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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33546	The uncertainty of the art of physick together with an account of the innumerable abuses practised by the professors of that art, clearly manifested by a particular relation of the original and progress thereof : also divers contests between the Greeks and Arabians concerning its authors / written in Italian by the famous Lionardo di Capoa ; and made English by J.L., Gent.; Ragionamenti intorno alla incertezza de' medicamenti. English	Di Capua, Lionardo, 1617-1695.; J. L. (John Lancaster)	1684 (1684)	Wing C481; ESTC R12934	42,783	114

excuses as that he did not herein follow his own Inclinations but was forced thereunto by fear since he ought couragiously resisting and refusing so to do to have acted according to Justice and Reason But our Author having thus shewn him to be blame-worthy for his want of Morality proceeds to acquaint us with his Learning saying That he was as well skill'd in Logick as a Tortoise in flying or a Cow in dancing For setting himself at his beginning to divide Words into significative and insignificative and alledging for the latter the common Example of Blictri and Syndapsus he immediately subjoyns that these are no words And besides this all Logicians acknowledging rationality to be the ultimate difference that constitutes man in his Essence he on the contrary stifly holds that Babes are not rational but in time will be which in good earnest is to say that they are not true Men but hereafter will be so which most notorious Error he fell into for that seeing them prattle confusedly the Sot had not the Wit to consider that Rationality did not necessarily imply Discourse in actu but in potentia only as the term is Nay what is more this great man could not arrive to comprehend That Rational and Irrational are terms absolutely contradictory and therefore he foolishly and childishly affirms That the Brute Beasts which are all of them undoubtedly void of Reason are more or less partakers thereof calling man Rational only by way of Excellency or per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he has it And from this 〈◊〉 ●●ves another Error no less gross 〈◊〉 ●●excusable nay perhaps greater than 〈◊〉 ●ormer That Asses altho the dullest and sluggishest of all Beasts have yet full and perfect knowledg of this most difficult Aphorism of the Physicians Contraria contrariis curantur But who for Gods sake is there among the Logicians which does not fully approve the saying of Aristotle That from Truth follows only Truth whereas from Falsity Truth and Falsity do equally proceed And yet the most acute Galen manifestly opposing it gives us cause to believe that he did not sufficiently understand it But what praise did he gain by that his most ingenuous Invention of the fourth Figure gloriously found out by him to the shame of Aristotle and the other Master in Logick Certainly it has by all Logicians been disapproved and with reason rejected as confused and unfit for Disputation From these frivolous Toys of Logick our Censurer proceeds to examine him in matters of greater import such as is Natural Philosophy And he thinks Galen to be in Philosophy more thick muddy than puddle-water and this he manifests by many proofs whereof I shall rehearse only a few not to deviate too far from my principal intent Galen then says and constantly affirms that Plants have full and intire Sense and an internal principle of Motion within themselves that Motion cannot be comprehended of us by the corporal Senses but by Reason only that Crabs and Beetles have no heads those Animals only in his opinion having an Head which have soft Eyes and not those whose Eyes are covered with an hard and cristalline shell and yet the contrary is manifestly seen in Grashoppers Locusts and such like Creatures Besides this he says That the Head is not made by the Brain that in Volatils the Neck and Feet are equally distant from the Heart that the brain in Animals has need of somewhat to move it which are the Feet and that the Feet on the contrary have need of Sense which is given them by the brain and that the one without the other is of no use or value not observing that Eels Lampreys and such like Fish altho' they have no Feet have yet Brains And here the wary Champion of the Arabians opportunely retorts upon Galen the same Weapons wherewith the other thought to have wounded Avicen And since saith he mention begins to be made of the Brain before we leave that discourse we shall add that Galen in the same manner as they reproach'd Avicen wanted Brains himself But how expert Galen was in Philosophy any one may easily discern from his discourse concerning Hair he observing that the Hairs of the Eye-lids and Eye-brows are always at a stay and do not encrease and grow as do those of the Head and other parts of the Body and willing to give a reason thereof saies That as it happens in dry and barren grounds that the Grass does not grow for want of sufficient Moisture so the Hairs of the Eye-lids and Eye-brows by reason of the little or no Nourishment which they draw from the other parts cannot come to any great length Now who in God's Name does not see that if this were the cause thereof the Hairs of the Head must much less increase and grow as being rooted in an harder and drier skin than that of the Eye-lids And it appears to our Author that the nourishment of these Hairs insensibly exhales and evaporates through the exceeding small Pores of the Eyes The most sharp-sighted Galen likewise saies That provident Nature has given us Hair for an Ornament to our Body But if it were so to what purpose do they grow in those parts which Modesty obliges us not to name Besides that Nature would greatly have injured Women by depriving them in some parts thereof And in fine Galen contrary to the Opinion of all Philosophers holds That Flame besides its natural Motion which is always upwards has also another which makes it sometimes encline downwards not considering that Flame never has any such Motion but when it is forced and constrained thereto by Art Nor does the Censurer of Galen stop here but passing on examins his Doctrine where it seems of greatest weight that is in things appertaining to Physick And here he proves That altho' Galen seriously employed all his Industry and Wit therein yet he penetrated so little into it and committed so many Errors therein that it would be impossible to reckon them up distinctly And setting aside how much his ill Nature obliged him to leave no way untried that he might obscure the Fame of the Great Hippocrates saying That he observed not the signs of the Pulses nor made any mention of many Feavours with other like frivolous and vain Objections wherewith he does not so much as in the least rase his skin altho' he thought to have grievously wounded him that which seems to be most important is that setting himself designedly to comment on the Writings of Hippocrates he seems in many places not to understand them often and in many places entangling himself as the Censurer distinctly shews tho' I not to be over-tedious pass them over He sometimes refutes the Discourse of Hippocrates but afterwards giving himself the Ly elsewhere commends it thus manifestly shewing his little Firmness and Constancy He brags moreover That he had given certain and sure presages for the Knowledg of all Diseases but if others will yet his most cautious

THE UNCERTAINTY Of the ART OF Physick TOGETHER With an Account of the innumerable Abuses practised by the Professors of that Art CLEARLY Manifested by a Particular Relation of the Original and Progress thereof Also divers Contests between the Greeks and Arabians concerning its Authors Written in Italian by the Famous LIONARDO di CAPOA And made English by J. L. Gent. LONDON Printed by Fr. Clark for Thomas Malthus at the Sun in the Poultrey 1684. TO THE HONOURABLE ROBERT BOYLE Esq THE Fame of Your sublime and more than Humane Wisdom hath begot You many Admirers and Your rare and incomparable Inventions makes all men confess That You are He who by Your New Discoveries have given Light to and greatly improved the Ingenious in their Curious Inquiries into the Secrets of Nature This incourages me to Address my self to You Imploring Your Protection for this weak Essay of Mine which now adventures to appear in Publick not doubting but that as You have always been pleased to let me enjoy a constant Influence of Your most esteemed Favour so You will likewise at present pardon the Boldness and with Your wonted Goodness pass by the Defects which You may possibly meet with in this Attempt of Honourable Sir Your most Humble and most Obedient Servant John Lancaster Don Carlo Buragna TO THE READER NOT many months since by Order of the Vice-Roy of Naples was held a Consult of several Physicians for the putting of some stop to the Abuses and Errors daily committed in the Practice of Physick They after some discourse thereabout judged it most convenient for a thorough-examination of the Reasons already propounded and yet farther to be propounded that every one should set down his Opinion in writing Signor Lionardo di Capoa who was one of the aforesaid Consult was obliged therefore to write his Opinion in this Affair and it seeming to him that this could not be done to any purpose without a diligent consideration of and search into the nature of the thing to be treated of viz. Physick he acquitted himself of his Obligation with so much Learning Eloquence and Erudition that his Manuscript falling into the hands of certain learned Men and other Friends of his appeared to them rather composed for the Vniversality of those that take delight in the sublime Mysteries of Literature than to be kept up amongst a private and small company as if the Author in the writing thereof had purposed to himself no other end but to satisfie the Command imposed upon him They were therefore of Opinion that a work of such excellency ought to be published in Print and for that purpose so laboured with Signor Lionardo that they at last prevailed with him to give them a Copy thereof and to condescend that this at least of the many and different Tracts which he has lying by him should be committed to the Press And herein they regarded not only the pleasure the Learned and Curious will take in perusing this Treatise but the Profit also that may thence result to all sorts of Persons especially to those that are wary and judicious Since by seeing therein the variety of Opinions and Sects with the divers and oftentimes contrary ways of Curing practised amongst Physicians they may without entring into the more subtil Speculations of the Philosophers easily perceive with how great Reason others believe and are perswaded that a Profession so doubtful and uncertain in it self has neither Learning nor Principles upon which others may lay any firm Foundation and how perilous a thing it is for men to see themselves in the hands of those that will have it so especially when Health and Life lie at stake Moreover who does not perceive how advantageous this Treatise may be to such young men as follow Physick since by the reading of this alone they may arrive at a more exact knowledg of its Nature than by turning over the great Volumes of the most reputed and solemn Masters thereof and may in an hour understand what way in the Method of Curing is to be taken by him who laying aside cozening Tricks Cheats intends as his profession obliges him to honour himself by the help he brings to such Patients as come under his hands Nor shall they or any else that apply themselves to better Studies fail to see how many there formerly have been and at present are who both in Medicine and other Arts melt their Brains in the pursuit of that which either is not or not to be found and as our Dante has it Trattando l'ombre come cosa salda Treating of shadows as substantial things But without my enlarging any farther herein the Reader may of himself by the perusal of this Treatise sufficiently perceive how useful and full of exquisite literature it is and that its being composed without intention of having it published hinders it not from agreeing with the Fame of its Author and with the Opinion that all judicious and understanding men have of him Farewel The Uncertainty of the Art of Physick clearly manifested by a particular Relation of the beginning and Progress thereof THERE is not indeed Gentlemen any Undertaking that makes the Majesty of a Prudent and Valiant Prince appear so worthy of Regard as his acting in such a manner That by his Wisdom and Valour the people committed to his care may be assured not to be assailed by foreign Arms or miserably out-raged without Revenge Nor is it in my opinion an Action any whit less generous and laudable to secure them from the Deceits of domestick Enemies who then usually do the greatest mischief when they most craftily cover themselves with the Veil of Benevolence and Charity and counterfeiting themselves full of Humanity and greatly touched with Compassion for the Misfortunes of others lay afterwards for them such treacherous Snares as can seldom or never be eschewed without mortal danger And indeed what Advantage would it be to a man to come off safe and secure from the manifest Perils of War and afterwards unwarily to fall into dangers the more hidden they are the worse And this indeed appears so much the more worthy of Compassion as the Mishaps of that Ship are to be judged more grievous and lamentable which having escaped many storms at Sea miserably perishes at her very entrance into the Port. The pious and prudent Fore-sight therefore of our most excellent Vice-roy cannot sufficiently be commended who having with wonderful and incredible Felicity accomplished the first and defeated the Designs and Attempts of those proud and cruel Fleets which infesting our Seas and Coasts threatned us with Fire and Sword and having likewise cleared the High-ways and Roads of those Robbers and Murderers that disturb'd the Kingdom and prey'd upon the Villages does at present make it his whole study diligently to prevent us whom he has rendred secure in the enjoyment of our Fortunes from being ill treated in our persons by the misusage of Physick Which because every one has need