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A69471 Another collection of philosophical conferences of the French virtuosi upon questions of all sorts for the improving of natural knowledg made in the assembly of the Beaux Esprits at Paris by the most ingenious persons of that nation / render'd into English by G. Havers, Gent. & J. Davies ..., Gent.; Recueil général des questions traitées és conférences du Bureau d'adresse. 101-240. English Bureau d'adresse et de rencontre (Paris, France); Havers, G. (George); Davies, John, 1625-1693.; Renaudot, Théophraste, 1586-1653.; Renaudot, Eusèbe, 1613-1679. 1665 (1665) Wing A3254; ESTC R17011 498,158 520

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of the Days comprehended in half a year And the obliquity of the Horizon is the cause that these parallels are cut by it unequally Otherwise if these parallels were not different from the Equator or although different if they were cut equally by the Horizon as it happens in a Right Sphere the Horizon which is a great Circle passing by the Poles of these parallels which are the same with those of the World both the Days and Nights would be equal so that where the Sphere is not inclin'd as in the Right and Parallel Spheres there is no inequality of Days nor consequently of Climate so call'd from its Inclination but only in the oblique Sphere 'T is defin'd a Region of Earth comprehended between two circles parallel to the Equator in which there is the difference of half an hour in the longest days of the year It encompasses the Terrestrial Globe from East to West as a Zone doth which differs from it only as the Zone is broader whence there are many Climats in the same Zone The Ancients having regard only to so much of the Earth as they believ'd inhabited made but seven Climats which they extended not beyond the places where the longest days are 16 hours and denominated from the most remarkable places by which they made them pass as the first Northern Climat was call'd Dia Meroes hy Meroe which they began at 12 deg 43 min. from the Aequinoctial where the longest day hath 12 hours three quarters and which at present is the end of our first Climat and beginning of the second This first Climat passes by Malaca a City of the East-Indies and begins at 4 deg 18 min. Its middle from which all Climats are reckon'd hath 8 deg 34 min. and its end 12 deg 43 min. The other six Climats of the Ancients pass'd by Siene Alexandria Rhodes Rome Pontus Euxinus and the River Boristhenes Ptolomy reckons twenty one as far as the Island Thule which lies in 63 deg of Northern Latitude Our modern Astronomers make twenty four from the Aequinoctial to the Polar Circles in each of which Climats the longest day of Summer encreases half an hour above twelve according as they approach nearer those Circles beyond which to the Poles of the World they place six more not distinguish'd by the variation of half an hour but of 30 days So that there is in all sixty Climats 30 Northern and as many Southern each comprehended by two Parallels which Climats are easily found by doubling the excess whereby the longest day surpasses twelve hours the Product being the Climat of the place As if you know the longest Summer day at Paris to be 16 hours double 4 the excess above 12 and you will have 8 which is the Climat of Paris and so of others And though there be the same reason of Seasons and other variations in the Southern and Northern Climats yet since experience shews us that those of the South are not inhabited beyond the 8th which is about the Cape of Good Hope at the farthest point of Africa beyond which no Inhabitants are as yet discover'd it may seem that the diversity of Climats is not alone sufficient for long or short life but there are other causes concurring thereunto The Second said That since a thing is preserv'd by that which produces it the Sun and Stars which concur to the generation of all living Creatures must also contribute to their preservation and continuance in life which being maintain'd by use of the same things variety and change though delightful yet being the most manifest cause of brevity of life that Climat which is most constant and least variable will be the properest for longaevity and so much the more if it suits with our nature such is the first Climat next the Aequinoctial where things being almost always alike bodies accustom'd thereunto receive less inconvenience thereby then under others whose inequalities and irregularities produce most diseases The natural purity of the Air promoted by the breath of a gentle East Wind there reigning continually and the want of vapours and humidities which commonly infect our Air conduce greatly to the health of the Inhabitants also when the dryness and coldness of their temper makes longer-liv'd as appears by Ravens and Elephants the most melancholy of all Animals which are common in these parts where they live above 300 years Moreover Homer testifies that Memnon King of Aethiopia liv'd 500 years which by the report of Xenophon was the common age of most men of the same Country where Francis Alvarez affirms in our time that he saw lusty men at 150 years of age and that in Aegypt which lies near it there are more old men then in any place of the World and that women are so fruitful there that they bring forth three or four children at a time rather through the goodness of the Climat then any nitrous vertue that is in the waters of Nilus Hence possibly most Doctors place the Terrestial Paradise under the Aequinoctial and the cause of our first Fathers longaevity who having been created under this Climat seem to have lost of its duration proportionably as they remov'd from the same Northwards whence all evil comes and towards the Zones wrongfully call'd Temperate since more subject to alteration then that call'd Torrid by the Ancients who thought it unhabitable by reason of extream heat although the continual Flowers and Fruits wherewith the always verdant Trees are laden testifie the contrary The Third said Since Heaven is immutable and always like to it self the Earth and Elements alone subject to change the length and shortness of Life seems not to depend on Heaven but on Earth and the several dispositions of our Bodies and the whole World being Man's Country there is no place in it but is equally proper for his habitation provided he be born there because the Air he breathes and the Food he eats from his Nativity altering his Body at length make his temper suitable to that of the place of his Education which therefore he loves above any other The Fourth said That Heaven remaining it self immutable is nevertheless the cause of motions and mutations here below its light producing different effects in the Earth according as it is receiv'd the most sensible whereof are heat dryness and other qualities which diversifie the Seasons and Zones of which the two temperate especially the Northern seems most habitable and proper for longaevity 'T is also the most populous and its Natives are not only the most healthy and lusty but also the most refin'd and civiliz'd of all others Now of the Climats of this Zone the eighth wherein Paris lyes seems to me the healthiest of all as well for pureness of Air as all other Causes The Fifth said That the goodness of Climats depends not so much upon Heaven as the situation of each place in reference to the Winds of which the Southern being the most unhealthy therefore Towns defended by
but 't is a sign of weakness of sight to see things out of their proportionate distance Much less probable is it that the Cholerick are more ingenious then the Melancholy since reflection is necessary to the making of a solid conclusion which the impatience of Choler cannot endure and indeed never was there seen a man of great parts who was not pensive And accordingly Northern people being more cold and reserv'd will carry it above other hotter Nations The Third said That as to Nations he conceiv'd that as not only the Plants but also the Pearls and Jewels of the East are more excellent and purer than those of other parts of the world so also are their Witts The Reason whereof is That the Sun coming from the East bestows the First-fruits of his own and other Celestial Influences upon the Orientals which Influences like the impression of Perfumes are most vigorous in their beginning Moreover we see that God made use of the excellence of the spirits of those people to make the first and greatest Law-givers and Sages If Authors of new and untrue Religions have been found there this fortifies rather then destroyes this Opinion more Witt being requisite to maintain a bad than a good cause As for Temperaments the Sanguine hath the advantage First because 't is the most healthful Complexion and Health is the principal condition of a good Witt which cannot display it self perfectly in a sick body Secondly because Blood is the proximate matter of spirits and he that hath good Blood must have plenty of spirits Thirdly because this is the Complexion of the amorous who are the most ingenious people of the world Whence the Poet said Quis fallere possit amantem But if the Question be What Exercise or Employment hath the most ingenious people 't is harder to be detemin'd so great Witts being found at this day of all sorts of professions that 't is difficult to judge of which there are most Some will prefer the Scholastick Devines for their subtle disputes and nice distinctions others the Rational Physicians for their discourses and conjectures upon the causes of hidden diseases others the Mathematicians for their curious searches into Heaven it self or the Lawyers who manage their affairs so advantageously above others The Fourth said That absolutely speaking there is no quarter of the world more Oriental or Occidental than another these words having been invented only in respect to Men themselves to some of whom one and the same people is Oriental and yet Occidental to others since the world is round and all the parts of a Sphere are of the same Nature What differences there are must be taken from something else than the four parts of the world and particularly from Cold and Heat Thus those that live under the Poles are of a different Complexion both of Body and Mind from those that are between the Tropicks According to which difference the Inhabitants of the temperate Zones must be the most ingenious Cold being too much an Enemy to Life to advance the Wit and excessive Heat burning the Humors no less within than without as the woolly hair and black skin of the Nations expos'd to it manifest So that 't is no presumption in the French and other Nations under the same Climate to award the preheminence to themselves in this matter For the operations of the Mind as well as the digestions and other natural operations of the Body require a temperate not an excessive Heat And the levity imputed to our Nation is a proof of it since commonly the most ingenious are least stedfast in executing the things they have devis'd But amongst the French I account none more ingenious than the Lawyers who confute the Philosophical Maxim which saith That whatever hath a beginning hath also an end since they render Suits immortal Instead of the four causes taught by Naturalists they create others without number and in spight of the Maxim which saith There is no Vacuum they make one at length in the purses of their Clients The Fifth said That since there are good and bad ingenious and sots in all Lands to be the one or the other dependeth not upon the Climate Heaven from whence the Soul descends being alike in all places Nor is it likely that professions render Men more or less ingenious since those to which people are lead by natural inclination are rather Effects than Causes of good or bad parts As for those to which we are perswaded or forc'd nothing can be inferr'd from them having no affinity with our Nature Lastly nor doth Temper always contribute to render Men ingenious since there are some so of all Tempers Ages and Sexes The true Cause is the proportion which happens to be between the Soul and the Body at the first conformation Whence the surest signs of good parts are taken from the figure of the Body and chiefly of the Head which if sharp never makes a wise man as on the contrary great Heads and broad Fore-heads are always ingenious of whatever Country Vocation and Temper they be CONFERENCE CXCIII Of the Fraternity of the Rosie-Cross I Find that these Brethren being associated in Germany two or three hundred years ago sware mutual Fidelity to observe the Laws of their Fraternity the chief of which was Secrecy never to speak or write but in the Allegories of their Cabal whose pretension is to re-establish all Discipilines and Sciences especially Physick which they say is ignor'd and ill practis'd by all others themselves alone having the Knowledge of so many Secrets that they hold the Philosopers Stone for one of the least and professing to imitate sundry other Societies of ancient time as first that of the Kings Priests and Philosophers of Aegypt under the names of Isis Osiris Apis Anubis and Mercury the mysteries whereof they hid under their Hieroglyphical Letters leaving the use of the common way of writing to the vulgar For proof whereof they alledge that the first Priest of this Fraternity being urg'd by Alexander to discover to him the Secret of Isis and Osiris told him for the whole Secret that they were not gods but men whom they worshipt With which Answer Alexander was so well satisfied that he writ word thereof to his Mother Olympias desiring her to burn his Letter as soon as she had read it for fear of Scandal The second Society which they alledge is the College of the Eumolpides so called from Eumolpus its Author an Eleusinian Priest at Eleusis in Athens in imitation of that instituted in Greece by Orpheus to the honor of Baochus of which Eumolpides the supream Sacrificer carry'd a golden key in his mouth to mind him of keeping the Secret which was not communicated to all the initiated in this Order but only to such as were of approv'd discretion The Third they say was that of the Samothracians who were never troubled with sickness or poverty the two grand scourges of Life maintaining themselves in perpetual