scabbed the Patient lives but if they fall flat and neither break nor are scabbed the Patient is in danger to dye Also it is to be noted That this Disease is sometimes accompanied with a Feverish Distemper I say Sometimes not Always and that is the cause that many dye either with too hot or too cooling Applications for in a Feverish Distemper hot Cordials are Poyson and when there is no Fever Cooling Remedies are Opium The like for letting Blood for if the Disease be accompanied with a Fever and the Fever be not abated by letting Blood 't is probable the Fever joyned with the Pox will destroy the Patient and if no Fever and yet loose Blood the Pox hath not sufficient Moisture to dilate nor a sufficient natural Vapour to breathe or respirate so as the Life of the Patient is choaked or stifled with the contracted Corruptions As for Measles though they are of the same kind yet not of the same sort for they are rather Small Risings than Corrupted Sores and so are less dangerous CHAP. IV. Of the Intermission of Fevers or Agues AGVES have several sorts of Distempers and those quite opposite to each other as Cold and Shaking Hot and Burning besides Sweating Also there are several times of Intermissions as some are Every-day Agues some Third-day Agues and some Quartan Agues and some Patient may be thus distempered many times in the compass of Four and twenty hours but those are rather of the Nature of Intermitting Fevers than of perfect Agues Also in Agues there is many times a difference of the Hot and Cold fits for sometimes the Cold Fits will be long and the Hot short other times the Hot Fits will be long and the Cold Fits short other times much of an equal degree but most Intermitting Fevers and Agues proceed either from ill-digestive Motions or from a superfluity of Cold and Hot Motions or an Irregularity of the Cold Hot Dry or Moist Motions where each sort strives and struggles with each other But to make a comparison Agues are somewhat like several sorts of Weather as Freezing and Thawing Cloudy or Rainy or Fair and Sun-shining days or like the Four Seasons of the Year where the Cold Fits are like Winter cold and windy the Hot Fits like Summer hot and dry the Sweating Fits like Autumn warm and moist and when the Fit is past like the Spring But to conclude the chief Cause of Agues is Irregular Digestions that make half-concocted Humours and according as these half-concocted Humours digest the Patient hath his Aguish Distempers where some are every day others every second day some every third day and some Quartans but by reason those half-concocted Humours are of several sorts of Humors some Cold some Hot some Cold and Dry some Hot and Dry or Hot and Moist and those different sorts raw or but half-concocted Humours they occasion such disorder not only by an unnatural manner of Digestion as not to be either timely or regular by degrees but those several sorts of Raw Humours strive and struggle with each other for Power or Supremacy but according as those different Raw Humours concoct the Fits are longer or shorter also according to the quantity of those Raw Humours and according as those Humours are a gathering or breeding so are the times of those Fits and Intermissions But here is to be noted That some Agues may be occasioned from some Particular Irregular Digestions others from a General Irregular Digestion some from some obscure Parts others from ordinary Humours CHAP. V. Of CONSVMPTIONS THere are many sorts of Consumptions as some are Consumptions of the Vital Parts as the Liver Lungs Kidneys or the like Parts Others a Consumption of the Radical Parts Others a Consumption of the Spiritous Parts Other Consumptions are only of the Flesh which in my opinion is the only Curable Consumption But all Consumptions are not only an Alteration but a Wasting and Dis-uniting of the Fundamental Parts only those Consuming Parts do as it were steal away by degrees and so by degrees the Society of a Human Creature is dissolved CHAP. VI. Of DROPSIES DRopsies proceed from several Causes as some from a decay of some of the Vital Parts others through a superfluity of indigested Humours some from a supernatural Driness of some Parts others through a superfluity of Nourishing Motions some through some Obstructions others through an excess of Moist Dyet but all Dropsies proceed not only from Irregular Motions but from such a particular Irregularity as all the Motions endeavour to be of one Mode as I may say that is To move after the manner of those sorts of Motions which are the innate Nature of Water and are some sorts of Circular Dilatations but by these actions the Human Society endeavours to make a Deluge and to turn from the Nature of Blood and Flesh to the Nature of Water CHAP. VII Of SWEATING ALL Sweating-Diseases are somewhat of the nature of Dropsies but they are at least seem to be more Exterior than Interior Dropsies but though there be Sweating-Diseases which are Irregular yet Regular Sweating is as proper as Regular Breathing and so healthful that Sweating extraordinary in some Diseases occasions a Cure for Sweating is a sort of Purging so that the evacuation of Sweat through the Pores is as necessary as other sorts of evacuation as Breathing Urine Siege Spitting Purging through the Nose and the like But Excess of Sweating is like other sorts of Fluxes of which some will scowr to death others vomit to death and others the like Fluxes will occasion death the like is of Sweating so that the Sweating-Sickness is but like a Fluxive-Sickness But as I said Regular Sweating is as necessary as other ordinary Evacuations and as some are apt to be restringent others laxative and sometimes one and the same Man will be laxative other times costive so are Men concerning Sweating and as some Men take Medicines to purge by Stool or Vomits or Urine so they take Medicines to purge by Sweating And as Man hath several sorts of Excremental Humours so several sorts of Sweats as Clammy Sweats Cold Sweats Hot Sweats and Faint Sweats and as all Excess of other sorts of Purgings causes a Man to be weak and faint so doth Sweating CHAP. VIII Of COVGHS THere are many several sorts of Coughs proceeding from several Causes as some Coughs proceed from a Superfluity of Moisture others from an Unnatural Heat others from a Corruption of Humors others from a Decay of the Vital Parts others from sudden Colds upon Hot Distempers Some are caused by an Interior Wind some Coughs proceed from Salt Humors Bitter Sharp and Sweet some Coughs proceed from Flegm which Flegm ariseth like a Scum in a Pot when Meat is boiling on a Fire for when the Stomack is distemperedly hot the Humors in the Stomack boyl as Liquid Substances on the Fire those boiling Motions bearing up the gross Humors beyond the Mouth of the Stomack and causing a
actions of rote and not such altering actions as digesting actions and nourishing actions which are uniting actions Besides that the reason why the Interior actions are not sleeping actions was That when the Exterior Parts move in the actions of Sleep the Interior Parts move when the Exterior are awake as may be observed by the Human Pulse and Human Respiration and by many other Observations which may be brought CHAP. VI. Whether all the Creatures in Nature have Sleeping and Waking Actions SOme may ask this Question Whether all Creatures have sleeping Actions I answer That though sleeping actions are proper to Human Creatures as also to most Animal Creatures yet such actions may not any ways be proper to other kinds and sorts of Creatures and if as in all probability it is that the Exterior Parts of a Human Creature have no such sleeping actions it is probable that other kinds and sorts of Creatures move not at any time in such sorts of actions But some may say That if Nature is poysed all Creatures must have sleeping actions as well as waking actions I answer That though Nature's actions are poysed yet that doth not hinder the variety of Nature's actions so as to tye Nature to particular actions As for example The Exterior Parts of Animals have both sleeping and waking actions yet that doth not prove that therefore all the Parts or Creatures in Nature must have sleeping and waking actions The same may be said of all the actions of an Animal Creature or of a Human Creature nay of all the Creatures of the World for several kinds and sorts of Creatures have several kinds and sorts of Properties Wherefore if there be other kinds and sorts of Worlds besides this 't is probable that those Worlds and all the Parts or several kinds and sorts of Creatures there have different properties and actions from those of this World so that though Nature's actions are poysed and balanced yet they are poysed and balanced after different manners and ways CHAP. VII Of Human Death DEATH is not only a general Alteration of the Sensitive and Rational Motions but a general Dissolution of their Society And as there are degrees of Time in Productions so in Dissolutions And as there are degrees to Perfection as from Infancy to Manhood so there are degrees from Manhood to Old Age. But as I said Death is a general Dissolution which makes a Human Creature to be no more yet some Parts do not dissolve so soon as others as for example Human Bones but though the Form or Frame of Bones is not dissolved yet the Properties of those Bones are altered The same when a Human Creature is kept by Art from dissolving so as the Form or Frame or Shape may continue but all the Properties are quite altered though the Exterior Shape of such Bodies doth appear somewhat like a Man yet that Shape is not a Man CHAP. VIII Of the Heat of Human Life and the Cold of Human Death THere are not only several sorts of Properties belonging to several sorts of Creatures but several sorts of Properties belonging to one and the same sort of Creature and amongst the several sorts of Human Properties Human Heat is one which Man names Natural Heat but when there is a general alteration of the Human Properties there is that alteration of the Property as well of his Natural as Human Heat but Natural Heat is not the cause of Human Life though Human Life is the cause of that Natural Heat so that when Human Life is altered or dissolved Human Heat is altered or dissolved And as Death is opposite Actions to that Man names Life so Cold is opposite Actions to that Man names Heat CHAP. IX Of the Last Act of Human Life THE reason some Human Creatures dye in more pain than others is That the Motions of some Human Creatures are in strife because some would continue their accustomed Actions others would alter their accustomed Actions which Strife causes Irregularities and those Irregularities cause Differences or Difficulties which causes Pain but certainly the last Act of Human Life is easie not only that the Expulsive Actions of Human Respirations are more easie than the Attracting Actions but that in the last act of Human Life all the Motions do generally agree in one Action CHAP. X. Whether a Human Creature hath Knowledg in Death or not SOme may ask the Question Whether a dead Man hath any Knowledg or Perception I answer That a dead Man hath not a Human Knowledg or Perception yet all and every Part hath Knowledg and Perception But by reason there is a general alteration of the actions of the Parts of a Human Creature there cannot possibly be a Human Knowledg or Perception But some may say That a Man in a Swound hath a general alteration of Human actions and yet those Parts of a Human Creature do often repeat those former actions and then a Man is as he was before he was in that Swound I answer That the reason why a Man in a Swound hath not the same Knowledg as when he is not in a Swound is That the Human Motions are not generally altered but only are generally irregular which makes such a disturbance that no Part can move so regularly as to make proper Perceptions as in some sorts of Distempers a Man may be like a Natural Fool in others he may be Mad and is subject to many several Distempers which cause several Effects but a Human Swound is somewhat like Sleeping without Dreaming that is the Exterior Senses do not move to Human Exterior Perception CHAP. XI Whether a Creature may be new Formed after a general Dissolution SOme may ask the Question Whether a Human Creature or any other Creature after their Natural Properties are quite altered can be repeated and rechanged to those Properties that formerly were I answer Yes in case none of the Fundamental Figurative Parts be dissolved But some may ask That if those dissolved Parts were so inclosed in other Bodies that none of them could easily disperse or wander whether they might not joyn into the same Form and Figure again and have the same Properties I answer I cannot tell well how to judg but I am of the opinion they cannot for it is the property of all such Productions to be performed by degrees and that there should be a dividing and uniting of Parts as an intercourse of Home and Forrein Parts and so there is requir'd all the same Parts and every Part of the same Society or that had any adjoining actions with that particular Creature as all those Parts or Corporeal Motions that had been from the first time of Production to the last of the Dissolving and that could not be done without a Confusion in Nature But some may say That although the same Creature could not be produced after the same manner nor return to the degree of his Infancy and pass the degrees from his Infancy to some degree of Age yet
Dispute between the Breath and Humors produce the Effect of Straining or Reaching upwards towards the Mouth much like the Nature and Motions of Vomiting but by reason those Motions are not so strong in Coughing as in Vomiting the Coughing Motions bring up only pieces or parts of superfluous Flegm or gross Spittle The like for corrupt Humors Other Coughs proceed from Unnatural or Distempered Heats which Heats cause Unnecessary Vapours and those Vapours ascending up from the Bowels or Stomack to the Head and finding a Depression are converted or changed into a Watry Substance which Watry Substance falls down like mizling or small Rain or in bigger drops through the passage of the Throat and Wind-pipe which being opprest and the Breath hindered causes a Strife which Striving is a Straining like as when Crumbs of Bread or Drops of Drink go not rightly through the Throat but trouble and obstruct the Wind-pipe or when any such Matter sticks in the passage of the Throat for when any Part of the Body is obstructed it endeavours to release it self from those Obstructions Also when the Vapour that arises arises in very Thin and Rarified Vapour that Rarified Vapour thickens or condenses not so suddenly being farther from the degree of Water but when condensed into Water it falls down by drops which drops trickling down the Throat like as Tears from the Eyes trickle down the Cheeks of the Face the Cough is not so violent but more frequent but if the Rheum be salt or sharp that trickles down the Throat it causes a gentle or soft smart which is much like the touch of Tickling or Itching which provokes a faint or weak Strain or Cough Also Wind will provoke to Strain or Cough The Motion of Wind is like as if Hair should tickle the Nose Or Wind will cause a tickling in the Nose which causes the Effect of Sneezing for Sneezing is nothing but a Cough through the Nose I may say It is a Nose-Cough And Hickops are but Stomach-Coughs Wind causing the Stomack to strain Also the Guts have Coughs which are caused by the Wind which makes a strife in the Guts and Bowels Other Coughs are produced from Decayed Parts for when any Part is corrupted it becomes less Solid than naturally it should be As for example The Flesh of the Body when corrupted becomes from Dense Flesh to a Slimy Substance thence into a Watry Substance which falls into Parts or changes from Flesh into a Mixt Corrupted Matter which falls into Parts The several Mixtures or Distempered Substances and Irregular Motions causes Division of the composed Parts but in the time of dissolving and divisions of any Part there is a strife which causes Pain and if the strife be in the Lungs it causes Coughs by obstructing the Breath but some Coughs proceed from Vapours and Winds arising from the decayed Interior Parts sending up Vapours from the Dissolving Substance which causeth Coughs and some Coughs cause Decays of the Prime Interior Parts for when there falls from the Head a constant Distillation this Distillation is like dropping Water which will penetrate or divide Stone and more easily will dropping or drilling Water do it as Rheum will corrupt Spongy Matter as Flesh is but according as the Rheum is Fresh Salt or Sharp the Parts are a longer or shorter time decaying for Salt and Sharp is Corroding and by the Corroding Motions Ulcerates those Parts the Salt Rheums fall on which destroys them soon As for Chin-Cough 't is a Wind or Vapour arising from the Lungs through the Wind-pipe and as long as the Wind or Vapour ascends the Patient cannot draw in Reviving Air or Breath but Coughs violently and incessantly until it faint away or have no Strength left and with straining will be as if it were choaked or strangled and become black in the face and after the Cough is past recover again but some dye of these sorts of Coughs CHAP. IX Of GANGREN'S GAngren's are of the Nature of the Plague and they are of Two sorts as the Plague is the one more sudden and deadly than the other The only difference of their Insecting Qualities is That Gangren's spread by insecting still the next or Neighbouring Parts whereas Plagues infect Forrein as much as Home-Parts Also the deadly sort of Gangren's infect as I may say from the Circumference towards the Center when as the deadly sorts of Plague infect from the Center towards the Circumference But that sort of Gangrene that is the weaker sort infects only the next adjoining Parts by degrees and after a spreading manner rather than after a piercing manner But some may object That Plagues and Gangren's are produced from different Causes as for example Extream Cold will cause Gangren's and Extream Heat causes Plagues I answer That Two opposite Causes may produce like Effects for which may be brought numerous Examples CHAP. X. Of Cancers and Fistula's CAncers and Fistula's are somewhat alike in that they are both produced from Salt or sharp corroding Motions but in this they differ that Cancers keep their Center and spread in streams whereas Fistula's will run from place to place for if it be stopt in one place it is apt to remove and break out in another Yet Cancers are somewhat like Gangren's in infecting adjoining Parts so that unless a Cancer be in such a place as can be divided from the Sound Parts it destroys the Human Life by eating as I may say the Sound Parts of the Body as all Corroding and Sharp or Salt Diseases do CHAP. XI Of the GOVT AS for the Disease named the Gout I never heard but of Two sorts the Fixt and the Running Gout but mistake me not I mean Fixt for Place not Time The Fixt proceeds from Hot Sharp or Salt Motions The Running Gout from Cold Sharp Motions but both sorts are Intermitting Diseases and very painful and I have heard those that have had the Fixt Gout say That the pain of the Fixt Gout is somewhat like the Tooth-ach but all Gouts are occasioned by Irregular Pressures and Re-actions As for that sort that is named the Windy Gout it is rather a Sciatica than a Gout CHAP. XII Of the STONE OF the Disease of the Stone in Human Creatures there are many sorts for though the Stone of the Bladder of the Kidneys and in the Gaul be all of one kind of Disease called the Stone yet they are of different sorts but whether the Disease of the Stone be produced of Hot or Cold Motions I cannot judg but 't is probable some are produced of Hot Motions others of Cold and perchance others of such sorts of Motions as are neither perfectly Hot nor Cold for the Stone is produced as all other Creatures by such or such sorts of Figurative Motions Here is to be noted That some of the Humours of the Body may alter their Motion and turn from being Flegm Choler or the like to be Stone and so from being a Rare Moist or Loose Body to
be a Dry Densed Hard or Fixt Body But certainly the Stone of the Bladder Kidneys and Gaul are of several sorts as being produced by several sorts of Figurative Motions as also according to the Properties and Forms of those several Parts of the Body they are produced in for as several sorts of Soyls or Parts of the Earth produce several sorts of Minerals so several Parts of the Body several sorts of the Disease of the Stone And as there are several sorts of Stones in the several Parts of the Earth so no doubt there may not only be several sorts of Stone in several Parts but several sorts in one and the same Part at least in the like Parts of several Men. CHAP. XII Of Apoplexies and Lethargies APoplexies Lethargies and the like Diseases are produced by some decay of the Vital Spirits or by Obstructions as being obstructed by some Superfluities or through the Irregularities of some sorts of Motions which occasion some Passages to close that should be open But mistake me not I do not mean empty Passages for there is no such thing in my opinion in Nature but I mean an open passage for a frequent Course and Recourse of Parts But an Apoplexy is somewhat of the Nature of a Dead-Palsie and a Lethargy of a Numb-Palsie but I have heard that the Opinion of Learned Men is That some sorts of Vaporous Pains are the Fore-runners of Apoplexies and Palsies but in my opinion though a Man may have two Diseases at once yet surely where Vapour can pass there cannot be an absolute Stoppage CHAP. XIII Of EPILEPSIES EPilepsies or that we name the Falling-Sickness is of the nature of Swounding or Fainting Fits but there are two visible sorts the one is that only the Head is affected and not the other Parts of the Body and for proof Those that are thus distempered only in the Head all the other Parts will struggle and strive to help or assist the affected or afflicted Parts and those Parts of the Head that are not Irregular as may be observed by their Motions but by the means of some other Parts there will also be striving and strugling as may be observed by foaming through the Mouth The other sort is like ordinary Swounding-Fits where all the Parts of the Body seem for a time to be dead But this is to be observed That those that are thus diseased have certain times of Intermissions as if the Corporeal Motions did keep a Decorum in being Irregular But some have had Epilepsies from their Birth which proves That their Productive Motions was Irreguar CHAP. XIV Of Convulsions and Cramps COnvulsions and Cramps are somewhat alike and both in my Opinion proceed from Cold Contractions but Cramps are caused by the Contractions of the Capillary Veins or small Fibers rather than of the Nerves and Sinews for those Contractions if violent are Convulsions so that Cramps are Contractions of the small Fibers and Convulsions are Contractions of the Nerves and Sinews But the reason I believe that these Diseases proceed from Cold Contractions is That Hot Remedies produce for the most part perfect Cures but they must be such sorts of Hot Remedies that are of a dilating or extenuating nature and not such whose Properties are Hot and Dry or Contracting also the Applications must be according to the strength of the Disease CHAP. XV. Of CHOLICKS CHolicks are like Cramps or Convulsions or Convulsions and Cramps like Cholicks for as Convulsions are Contractions of the Nerves and Sinews and Cramps Contractions of the small Fibers so Cholicks are a Contracting of the Gutts and for proof So soon as the Contracting Motions alter and are turn'd to Dilating or Expelling Actions the Patient is at ease But there are several Causes that produce the Cholick for some Cholicks are produced by Hot and Sharp Motions as Bilious Cholicks others from Cold and Sharp Motions as Splenetick Cholicks others from Crude and Raw Humours some from Hot Winds some from Cold Winds The same some sorts of Convulsions and Cramps may be but though these several Cholicks may proceed from several Causes yet they all agree in this To be Contractions for as I said when those Corporeal Motions alter their Actions to Dilatation or Expulsion the Patient is at ease But those Cholicks that proceed from Hot and Sharp Motions are the most painful and dangerous by reason they are for the most part more strong and stubborn As for Cholicks in the Stomack they are caused by the same sorts of Motions that cause some sorts of Contractions but those sorts of Cholick Contractions are after the manner of wreathing or wringing Contractions The same in Convulsive-Contractions CHAP. XVI Of Shaking Palsies SHaging Palsies proceed from a Slackness of the Nerves or Sinew strings as may be observed by those that hold or lay any heavy weight upon the Arms Hands or Leggs for when the Burdens are removed those Limbs will be apt to tremble and shake so much for a short time until they have recovered their former strength that the Leggs cannot go or stand steadily nor the Arms or Hands do any thing without shaking The reason of these sorts of Slackness is That heavy Burdens occasion the Nerves and Sinews to extend beyond their Order and being stretched they become more slack and loose by how much they were stretched or extended until such time as they contract again into their proper Posture And the reason that Old Age is subject to Shaking-Palsies is That the Frame of their whole Body is looser and slacker than when it was young As in a decayed House every Material is looser than when it was first built but yet sometimes an old shaking House will continue a great while with some Repairs so old shaking Men with Care and good Dyet will continue a great time But this is to be noted That trembling is a kind of a Shaking-Palsie although of another sort and so is Weakness after Sickness but these sorts are occasioned as when a House shakes in a great Wind or Storm and not through any Fundamental Decay CHAP. XVII Of the Muther Spleen and Scurvy AS for those Diseases that are named the Fits of the Muther the Spleen the Scurvy and the like although they are the most general Diseases especially amongst the Females yet each particular sort is so various and hath such different Effects that I observe they puzzle the most Learned Men to find out their jugling intricate and uncertain Actions But this is to be observed That the Richest sorts of Persons are most apt to these sorts of Diseases which proves That Idleness and Luxury is the occasion CHAP. XVIII Of Food or Digestions AS I have said Digestions are so numerous and so obscure that the most Learned Men know not how Food is converted and distributed to all the Parts of the Body Which Obscurity occasions many Arguments and much Dispute amongst the Learned but in my opinion it is not the Parts of the Human Body that
do digest the Food although they may be an occasion through their own Regularities or Irregularities to cause good or bad digestions but the Parts of the Food do digest themselves that is alter their actions to the Property and Nature of a Human Body so that Digestive Parts are only Additional Parts and if those Nourishing Motions be Regular they distribute their several Parts and joyn their several Parts to those several Parts of the Body that require Addition Also the Digestive Motions are according to the Nature or Property of each several Part of the Human Body As for example Those Digestive Parts alter into Blood Flesh Fat Marrow Brains Humors and so into any other Figurative Parts of the Sensitive Body The same may be said of the Rational Parts of the Mind but if those Digestive Parts be Irregular they will cause a Disorder in a well-ordered Body and if the Parts of the Body be Irregular they will occasion a Disorder amongst the Digestive Parts but according to the Regularities and Irregularities of the Digestive Parts is the Body more or less nourished But this is to be noted That according to the Superfluity or Scarcity of those Digestive Parts the Body is opprest or starved CHAP. XIX Of SVRFEITS SVrfeits are occasioned after different manners for though many Surfeits proceed from those Parts that are received into the Body yet some are occasioned through often repetitions of one and the same actions As for example The Eyes may surfeit with too often viewing one Object the Ears with often hearing one Sound the Nose with smelling one Sent the Tongue with one Tast. The same is to be said of the Rational Actions which Surfeits occasion an aversion to such or such Particulars but for those Surfeits that proceed from the Parts that are received into the Body they are either through the quantity that oppresses the Nature of the Body or through the quality of those Parts being not agreeable to the Nature of the Body or through their Irregularities that occasion the like Irregularities in the Body and sometimes the fault is through the Irregularities of the Body that hinder those received Parts or obstruct their Regular Digestions and sometimes the fault is both of the Parts of the Body and those of the Food but the Surfeits of those Parts that receive not Food are caused through the often repetition of one and the same Action CHAP. XX. Of Natural Evacuations or Purgings THere are many sorts and several ways or means of Purging actions whereof some we name Natural which purge the Excremental Parts and such Natural Purgings are only of such Parts as are no ways useful to the Body or of those that are not willing to convert themselves into the Nature and Property of the Substantial Parts There must of necessity be Purging actions as well as Digestive actions because no Creature can subsist singly of it self but all Creatures subsist each by other so that there must be Dividing actions as well as Uniting actions only several sorts of Creatures have several sorts of Nourishments and Evacuations But this is to be noted in the Human Nourishments and Evacuations that through their Irregularities some Men may nourish too much and others purge too much and some may nourish too little and some may purge too little The Irregularities concerning Nourishments are amongst the adjoining Parts the Errors concerning Purging are amongst the Dividing Parts CHAP. XXI Of PVRGING DRVGGS THere are many sorts of Druggs whereof some are beneficial by assisting those particular Parts of the Body that are oppressed and offended either by Superfluous Humours or Malignant Humours but there are some sorts of Druggs that are as malicious to the Human Life as the Assistant Druggs are friendly Several sorts of Druggs have several sorts of Actions which causes several Effects as some Druggs work by Siege others by Urine some by Vomit others by Spitting others by Sweating some cause sleep some are hot others are cold some dry others moist But this is to be noted That 't is not the Motions of the Druggs but the Motion of the Humours which the Druggs occasion to flow and not only to flow but to flow after such or such a manner and way The Actions of Druggs are like the Actions of Hounds or Hawks that flye at a particular Bird or run after a particular beast of their own kind although of a different sort The only difference is That Druggs are not only of a different sort but of a different Kind from Animal Kind at least from Human Sort. CHAP. XXII Of the Various Humours of Druggs THE reason one and the same Quantity or Dose of one and the same sort of Purging-Druggs or Medicine will often work differently in several Human Bodies as also differently in one and the same Body at several times of taking the same sorts of Medicines is That several Parts of one and the same sort may be differently humoured as some to be duller and slower than others and some to be more active than others Also some Parts may be ill-natured and cause Factions amongst the Parts of the Body whereas others will endeavour to rectifie Disorders or Factions And sometimes both the Druggs and the Body falls out and then there is a dangerous strife the Body striving to expel the Physick and the Physick endeavouring to stay in the Body to do the Body some mischief Also some Parts of one and the same sort may be so Irregular as to hunt not only the superfluous Humours or the Malignant Humors but all sorts of flowing Parts which may cause so great and general Disorder as may endanger Human Life CHAP. XXIII Of CORDIALS THere are many sorts of Cordials for I take every Beneficial Remedy to be a Cordial but many of the Vulgar believe That there is no Cordial but Brandy or such like Strong-waters at least they believe all such Remedies that are virtually Hot to be Cordials but when they take too much of such Cordials either in Sickness or Health they will in some time find them as bad as Poyson But all such Applications as are named Cordials are not hot for some are cool at least of a temperate degree And as there are Regular and Irregular Corporeal Motions so there are Sympathetical and Antipathetical Motions and yet both sorts may be Regular Also there is a Neutral sort that has neither Sympathy nor Antipathy but is Indifferent But in Disputes between Two different Parties a Third may come in to the assistance of one Side more out of hate to the Opposite than love to the Assisted The same may Cordials or such like Applications do when the Corporeal Motions of Human Life are in disorder and at variance for oftentimes there is as great a Mutiny and Disorder amongst the Corporeal Motions both in the Mind and Body of a Man as in a Publick State in time of Rebellion but all Assistant Cordials endeavour to assist the Regular Parts of
subject to our Perception which proves That Light may be without Heat But whether the Light of the Sun which we name Natural Light is naturally hot may be a dispute for many times the Night is hotter than the Day CHAP. XXVIII Of DARKNESS THE Figurative Motions of Light and Darkness are quite opposite and the Figurative Motions of Colours are as a Mean between both being partly of the Nature of both but as the Figurative Motions of Light in my opinion are rare straight equal even smooth Figurative Motions those of Darkness are uneven ruff or rugged and more dense Indeed there is as much difference between Light and Darkness as between Earth and Water or rather between Water and Fire because each is an Enemy to other and being opposite they endeavour to out-power each other But this is to be noted That Darkness is as visible to Human Perception as Light although the Nature of Darkness is To obscure all other Objects besides it self but if Darkness could not be perceived the Optick Perception could not know when it is dark nay particular dark Figurative Motions are as visible in a general Light as any other Object which could not be if Darkness was only a privation of Light as the Opinions of many Learned Men are but as I said before Darkness is of a quite different Figurative Motion from Light so different that it is just opposite for as the property of Light is to divulge Objects so the property of Darkness is to obscure them but mistake me not I mean that Light and Darkness have such properties to our Perception but whether it is so to all Perceptions is more than I know or is as I believe known to any other Human Creature CHAP. XXIX Of COLOVRS AS for Colour it is the same with Body for surely there is no such thing in Nature as a Colourless Body were it as small as an Atom nor no such thing as a Figureless Body or such a thing as a Placeless Body so that Matter Colour Figure and Place is but one thing as one and the same Body but Matter being self-moving causes varieties of Figurative Actions by various changes As for Colours they are only several Corporeal Figurative Motions and as there are several sorts of Creatures so there are several sorts of Colours but as there are those Man names Artificial Creatures so there are Artificial Colours But though to describe the several Species of all the several sorts of Colours be impossible yet we may observe that there is more variety of Colours amongst Vegetables and Animals than amongst Minerals and Elements for though the Rain-bow is of many fine Colours yet the Rain-bow hath not so much Variety as many particular Vegetables or Animals have but every several Colour is a several Figurative Motion and the Brighter the Colours are the Smoother and Evener are the Figurative Motions And as for Shadows of Colours they are caused when one sort of Figurative Motions is as the Foundation for example If the Fundamental Figurative Motion be a deep Blew or Red or the like then all the variations of other Colours have a tincture But in short all Shadows have a ground of some sort of dark Figurative Motions But the Opinions of many Learned Men are That all Colours are made by the several Positions of Light and are not inherent in any Creature of which Opinion I am not For if that were so every Creature would be of many several Colours neither would any Creature produce after their own Species for a Parrot would not produce so fine a Bird as her self neither would any Creature appear of one and the same Colour but their Colour would change according to the Positions of Light and in a dark day in my opinion all fine coloured Birds would appear like Crows and fine coloured Flowers appear like the Herb named Night-shade which is not so I do not say That several Positions of Light may not cause Colours but I say The Position of Light is not the Maker of all Colours for Dyers cannot cause several Colours by the Positions of Light CHAP. XXX Of the Exterior Motions of the Planets BY the Exterior Motions of the Planets we may believe their Exterior Shape is Spherical for it is to be observed That all Exterior Actions are according to their Exterior Shape but by reason Vegetables and Minerals have not such sorts of Exterior Motions or Actions as Animals some Men are of opinion they have not Sensitive Life which opinion proceeds from a shallow consideration neither do they believe the Elements are sensible although they visibly perceive their Progressive Motions and yet believe all sorts of Animals to have sense only because they have Progressive Motions CHAP. XXXI Of the Sun and Planets and Seasons THE Sun Moon Planets and all those glittering Starrs we see are several sorts of that Man names Elemental Creatures but Man having not an infinite Perception cannot have an infinite perceptive knowledg for though the Rational Perception is more subtil than the Sensitive yet the particular Parts cannot perceive much further than the Exterior Parts of Objects but Human Sense and Reason cannot perceive what the Sun Moon and Starrs are as whether solid or rare or whether the Sun be a Body of Fire or the Moon a Body of Water or Earth or whether the Fixed Starrs be all several Suns or whether they be other kinds or sorts of Worlds But certainly all Creatures do subsist by each other because Nature seems to be an Infinite united Body without Vacuum As for the several Seasons of the Year they are divided into Four Parts but the several Changes and Tempers of the Four Seasons are so various altering every moment as it would be an endless work nay impossible for one Creature to perform for though the Almanack-makers pretend to fore-know all the variations of the Elements yet they can tell no more than just what is the constant and set-motions but not the variations of every Hour or Minute neither can they tell any thing more than their Exterior Motions CHAP. XXXII Of Air corrupting Dead Bodies SOME are of opinion That Air is a Corrupter and so a Dissolver of all dead Creatures and yet is the Preserver of all living Creatures If so Air hath an Infinite Power but all the reason I can perceive for this Opinion is That Man perceives that when any Raw or that we name Dead Flesh is kept from the air it will not stink or corrupt so soon as when it is in the air but yet it is well known that extream cold air will keep Flesh from corrupting Another Reason is That a Flye entomb'd in Amber being kept from air the Flye remains in her Exterior Shape as perfectly as if she were alive I answer The cause of that may be that the Figurative Motions of Amber may sympathize with the Exterior consistent Motions of the Fly which may cause the Exterior Shape of the Flye to
continue although the Innate Nature be altered But Air is as all other Creatures are both Beneficial and Hurtful to each other for Nature is poysed with Opposites for we may perceive that several Creatures are both Beneficial and Hurtful to each other as for example A Bear kills a Man and on the other side a Bear 's Skin will cure a Man of some Disease Also a Wild-Boar will kill a Man and the Boar's Flesh will nourish a Man Fire will burn a Man and preserve a Man and Millions of such Examples may be proposed The same may be said of Air which may occasion Good or Evil to other Creatures as the Amber may occasion the death of a Fly and on the other side may occasion the Preservation or Continuation of the Fly 's Exterior Figure or Form but Nature being without Vacuum all her Parts must be be joined and her Actions being poysed there must be both Sympathetical and Antipathetical actions amongst all Creatures The Thirteenth Part. CHAP. I. Of the Innate Figurative Motions of Metals ALL sorts of Metals in my opinion are of some sorts of Circular Motions but not like that sort that is Water for the Water-Circle doth extend outward from the Center whereas in my opinion the Circular Motion of Metal draws inward from the Circumference Also in my opinion the Circular Motions are dense flat edged even and smooth for all Bright and Glassie Bodies are smooth and though Edges are wounding Figures yet Edges are rather of the Nature of a Line than of a Point Again all Motions that tend to a Center are more fixt than those that extend to a Circumference but it is according to the degree of their Extensions that those Creatures are more or less fixt which is the cause that some sorts of Metals are more fixt than others and that causes Gold to be the most fixt of all other sorts of Metals and seems to be too strong for the Effects of Fire But this is to be noted That some Metals are more near related to some sort than other as for example There is no Lead without some Silver so that Silver seems to be but a well-digested Lead And certainly Copper hath some near relation to Gold although not so near related as Lead is to Silver CHAP. II. Of the Melting of Metals METALS may be occasioned by Fire to slack their Retentive Motions by which they become fluid and as soon as they are quit of their Enemy Fire the Figurative Motions of Metal return to their proper Order and this is the reason that occasions Metal to melt which is to flow but yet the Flowing Motion is but like the Exterior and not the Innate actions of 〈◊〉 for the Melting actions do not alter the Innate actions that is they do not alter from the Nature of being Metal but if the Exterior Nature be occasioned by the Excess of those Exterior actions to alter their Retentive actions then Metal turns to that we name Dross and as much as Metal loses of its weight so much of the Metal dissolves that is so much of those Innate motions are quite altered but Gold hath such an Innate Retentiveness that though Fire may cause an extream alteration of the Exterior actions yet it cannot alter the Interior motions The like is of Quick-silver And yet Gold is not a God to be Unalterable though man knows not the way and Fire has not the power to alter the Innate Nature of Gold CHAP. III. Of Burning Melting Boyling and Evaporating BVrning Melting Boyling and Evaporating are for the most part occasioned by Fire or somewhat that is in effect Hot I say occasioned by reason they are not the actions of Fire but the actions of those Bodies that melts boyls evaporates or burns which being near or joyned to Fire are occasioned so to do as for example Put several sorts of Creatures or Things into a Fire and they shall not burn alike for Leather and Metal do not burn alike for Metal flows and Leather shrinks up and Water evaporates and Wood converts it self as it were into Fire which other things do not which proves That all Parts act their own actions For though some Corporeal motions may occasion other Corporeal motions to act after such or such a manner yet one Part cannot have another Part 's motion because Matter can neither give nor take motion CHAP. IV. Of STONE ALL Minerals seem to be some kinds of Dense and Retentive motions but yet those kinds of Dense and Retentive motions seem to be of several sorts which is the cause of several sorts of Minerals and of several sorts of Stones and Metals Also every several sort hath several sorts of Properties but in my opinion some sorts are caused by Hot Contractions and Retentions others by Cold Contractions and Retentions as also by Hot or Cold Densations and the reason why I believe so is That I observe that many Artificial Stones are produced by Heat but Ice which is but in the first Degree of a Cold Density seems somewhat like transparent Stones so that several sorts of Stones are produced by several sorts of Cold and Hot Contractions and Densations CHAP. V. Of the LOADSTONE AS for the Loadstone it is not more wonderful in attracting Iron than 〈◊〉 Beauty which admirably attracts the Optick Perception of Human Creatures and who knows but the North and South Air may be the most proper Air for the Respiration of the Loadstone and that Iron may be the most proper Food for it But by reason there hath been so many Learned Men puzled in their Opinions concerning the several Effects of the Loadstone I dare not venture to treat of the Nature and Natural Effects of that Mineral neither have I had much experience of it but I observe That Iron and some sorts of Stone are nearly allied for there is not any Iron but what is growing or is intermixt and united in some sorts of Stone as that which we call Iron-stone Wherefore it is no wonder if the Loadstone and Iron should be apt to embrace one another CHAP. VI. Of Bodies apt to ascend or descend THERE are so many several Causes that occasion some sorts of Creatures to be apt to ascend and others to descend as they are neither known or can be conceived by one finite Creature for it is not Rarity or Density that causes Levity and Gravity but the Frame or Form of a Creature 's Exterior Shape or Parts As for example A Flake of Snow is as Rare as a Downy Feather yet the Feather is apt to ascend and the Flake of Snow to descend Also Dust that is hard and dense is apt to ascend and Water that is soft and rare is more apt to descend Again a Bird that is both a bigger and a more dense Creature by much than a small Worm yet a Bird can flye up into the air when as a leight Worm cannot ascend or flye having not such a sort of Shape Also a
this is most visible amongst Human Creatures whom some sorts of Food will make weak sick faint lean pale old and withered other sorts of Food will make them strong and healthy fat fair smooth and ruddy So some sorts of Soyls will cause some Vegetables to be larger brighter smoother sweeter and of more various and glorious Colours CHAP. XII Of Artificial Things ARtificial Things are Natural Corporeal Figurative Motions for all Artificial Things are produced by several produced Creatures But the differences of those Productions we name Natural and Artificial are That the Natural are produced from the Producer's own Parts whereas the Artificial are produced by composing or joyning or mixing several Forrein Parts and not any of the particular Parts of their composed Society for Artificial things are not produced as Animals Vegetables Minerals or the like but only they are certain seral Mixtures of some of the divided or dead Parts as I may say of Minerals Vegetables Elements and the like But this is to be noted That all or at least most are but Copied and not Originals But some may ask Whether Artificial Productions have Sense Reason and Perception I answer That if all the Rational and Sensitive Parts of Nature are Perceptive and that no part is without Perception then all Artificial Productions are Perceptive CHAP. XIII Of several Kinds and Sorts of Species ACCording to my Opinion though the Species of this World and all the several Kinds and Sorts of Species in this World do always continue yet the particular Parts of one and the same Kind or sort of Species do not continue for the particular Parts are perpetually altering their Figurative Actions But by reason some Parts compose or unite as well as some Parts dissolve or disunite all kinds and sorts of Species will and must last so long as Nature lasts But mistake me not I mean such kinds and sorts of Species as we name Natural that is the Fundamental Species but not such Species as we name Artificial CHAP. XIV Of Different WORLDS T IS probable if Nature be Infinite there are several kinds and sorts of those Species Societies or Creatures we name Worlds which may be so different from the Frame Form Species and Properties of this World and the Creatures of this World as not to be any ways like this World or the Creatures in this World But mistake me not I do not mean not like this World as it is Material and Self-moving but not of the same Species or Properties as for example That they have not such kind of Creatures or their Properties as Light Darkness Heat Cold Dry Wet Soft Hard Leight Heavy and the like But some may say That is impossible for there can be no World but must be either Light or Dark Hot or Cold Dry or Wet Soft or Hard Heavy or Leight and the like I answer That though those Effects may be generally beneficial to most of the Creatures in this World yet not to all the Parts of the World as for example Though Light is beneficial to the Eyes of Animals yet to no other Part of an Animal Creature And though Darkness is obstructive to the Eyes of Animals yet to no other Parts of an Animal Creature Also Air is no proper Object for any of the Human Parts but Respiration So Cold and Heat are no proper Objects for any Part of a Human Creature but only the Pores which are the Organs of Touch. The like may be said for Hard and Soft Dry and Wet and since they are not Fundamental actions of Nature but Particular I cannot believe but that there may be such Worlds or Creatures as may have no use of Light Darkness and the like for if some Parts of this World need them not nor are any ways beneficial to them as I formerly proved surely a whole World may be and subsist without them for these Properties though they may be proper for the Form or Species of this World yet they may be no ways proper for the Species of another kind or sort of World as for example The Properties of a Human Creature are quite different from other kinds of Creatures the like may be of different Worlds but in all Material Worlds there are Self-moving Parts which is the cause there is self-joyning uniting and composing self dividing or dissolving self-regularities and self-irregularities also there is Perception amongst the Parts or Creaturs of Nature and what Worlds or Creatures soever are in Nature they have Sense and Reason Life and Knowledg but for Light and Darkness Hot and Cold Soft and Hard Leight and Heavy Dry and Wet and the like they are all but particular actions of particular Corporeal Species or Creatures which are finite and not infinite and certainly there may be in Nature other Worlds as full of varieties and as glorious and beautiful as this World and are and may be more glorious or beautiful as also more full of variety than this World and yet be quite different in all kinds and sorts from this World for this is to be noted That the different kinds and sorts of Species or Creatures do not make Particulars more or less perfect but according to their kind And one thing I desire That my Readers would not mistake my meaning when I say The Parts dissolve for I do not mean that Matter dissolves but that their particular Societies dissolve APPENDIX TO THE GROUNDS OF Natural Philosophy The FIRST PART CHAP. I. Whether there can be a Substance that is not a Body WHAT a Substance that is not Body can be as I writ in the First Chapter of this Book I cannot imagine nor that there is any thing between Something and Nothing But some may say That Spiritual Substances are so I answer That Spirits must be either Material or Immaterial for it is impossible for a thing to be between Body and no Body Others may say There may be a Substance that is not a Natural Substance but some sort of Substance that is far more pure than the purest Natural Substance I answer Were it never so pure it would be in the List or Circle of Body and certainly the purest Substance must have the Properties of Body as to be divisible and capable to be united and compounded and being divisible and compoundable it would have the same Properties that grosser Parts have but if there be any difference certainly the purest Substance would be more apt to divide and unite or compound than the grosser sort But as to those sorts of Substance which some Learned Men have imagined in my opinion they are but the same sort of Substance that the Vulgar call Thoughts and I name the Rational Parts which questionless are as truly Body as the grossest Parts in Nature but most Human Creatures are so troubled with the Thoughts of Dissolving and Dis-uniting that they turn Fancies and Imaginations into Spirits or Spiritual Substances as if all the other Parts of their Bodies