about and the Spirits work too hard by reason of too much Heat they wast out themselves by reason of too much Labour and so are worn out like the Wheels of a Clock for the Clock ceaseth to go when the Wheels are broken Of Diet. THere is nothing preserves Health more and lengthens Life than due and just proportion of Diet according to the strength of the Stomack for one should eat so that the Body should feed upon the Meat and not the Meat to feed upon the Body as it doth with those that eat more than they can digest for the Superfluity makes Slough and Slime in the Body which Slime drowns the Spirits slackens the Nerves corrupts the Blood and weakens the Body besides it bringeth many Diseases Neither should one eat so little as to let the Body feed upon it self for much Fasting dryes the Blood heats the Body and fires the Spirits which Fire once getting into the Arteries is seldome or never cured being a Hective Feaver But it is as hard to know a just proportion to the strength of the Stomack as to keep it when they know it This Knowledge comes by observing the Stomack for at some times the Stomack requires more than at other times although the Appetite may be less when the Stomack is empty or it is requirable to give it more for some have such weak Appetites as they sterve their Bodies because they would not displease their Tast or else eat such things as
set the Body on Fire or melts it as Metal in a Furnace producing an Unnatural Heat in the Arteries and inflames the Vital Spirits therein which produceth incurable Hectick Feavers The Effects of Sickness SIckness will destroy that in one Week that Time will not do in twenty Years for Sickness will make Youth look Old and Decrepid when Health makes Age look Young and Spritly Sickness burns up the Body Time wears out the Body and Riot tears out the Body Of the Senses AS all Objects and Sounds that go through the Eye and Ear must first strike and make such a Motion in the Brain before the Mind is sensible thereof so any thing that toucheth the Body goeth first thorow the Pores of the Skin and Flesh and strikes upon the Nerves which Nerves are little Strings or Pipes full of Brain those spread all over the Body and when those are moved as the Brain is in the Skull then the Body is sensible And that is the reason that when the Flesh is bound or press'd up hard close it is numb and hath no feeling because those Pores where it was bound or press'd are stopped and are no more sensible of touch than the Eye or Ear or Nose when they are stopped are sensible of Outward Objects or Sound or Sent. Thus stoppinig the Pores of the Body is as it were Blind or Deaf Sensless and Tastless and this is the reason that when any one is sick or distempered they cannot eat their Meat because the Pores of the Spungie Tongue are stopped either by Weakness Cold or Drought The Senses of the Body equalized with the Senses of the Soul AS the Body hath five Senses Seeing Hearing Smelling Tasting and Touching so hath the Soul for Knowledge is as the Sense of Touch Memory as the Sense of Sight Reason as the Sense of Hearing Understanding as the Sense of Tast and Imagination as the Sense of Smelling as being the most Acry Sense Of Objects THere are three Imperfections in Sight as the Dimness of Age or Weakness Purblind and Squint Age makes all things look misty as if there were a Veil before their Eyes and Purblind makes all things look level or plain without the distinction of Parts a Squint makes all things look double But to look perfect and clear is that the two Eyes make a Triangular Point upon the Object or else the Eyes are like Burning-Glasses which draw all the Lines of Objects to a Point making themselves the Center Of Touch. ALL Pleasure and Pain is Touch and every several part of the Body hath a several Touch for not onely the various Outward Causes give several Touches but every several part receives a several Touch and as the General Sense throughout the whole Body is Touch so every Particular Sense as all Objects touch the Eyes all Sounds touch the Ears all Sent toucheth the Nose all Meat toucheth the Tongue and all those strike and move and so touch the Brain And though all Touches are Motions yet all are several Motions according to the several Parts for all Pain comes by cross and perturbant Motions all Pleasure by even and regular Motions and every particular Sense may receive Pleasure or Pain without affecting or disaffecting or indeed a notice to the rest of the Senses for the particular Senses take no notice of each other And as I said every several part of an Animal hath a several Touch and a several Tast the Loyn doth not tast like the Breast nor the Breast like the Loyn nor the Shoulder like the Breast nor the Neck like the Shoulder nor the Head like the Neck So in Vegetables the Fruit not like the Leaves nor the Leaves like the Rind Thus the Objects as well as the Senses are different Of Pleasure and Pain THere are onely two General Pleasures and two General Pains all the rest are according to Delectation or Reluctation the two General Pleasures are Quiet in the Mind and Ease in the Body the two General Maladies are Trouble in Mind and Pain in the Body But Slavery can be no Bondage if the Mind can be content withall yet the Mind cannot be pleased if the Body be in Pain it may be Patient but not Content for Content is when the Mind desires not change of the Condition of the Life The Cause of Tears and Laughter ANY Extraordinary Motion in the Spirits causeth Tears for all Motions heat according to their Degrees and Heat doth rarifie and separate the thinnest Substance from the thickest as Chymists know right well and all very thin Bodies are fluent and as I may say agil and all that are fluent and agil seek passage and vent So as a Man in this may be similiz'd to a Still as the Atteries for the Furnace of the Still where the Fire which is Motion is put in the Heart the Pan of the Still where the several Passions as several Herbs are put in the Head the Cover of the Still where the Vapour of herby Passions ascends the Eyes the Spout where it runs or drops forth Laughter is produced as Tears are by Extraordinary Motions by which Extreme Laughter will cause Tears Of Tears SOme say Tears are the Juice of the Mind pressed with Grief But Tears proceed from Joy as well as from Sorrow and they are increased by the Moysture of the Brain in some the Spring is dryed But all Passions are apt to pump out Tears as Extreme Sorrow which contracts and congeals by drawing all inward and the reason why Tears be salt is because the Head is a Limbeck which extracts the thinner part from the thicker which thicker is purged by the Nose and Mouth But Tears which are the Essence of Spirits become a kind of a Vitriol Of Musicians being sometimes Mad. THE reason why Musicians are so often Mad is not alwaies Pride bred by the conceit of their rare Art and Skill but by the Motion of the Musick which is swifter than the ordinary Motion of the Brain and by that reason distempers the Brain by increasing the Motion of the Brain to the Motion of the Fiddle which puts the Brain so out of tune as it is very seldom tuneable again and as a Ship is swallowed by a Whirlpit in the Sea so is Reason drown'd in the Whirlpit of the Brain Comparing the Spleen to a Loadstone THE Spleen is like a Loadstone which draws Steel unto it and as the Loadstone is as it were nourished by Steel so the Spleen is opened and clensed Of Physick THE reason why most Men are addicted to the taking of much Physick is out of love to Life thinking that Physick prolongs it I Am about to publish an Additional Part to joyn with my Book of Philosophical Fancies which by reason some part treats of Diseases I recommend to Physicians I mean not Empiricks or Mountebanks such as take the Name and never studied the Science whose Practice is rather to kill than to cure which disgraceth that Noble Profession But