Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	salt_n	spirit_n	volatile_a	987	5	12.2917	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26259	Averroeana being a transcript of several letters from Averroes an Arabian philosopher at Corduba in Spain, to Metrodorus a young Grecian nobleman, student at Athens in the years 1149 and 1150 : also several letters from Pythagoras to the King of India, together with his reception at the Indian court, and an account of his discourse with the King, and his gymnosophists, and his rules and precepts : his account of the power and efficacy of numbers, and magical uses thereof : to which is prefixt, a Latin letter by Monsieur Grinau, one of the Messieurs du Port Royal in France, to the ingenius Monsieur Gramont, merchant at Amsterdam, concerning the subject of these papers, and how they came to his hands : the whole containing matters highly philosophical, physiological, Pythagorical and medicinal, the work having been long conceal'd is now put into English for the benefit of mankind, and the rectification of learned mistakes.; Correspondence. English. Selections	Averroës, 1126-1198.; Pythagoras. Correspondence. English. Selections.	1695 (1695)	Wing A4271; ESTC R1981	54,271	185

of so much Science in any Person 's Hands but yours who so well know how to use it and so bountifully to dispence it And I beseech you let the Accomplishments of my Desires hitherto be an Encouragement to me of hoping to prevail with you to give my Curiosity some further Satisfaction in the Works of Nature particularly in this whether there be any fixt Salts in Vegetables or Animals according to the common Opinion of Philosophers and Physicians which shall be embraced by me with the highest Testimony of Respect and Honour Athens 1149. Metrodorus IT is not the least Delight I take to see a Person of your Eminence and Quality so vehemently to aspire and thirst after Truth besides the Complacency I have to be able to contribute any thing towards your Noble Endeavours I greatly commend your Emulation which can never be unjust while you have so inestimable and desirable a Prize in Chace the Attainment whereof will more illustrate your Name than all the Trophies and Dignities of your Ancestors In answer then to the Question you sent me I deny that the Sal-nitral Vertues of things can be fixed for then there would be no waste or decay for you must know that so soon as any Animal or other thing arrives to its highest degree of Perfection those Salnitral Vertues or Balsamick Spirits become more or less Volatile according to the Nature and Strength of that thing Could you by any Art continue and maintain the Oily Vertue or Sun's quality in any Animal or Vegetable so long would that thing remain in full strength and vigour All Death and Decay arising from the Evaporation of the fine Spirits and Volatile Salts Take any Herb when 't is in full force and vertue dry it a little in the Sun but not too much then burn it into Ashes and from these Ashes you may gather a great quantity of that Matter which the Physicians call fixed Salt Amongst Herbs Wormwood affords the most by reason of its bitterness and heat But if you take the same Herb and expose it to the Sun and Elements till it becomes light dry or like Chaff till it hath lost its smell and taste and then burn it you shall find very little or none of that fixed Salt There can be no such thing as fixed Salt in any Vegetable so long as it remains intire for if it were there it were impossible for it to evaporate or fly away but if you burn this Herb when it is in its full Vertue the heat and violence of the Fire doth Coagulate or Condense the Volatile Spirits and Oily Qualities into a fixed Salt which Effect is to be assigned to the meer accidence of the Fire and nothing else even as the Balsamick or sweet qualities in Spirituous Drinks by a fierce Fermentation are turned and transmuted into a quite contrary Nature By these little Arts Men can change one quality into another but for the most part for the worse viz. They can transmute the Noble Spirits and Vertues into a keen and soure quality and thence into a fierce Sulphureous Spirit And also in Vegetables by the help of Fire captivate and fix the fine and Volatile Vertues into a sharp standing Salt and neither the one nor the other can be reduced to their former state but by the powerful Operations of the Heavens and Elements which by their wonderful and undiscerned Influence can change and unfix that that was fixed so that it becomes Volatile again so great and admirable is the Power of God in Nature's Works None of the Chymists Furnaces with their fierce and terrible Fire can unlock the Body of Salt so fixed if you have any desire to do that you must hearken to the Voice of Nature and attend her Motions and Works in her own way Take your fixed Salt either of Herbs Stones Wood c. sow or mix it with the common Earth it will abundantly enrich the Soil and enable it to produce a large and plentiful Crop and by this means the Fixed will become Volatile again and is the Life Power and Vertue of all Vegetation but in time it will again evaporate There is no fixed Salt in Nature nor made by Art that this Method will not unlock and unmix till it becomes a pure fine Volatile Spirit but only the Crude Unseparate seawater-Seawater-Salt that we use with our Food which some affirm passes through us undigested The Physical Uses of these fixed Salts are much the same in Operation as to quality though they differ in strength and power according to the Vigour Heat and Vertue the Body from whence they are Extracted is endued with All Salts i● their o●n Nature are quick penetrating and opening and of excellent use ●●ng duly compounded with proper Medicines Of all sorts of Salts that of Tartar is the best and most Medicinal for 't is more subtle and penetrating than any derived from Herbs c. And those Physicians that have this by them have no occasion to search for other let the Disease be what it will Thus Metrodorus I have over and above answered your Question both by proving that there can be no fixed Salts really in Animals or Vegetables And have also given you the true nature and use of all fixed Salts Extracted thence by Art I had thought that by this time I had fulfilled your Request But another Question suggesting it self relating to the former I shall a little trespass on the Limits of ●●●stolary Confinement in order to offer somewhat by way of Solution to That and so intirely dismiss the present Subject Having already affirmed that there is very little difference betwixt fixed Salts I shall proceed a little further to acquaint you with somewhat of the Nature of Spirits drawn from Wine Sugar Fruits c. in Physical Operations All Spirits be they drawn from what they will have as to quality one and the same Operation only weaker or stronger according to the Nature of the Matter from whence they are Extracted Being taken inwardly they have all more or less a hot-penetrating Vertue and are of good use if properly administred viz. now and then as Medicines but otherwise they become destructive to the natural Heat and inimical to the Vital Powers and after a Series of Paralytick Contractions of the Nerves and Sinews induce as their utmost Malignity Death it self which consideration ought to have a peculiar place am●●g those who would make the most ●● a short Life and not lose the advantage of the most inestimable Blessings the Gods can bestow even Health it self When by Burning any Herbs c. to Extract its Salt which by no other Method can be obtained do not you destroy or at least change and transmute all the lively and brisk Volatile Vertues into another quality of a contrary Nature and Effect The same is to be understood of all Vegetations when fermented And hot strong Spirits drawn from them are much less Medicinal than fixed Salt if not partaking of

down the Inhumane Doctor 's nasty Pills 〈…〉 ●renches Cordials Jul●●●● and 〈◊〉 when the Cur●●●ight abundantly better with more Ease and less Charge be effectually Accompl●sht The Indian Physicians did strictly forbid this Abominable Practice And the Wise Brachmans ●●d Bannians do in all such cases advise Fasting and 〈◊〉 their Patients to take very little if any thing besides Conjieu which is nothing but Water and Rice boiled together which Liquor the Sick constantly drin●● they adm●● not of any sor● of Fruit 〈◊〉 Currans and interdict the use of all sorts of Spice as permcious to ●●e Stomach by reason that they heat the Blood and are hard of Digestion But what shall we say These are so inveterate by Custom and strengthened by Interest that it is hardly to be expected that Reason shou'd convince the worst part of Mankind Thus Metrodorus you see the Vanity of an old Man who had at any time rather be thought Impertinent than Ungrateful which has been the only reason of venturing thus far on this Subie●t If the Gods give Life and Leisure to write to you again you shall have an Account of the Opinions and Prescriptions of a certain sort of People to whom a greater Respect is due than to my self It hath been my Folly to venture hitherto who am look'd upon as an Infidel where I live and am alone beholden to the favourable Opinion of some Persons who have surmounted the little difficulties of Prejudice and common Education and by their own single Vertue establish'd to themselves a Character above the common Level for all the Reputation I possess For to deal plainly with you my Friends have better Sentiments of me than I dare own and such as would make me blush but that I have Learnt the difference betwixt Affection and Flattery Farewel Dated Corduba 1150. Metrodorus HAving of late had some Respite from Business I remembred my Promise to you which I have at last performed I have here sent you an account of the Practice of the Indian Brachmans They are a sort of Philosophers for whom I have ever had a great Esteem for as much as I have observed them very nearly to follow Nature in most of her Prescriptions A Method that I highly Approve and shall therefore Recommend to you some Observations of theirs perhaps not unworthy your Meditation First then for the Method they use with their Women during the time of their Impregnation Lying in and giving Suck Their First Precept is That they be very Exact and Punctual as to the quantity and quality of their Food and that they drink nothing but pure Water as it comes from the Spring They command them to eat at set Meals viz. about Eight in the Morning and Four in the Afternoon For when the Worlds great Eye the Sun that Centre of Heat hath mounted the Meridian they command all Labouring People to rest and abstain from eating and drinking especially Women with Child For that the Sun does forcibly open the passages of Nature exhaling the Spirituous Vertues from whence proceed Wind and Vapours c. but about Four Afternoon they allow a greater Liberty for a full Meal for the Evening being cool they have a considerable time to digest their Food the greatest part of that time being allotted for Rest They likewise advise a due Fasting and at some times to abate in the quality and at others increase it again Also to give Nature that which is most like her self viz. variety of Foods but this at several Meals and not all at one time seeing that the Humane Nature is allied to all things and compounded of Variety On the other hand they affirm That a due Abstinence infinitely conduces to an healthy and happy Life It fines the Spirits cleanseth the passages frees the Circu●●tions from gross Matter and Obstructions confirms the Faculties of the Mind rendring them fit for the Contemp●ation of Wisdom and Vertue They command their Women to Labour and Exercise gently Morning and Afternoon in regard that it will contribute as much to their Off-springs Health as their own and deliver them from the trouble of all Windy Diseases and Vapours with which many Women are so extreamly afflicted They Recommend Silence to their Women as a Noble Vertue It makes the Mind sedate grave and thinking strengthening all the Powers thereof whereby they become more considerate and better able to endure the Inconveniences they may meet with For the Spirits of Women are naturally more Volatile than those of Men so that much Talking doth spend and wast them weaken the whole Constitution and beget swelling angry Humours equally prejudicial to the Child as to the Mother For there is an extraordinary Sympathy between them upon which account the greater care is to be taken They also commend Chearfulness a Pleasantness both of Mind and Manners to their Women for they affirm the Composition of the Elements in Women are of a more fine and softer Nature than in Men for which cause they are more subjected to Passions apter to Love or Hate and consequently sooner and more deeply wounded both in Mind and Body Wherefore their Priests teach them several Divine and Moral Songs Hymns of Praise c. Believing that Musick hath a certain secret power of moderating and composing the Pathetick Motions of the Soul rendring the Mind more equal in their Operations If any of their Women chance to have 〈◊〉 swelled ●r●●sts or Tumors they r●ach them to make this following Po●●tice which they esteem to have an Universal Tendency and Effect Viz. Ta●● Rice and boil it in Water and when it becomes thick and soft they take a bitter Herb called Tantaraboys cut it small and mix it with the Rice adding to a Quart of this Two Ounces of good Sugar and apply it to the Sore Ten or Twelve times in Twenty-four Hours which gives Ease the first time and in a few Days heals the Distemper They have a great Opinion of Sugar taking it to be one of the greatest Balsams in the World if mixed with proper Ingredients and will often apply it alone to Cuts Sores and Wounds When the Brachmans do administer any Inward Medicines they do it all by Numbers affirming That God hath made all things by Number Weight and Measure Thus you see Metrodorus I have hinted a few Observations of the Brachmans in reference to their Women I shall only subjoin somewhat concerning their Method of Educating their Children and so endeavour to bring this Letter to a Period The first Thing they suggest and insinuate into their Children after they can speak is That God hath Endued Mankind with Three Demons or Spirits that like Three Kings make War and are in continual strife who shall obtain the Dominion over the whole Body which they properly call an Inward Warfare The first Spirit is of the Nature of that Great Celestial Body called Saturn from whence Originally proceed Avarice Calumny Malice Pride Envy Violence c. But from the second