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
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
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
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
sometimes nay very often Cold and Hot Motions will dispute for Power and some sorts of Hot with other sorts The like Disputes are amongst several sorts of Cold Motions Dry with Moist Dry with Dry Moist with Moist And the like Disputes are also often amongst all Creatures As for Density it doth not make Gravity for there may be Dense Bodies that are not Grave as for example Feathers and Snow Neither doth Gravity make Density for a quantity of Air hath some weight and yet is not dense But mistake me not for I mean by Grave Heavy and not for the Effects of Ascending and Descending for Feathers though Dense are more apt to ascend than descend and Snow to descend Also all sorts of Fluidity do not cause Moist Liquid or Wet nor all Extenuations cause Light but they are such and such sorts of Fluidities and Extenuations that cause such and such Effects And so for Heats Colds Droughts Moistures Rarities The same for Gravities Levities and the like So that Creatures are Rare Fluid Moist Wet Dry Dense Hard Soft Leight Heavy and the like according to their Figurative Motions CHAP. III. Of the Change and Rechange and of Dividing and Ioyning of the Parts of the Elements OF all Creatures subject to Human Perception the Elements are most apt to Transform viz. to Change and Rechange also to Divide and Ioyn their Parts without altering their Innate Nature and Property The reason is because the Innate Figurative Motions of Elements are not so different as those of Animals and Vegetables whose Compositions are of many different Figurative Motions in so much that dis-joining any Part of Animals or Vegetables they cannot be joined again as they were before at least it is not commonly done but the Nature and Property of the Elements is That every Part and Particle are of one innate Figurative Motion so that the least grain of Dust or the least drop of Water or the least spark of Fire is of the same Innate Nature Property and Figurative Motions as the whole Element when as of Animals and Vegetables almost every Part and Particle is of a different Figurative Motion CHAP. IV. Of the Innate Figurative Motions of Earth THere are many sorts of Earth yet all sorts are of the same kind that is they are all Earth but in my opinion the prime Figurative Motions of Earth are Circles but not dilated Circles but contracted Circles neither are those Circles smooth but rugged which is the cause that Earth is dull or dim and is easily divided into dusty Parts for all or at least most Bodies that are smooth are more apt to joyn than divide and have a Glassie Hew or Complexion which is occasioned by the smoothness and the smoothness occasioned by the evenness of Parts being without Intervals but according as these sorts of Circular Motions are more or less contracted and more or less rugged they cause several sorts of Earth CHAP. V. Of the Figurative Motions of Air. THere are many sorts of Airs as there is of other Creatures of one and the same kind but for Elemental Air is composed of very Rare Figurative Motions and the Innate Motions I conceive to be somewhat of the Nature of Water viz. Circular Figurative Motions only of a more Dilating Property which causes Air not to be Wet but extraordinary Rare which again causes it to be somewhat of the nature of Light for the Rarity occasions Air to be very searching and penetrating also dividable and compoundable but the Rarity of Air is the cause that it is not subject to some sorts of Human Perception but yet not so Rare as not to be subject to Human Respirations which is one sort of Human Perception for all Parts of all Creatures are perceptive one way or another but as I said there are many sorts of Air as some Cold some Hot some Dry some Moist some Sharp some Corrupt some Pure some Gross and numbers more but many of these sorts are rather Metamorphosed Vapours and Waters than pure Elemental Air for the pure Elemental Air is in my opinion more searching and penetrating than Light by reason Light may be more easily eclipsed or stopt when as Air will search every Pore and every Creature to get entrance CHAP. VI. Of the Innate Figurative Motion of Fire THE Innate Figurative Motions of Elemental Fire seem the most difficult to Human Perception and Conception for by the Agilness it seems to be more pure than the other sorts of Elements yet by the Light or Visibleness it seems more gross than Air but by the dilating Property it seems to be more rare than air at least as rare as Air. By the Glassie or Shining Property it seems to be of Smooth and Even Parts also by the piercing and wounding Property Fire seems to be composed of sharp-pointed Figurative Motions Wherefore the Innate Figurative Motions of Fire are Pure Rare Smooth Sharp Points which can move in Circles Squares Triangles Parallels or any other sorts of Exterior Figures without an alteration of its Interior Nature as may be observed by many sorts of Fuels as also it can contract and dilate its Parts without any alteration of its Innate Property CHAP. VII Of the Productions of Elemental Fire IT is to be observed That Points of Fire are more numerous and more suddenly propagating than any other Element or any other Creature that is subject to Human Perception But Sparks of Fire resemble the Seeds of Vegetables in this That as Vegetables will not encrease in all sorts of Soyles alike neither will the Points of Fire in all sorts of Fuel alike And as Vegetables produce different Effects in several Soyls so doth Fire on several Fuels As for example The Seeds of Vegetables do not work the same Effect in a Birds Crop as in the Earth for there they encrease the Bird by digestion but in the ground they encrease their own Issue as I may say So Fire in some Fuels doth destroy it self and occasions the Fuel to be more consumed when as in other sorts of Fuel Fire encreases extreamly But Fire as all other Creatures cannot subsist single of it self but must have Food and Respiration which proves Fire is not an Immaterial Motion Also Fire hath Enemies as well as Friends and some are deadly namely Water or Watry Liquors Also Fire is forced to comply with the Figurative Motions of those Creatures it is joyned to for all Fuels will not burn or alter alike CHAP. VIII Of FLAME FLAME is the Rarest Part of Fire and though the Fuel of Flame be of a vaporous and smoaky Substance yet surely there are pure Flames which are perfect Fires and for proof we may observe That Flame will dilate and run as it were to catch Smoak but when the Smoak is above the Flame if it be higher than the Flame can extend it contracts back to the Fiery Body But Flame doth somewhat resemble that we name Natural Light but yet in my opinion
all sorts of VVets and Liquors are of a watry kind though of a different sort But as I have said all things that are Fluid are not VVet as Melted Metal Flame Light and the like are fluid but not wet and Smoak and Oyl are of another sort of Liquidness than VVater or Juyce but yet they are not wet and that which causes the difference of different sorts of VVaters and VVatry Liquors are the differences of the watry Circular Lines as some are edged some are pointed some are twisted some are braided some are flat some are round some ruff some smooth and so after divers several Forms or Figures and yet are perfect Circles and of some such a Degree of Extenuations or Dilatations CHAP. XV. Of the Alteration of the Exterior Figurative Motion of Water AS I formerly said The Figurative Motions of the Innate Nature of VVater is a sort of Extenuating as being an equal smooth Circle which is the cause VVater is rare fluid moist liquid and wet But the Exterior Figurative Motions of the watry Circle may be edged pointed sharp blunt flat round smooth ruff or the like which may be either divided or altered without any alteration of the Innate Nature or Property As for example Salt-water may be made fresh or the Salt Parts divided from the watry Circle The like of other sorts of VVaters and yet the Nature of VVater remains CHAP. XVI Of OYL and VITRIOL THE Exterior Figurative Motions of Oyl are so much like those of Water as to be fluid smooth soft moist and liquid although not perfectly wet but the Interior Figurative Motions of Oyl are of that sort of Fire that we name a Dull Dead Fire and the difference between Salt Waters Vitriol or the like and Oyl is That the Exterior Figurative Motions of Vitriol and Salt Waters are of a sort of Fire whereas it is the Interior Figurative Motions of Oyl or the like that are of those sorts of Fire and that is the reason that the fiery Motions of Oyl cannot be altered as the fiery Motions of Vitriol may But this is to be noted That although the Interior Figurative Motions of Oyl are of such a sort of fiery Motions yet not just like those of Vitriol and are not burning corroding or wounding as Vitriols Corrosives and the like are for those are somewhat more of the Nature of bright shining Fires than Oyls CHAP. XVII Of Mineral and Sulphureous Waters IN Sulphureous and Mineral Waters the Sulphureous and Mineral Corporeal Motions are Exterior and not Interior like Salt waters but there are several sorts of such waters also some are occasionally others naturally so affected for some waters running through Sulphureous or Mineral Mines gather like a rowling Stone some of the loose Parts of Gravel or Sand which as they stick or cleave to the rowling Stone so they do to the running Waters as we may perceive by those waters that spring out of Chalk Clay or Lime Grounds which will have some Tinctures of the Lime Chalk or Clay and the same happens to Minerals But some are naturally Sulphureous as for example Some sorts of hot Baths are as naturally Sulphureous as the Sea-water is Salt but all those Effects of Minerals Sulphurs and the like are dividable from and also may be joyn'd to the Body of water without any disturbance to the nature of water as may be proved by Salt-water which will cause fresh Meat to be salt and salt Meat will cause Fresh-water to be salt As for hot Baths those have hot figurative Motions but not burning and the moist liquid and wet Nature of water makes it apt to joyn and divide to and from other sorts of Motions as also to and from its own sort CHAP. XVIII The Cause of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea THE Nature of water is to flow so that all sorts of waters will flow if they be not obstructed but it is not the Nature of Water to ebb Neither can water flow beyond the Power of its Quantity for a little water will not flow so far as a great one But I do not mean by flowing the falling of water from some Descent but to flow upon a Level for as I have said all waters do naturally flow if they be not obstructed but few sorts of water besides Sea-water ebbs As for the Exterior Figurative Motions of water in the action of flowing they are an Oval or a half Circle or a half Moon where the middle parts of the half Moon or Circle are fuller than the two Ends. Also the figure of a half Moon or half Circle is concave on the inside and convex on the outside of the Circle but these Figurative Motions in a great quantity of water are bigg and full which we name Waves of Water which waves flowing fast upon each other presses each other forward until such time as the half Circle divides for when the Bow of the half Circle is over-bent or stretched it divides into the middle which is most extended and when a half Circle which is a whole wave of water is divided the divided Parts fall equally back on each side of the flowing waves so every wave dividing after that manner in the full extension it causes the motion of ebbing that is to flow back as it flow'd forward for the divided Parts falling back and joining as they meet makes the head of the half Circle where the Ends of the half Circle were and the Convex where the Concave was by which action the ebbing Parts are become the flowing Parts And the reason that it ebbs and flows by degrees is That the flowing half Circles require so much time to be at the utmost extension Also every wave or half Circle divides not all at one time but one after another for two Bodies cannot be in one place at one point of time and until the second third and so the rest flow as far as the first they are not at their full extension And thus the Sea or such a great Body of Water must flow and ebb as being its nature to flow and the flowing Figure being over-extended by endeavouring to flow beyond its power causes a dividing of the Extended Parts which is the Cause of the Ebbing But whether this Opinion of mine be as probable as any of the former Opinions concerning the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea I cannot judg but I would not be mistaken for the flowing of the water is according to its Quantity for the further it flows the fainter or weaker it is CHAP. XIX Of OVERFLOWS AS for Overflows there be many and many more would be if the waters were not hindred and obstructed by Man's Inventions But some Overflows are very Uncertain and Irregular others Certain and Regular as the flowing of Nilus in Egypt but as for the distance of time of its flowing it may proceed from the far Journey of those flowing-waters and the time of its ebbing may be attributed to the great
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