a Chameleon be burnt vpon the Top of a House it will raise a Tempest Supposing according to their vaine Dreames of Sympathies because he nourisheth with Aire his Body should haue great vertue to make Impression vpon the Aire It is reported by one of the Ancients that in Part of Media there are Eruptions of Flames out of Plaines And that those Flames are cleare and cast not forth such Smoake and Ashes and Pummice as Mountaine Flames doe The Reason no doubt is because the Flame is not pent as it is in Mountaines and Earth-quakes which cast Flame There be also some Blinde Fires vnder Stone which flame not out but Oile being powred vpon them they flame out The Cause whereof is for that it seemeth the Fire is so choaked as not able to remoue the Stone it is Heat rather than Flame Which neuerthelesse is sufficient to Enflame the Oyle It is reported that in some Lakes the Water is so Nitrous as if Foule Cloaths be put into it it scoureth them of it selfe And if they stay any whit long they moulder away And the Scouring Vertue of Nitre is the more to be noted because it is a Body Cold And we see Warme Water scoureth better than Cold. But the Cause is for that it hath a Subtill Spirit which seuereth and diuideth any thing that is soule and Viscous and sticketh vpon a Body Take a Bladder the greatest you can get Fill it full of Winde and tye it about the Necke with a Silke thred waxed And vpon that put likewise Wax very close So that when the Neck of the Bladder dryeth no Aire may possibly get in nor out Then bury it three or foure foot vnder the Earth in a Vault or in a Conferuatory of Snow the Snow being made hollow about the Bladder And after some Forthnights distance see whether the Bladder be shruncke For if it be then it is plaine that the Coldnesse of the Earth or Snow hath Condensed the Aire and brought it a Degree nearer to Water Which is an Experiment of great Consequence It is a Report of some good credit that in Deepe Caues there are Pensile Crystall and Degrees of Crystall that drop from aboue And in some other though more rarely that rise from below Which though it be chiefly the Worke of Cold yet it may be that Water that passeth thorow the Earth gathereth a Nature more clammy and fitter to Congeale and become Solide than Water of it selfe Therfore Triall would be made to lay a Heape of Earth in great Frosts vpon a Hollow Vessell putting a Canuase betweene that it falleth not in And poure Water vpon it in such Quantitie as will be sure to soake thorow And see whether it will not make an harder Ice in the bottome of the Vessell and lesse apt to dissolue than ordinarily I suppose also that if you make the Earth narrower at the bottome than at the Top in fashion of a Sugar Loafe Reuersed it will helpe the Experiment For it will make the Ice where it Issueth lesse in Bulke And euermore Smalnesse of Quantity is a Helpe to Version Take Damaske Roses and pull them Then dry them vpon the Top of an House vpon a Lead or Tarras in the hot Sunne in a cleare day betweene the Houres onely of twelue and two or there abouts Then put them into a Sweet Dry Earthen Bottle or a Glasse with narrow Mouthes stuffing them close together but without Bruising Stop the Bottle or Glasse close and these Roses will retaine not onely their Smell Perfect but their Colour fresh for a yeare at least Note that Nothing doth so much destroy any Plant or other Body either by Putrefaction or Arefaction as the Aduentitious Moisture which hangeth loose in the Body if it be not drawne out For it betrayeth and tolleth forth the Innate and Radicall Moisture along with it when it selfe goeth forth And therefore in Liuing Creatures Moderate Sweat doth preserue the Iuyce of the Body Note that these Roses when you take them from the Drying haue little or no Smell So that the Smell is a Second Smell that issueth out of the Flower afterwards The Continuance of Flame according vnto the diuersity of the Body Enflamed and other Circumstances is worthy the Enquiry Chiefly for that though Flame be almost of a Momentany Lasting yet it receiueth the More and the Lesse we will first therefore speake at large of Bodies Enflamed wholly and Immediately without any Wieke to helpe the Inflammations A Spoonefull of Spirit of Wine a little heated was taken and it burnt as long as came to 116. Pulses The same Quantity of Spirit of Wine Mixed with the Sixth Part of a Spoonefull of Nitre burnt but to the space of 94. Pulses Mixed with the like Quantity of Bay-salt 83. Pulses Mixed with the like Quantity of Gunpowder which dissolued into a Blacke water 110. Pulses A Cube or Pellet of Yellow Waxe was taken as much as halfe the Spirit of Wine and set in the Middest and it burnt onely to the space of 87. Pulses Mixed with the Sixth Part of a spoonefull of Milke it burnt to the space of 100. Pulses And the Milke was crudled Mixed with the Sixth Part of a spoonefull of Water it burnt to the space of 86. Pulses With an Equall Quantity of Water onely to the space of 4. Pulses A small Pebble was laid in the Middest and the Spirit of Wine burnt to the space of 94. Pulses A Peece of Wood of the Bignesse of an Arrow and about a Fingers length was set vp in the Middest and the Spirit of Wine burnt to the space of 94. Pulses So that the Spirit of Wine Simple endured the longest And the Spirit of Wine with the Bay-salt and the Equall Quantity of Water were the shortest Consider well whether the more speedy Going forth of the flame becaused by the Greater Vigour of the Flame in Burning Or by the Resistance of the Body mixed and the Auersion thereof to take Flame Which will appeare by the Quantitie of the Spirit of Wine that remaineth after the Going out of the Flame And it seemeth cleerely to be the latter For that the Mixture of Things least apt to burne is the Speediest in going out And note by the way that Spirit of Wine burned till it goe out of it selfe will burne no more And tasteth nothing so hot in the Mouth as it did No nor yet sowre as if it were a degree towards Vinegar which Burnt Wine doth but flat and dead Note that in the Experiment of Wax aforesaid the Wax dissolued in the burning and yet did not incorporate it selfe with the Spirit of Wine to produce one Flame but wheresoeuer the Wax floated the Flame forsooke it till at last it spread all ouer and put the Flame quite out The Experiments of the Mixtures of the Spirit of Wine enflamed are Things of discouerie and not of Vse But now wee will speake of the Continuance of Flames
sufficient Moisture to breed Mosse And besides the Coldnesse of the Water conduceth to the same The Mosse of Trees is a kinde of Haire For it is the Iuyce of the Tree that is Excerned and doth not Affimilate And vpon great Trees the Mosse gathereth a Figure like a Leafe The Moister Sort of Trees yeeld little Mosse As we see in Aspes Poplars Willowes Beeches c. Which is partly caused for the Reason that hath beene giuen of the francke Putting vp of the Sap into the Boughes And partly for that the Barkes of those Trees are more Close and Smooth than those of Oakes and Ashes Whereby the Mosse can the hardlier issue out In Clay-Grounds all Fruit-Trees grow full of Mosse both vpon Body and Boughes Which is caused partly by the Coldnesse of the Ground whereby the Plants nourish lesse And partly by the Toughnesse of the Earth whereby the Sap is shut in and cannot get vp to spread so franckly as it should doe Wee haue said heretofore that if Trees be Hide-bound they wax lesse Fruitfull and gather Mosse And that they are holpen by Hacking c. And therefore by the Reason of Contraries if Trees be bound in with Cords or some Outward Bands they will put forth more Mosse Which I thinke happeneth to Trees that stand Bleake and vpon the Cold Winds It would also be tried whether if you couer a Tree somewhat thicke vpon the top after his Powling it will not gather more Mosse I thinke also the Watring of Trees with Cold Fountaine-Water will make them grow full of Mosse There is a Mosse the Perfumers haue which commeth out of Apple-Trees that hath an Excellent Sent. Quare particularly for the Manner of the Growth and the Nature of it And for this Experiments sake being a Thing of Price I haue set downe the last Experiments how to multiply and call on Mosses Next vnto Mosse I will speake of Mushromes Which are likewise an Vnperfect Plant. These Mushromes haue two strange Properties The One that they yeeld so Delicious a Meat The other that they come vp so bastily As in a Night And yet they are Vnsowne And therefore such as are Vpstarts in State they call in reproch Mushromes It must needs bee therefore that they be made of much Moisture And that Moisture Fat Grosse and yet somewhat Concocted And indeed we finde that Mushromes cause the Accident which we call Incubus or the Mare in the Stomacke And therefore the Surfet of them may Suffocate and Empoyson And this sheweth that they are Windy And that Windinesse is Grosse and Swelling Not Sharpe or Griping And vpon the same reason Mushromes are a venereous Meat It is reported that the Barke of White or Red Poplar which are of the Moistest of Trees cut small and cast into Furrowes well dunged will cause the Ground to put forth Mushromes at all Seasons of the Yeare fit to be eaten Some adde to the Mixture Leanen of Bread resolued in Water It is reported that if a Hilly-Field where the Stubble is standing bee set on Fire in a Showry Season it will put forth great Store of Mushromes It is reported that Harts-Horne Shauen or in Small Peeces mixed with Dung and watred putteth vp Mushromes And we know Harts-Horne is of a Fat and Clammy Substance And it may be Oxe-Horne would doe the like It hath beene reported though it be searce credible that Iuy hath growne out of a Stags-Horne Which they suppose did rather come from a Confrication of the Horne vpon the Iuy than from the Horne it selfe There is not knowne any Substance but Earth and the Procedures of Earth as Tile Stone c. that yeeldeth any Mosse or Herby Substance There may be Trial made of some Seeds as that of Fennel-Seed Mustard Seed and Rape-Seed put into some little Holes made in the Hornes of Stags or Oxen to see if they will grow There is also another Vnperfect Plant that in shew is like a great Mushrome And it is sometimes as broad as ones Hat Which they call a Toads-Stoole But it is not Esculent And it groweth commonly by a dead Stub of a Tree And likewise about the Roots of Rotten Trees And therefore seemeth to take his Iuyce from Wood Putrified Which sheweth by the way that Wood-Putrified yeeldeth a franke Moisture There is a Cake that groweth vpon the Side of a Dead Tree that hath gotten no Name but it is large and of a Chesnut Colour and hard and pithy Whereby it should seeme that euen Dead Trees forget not their Putting forth No more than the Careasses of Mens Bodies that put forth Haire and Nailes for a Time There is a Cod or Bag that groweth commonly in the Fields That at the first is hard like a Tennis-Ball and white And after groweth of a Mushrome Colour and full of light Dust vpon the Breaking And is thought to be dangerous for the Eyes if the Powder get into them And to bee good for Kibes Belike it hath a Corrosiue and Fretting Nature There is an Herb called Iewes-Eare that groweth vpon the Roots and Lower Parts of the Bodies of Trees Especially of Elders and sometimes Ashes It hath a strange Property For in Warme-water it swelleth and openeth extremely It is not greene but of a dusky browne Colour And it is vsed for Squinancies and Inflammations in the Throat Whereby it seemeth to haue a Mollifying and Lenifying Vertue There is a Kinde of Spongy Excrescence which groweth chiefly vpon the Roots of the Laser-Tree And sometimes vpon Cedar and other Trees It is very White and Light and Friable Which we call Agarick It is famous in Physicke for the Purging of Tough flegme And it is also an excellent Opener for the Liuer But Offensiue to the Stomack And in Taste it is at the first Sweet and after Bitter We finde no Super-Plant that is a Formed Plant but Misseltoe They haue an idle Tradition that there is a Bird called a Missel-Bird that feedeth vpon a Seed which many times shee cannot disgest and so expelleth it whole with her Excrement which falling vpon a Bough of a Tree that hath some Rift putteth forth the Misseltoe But this is a Fable For it is not probable that Birds should feed vpon that they cannot disgest But allow that yet it cannot be for other Reasons For First it is found but vpon certaine Trees And those Trees beare no such Fruit as may allure that Bird to sit and feed vpon them It may be that Bird feedeth vpon the Misseltoe-Berries and so is often found there Which may haue giuen occasion to the Tale. But that which maketh an End of the Question is that Misseltoe hath beene found to put forth vnder the Boughes and not onely aboue the Boughes So it cannot be any Thing that falleth vpon the Bough Misseltoe groweth chiefly vpon Crab-Trees Apple-Trees sometimes vpon Hasses And rarely vpon Oakes The Misseltoe whereof is counted very Medicinall It is cuer greene Winter and Summer And beareth a
such as they are a little till true Axiomes may be more fully discouered I haue heard his Lordship say also that one great Reason why he would not put these Particulars into any exact Method though he that looketh attentiuely into them shall finde that they haue a secret Order was because hee conceiued that other men would now thinke that they could doe the like And so goe on with a further Collection which if the Method had been Exact many would haue despaired to attaine by Imitation As for his Lordships loue of Order I can referr any Man to his Lordships Latine Booke De Augmentis Scientiarum which if my Iudgment be any thing is written in the Exactest Order that I know any Writing to bee I will conclude with an vsuall Speech of his Lordships That this Worke of his Naturall History is the World as GOD made it and not as Men haue made it For that it hath nothing of Imagination W Rawley NATVRALL HISTORIE I. Century DIGG a Pitt vpon the Sea shore somewhat aboue the High-water Marke and sincke it as deepe as the Low-Water marke And as the Tide commeth in it will fill with Water Fresh and Potable This is commonly practized vpon the Coast of Barbary where other fresh Water is wanting And CAESAR knew this well when he was besieged in Alexandria For by Digging of Pitts in the Sea shoare hee did frustrate the Laborious Workes of the Enemies which had turned the Sea-Water vpon the Wells of Alexandria And so saued his Army being then in Desperation But Caesar mistooke the Cause For he thought that all Sea-Sandes had Naturall Springs of Fresh Water But it is plaine that it is the Sea-Water because the Pitt filleth according to the Measure of the Tide And the Sea-water passing or Strayning through the Sandes leaueth the Saltnesse I remember to haue Read that Triall hath beene made of Salt Water passed through Earth through Tenn Vessells one within an other and yet it hath not lost his Saltnesse as to become potable But the same Man saith that by the Relation of Another Salt Water drained through twenty Vessells hath become Fresh This Experiment seemeth to crosse that other of Pitts made by the Sea side And yet but in part if it be true that twentie Repetitions doe the Effect But it is worth the Note how poore the Imitations of Nature are in Common course of Experiments except they be led by great Iudgement and some good Light of Axiomes For first ther is no small difference betweene a Passage of Water through twenty small Vessells And through such a distance as betweene the Low water and High water Marke Secondly there is a great difference betweene Earth and Sand. For all Earth hath in it a kinde of Nitrous Salt from which Sand is more free And besides Earth doth not straine the Water so finely as Sand doth But ther is a Third Point that I suspect as much or more then the other Two And that is that in the Experiment of Transmission of the Sea-water into the Pitts the Water riseth But in the Experiment of Transmission of the Water through the Vessells it falleth Now certaine it is that the Salter Part of Water once Salted throughout goeth to the Bottome And therfore no meruaile if the Draining of Water by descent doth not make it fresh Besides I doe somewhat doubt that the very Dashing of the Water that commeth from the Sea is more proper to strike of the Salt part then wher the Water slideth of her owne Motion It seemeth Percolation or Transmission which is commonly called Straining is a good kinde of Separation Not onely of Thicke from Thin and Grosse from Fine But of more subtile Natures And varieth according to the Bodie through which the Transmission is made As if through a wollen Bagg the Liquour leaueth the Fatnesse If through Sand the Saltnesse c. They speake of Seuering Wine from Water passing it through Iuy wood or through other the like porous Body But Non Constat The Gumm of Trees which wee see to be commonly shining and cleare is but a fine Passage or Straining of the Iuice of the Tree through the Wood and Bark And in like manner Cornish Diamonds and Rock Rubies which are yet more resplendent then Gumms are the fine Exudations of Stone Aristotle giueth the Cause vainely why the Feathers of Birdes are of more liuely Colours then the Haires of Beastes for no Beast hath any fine Azure or Carnation or Greene Haire He saith It is because Birds are more in the Beames of the Sunn then Beasts But that is manifestly vntrue For Cattle are more in the Sun then Birds that liue commonly in the Woods or in some Couert The true Cause is that the Excrementious Moisture of liuing Creatures which maketh as well the Feathers in Birds as the Haire in Beasts passeth in Birds through a finer and more delicate Strainer then it doth in Beastes For Feathers passe through Quills And Haire through Skin The Clarifying of Liquors by Adhesion is an Inward Percolation And is effected when some Cleauing Body is Mixed and Agitated with the Liquours wherby the grosser Part of the Liquor sticks to that Cleauing Body And so the finer Parts are freed from the Grosser So the Apothecaries clarify their Sirrupes by whites of Eggs beaten with the Iuices which they would clarify which Whites of Eggs gather all the Dreggs and grosser Parts of the Iuyce to them And after the Sirrupe being sett on the Fire the whites of Egges themselues harden and are taken forth So Ippocrasse is clarified by mixing with Milke And stirring it about And then passing it through a Wollen Bagge which they call Hippocrates Sleeue And the Cleauing Nature of the Milke draweth the Powder of the Spices and Grosser parts of the Liquour to it And in the passage they stick vpon the Woollen Bagge The Clarifying of Water is an Experiment tending to Health besides the pleasure of the Eye when Water is Crystaline It is effected by casting in and placing Pebbles at the Head of a Current that the Water may straine through them It may be Percolation doth not onely cause Clearenesse and Splendour but Sweetnes of Sauour For that also followeth as well as Clearenes when the Finer Parts are seuered from the Grosser So it is found that the Sweates of Men that haue much Heat and exercise much and haue cleane Bodies and fine Skins doe smell sweet As was said of Alexander And we see commonly that Gumms haue sweet Odours TAke a Glasse and put Water into it and wett your Finger and draw it round about the Lipp of the Glasse pressing it somewhat hard And after you haue drawne it some few times about it will make the Water friske and sprinckle vp in a fine Dew This Instance doth excellently Demonstrate the Force of Compression in a Solid Body For whensoeuer a Solid Body as Wood Stone Mettall c. is pressed ther is
an inward Tumult in the parts therof seeking to deliuer themselues from the Compression And this is the Cause of all Violent Motion Wherin it is strange in the highest Degree that this Motion hath neuer been obserued nor inquired It being of all Motions the most Common and the Chiefe Roote of all Mechanicall Operations This Motion worketh in round at first by way of Proofe and Search which way to deliuer it selfe And then worketh in Progresse wher it findeth the Deliuerance easiest In Liquours this Motion is visible For all Liquours strucken make round Circles and withall Dash but in Solids which breake not it is so subtile as it is inuisible But neuertheless bewrayeth it selfe by many Effects As in this Instance wherof we speake For the Pressure of the Finger furthered by the wetting because it sticketh so much the better vnto the Lipp of the Glasse after some continuance putteth all the small Parts of the Glasse into worke that they strike the Water sharpely from which Percussion that Sprinkling commeth If you strike or pierce a Solid Body that is brittle as Glasse or Sugar it breaketh not onely wher the immediate force is but breaketh all about into shiuers and fitters The Motion vpon the Pressure searching all wayes and breaking where it findeth the Body weakest The Powder in Shot being Dilated into such a Flame as endureth not Compression Moueth likewise in round The Flame being in the Nature of a liquid Body Sometimes recoyling Sometimes breaking the Piece But generally discharging the Bullett because ther it findeth easiest Deliuerance This Motion vpon Pressure and the Reciprocall therof which is Motion vpon Tensure we vse to call by one common Name Motion of Libertie which is when any Body being forced to a Preter-Naturall Extent or Dimension deliuereth and restoreth it selfe to the Naturall As when a Blowne Bladder Pressed riseth againe or when Leather or Cloath tentured spring backe These two Motions of which ther be infinite Instances we shall handle in due place This Motion vpon Pressure is excellently also demonstrated in Sounds As when one Chimeth vpon a Bell it soundeth But as soon as he layeth his hand vpon it the Sound ceaseth And so the Sound of a Virginall String as soone as the Quill of the Iack falleth vpon it stoppeth For these Sounds are produced by the subtile Percussion of the Minute parts of the Bell or String vpon the Aire All one as the Water is caused to leape by the subtile Percussion of the Minute parts of the Glasse vpon the Water wherof we spake a little before in the 9th Experiment For you must not take it to be the locall Shaking of the Bell or String that doth it As we shall fully declare when we come hereafter to handle Sounds TAke a Glasse with a Belly and a long Nebb fill the Belly in part with Water Take also another Glasse whereinto put Claret Wine and Water mingled Reverse the first Glasse with the Belly vpwards Stopping the Nebb with your fingar Then dipp the Mouth of it within the Second Glasse and remoue your Fingar Continue it in that posture for a time And it will vnmingle the VVine from the Water The VVine ascending and setling in the topp of the vpper Glasse And the VVater descending and setling in the bottome of the lower Glasse The passage is apparent to the Eye For you shall see the VVine as it were in a small veine rising through the VVater For handsomnesse sake because the Working requireth some small time it were good you hang the vpper Glasse vpon a Naile But as soone as ther is gathered so much pure and vnmixed water in the Bottome of the Lower Glasse as that the Mouth of the vpper Glasse dippeth into it the Motion ceaseth Let the Vpper Glasse be VVine and the Lower VVater ther followeth no Motion at all Lett the Vpper Glasse be VVater pure the Lowwer VVater coloured or contrariwise ther followeth no Motion at all But it hath been tried that though the Mixture of VVine and VVater in the Lower Glasse be three parts VVater and but one VVine yet it doth not dead the Motion This Separation of VVater and VVine appeareth to be made by Weight for it must be of Bodies of vnequall Weight or ells it worketh not And the Heauier Body must euer be in the vpper Glasse But then note withall that the VVater being made pensile and ther being a great VVeight of VVater in the Belly of the Glasse sustained by a small Pillar of VVater in the Neck of the Glasse It is that which sesteth the Motion on worke For VVater and VVine in one Glasse with long standing will hardly seuer This Experiment would be Extended from Mixtures of seuerall Liquors to Simple Bodies which Consist of seuerall Similare Parts Try it therfore with Broyne or Salt water and Fresh water Placing the Salt water which is the heauier in the vpper Glasse And see whether the Fresh will come aboue Try it also with VVater thick Sugred and Pure water and see whether the water which commeth aboue will loose his Sweetnes For which purpose it were good ther were a little Cock made in the Belly of the vpper Glasse IN Bodies containing Fine Spirits which doe easely dissipate when you make Infusions the Rule is A short Stay of the Body in the Liquour receyueth the Spiritt And a longer Stay confoundeth it because it draweth forth the Earthy Part withall which embaseth the finer And therfore it is an Errour in Phisicians to rest simply vpon the Length of stay for encreasing the vertue But if you will haue the Infusion strong in those kinde of Bodies which haue fine Spiritts your way is not to giue Longer time but to repeat the Infusion of the Body oftner Take Violetts and infuse a good Pugill of them in a Quart of Vineger Lett them stay three quarters of an houre and take them forth And refresh the Infusion with like quantity of new Violetts seuen times And it will make a Vineger so fresh of the Flower as if a Twelue-moneth after it be brought you in a Saucer you shall smell it before it come at you Note that it smelleth more perfectly of the Flower a good while after then at first This Rule which wee haue giuen is of singular vse for the Preparations of Medecines and other Infusions As for Example the Leafe of Burrage hath an Excellent Spiritt to represse the fuliginous Vapour of Dusky Melancholy and so to cure Madnes But neuerthelesse if the Leafe be infused long it yieldeth forth but a raw substance of no Vertue Therfore I suppose that if in the Must of Wine or Wort of Beere while it worketh before it be Tunned the Burrage stay a small time and be often changed with fresh It will make a Soueraigne Drink for Melancholy Passions And the like I conceyue of Orenge Flowers Rubarb hath manifestly in it Parts of contrary Operations Parts that purge And parts that binde the body And
the first lay looser and the latter lay deeper So that if you infuse Rubarb for an houre and crush it well it will purge better and binde the Body lesse after the purging then if it stood twenty foure houres This is tried But I conceiue likewise that by Repeating the Infusion of Rubarb seuerall times as was said of Violetts letting each stay in but a small time you may make it as strong a Purging Medecine as Scammony And it is not a small thing wonn in Phisick if you can make Rubarb and other Medecines that are Benedict as strong Purgers as those that are not without some Malignity Purging Medecines for the most part haue their Purgatine Vertue in a fine Spirit As appeareth by that they indure not boiling without much losse of vertue And therfore it is of good vse in Phisick if you can retaine the Purging Vertue and take away the Vnpleasant tast of the Purger which it is like you may doe by this Course of Infusing oft with little stay For it is probable that the Horrible and Odious Tast is in the Grosser part Generally the working by Infusions is grosse and blinde except you first try the Issuing of the seuerall Parts of the Body which of them Issue more speedily and which more slowly And so by apportioning the time can take and leaue that Quality which you desire This to know ther be two waies The one to try what long stay and what short stay worketh as hath been said The other to try in Order the succeding Infusions of one and the same Body successiuely in seuerall Liquors As for example Take Orenge-Pills or Rose-Mary or Cinnamon or what you will And let them Infuse halfe an houre in VVater Then take them out and Infuse them againe in other VVater And so the third time And then tast and consider the First water the Second and the Third And you will find them differing not only in Strength and Weaknes but otherwise in Tast or Odour For it may bee the First water will haue more of the Sent as more Fragrant And the Second more of the Tast as more bitter or Biting c. Infusions in Aire for so we may well call Odours haue the same diuersities with Infusions in VVater In that the seuerall Odours which are in one Flower or other Body issue at seuerall times Some earlier some later So we finde that Violetts Woodbines Strawberries yield a pleasing Sent that commeth forth first But soone after an ill Sent quite differing from the Former Which is caused not so much by Mellowing as by the late Issuing of the Grosser Spirit As we may desire to extract the finest Spirits in some Cases So we may desire also to discharge them as hurtfull in some other So VVine burnt by reason of the Evaporating of the finer Spirit enslameth lesse and is best in Agues Opium leeseth some of his poisonous Quallity if it be vapoured out mingled with Spirit of Wine or the like Sean leeseth somewhat of his windines by Decocting And generally subtile or windy Spirits are taken off by Incension or Evaporation And euen in Infusions in things that are of too high a Spirit you were better poure off the first Infusion after a small time and vse the latter BVbbles are in the forme of a Hemisphere Aire within and a little Skin of VVater without And it seemeth somewhat strange that the Aire should rise so swiftly while it is in the VVater And when it commeth to the topp should be staid by so weake a Couer as that of the Bubble is But as for the swift Ascent of the Aire while is vnder the VVater that is a Motion of Percussion from the VVater which it selfe descending driueth vpp the Aire and no Motion of Leuity in the Aire And this Democritus called Motus Plaga In this Common Experiment the Cause of the Enclosure of the Bubble is for that the Appetite to resist Separation or Discontinuance which in solide Bodies is strong is also in Liquours though fainter and weaker As wee see in this of the Bubble we see it also in little Glasses of Spittle that children make of Rushes And in Castles of Bubbles which they make by blowing into water hauing obtained a little Degree of Tenacity by Mixture of Soape Wee see it also in the Stillicides of water which if ther be water enough to follow will Drawe themselues into a small thredd because they will not discontinue But if ther be no Remedy then they cast themselues into round Dropps which is the Figure that saueth the Body most from Discontinuance The same Reason is of the Roundnes of the Bubble as well for the Skin of water as for the Aire within For the Aire likewise auoideth Discontinuance And therfore casteth it self into a Round Figure And for the stopp and Arrest of the Aire a little while it sheweth that the Aire of it selfe hath little or no Appetite of Ascending THE Reiection which I continually vse of Experiments though it appeareth not is infinit But yet if an Experiment be probable in the Worke and of great Vse I receyue it but deliuer it as doubtfull It was reported by a Sober Man that an Artificiall Spring may be made thus Finde out a hanging Ground wher ther is a good quick Fall of Raine-water Lay a Half-Trough of Stone of a good length 3. or 4. foote deep within the same Ground with one end vpon the high Ground the other vpon the lowe Couer the Trough with Brakes a good thicknes and cast Sand vpon the Topp of the Brakes You shall see saith he that after some showers are past the lower End of the Trough will runn like a Spring of water which is no maruaile if it hold while the Raine-water lasteth But he said it would continue long time after the Raine is past As if the water did multiply it self vpon the Aire by the helpe of the Coldnesse and Condensation of the Earth and the Consort of the first Water THE French which put off the Name of the French Disease vnto the Name of the Disease of Naples doe report that at the Siege of Naples ther were certaine wicked Merchants that Barrelled vpp Mans flesh of some that had been lately slaine in Barbary and sold it for Tunny And that vpon that foule and high Nourishment was the Originall of that Disease Which may well be For that it is certaine that the Caniballs in the West Indies eate Mans flesh And the West Indies were full of the Pockes when they were first discouered And at this day the Mortallest poisons practised by the West Indians haue some Mixture of the Bloud or Fatt or Flesh of Man And diuers Witches and Sorceresles aswell amongst the Heathen as amongst the Christians haue fedd vpon Mans flesh to aid as it seemeth their Imagination with High and foule Vapours IT seemeth that ther be these waies in likelihood of Version of Vapours or Aire into Water and Moisture
The first is Cold which doth manifestly Condense As wee see in the Contracting of the Aire in the Weather-Glasse whereby it is a Degree nearer to water Wee see it also in the Generation of Springs which the Ancients thought very probably to be made by the Version of Aire into water holpen by the Rest which the Aire hath in those Parts wherby it cannot dissipate And by the Coldnes of Rockes for ther Springs are chiefly generated Wee see it also in the Effects of the Cold of the Middle Region as they call it of the Aire which produceth Dews and Raines And the Experiment of Turning water into Ice by Snow Nitre and Salt wherof wee shall speake hereafter would be transferred to the Turning of Aire into Water The Second way is by Compression As in Stillatories wher the Vapour is turned back vpon it self by the Encounter of the Sides of the Stillatory And in the Dew vpon the Couers of Boyling Potts And in the Dew towards Raine vpon Marble and Wainscott But this is like to doe no great effect Except it be vpon Vapours and grosse Aire that are allready very neare in Degree to Water The Third is that which may be searched into but doth not yet appeare which is by Mingling of moist Vapours with Aire And trying if they will not bring a Returne of more Water then the water was at first For if so That Increase is a version of the Aire Therfore putt water into the Bottome of a Stillatory with the Nebb stopped Weigh the Water first Hang in the Middle of the Stillatory a large Spunge And see what Quantitie of Water you can crush out of it And what it is more or lesse compared with the water spent For you must vnderstand that if any Version can be wrought it will be easeliest done in small Pores And that is the Reason why wee prescribe a Spunge The Fourth way is Probable also though not Appearing Which is by Receiuing the Aire into the small Pores of Bodies For as hath been said euery thing in small Quantity is more easy for version And Tangible Bodies haue no pleasure in the Consort of Aire but endeauour to subact it into a more Dense Body But in Entire Bodies it is checked because if the Aire should Condense ther is nothing to succeed Therfore it must be in loose Bodies as Sand and Powder which wee see if they lye close of themselues gather Moisture IT is reported by some of the Ancients That Whelps or other Creatures if they be put Young into such a Cage or Boxe as they cannot rise to their Stature but may encrease in Breadth or length will growe accordingly as they can gett Roome which if it be true and faisible and that the young Creature so pressed and straightened doth not therupon die It is a Meanes to produce Dwarfe Creatures and in a very Strange Figure This is certaine and noted long since That the Pressure or Forming of Parts of Creatures when they are very young doth alter the Shape not a little As the Stroaking of the Heads of Infants between the Hands was noted of Old to make Macrocephali which shape of the Head at that time was esteemed And the Raising gently of the Bridge of the Nose doth preuent the Deformity of a Saddle Nose Which obseruation well weighed may teach a Meanes to make the Persons of Men and Women in many kindes more comely and better featured then otherwise they would be By the Forming and Shaping of them in their Infancy As by Stroaking vp the Calues of the Leggs to keepe them from falling downe too lowe And by Stroaking vp the Forehead to keepe them from being lowforeheaded And it is a common Practise to swath Infants that they may growe more straight and better shaped And wee see Young Women by wearing straight Bodies keepe themselues from being Grosse and Corpulent ONions as they hang will many of them shoot forth And so will Penniroiall And so will an Herb called Orpin with which they vse in the Country to trimme their Houses binding it to a Lath or Stick and setting it against a wall We see it like wise more especially in the greater Semper-vine which will put out Branches two or three yeares But it is true that commonly they wrapp the Root in a Cloth besmeared with Oyle and renue it once in halfe a Yeare The like is reported by some of the Ancients of the Stalks of Lillies The Cause is For that these Plants haue a Strong Dense and Succulent Moisture which is not apt to exhale And so is able from the old store without drawing helpe from the Earth to suffice the sprouting of the Plant And this Sprouting is chiefly in the late Spring or early Sommer which are the Times of Putting forth We see also that Stumps of Trtes lying out of the ground will put forth Sprouts for a Time But it is a Noble Triall and of very great Consequence to try whether these things in the Sprouting doe increase Weight which must be tried by weighing them before they be hangd vp And afterwards againe when they are sprouted For if they encrease not in Weight Then it is no more but this That what they send forth in the Sprout they leese in some other Part But if they gather Weight then it is Magnale Naturae For it sheweth that Aire may be made so to be Condensed as to be conuerted into a Dense Body wheras the Race and Period of all things here aboue the Earth is to extenuate and turne things to be more Penumaticall and Rare And not to be Retrograde from Pneumaticall to that which is Dense It sheweth also that Aire can Nourish which is another great Matter of Consequence Note that to try this the Experiment of the Semper-viue must be made without Oiling the Cloth For els it may be the Plant receiueth Nourishment from the Oile FLame and Aire doe not Mingle except it be in an Instant Or in the vitall Spiritts of vegetables and liuing Creatures In Gunpowder the Force of it hath been ascribed to Rarefaction of the Earthy Substance into Flame And thus farr it is true And then forfooth it is become another Element the Forme wherof occupieth more place And so of Necessity followeth a Dilatation And therfore lest two Bodies should be in one place ther must needes also follow an Expulsion of the pellet Or Blowing vp of the Mine But these are Crude and Ignorant Speculations For Flame if ther were nothing els except it were in very great quantity will be suffocate with any hard Body such as a Pellet is Or the Barrell of a Gunn So as the Flame would not expell the hard Body But the hard Body would kill the Flame and not suffer it to kindle or spread But the Cause of this so potent a Motion is the Nitre which wee call otherwise Salt-Petre which hauing in it anotable Crude and windy Spirit first by the Heate
of the Fire suddainly dilateth it self And wee knowe that simple Aire being preternaturally attenuated by Heate will make it self Roome and breake and blowe vp that which resisteth it And Secondly when the Nitre hath Dilated it self it bloweth abroad the Flame as an Inward Bellowes And therfore wee see that Brimstone Pitch Camphire Wilde-Fire and diuers other Inflammable Matters though they burne cruelly and are hard to quench Yet they make no such fiery winde as Gunpowder doth And on the other side wee see that Quick Siluer which is a most Crude and Watry Body heated and pent in hath the like force with Gunpowder As for liuing Creatures it is certaine their Vitall Spiritts are a Substance Compounded of an Airy and Flamy Matter And though Aire and Flame being free will not well mingle yet bound in by a Body that hath some fixing they will For that you may best see in those two Bodies which are their Aliments water and Oyle For they likewise will not well mingle of themselues but in the Bodies of Plants and liuing Creatures they will It is no maruaile therfore that a small Quantity of Spiritts in the Cells of the Braine and Canales of the Sinewes are able to moue the whole Body which is of so great Masse both with so great Force as in Wrestling Leaping And with so great Swiftnes As in playing Diuision vpon the Lute Such is the force of these two Natures Aire and Flame when they incorporate TAke a small waxe Candle and putt it in a Socket of Brasse or Iron Then sett it vpright in a Porringer full of Spirits of Wine heated Then sett both the Candle and Spiritt of Wine on fire and you shall see the Flame of the Candle open it self and become 4. or 5. times bigger then otherwise it would haue been and appeare in Figure Globular and not in Piramis You shall see also that the Inward Flame of the Candle keepeth Colour and doth not waxe any whitt blewe towardes the Colour of the Outward flame of the Spiritt of Wine This is a Noble Instance where in two things are most remarkable The one that one Flame within another quencheth not but is a fixed Body and continueth as Aire or Water doe And therefore Flame would still ascend vpwards in one greatnesse if it were not quenched on the Sides And the greater the Flame is at the Bottome the higher is the Rise The other that Flame doth not mingle with Flame as Aire doth with Aire or Water with Water but only remaineth contiguous As it commeth to passe betwixt Consisting Bodies It appeareth also that the forme of a Piramis in Flame which we vsually see is meerely by Accident and that the Aire about by quenching the Sides of the Flame crusheth it and extenuateth it into that Forme For of it selfe it would be Round And therefore Smoake is in the Figure of a Piramis Reuersed For the Aire quencheth the Flame and receiueth the Smoake Note also that the Flame of the Condle within the Flame of the Spirit of Wine is troubled And doth not onely open and moue vpwards but moueth wauing and to and fro As if Flame of his owne Nature if it were not quenched would rowle and turne as well as moue vpwards By all which it should seeme that the Caelestiall Bodies most of them are true Fires or Flames as the Stoicks held More fine perhaps and Rarified than our Flame is For they are all Globular and Determinate They haue Rotation And they haue the Colour and Splendour of Flame So that Flame aboue is Durable and Consistent and in his Naturall place But with vs it is a Stranger and Momentany and Impure Like Vulcan that haked with his Fall Take an Arrow and hold it in Flame for the space of ten pulses And when it commeth forth you shall finde those Parts of the Arrow which were on the Outsides of the Flame more burned blacked and turned almost into a Coale whereas that in the Middest of the Flame will be as if the Fire had scarce touched it This is an Instance of great consequence for the discouery of the Nature of Flame And sheweth manifestly that Flame burneth more violently towards the Sides than in the Middest And which is more that Heat or Fire is not violent or furious but where it is checked and pont And therfore the Peripatetickes howsoeuer their opinion of an Element of Fire aboue the Aire is iustly exploded in that Point they acquit themselues well For being opposed that if there were a Spbeare of Fire that incompassed the Earth so neare hand it were impossible but all things should be burnt vp They answer that the pure Elementall Fire in his owne place and not irritate is but of a Moderate Heat It is affirmed constantly by many as an vsuall Experiment That a Lampe of Vre in the Bottome of a Mine will be tumbled and stirred by two Mens strength which if you bring it to the Topp of the Earth will aske Six Mens strength at the least to stirre it It is a Noble Instance and is fit to be tried to the full For it is very probable that the Motion of Grauitie worketh weakly both farre from the Earth and also within the Earth The former because the Appetite of Vnion of Dense Bodies with the Earth in respect of the distance is more dull The latter because the Body hath in part attained his Nature when it is some Depth in the Earth For as for the Mouing to a Point or Place which was the Opinion of the Ancients it is a meere Vanity It is strange how the Ancients tooke vp Experiments vpon credit and yet did build great Matters vpon them The Obseruation of some of the best of them deliuered confidently is That a Vessell filled with Ashes will receiue the like quantity of Water that it would haue done if it had been empty But this is vtterly vntrue for the Water will not goe in by a Fifth part And I suppose that that Fifth part is the difference of the lying close or open of the Ashes As we see that Ashes alone if they be hard pressed will lye in lesse roome And so the Ashes with Aire betweene lye looser and with Water closer For I haue not yet found certainly that the Water it selfe by mixture of Ashes or Dust will shrinke or draw into lesse Roome It is reported of credit that if you lay good store of Kernells of Grapes about the Root of a Vine it will make the Vine come earlier and prosper better It may be tried with other Kernells laid about the Root of a Plant of the same kinde As Figgs Kernells of Apples c. The Cause may be for that the Kernells draw out of the Earth Iuice fit to nourish the Tree as those that would be Trees of themselues though there were no Root But the Root being of greater strength robbeth and deuoureth the Nourishment when they haue drawne it As great
such as haue some Degree of Heat For the Banishing of the Heat must needs leaue any Body Cold. This we see in the Operation of Opium and Stupefactiues vpon the Spirits of liuing Creatures And it were not amisse to trie Opium by laying it vpon the Top of a Weather-glasse to see whether it will contract the Aire But I doubt it will not succeed For besides that the vertue of Opium will hardly penetrate thorow such a Body as Glasse I conceiue that Opium and the like make the Spirits fly rather by Malignity then by Cold. Seuenthly the same Effect must follow vpon the Exhaling or Drawing out of the warme Spirits that doth vpon the Flight of the Spirits There is an Opinion that the Moone is Magneticall of Heat as the Sun is of Cold and Moisture It were not amisse therefore to trie it with Warme waters The one exposed to the Beames of the Moone the other with some Skreene betwixt the Beames of the Moone and the water As we vse to the Sunne for Shade And to see whether the former will coole sooner And it were also good to inquire what other Meanes there may be to draw forth the Exile heat which is in the Aire for that may be a Secret of great Power to Produce Cold weather We haue formerly set downe the Meanes of turning Aire into water in the Experiment 27. But because it is Magnale Nature And tendeth to the subduing of a very great effect And is also of Manifold vse we will adde some Instances in Consort that giue light thereunto It is reported by some of the Ancients that Sailers haue vsed euery Night to hang Fleeces of wooll on the sides of their Ships the Wooll towards the water And that they haue crushed fresh Water out of them in the Morning for their vse And thus much we haue tried that a Quantitie of Wooll tied loose together being let downe into a deepe Well And hanging in the Middle some three Fathome from the water for a night in the Winter time increased in weight as I now remember to a fifth Part. It is reported by one of the Ancients that in Lydia neare Pergamus there were certaine Worke-men in time of Warres fled into Caues And the Mouth of the Caues being stopped by the Enemies they were famished But long time after the dead Bones were found And some Vessels which they had carried with them And the vessels full of Water And that Water thicker and more towards Ice than Common Water which is a Notable Instance of Condensation and Induration by Buriall under Earth in Caues for long time And of version also as it should seeme of Aire into Water if any of those vessels were Emptie Trie therefore a small Bladder hung in Snow And the like in Nitre And the like in Quick-filuer And if you finde the Bladders fallen or shrunke you may be sure the Aire is condensed by the Cold of those Bodies As it would be in a Caue vnder Earth It is reported of very good credit that in the East Indies if you set a Tub of Water open in a Roome where Cloues are kept it will be drawne dry in 24 houres Though it stand at some distance from the Cloues In the Countrey they vse many times in deceit when their wooll is new shorne to set some Pailes of water by in the same Roome to increase the weight of the wooll But it may be that the Heat of the Wooll remaining from the body of the Sheepe or the Heat gathered by the lying close of the wooll helpeth to draw the watry Vapour But that is nothing to the Version It is Reported also credibly that Wooll new shorne being laid casually vpon a Vessell of Verinyce after some time had drunke vp a great part of the Veriuyce though the Vessell were whole without any Flaw and had not the Bung-hole open In this Instance there is vpon the by to be noted the Percolation or Suing of the Veriuyce through the wood For Veriuyce of it selfe would neuer haue passed thorow the wood So as it seemeth it must be first in a kinde of Vapour before it passe It is especially to be noted that the Cause that doth facilitate the Version of Aire into water when the Aire is not in grosse but subtilly mingled with Tangible Bodies is as hath beene partly touched before for that Tangible Bodies haue an Antipathy with Aire And if they finde and Liquid Body that is more dense neare them they will draw it And after they haue drawne it they will condense it more and in effect incorporate it For wee see that a Spunge or Wooll or Sugar or a Woollen cloth being put but in part in Water or Wine will draw the Liquour higher and beyond the place where the Water or wine commeth We see also that Wood Lute-strings and the like doe swell in moist Seasons As appeareth by the Breaking of the Strings the Hard Turning of the Pegs and the Hard drawing forth of Boxes and Opening of Wainseet deeres which is a kinde of Infusion And is much like to an Infusion in water which will make wood to swell As we see in the Filling of the Chops of Boules by laying them in water But for that part of these Experiments which concerneth Attraction we will reserue it to the proper Title of Attraction There is also a Version of Aire into water seene in the Sweating of Marbles and other Stones And of Wainsces before and in moist weather This must be either by some Moisture the Body yeeldeth Or else by the Moist Aire thickned against the hard body But it is plaine that it is the latter For that we see Wood painted with Oyle Colour will sooner gather drops in a moist Night than Wood alone which is caused by the Smoothnesse and Closenesse which letteth in no part of the Vapour and so turneth it backe and thickeneth it into Dew We see also that Breathing vpon a Glasse or Smooth body giueth a Dew And in Frosty Mornings such as we call Rime frosts you shall finde drops of Dew vpon the Inside of Glasse-windowes And the Frost it selfe vpon the ground is but a Version or Condensation of the Moist vapours of the Night into a watry substance Dewes likewise and Raine are but the Returnes of Moist vapours Condensed The Dew by the Cold onely of the Sunnes departure which is the gentler Cold Raines by the Cold of that which they call the Middle Region of the Aire which is the more violent Cold. It is very probable as hath beene touched that that which will turne Water into Ice will likewise turne Aire Some Degree nearer vnto water Therefore trie the Experiment of the Artificiall Turning water into Ice whereof we shall speake in another place with Aire in place of water and the Ice about it And although it be a greater Alteration to turne Aire into water than water into Ice yet there is this Hope that by Continuing the Aire longer time
the effect will follow For that Artificiall Conuersion of water into Ice is the worke of a few Houres And this of Aire may be tried by a Moneths space or the like Induration or Lapidification of Substances more Soft is likewise another degree of Condensation And is a great Alteration in Nature The Effecting and Accelerating thereof is very worthy to be inquired It is effected by three Meanes The first is by Cold vvhose Property is to Condense and constipate as hath beene said The Second is by Heat which is not proper but by consequence For the Heat doth attenuate And by Attenuation doth send forth the Spirit and moister Part of a Body And vpon that the more grosse of the Tangible Parts doe contract and serre themselues together Both to Auoid Vacuums as they call it And also to Munite themselues against the Force of the Fire which they haue suffered And the Third is by Assimilation when a Hard Body Assimilateth a Soft being contiguous to it The Examples of Induration taking them promiscuously are many As the Generation of Stones within the Earth which at the first are but Rude Earth or Clay And so of Mineralls which come no doubt at first of luyces Concrete which afterward indurate And so of Porcellane which is an Artificiall Cement buried in the Earth a long time And so the Making of Bricke and Tile Also the Making of Glasse of a certaine Sand and Brake-Roots and some other Matters Also the Exudations of Rock-Diamonds and Crystall which harden with time Also the Induration of Bead-Amber which at first is a soft Substance As appeareth by the Flies and Spiders which are found in it And many more But wee will speake of them distinctly For Indurations by Cold there bee few Trialls of it For wee haue no strong or intense Cold here on the Surface of the Earth so neare the Beames of the Sunne and the Heauens The likeliest Triall is by Snow and Ice For as Snow and Ice especially being holpen and their Cold actiuated by Nitre or Salt will turne Water into Ice and that in a few houres So it may be it will turne wood or Stiffe Clay into Stone in longer time Put therefore into a Conseruing Pit of Snow and Ice adding some quantity of Salt and Nitre a Peece of Wood or a Peece of Tough Clay and let it lye a Moneth or more Another Triall is by Metalline Waters which haue virtuall Cold in them Put therefore Wood or Clay into Smiths water or other Metalline water And try whether it will not harden in some reasonable time But I vnderstand it of Metalline waters that come by Washing or Quenching And not of Strong Waters that come by dissolution for they are too Corrosiue to consolidate It is already found that there are some Naturall Spring-waters that will Inlapidate Wood So as you shall see one peece of Wood whereof the Part aboue the Water shall continue Wood And the Part vnder the Water shall be turned into a kinde of Grauelly Stons It is likely those Waters are of some Metalline Mixture But there would be more particular Inquiry made of them It is certaine that an Egge was found hauing lien many yeeres in the bottome of a Moate where the Earth had somewhat ouergrowen it And this Egge was comen to the Hardnesse of a Stone And had the Colours of the white and Yolke perfect And the Shell shining in small graines like Sugar or Alablaster Another Experience there is of Induration by Cold which is already found which is that Metalls themselues are hardned by often Heating and Quenching in Cold Water For Cold euer worketh most potently vpon Heat Precedene For Induration by Heat it must be considered that Heat by the Exhaling of the Moister Parts doth either harden the Body As in Bricks Tiles Or if the Heat be more fierce maketh the grosser part it selfe Runne and Melt As in the making of ordinary Glosse And in the Vitrification of Earth As wee see in the Inner Parts of Farneces And in the Vitrification of Brick And of Mettals And in the former of these which is the Hardening by baking without Melting the Heat hath these degrees First it Indurateth and then maketh Fragile And lastly it doth Inciuerate and Calcinate But if you desire to make an Induration with Toughnesse and lesse Fragility A middle way would be taken Which is that which Artistotle hath well noted But would be throughly verified It is to decoct Bodies in water for two or three dayes But they must bee such Bodies into which the Water will not enter As Stone and Metall For if they be Bodies into which the Water will enter then long Seething will rather Soften than indurate them As hath beene tried in Eggs c. Therefore Softer Bodies must be put into Bottles And the Bottles hung into Water seething with the mouths open aboue the Water that no Water may get in For by this Meaues the virtuall Heat of the Water will enter And such a Heat as will not make the Body adust or fragile But the Substance of the Water will be shut out This Experiment wee made And it sorted thus It was tried with a Peece of Free-stone and with Pewter put into the Water at large The Free-stone we found receiued in some water For it was softer and easier to scrape then a peece of the same Stone kept drie But the Pewter into which no water could enter became more white and liker to Siluer and lesse flexible by much There were also put into an Earthen Bottle placed as before a good Pellet of Clay a Peece of Cheese a Peece of Chalke and a Peece of Free-stone The Clay came forth almost of the Hardnesse of Stone The Cheese likewise very hard and not well to be cut The Chalke and the Free-stone much harder than they were The colour of the Clay inclined not a whit to the Colour of Bricke but rather to white as in ordinary Drying by the Sunne Note that all the former Trialls were made by a Boyling vpon a good hot Fire renewing the water as it consumed with other hot water But the Boyling was but for twelue houres onely And it is like that the Experiment would haue beene more effectuall if the Boyling had beene for two or three daies as we prescribed before As touching Assimilation for there is a degree of Assimilation euen in Inanimate bodies wee see Examples of it in some Stones in Clay-Grounds lying neare to the top of the Earth where Pebble is In which you may manifestly see diuers Pebbles gathered together and a Crust of Cement or Stone betweene them as hard as the Pebbles themselues And it were good to make a Triall of purpose by taking Clay and putting in it diuers Pebble-Stones thicke set to see whether in continuance of time it will not be harder then other Clay of the same lump in which no Pebbles are set Wee see also in Ruines of old Walls especially towards
the bottome the Morter will become as hard as the Brick wee see also that the Wood on the sides of Vessles of Wine gathereth a Crust of Tartar harder then the wood it selfe And Scales likewise grow to the Teeth harder then the Teeth themselues Most of all Induration by Assimilation appeareth in the Bodies of Trees and liuing Creatures For no Nourishment that the Tree receiueth or that the liuing Creature receiueth is so hard as Wood Bone or Horne c. but is Indurated after by Assimilation The Eye of the vnderstanding is like the Eye of the Sense For as you may see great Obiects through small Crannies or Leuells So you may see great Axiomes of Nature through small and Contemptible Instances The Speedy Depredation of Aire vpon watry Moisture and Version of the same into Aire appeareth in nothing more visible than in the sudden Discharge or vanishing of a little Cloud of Breath or Vapour from Glasse or the Blade of a Sword or any such Polished Body Such as doth not at all Detaine or Imbibe the Moisture For the Mistinesse scattereth and breaketh vp suddenly But the like Cloud if it were Oyly or Fatty will not discharge Not because it sticketh faster But because Aire preyeth vpon Water And Flame and Fire vpon Oyle And therefore to take out a Spot of Grease they vse a Coale vpon browne Paper because Fire worketh vpon Grease or Oyle as Aire doth vpon Water And we see Paper oyled or Wood oyled or the like last long moist but Wet with Water drie or putrifie sooner The Cause is for that Aire meddleth little with the Moisture of Oyle There is an Admirable demonstration in the same trifling Instance of the little Cloud vpon Glasse or Gemmes or Blades of Swords of the Force of Vnion euen in the least Quantities and weakest Bodies how much it Conduceth to Preseruation of the present Forme And the Resisting of a New For marke well the discharge of that Cloud And you shall see it euer breake vp first in the Skirts and last in the middest We see likewise that much Water draweth forth the Iuyce of the Body Infused But little water is imbibed by the Body And this is a Principall Cause why in Operation vpon Bodies for their Version or Alteration the Triall in great Quantities doth not answer the Triall in small And so deceiueth many For that I say the greater Body resisteth more any Alteration of Forme and requireth farre greater Strength in the Actiue Body that should subdue it We haue spoken before in the fifth Instance of the Cause of Orient Colours in Birds which is by the Finenesse of the Strainer we will now endeuour to reduce the same Axione to a Worke. For this Writing of our Sylue Syluerum is to speake properly not Neturall History but a high kinde of Naturall Magicke For it is not a Description only of Nature but a Breaking of Nature into great and strange Workes Trie therefore the Anointing ouer of Pigeons or other Birds when they are but in their downe Or of Whelps cutting their Haire as short as may be Or of some other Beast with some oyntment that is not hurtfull to the Flesh And that will harden and sticke very close And see whether it will not alter the Colours of the Feathers or Haire It is receiued that the Pulling off the first Feathers of Birds cleane will make the new come forth white And it is certaine that White is a penurious Colour where Moisture is scant So Blew Violets other Flowers if they be starued turne Pale and White Birds and Horses by Age or Scarres turne white And the Hoare Haires of Men come by the same reason And therefore in Birds it is very likely that the Feathers that come first will be many times of diuers Colours according to the Nature of the Bird For that the Skin is more porous But when the Skin is more shut and close the Feathers will come White This is a good Experiment not only for the Producing of Birds and Beasts of strange Colours but also for the Disclosure of the Nature of Colours themselues which of them require a finer Porositie and which a grosser It is a worke of Prouidence that hath beene truly obserued by some That the Yolke of the Egge conduceth little to the Generation of the Bird But onely to the Nourishment of the same For if a Chicken be opened when it is new hatched you shall finde much of the Yolke remaining And it is needfull that Birds that are shaped without the Females Wombe haue in the Egge as well Matter of Nourishment as Matter of generation for the Body For after the Egge is laid and seuered from the Body of the Hen It hath no more Nourishment from the Hen But onely a quickening Heat when shee sitteth But Beasts and Men need not the matter of Nourishment within themselues Because they are shaped within the Wombe of the Female and are Nourished continually from her Body It is an Inueterate and receiued Opinion that Cantharides applyed to any Part of the Body touch the Bladder and exulcerate it if they stay on long It is likewise Receiued that a kinde of Stone which they bring out of the West Indies hath a peculiar force to moue Grauell and to dissolue the Stone In so much as laid but to the wrest it hath so forcibly sent downe Grauell as Men haue beene glad to remoue it It was so violent It is receiued and confirmed by daily Experience that the Soales of the Feet haue great Affinity with the Head and the Mouth of the Stomach As we see Going wet-shod to those that vse it not affecteth both Applications of hot Powders to the Feet attenuate first and after drie the Rheume And therefore a Physitian that would be Mysticall prescribeth for the Cure of the Rheume that a Man should walke Continually vpon a Camomill Alley Meaning that he should put Camomill within his Sockes Likewise Pigeons bleeding applyed to the Soales of the Feet ease the Head And Soporiferous Medicines applied vnto them prouoke Sleepe It seemeth that as the Feet haue a Sympathy with the Head So the Wrests and Hands haue a Sympathy with the Heart We see the Affects and Passions of the Heart and Spirits are notably disclosed by the Pulse And it is often tried that Iuyces of Stock-Gilly-Flowers Rose-Campian Garlicke and other things applied to the Wrests and renewed haue cured long Agues And I conceiue that washing with certaine Liquours the Palmes of the Hands doth much good And they doe well in Heats of Agues to hold in the Hands Egges of Alablaster and Balls of Crystall Of these things we shall speake more when we handle the Title of Sympathy and Antipathy in the proper Place The Knowledge of man hitherto hath beene determined by the View or Sight So that whatsoeuer is Inuisible either in respect of the Finenesse of the Body it selfe Or the Smallnesse of the
Parts Or of the Subtilty of the Motion is little inquired And yet these be the Things that Gouerne Nature Principally And without which you cannot make any true Analysis and Indication of the Proceedings of Nature The Spirits or Pneumaticals that are in all Tangible Bodies are searce knowne Sometimes they take them for Vacuum wheras they are the most Actiue of Bodies Sometimes they take them for Aire From which they differ exceedingly as much as Wine from Water And as Wood from Earth Sometimes they will haue them to be Naturall Heat or a Portion of the Element of Fire Wheras some of them are crude and cold And Sometimes they will haue them to be the Vertues and Qualities of the Tangible Parts which they see whereas they are Things by themselues And then when they come to Plants and liuing Creatures they call them Soules And such Superficiall Speculations they haue Like Prospectiues that shew things inward when they are but Paintings Neither is this a Question of Words but infinitely materiall in Nature For Spirits are nothing else but a Naturall Body rarified to a Proportion included in the Tangible Parts of Bodies as in an Integument And they be no lesse differing one from the other than the Dense or Tangible Parts And they are in all Tangible Bodies whatsoeuer more or lesse And they are neuer almost at rest And from them and their Motions principally proceed Arefaction Colliquation Concoction Maturation Putrefaction Viuification and most of the Effects of Nature For as we haue figured them in our Sapientiâ Veterum in the Fable of Proserpina you shall in the Infernall Regiment heare little Doings of Pluto but most of proserpina For Tangible Parts in Bodies are Stupide things And the Spirits doe in effect all As for the differences of Tangible Parts in Bodies the industry of the Chymists hath giuen some light in discerning by their Separations the Oily Crude Pure Impure Fine grosse Parts of Bodies and the like And the Physitians are content to acknowledge that Herbs and Drugs haue diuers parts As that Opiums hath a Stupefactiue Part and a Heating Part The one mouing Sleepe the other a Sweat following And that Rubarb hath Purging Parts and Astringent Parts c. But this whole Inquisition is weakly and Negligently handled And for the more subtill differences of the Minute Parts and the Posture of them in the Body which also hath great Effects they are not at all touched As for the Motions of the Minute Parts of Bodies which doe so great Effects they haue not beene obserued at all because they are Inuisible and incurre not to the Eye but yet they are to be deprehended by Experience As Democritus said well when they charged him to hold that the World was made of such little Moats as were seene in the Sunne Atomus saith he necessitate Rationis Experientia esse connincitur Atomum enim nemo vnquam vidit And therefore the Tumult in the parts of Solide Bodies when they are compressed which is the Cause of all Flight of Bodies thorow the Aire and of other Mechanicall Motions as hath beene partly touched before and shall be throughly handled in due place is not seene at all But neuerthelesse if you know it not or enquire it not attentiuely and diligently you shall neuer be able to discerne and much lesse to produce a Number of Mechanicall Motions Againe as to the Motions Corporall within the Enclosures of Bodies wherby effects which were mentioned before passe betweene the Spirits and the Tangible Parts which are Arefaction Colliquation Concoction Maturation c. they are not at all handled But they are put off by the Names of Vertues and Natures and Actions and Passions and such other Logicall Words It is certaine that all Powers in Nature Heat is the chiefe both in the Frame of Nature and in the workes of Art Certaine it is likewise that the Effects of Heat are most aduanced when it worketh vpon a Body without losse or dissipation of the Matter for that euer betrayeth the Account And therefore it is true that the power of Heat is best perceiued in Distillations which are performed in close Vessels and Receptacles But yet there is a higher Degree For howsoeuer Distillations doe keepe the Body in Cells and Cloisters without Going abroad yet they giue space vnto Bodies to turne into Vapour To returne into Liquour And to Separate one part from another So as Nature doth Expatiate although it hath not full Liberty wherby the true and Vltime Operations of Heat are not attained But if Bodies may be altered by Heat and yet no such Reciprocation of Rarefaction and of Condensation and of Separation admitted then it is like that this Proteus of Matter being held by the Sleeues will turne and change into many Metaworphoses Take therefore a Square Vessell of Iron in forme of a Cube and let it haue good thicke and strong Sides Put into it a Cube of Wood that may fill it as close as may be And let it haue a Couer of Iron as strong at least as the Sides And let it be well Luted after the manner of the Chymists Then place the Vessell within burning Coales kept quicke kindled for some few houres space Then take the Vessell from the Fire and take off the Couer and see what is become of the Wood. I conceiue that since all Inflammation and Euaporation are vtterly prohibited and the Body still turned vpon it Selfe that one of these two Effects will follow Either that the Body of the Wood will be turned into a kinde of Amalgama as the Chymists call it Or that the Finer Part will bee turned into Aire and the Grosser sticke as it were baked and incrustate vpon the Sides of the Vessell being become of a Denser Matter than the Wood it selfe Crude And for another Triall take also Water and put it in the like Vessell stopped as before But vse a gentler Heat and remoue the vessell sometimes from the Fire And againe after some small time when it is Cold renue the Heating of it And repeat this Aloeration some few times And if you can once bring to passe that the Water which is one of the Simplest of Bodies be changed in Colour Odour or Taste after the manner of Compound Bodies you may be sure that there is a great Worke wrought in Nature and a Notable Entrance made into strange Changes of Bodies and productions And also a Way made to doe that by Fire in small time which the Sunne and Age do in long time But of the Admirable Effects of this Distillation in Close for so we will call it which is like the Wombes and Matrices of liuing creatures where nothing Expireth nor Separateth We will speake fully in the due place Not that we Aime at the making of Paracelsus Pigmey's Or any such Prodigious Follies But that we know the Effects of Heat will be such as will scarce fall vnder the Conceit of Man
gathered together into the fashion of a Purse and broken vpon the Fore-head or Backe of the Hand as Children vse The Cause giuen of Sound that it should be an Elision of the Aire wherby if they meane any thing they meane a Cutting or Diuiding or else an Attenuating of the Aire is but a Terme of Ignorance And the Motion is but a Catch of the Wit vpon a few Instances As the Manner is in the Philosophy Receiued And it is common with Men that if they haue gotten a Pretty Expression by a Word of Art that Expression goeth currant though it be empty of Matter This Conceit of Elision appeareth most manifestly to befalse in that the Sound of a Bell String or the like continueth melting some time after the Percussion But ceaseth straight-waies if the Bell or String be touched and stayed wheras if it were the Elision of the Aire that made the Sound it could not be that the Touch of the Bell or String should extinguish so suddenly that Motion caused by the Elision of the Aire This appeareth yet more manifestly by Chiming with a Hammer vpon the Out-side of a Bell For the Sound will be according to the inward Concaue of the Bell whereas the Elision or Attenuation of the Aire cannot be but onely betweene the Hammer and the Out-side of the Bell So againe if it were an Elision a broad Hammer and a Bodkin strucke vpon Metall would giue a diuers Tone As well as a diuers Loudnesse But they doe not so For though the Sound of the one be Louder and of the other Softer yet the Tone is the same Besides in Eccho's wherof some are as loud as the Originall Voice there is no new Elision but a Repercussion onely But that which conuinceth it most of all is that Sounds are generated where there is no Aire at all But these and the like Conceits when Men haue cleared their vnderstanding by the light of Experience will scatter and breake vp like a Mist. It is certaine that Sound is not produced at the first but with some Locall Motion of the Aire or Flame or some other Medium Nor yet without some Resistance either in the Aire or the Body Percussed For if there be a meere Yeelding or Cession it produceth no Sound As hath beene said And therin Sounds differ from Light and Colours which passe thorow the Aire or other Bodies without any Locall Motion of the Aire either at the first or after But you must attentiuely distinguish betweene the Locall Motion of the Aire which is but Vehiculum Caussae A Carrier of the Sounds and the Sounds themselues Conueighed in the Aire For as to the former we see manifestly that no Sound is produced no not by Aire it selfe against other Aire as in Organs c. but with a perceptible Blast of the Aire And with some Resistance of the Aire strucken For euen all Speech which is one of the gentlest Motions of Aire is with Expulsion of a little Breath And all Pipes haue a Blast as well as a Sound We see also manifestly that Sounds are carried with Wind And therefore Sounds will be heard further with the Wind than against the Wind And likewise doe rise and fall with the Intension or Remission of the Wind. But for the Impression of the Sound it is quite another Thing And is vtterly without any Locall Motion of the Aire Perceptible And in that resembleth the Species visible For after a Man hath lured or a Bell is rung we cannot discerne any Perceptible Motion at all in the Aire a long as the Sound goeth but only at the first Neither doth the Wind as far as it carrieth a Voice with the Motion therof confound any of the Delicate and Articulate Figurations of the Aire in Variety of Words And if a Man speake a good loudnesse against the Flame of a Candle it will not make it tremble much though most when those Letters are pronounced which contract the Mouth As F S V and some others But Gentle Breathing or Blowing without speaking will moue the Candle far more And it is the more probable that Sound is without any Locall Motion of the Aire because as it differeth from the Sight in that it needeth a Locall Motion of the Aire at first So it paralleleth in so many other things with the Sight and Radiation of Things visible Which without all question induce no Locall Motion in the Aire as hath beene said Neuerthelesse it is true that vpon the Noise of Thunder and great Ordnance Glasse windowes will shake and Fishes are thought to be frayed with the Motion caused by Noise vpon the water But these Effects are from the Locall Motion of the Aire which is a Concomitant of the Sound as hath beene said and not from the Sound It hath beene anciently reported and is still receiued that Extreme Applanses and Shouting of People assembled in great Multitudes haue so rarified and broken the Aire that Birds flying ouer haue fallen downe the Aire being not able to support them And it is beleeued by some that Great Ringing of Bells in populous Cities hath chased away Thunder and also dissipated Pestilent Aire All which may be also from the Concussion of the Aire and not from the Sound A very great Sound neare hand hath strucken many Dease And at the Instant they haue found as it were the breaking of a Skin or Parchment in their Eare And my Selfe standing neare one that Lured loud and shrill had suddenly an Offence as if somewhat had broken or beene dislocated in my Eare And immediately after a loud Ringing Not an ordinary Singing or Hissing but far louder and differing so as I feared some Deafenesse But after some halfe Quarter of an Houre it vanished This Effect may be truly referred vnto the Sound For as is commonly receiued an ouer-potent Obiect doth destroy the Sense And Spirituall Species both Visible and Audible will worke vpon the Sensories though they moue not any other Body In Delation of Sounds the Enclosure of them preserueth them and causeth them to be heard further And wee finde in Roules of Parchment or Trunckes the Mouth being laid to the one end of the Rowle of Parchment or Truncke and the Eare to the other the Sound is heard much further than in the Open Aire The Cause is for that the Sound spendeth and is dissipated in the Open Aire But in such Concaues it is conserued and contracted So also in a Peece of Ordnance if you speak in the Touch-hole and another lay his Eare to the Mouth of the Peece the Sound passeth and is farre better heard than in the Open Aire It is further to be considered how it proueth and worketh when the Sound is not enclosed all the Length of his Way but passeth partly through open Aire As where you speake some distance from a Truncke or where the Eare is some distance from the Truncke at the other End Or where both Mouth and Eare are distant
Reflexion being neare at hand returneth immediatly vpon the Originall and so iterateth it not but amplifieth it Therefore we see that Musicke vpon the water soundeth more And so likewise Musicke is better in Chambers Wainscotted than Hanged The Strings of a Lute or Violl or Virginalls doe giue a far greater Sound by reason of the Knot and Board and Concaue vnderneath than if there were nothing but onely the Flat of a Board without that Hollow and Knot to let in the Vpper Aire into the Lower The Cause is the Communication of the Vpper Aire with the Lower And Penning of both from Expence or Dispersing An Irish Harpe hath Open Aire on both sides of the Strings And it hath the Concaue or Belly not along the Strings but at the End of the Strings It maketh a more Resounding Sound than a Bandora Orpharion or Citterne which haue likewise Wire-strings I iudge the Cause to be for that Open Aire on both Sides helpeth so that there be a Concaue Which is therefore best placed at the End In a Virginall when the Lid is downe it maketh a more exile Sound than when the Lid is open The Cause is for that all Shutting in of Aire where there is no competent Vent dampeth the Sound Which maintaineth likewise the former Instance For the Belly of the Lute or Viâ—ll doth pen the Aire somewhat There is a Church at Glocester and as I haue heard the like is in some other places where if you speake against a Wall softly another shall heare your Voice better a good way off than neare hand Enquire more particularly of the Frame of that Place I suppose there is some Vault or Hollow or Isle behinde the Wall and some Passage to it towards the further end of that Wall against which you speake So as the Voice of him that speaketh slideth along the Wall and then entreth at some Passage and communicateth with the Aire of the Hollow For it is preserued somewhat by the plaine wall but that is too weake to giue a Sound Audible till it hath communicated with the backe Aire Strike vpon a Bowstring and lay the Horne of the Bow neare your Eare and it will encrease the Sound and make a degree of a Tone The Cause is for that the Sensory by reason of the Close Holding is percussed before the Aire disperseth The like is if yo hold the Horne betwixt your Teeth But that is a plaine Delation of the Sound from the Teeth to the Instrument of Hearing For there is a great Entercourse betweene those two Parts As appeareth by this That a Harsh Grating Tune setteth the Teeth on edge The like falleth out if the Horne of the Bow be put vpon the Temples But that is but the Slide of the Sound from thence to the Eare. If you take a Rod of Iron or Brasse and hold the one end to your Eare and strike vpon the other it maketh a fat greater Sound than the like Stroke vpon the Rod not so made Contiguous to the Eare. By which and by some other Instances that haue beene partly touched it should appeare That Sounds doe not onely slide vpon the Surface of a Smooth Body but doe also communicate with the Spirits that are in the Pores of the Body I remember in Trinity Colledge in Cambridge there was an Vpper Chamber which being thought weake in the Roofe of it was supported by a Pillar of Iron of the bignesse of ones Arme in the middest of the Chamber Which if you had strucke it would make a little flat Noise in the Roome where it was strucke But it would make a great Bombe in the Chamber beneath The Sound which is made by Buckets in a Well when they touch vpon the Water Or when they strike vpon the side of the Well Or when two Buckets dash the one against the other These Sounds are deeper and suller than if the like Percussion were made in the Open Aire The Cause is the Penning and Enclosure of the Aire in the Concaue of the Well Barrells placed in a Roome vnder the Floare of a Chamber make all Noises in the same Chamber more Full and Resounding So that there be fine wayes in generall of Maioration of Sounds Enclosure Simple Enclosure with Dilatation Communication Reflexion Concurrent and Approach to the Sensory For Exility of the Voice or other Sounds It is certaine that the Voice doth passe thorow Solide and Hard Bodies if they be not too thick And thorow Water which is likewise a very Close Body and such an one as letteth not in Aire But then the Voice or other Sound is reduced by such passage to a great Weaknesse or Exility If therefore you stop the Holes of a Howkes Bell it will make no Ring but a flat Noise or Rattle And so doth the Aëtites or Eagles Stone which hath a little Stone within it And as for Water it is a certaine Triall Let a Man goe into a Bath and take a Paile and turne the Bottome vpward and carry the Mouth of it Euen downe to the Leuell of the Water and so presse it downe vnder the Water some handfull and an halfe still keeping it euen that it may not tilt on either side so the Aire get out Then let him that is in the Bath diue with his Head so far vnder Water as he may put his Head into the Paile there wil come as much Aire bubling forth as will make Roome for his Head Then let him speak and any that shal stand without shal heare his Voice plainly but yet made extreme sharp and exile like the Voice of Puppets But yet the Articulate Sounds of the Words will not be coÌ„founded Note that it may be much more handsomely done if the Paile be put ouer the Mans head aboue Water and then he cowre downe and the Paile be pressed downe with him Note that a Man must kneele or sit that he may be lower than the Water A Man would thinke that the Sicilian Poet had knowledge of this Experiment For he saith That Hercules Page Hylas went with a Water-pot to fill it at a pleasant Fountaine that was neere the Shore and that the Nymphs of the Fountaine fell in loue with the Boy and pulled him vnder Water keeping him aliue And that Hercules missing his Page called him by his Name aloud that all the Shore rang of it And that Hylas from within the Water answered his Master But that which is to the present purpose with so small and exile a Voice as Hercules thought he had beene three miles off when the Fountaine indeed was fast by In Lutes and Instruments of Strings if you stop a String high whereby it hath lesse Scope to tremble the Sound is more Treble but yet more dead Take two Sawcers and strike the Edge of the one against the Bottome of the other within a Paile of Water And you shall finde that as you put the Sawcers lower and lower the Sound groweth more flat euen while Part
soundeth more solemnly and with a little Purling or Hissing Againe a Wreathed String such as are in the Base Strings of Banderaes giueth also a Purling Sound But a Lute-string if it be meerely Vnequall in his Parts giueth a Harsh and Vntuneable Sound which Strings we call False being bigger in one Place than in another And therefore Wire-strings are neuer False We see also that when we try a False Lute-string wee vse to extend it hard betweene the fingers and to fillip it And if it giueth a double Species it is True But if it giueth a treble or more it is False Waters in the Noise they make as they runne represent to the Eare a Trembling Noise And in Regalls where they haue a Pipe they call the Nightingale-Pipe which containeth Water the Sound hath a continuall Trembling And Children haue also little Things they call Cockes which haue Water in them And when they blow or whistle in them they yeeld a Trembling Noise Which Trembling of Water hath an assinity with the Letter L. All which Inequalities of Trepidation are rather pleasant than otherwise All Base Notes or very Treble Notes giue an Asper Sound For that the Base striketh more Aire than it can well strike equally And the Treble cutteth the Aire so sharpe as it returneth too swift to make the Sound Equall And therefore a Meane or Tenor is the sweetest Part. We know Nothing that can at pleasure make a Musicall or Immusicall Sound by voluntary Motion but the Voice of Man and Birds The Cause is no doubt in the Weasill or Wind-pipe which we call Aspera Arteria which being well extended gathereth Equality As a Bladder that is wrinckled if it be extended becommeth smooth The Extension is alwaies more in Tones than in Speech Therefore the Inward Voice of Whisper can neuer a giue Tone And in Singing there is manifestly a greater Working and Labour of the Throat than in Speaking As appeareth in the Thrusting out or Drawing in of the Chinne when we sing The Humming of Bees is an Vnequall Buzzing And is conceiued by some of the Ancients not to come forth at their Mouth but to be an Inward Sound But it may be it is neither But from the motion of their Wings For it is not heard but when they stirre All Metalls quenched in Water giue a Sibilation or Hissing Sound which hath an Affinity with the letter Z. notwithstanding the Sound be created betweene the Water or Vapour and the Aire Seething also if there be but small Store of Water in a Vessell giueth a Hissing Sound But Boyling in a full Vessell giueth a Bubling Sound drawing somewhat neare to the Cocks vsed by Children Triall would be made whether the Inequality or Interchange of the Medium will not produce an Inequality of Sound As if three Bells were made one within another and Aire betwixt Each And then the outermost Bell were chimed with a Hammer how the Sound would differ from a Simple Bell. So likewise take a Plate of Brasse and a Plancke of Wood and ioyne them close together and knock vpon one of them and see if they doe not giue an vnequall Sound So make two or three Partitions or Wood in a Hogshead with Holes or Knots in them And marke the difference of their Sound from the Sound of an Hogshead without such Partitions It is euident that the Percussion of the Greater Quantity of Aire causeth the Baser Sound And the lesse Quantity the more Treble Sound The Percussion of the Greater Quantity of Aire is produced by the Greatnesse of the Body Percussing By the Latitude of the Concaue by which the Sound passeth and by the Longitude of the same Concaue Therfore we see that a Base string is greater than a Treble A Base Pipe hath a greater Bore than a Treble And in Pipes and the like the lower the Note Holes be and the further off from the Mouth of the Pipe the more Base Sound they yeeld And the nearer the Mouth the more Treble Nay more if you strike an Entire Body as an Andiron of Brasse at the Top it maketh a more Treble Sound And at the Bottome a Baser It is also euident that the Sharper or Quicker Percussion of Aire causeth the more Treble Sound And the Slower or Heauier the more Base Sound So we see in Strings the more they are wound vp and strained And thereby giue a more quicke Start-backe the more Treble is the Sound And the slacker they are or lesse wound vp the Baser is the Sound And therfore a Bigger String more strained and a Lesser String lesse strained may fall into the same Tone Children Women Eunuchs haue more small and shrill Voices than Men. The Reason is not for that Men haue greater Heat which may make the Voice stronger for the strength of a Voice or Sound doth make a difference in the Loudnesse or Softnesse but not in the Tone But from the Dilatation of the Organ which it is true is likewise caused by Heat But the Cause of Changing the Voice at the yeares of Puberty is more obscure It seemeth to be for that when much of the Moisture of the Body which did before irrigate the Parts is drawne downe to the Spermaticall vessells it leaueth the Body more hot than it was whence commeth the Dilatation of the Pipes For we see plainly all Effects of Heat doe then come on As Pilosity more Roughnesse of the Skinne Hardnesse of the Flesh c. The Industry of the Musitian hath produced two other Meanes of Strayning or Intension of Strings besides their Winding vp The one is the Stopping of the String with the Finger As in the Necks of Lutes Viols c. The other is the Shortnesse of the String As in Harps Virginalls c. Both these haue one and the same reason For they cause the String to giue a quicker Start In the Straining of a String the further it is strained the lesse Superstraining goeth to a Note For it requireth good Winding of a String before it will make any Note at all And in the Stops of Lutes c. the higher they goe the lesse Distance is betweene the Frets If you fill a Drinking-Glasse with Water especially one Sharp below and Wide aboue and fillip vpon the Brim or Outside And after empty Part of the Water and so more and more and still try the Tone by Fillipping you shall finde the Tone fall and be more Base as the Glasse is more Empty The Iust and Measured Proportion of the Aire Percussed towards the Basenesse or Treblenesse of Tones is one of the greatest Secrets in the Contemplation of Sounds For it discouereth the true Coincidence of Tones into Diapasons Which is the Returne of the same Sound And so of the Concords and Discords betweene the Vnison and Diapason Which we haue touched before in the Experiments of Musicke but thinke fit to resume it here as a principall Part of our Enquiry touching the Nature of Sounds It
may be found out in the Proportion of the Winding of Strings In the Proportion of the Distance of Frets And in the Proportion of the Concaue of Pipes c. But most commodiously in the last of these Try therfore the Winding of a String once about as soone as it is brought to that Extension as will giue a Tone And then of twice about And thrice about c. And marke the Scale or Difference of the Rise of the Tone Wherby you shall discouer in one two Effects Both the Proportion of the Sound towards the Dimension of the Winding And the Proportion likewife of the Sound towards the String as it is more or lesse strained But note that to measure this the way will be to take the Length in a right Line of the String vpon any Winding about of the Pegge As for the Steps you are to take the Number of Frets And principally the Length of the Line from the first Stop of the String vnto such a Stop as shall produce a Diapason to the former Stop vpon the same String But it will best as it is said appeare in the Bores of Wind-Instruments And therfore cause some halfe dozen Pipes to be made in length and all things else alike with a single double and so on to a sextuple Bore And so marke what Fall of Tone euery one giueth But still in these three last Instances you must diligently obserue what length of String or Distance of Stop or Concaue of Aire maketh what Rise of Sound As in the last of these which as we said is that which giueth the aptest demonstration you must set downe what Encrease of Concaue goeth to the Making of a Note higher And what of two Notes And what of three Notes And so vp to the Diapason For then the great Secret of Numbers and Proportions will appeare It is not vnlike that those that make Recorders c. know this already for that they make them in Sets And likewise Bell-founders in fitting the tune of their Bells So that Enquiry may saue Triall Surely it hath beene obserued by one of the Ancients that an Empty Barrell knocked vpon with the finger giueth a Diapason to the Sound of the like Barrellfull But how that should be I doe not well vnderstand For that the knocking of a Barrellfull or Empty doth scarce giue any Tone There is required some sensible Difference in the Proportion of creating a Note towards the Sound it selfe which is the Passiue And that it be not too neare but at a distance For in a Recorder the three vppermost Holes yeeld one Tone which is a Note lower than the Tone of the first three And the like no doubt is required in the Winding or Stopping of Strings There is another Difference of Sounds which we will call Exteriour and Interiour It is not Soft nor Loud Nor it is not Base nor Treble Nor it is not Musicall nor Immusicall Though it be true that there can be no Tone in an Interiour Sound But on the other side in an Exteriour Sound there may be both Musicall and Immusicall We shall therfore enumerate them rather than precisely distinguish them Though to make some Adumbration of that we meane the Interiour is rather an Impulsion or Contusion of the Aire than an Elision or Section of the same So as the Percussion of the one towards the other differeth as a Blow differeth from a Cut. In Speech of Man the Whispering which they call Susurrus in Latine whether it be louder or softer is an Interiour Sound But the Speaking out is an Exteriour Sound And therfore you can neuer make a Tone not sing in Whispering But in Speech you may So Breathing or Blowing by the Mouth Bellowes or Wind though loud is an Interiour Sound But the Blowing thorow a Pipe or Concaue though soft is an Exteriour So likewise the greatest Winds if they haue no Coarctation or blow not hollow giue an Interiour Sound The Whistling or hollow Wind yeeldeth a Singing or Exteriour Sound The former being pent by some other Body The latter being pent in by his owne Density And therfore we see that when the Wind bloweth hollow it is a Signe of Raine The Flame as it moueth within it selfe or is blowne by a Bellowes giueth a Murmur or Interiour Sound There is no Hard Body but strucke against another Hard Body will yeeld an Exteriour Sound greater or lesser In so much as if the Percussion be ouer-soft it may induce a Nullity of Sound But neuer an Interiour Sound As when one treadeth so softly that he is not heard Where the Aire is the Percutient pent or not pent against a Hard Body it neuer giueth an Exteriour Sound As if you blow strongly with a Bellowes against a Wall Sounds both Exteriour and Interiour may be made as well by Suction as by Emission of the Breath As in Whistling or Breathing It is euident and it is one of the strangest Secrets in Sounds that the whole Sound is not in the whole Aire onely But the whole Sound is also in euery small Part of the Aire So that all the curious Diuersity of Articulate Sounds of the Voice of Man or Birds will enter at a small Cranny Inconfused The Vnequall Agitation of the Winds and the like though they bee materiall to the Carriage of the Sounds further or lesse way yet they doe not confound the Articulation of them at all within that distance that they can be heard Though it may be they make them to be heard lesse Way than in a Still as hath beene partly touched Ouer-great Distance confoundeth the Articulation of Sounds As we see that you may heare the Sound of a Preachers voice or the like when you cannot distinguish what he saith And one Articulate Sound will confound another As when many speake at once In the Experiment of Speaking vnder Water when the Voice is reduced to such an Extreme Exility yet the Articulate Sounds which are the Words are not confounded as hath beene said I conceiue that an Extreme Small or an Extreme Great Sound cannot be Articulate But that Articulation requireth a Mediocrity of Sound For that the Extreme Small Sound confoundeth the Articulation by Contracting And the Great Sound by Dispersing And although as was formerly said a Sound Articulate already created will be contracted into a small Cranny yet the first Articulation requireth more Dimension It hath beene obserued that in a Roome or in a Chappell Vaulted below and Vaulted likewise in the Roofe a Preacher cannot be heard so well as in the like Places not so Vaulted The Cause is for that the Subsequent Words come on before the Precedent words vanish And therfore the Articulate Sounds are more confused though the Grosse of the Sound be greater The Motions of the Tongue Lips Throat Pallat c. which goe to the Making of the seuerall Alphabeticall Letters are worthy Enquiry and pertinent to the present Inquisition of Sounds But because they
Corruption So we finde that Salt-water corrupteth not so soone as Fresh And Salting of Oisters and Powdring of Meat keepeth them from Putrefaction It would be tried also whether Chalke put into Water or Drinke doth not preserue it from Putrefying or speedy Souring So wee see that Strong Beere will last longer than Small And all Things that are hot and Aromaticall doe helpe to preserue Liquours or Powders c. Which they doe as well by Strengthning the Spirits as by Soaking out the loose Moisture The Seuenth is Separation of the Cruder Parts and thereby making the Body more Equall for all vnperfect Mixture is apt to Putrefie And Watry Substances are more apt to Putrefie than Oyly So we see Distilled Waters will last longer than Raw waters And Things that haue passed the Fire doe last longer than those that haue not passed the Fire As Dried Peares c. The Eighth is the Drawing forth continually of that part where the Putrefaction beginneth Which is commonly the Loose and watry Moisture Not onely for the Reason before giuen that it prouoketh the Radicall Moisture to come forth with it But because being detained in the Body the Putrefaction taking hold of it insecteth the rest As we see in the Embalming dead Bodies And the same Reason is of Preseruing Herbs or Fruits or Flowers in Branne or Meale The Ninth is the Commixiture of any Thing that is more Oily or Sweet For such Bodies are least apt to Putrefie the Aire working little vpon them And they not putrefying preserue the rest And therefore we see Syrrups and Ointments will last longer than Iuyces The Tenth is the Commixture of somewhat that is Dry For Putrefaction beginneth first from the Spirits And then from the Moisture And that that is dry is vnapt to puttrefie And therefore Smoake preserueth Flesh As wee see in Bacon and Neats-Tongues and Martlemas Beese c. The Opinion of some of the Ancients that Blowne Aires doe preserue Bodies longer than other Aires seemeth to Mee Probable For that the Blowne Aires being Ouer-charged and Compressed will hardly receiue the Exhaling of any Thing but rather repulse it It was tried in a Blowne Bladder whereinto Flesh was put and likewise a Flower and it sorted not For Dry Bladders will not Blow And New Bladders rather further Putrefaction The way were therfore blow strongly with a Paire of Bellowes into a Hogshead putting into the Hogshead before that which you would haue preserued And in the instant that you withdraw the Bellowes stop the Hole close The Experiments of Wood that Shineth in the Darke we haue diligently driuen and pursued The rather for that of all Things that giue Light here below it is the most Durable And hath least Apparent Motion Fire and Flame are in continuall Expence Sugar shineth onely while it is in Scraping And Salt-water while it is in Dashing Glowing â—â—es haue their Shining while they liue or a little after Onely Scales of Fishes Putrified seeme to be of the same Nature with Shining Wood And it is true that all Putrefaction hath with it an Inward Motion as well as Fire or Light The Triall sorted thus 1. The Shining is in some Peeces more Bright in some more Diâ—â—â— but the most Bright of all doth not attaine to the Light of a Glow-wâ—â—â—â— 2. The Woods that haue beene tried to shine are chiefly Sallow and Willow Also the Aâ—â— and Husle It may be it holdeth in others 3. Both Roots and Bodies doe shine but the Roots better 4. The Colour of the Shining Part by Day-light is in some Peeces White in some Peeces inclining to Red Which in the Countrey they call the White and Red Garret 5. The Part that Shineth is for the most part somewhat Safe and Moist to feele to But some was sound to be Firme and Hard So as it might be figured into a Crosse or into Beads c. But you must not looke to haue an Image or the like in any Thing that is Lightsome For euen a face in Iron red Hot will not be seene the Light confounding the small differences of Lightsome and Darksome which shew the figure 6. There was the Shining Part pared off till you came to that that did not Shine But within two Dayes the Part Contiguous began also to Shine being laid abroad in the Dew So as it seemeth the Putrefaction spreadeth 7. There was other dead Wood of like kinde that was Laid abroad which Shined not at the first But after a Nights lying abroad began to Shine 8. There was other Wood that did First Shine And being laid dry in the House within fiue or six daies Lost the Shining And laid abroad againe Recouered the Shining 9. Shining woods being laid in a Dry Roome within a Seuen night lose their Shining But being laid in a Cellar or Darke Roome kept the Shining 10. The Boring of Holes in that kinde of Wood and then laying it abroad seemeth to conduce to make it Shine The Cause is for that all Solution of Continuity doth helpe on Putrefaction as was touched before 11. No Wood hath beene yet tried to Shine that was cut downe aliue but such as was Rotted both in Stocke and Root while it grew 12. Part of the Wood that Shined was Steeped in Oyle and retained the Shining a Forthnight 13. The like succeeded in some Steeped in Water and much better 14. How long the Shining will continue if the Wood be laid abroad euery Night and taken in and Sprinckled with Water in the Day is not yet tryed 15. Triall was made of laying it abroad in Frostie weather which hurt it not 16. There was a great Peece of a Root which did shine and the Shining Part was Cut off till no more Shined Yet after two Nights though it were kept in a drie Roome it got a Shining The Bringing forth of liuing Creatures may be accelerated in two Respects The one if the Embryon ripeneth and perfecteth sooner The other if there be some Cause from the Mothers Body of Expulsion or Putting it downe whereof the Former is good and argueth Strength The Latter is ill and commeth by Accident or Disease And therefore the Ancient Obseruation is true that the Childe borne in the Seuenth Moâ—â—â—th doth commonly well But Borne in the Eighth Moneth doth for the most part die But the Cause assigned is Fabulous Which is that in the Eighth Moneth should be the Returne of the Raigne of the Planet Saturne which as they say is a Planet Maligne whereas in the Seuenth is the Raigne of the Moone which is a Planet Propitious But the true Cause is for that where there is so great a Preuention of the Ordinary time it is the lustinesse of the Childe But when it is lesse it is some Indisposition of the Mother To Accelerate Growth or Stature it must proceed Either from the Plentie of the Nourishment Or from the Nature of the Nourishment Or from the Quickening and Exciting of the Naturall Heat
For the first Excesse of Nourishment is hurtfull For it maketh the Childe Corpulent And Growing in Breadth rather than in Heighth And you may take an Experiment from Plants which if they spread much are seldome tall As for the Nature of the Nourishment First it may not be too Drie And therefore Children in Dayrie Countries doe wax more tall than where they feed more vpon Bread and Flesh. There is also a receiued Tale That Boyling of Dasie Roots in Milke which it is certaine are great Driers will make Dogs little But so much is true that an Ouer-drie Nourishment in Childhood putteth backe Stature Secondly the Nourishment must be of an Opening Nature For that Attenuateth the Iuice and furthereth the Motion of the Spirits vpwards Neither is it without cause that Xenophon in the Nouriture of the Persian Children doth so much commend their Feeding vpon Cardamon which hee saith made them grow better and be of a more Actiue Habit. Cardamon is in Latine Nasturtium And with vs Water-Cresses Which it is certaine is an Herbe that whilest it is young is Friendly to Life As for the Quickening of Naturall Heat it must be done chiefly with Exercise And therefore no doubt much Going to Schoole where they sit so much hindreth the Growth of Children whereas Countrey People that goe not to Schoole are commonly of better Stature And againe Men must beware how they giue Children any thing that is Cold in Operation For euen Long Sucking doth hinder both Wit and Stature This hath beene tried that a Whelpe that hath beene fed with Nitre in Milke hath become very little but extreme liuely For the Spirit of Nitre is Cold. And though it be an Excellent Medicine in Strength of yeares for Prolongation of Life yet it is in Children and young Creatures an Enemy to Growth And all for the same Reason For Heat is requisite to Growth But after a Man is come to his Middle Age Heat consumeth the Spirits which the Coldnesse of the Spirit of Nitre doth helpe to condense and correct There be two Great Families of Things You may terme them by seuerall Names Sulphureous and Mercuriall which are the Chymists Words For as for their Sal which is their Third Principle it is a Compound of the other two Inflammable and Not Inflammable Mature and Crude Oily and Watry For we see that in Subterranies there are as the Fathers of their Tribes Brimstone and Mercury In Vegetables and Liuing Creatures there is Water and Oyle In the Inferiour Order of Pneumaticalls there is Aire and Flame And in the Superiour there is the Body of the Starre and the Pure Sky And these Paires though they be vnlike in the Primitiue Differences of Matter yet they seeme to haue many Consents For Mercury and Sulphure are principall Materialls of Metalls Water and Oyle are principall Materialls of Vegetables and Animals And seeme to differ but in Maturation or Concoction Flame in Vulgar Opinion is but Aire Incensed And they both haue Quicknesse of Motion and Facility of Cession much alike And the Interstellar Sky though the Opinion be vaine that the Starre is the Denser Part of his Orbe hath notwithstanding so much Affinity with the Starre that there is a Rotation of that as well as of the Starre Therefore it is one of the greatest Magnalia Naturae to turne Water or Watry Iuyce into Oile or Oily Iuyce Greater in Nature than to turne Siluer or Quick-siluer into Gold The Instances we haue wherein Crude and Watry Substance turneth into Fat and Oily are of foure kindes First in the Mixture of Earth and Water which mingled by the helpe of the Sunne gather a Nitrous Fatnesse more than either of them haue seuerally As we see in that they put forth Plants which need both Iuyces The Second is in the Assimilation of Nourishment made in the Bodies of Plants and Liuing Creatures Where of Plants turne the Iuyce of meere Water and Earth into a great deale of Oily Matter Liuing Creatures though much of their Fat and Flesh are out of Oily Aliments as Meat and Bread yet they Assimilate also in a Measure their Drinke of VVater c. But these two Wayes of Version of Water into Oyle namely by Mixture and by Assimilation are by many Passages and Percolations and by long Continuance of soft Heats and by Circuits of Time The third is in the Inception of Putrefaction As in Water Corrupted And the Mothers of Waters Distilled Both which haue a kinde of Fatnesse or Oyle The Fourth is in the Dulcoration of some Metalls As Saccharum Saturni c. The Intention of Version of Water into a more Oily Substance is by Disgestion For Oile is almost Nothing else but Water disgested And this Disgestion is principally by Heats Which Heat must be either Outward or Inward Againe it may be by Prouocation or Excitation Which is caused by the Mingling of Bodies already Oily or Disgested For they will somewhat Communicate their Nature with the rest Disgestion also is strongly effected by direct Assimilation of Bodies Crude into Bodies Disgested As in Plants and Liuing Creatures whose Nourishment is far more Crude than their Bodies But this Disgestion is by a great Compasse as hath beene said As for the more full Handling of these two Principles whereof this is but a Taste the Enquiry of which is one of the Profoundest Enquiries of Nature We leaue it to the Title of Version of Bodies And likewise to the Title of the First Congregations of Matter Which like a Generall Assembly of Estates doth giue Law to all Bodies A Chameleon is a Creature about the Bignesse of an Ordinary Lizard His Head vnproportionably bigge His Eyes great He moueth his Head without the writhing of his Necke which is inflexible as a Hogge doth His Backe crooked His Skin Spotted with little Tumours lesse Eminent nearer the Belly His Taile slender and long On each Foot he hath fiue Fingers three on the Outside and two on the Inside His Tongue of a maruellous Length in respect of his Body and hollow at the end Which he will launch out to prey vpon Flses Of Colour Greene and of a dusky Yellow brighter and whiter towards the Belly Yet spotted with Blew White and Red. If hee be laid vpon Greene the Greene predominateth If vpon Yellow the Yellow Not so if he be laid vpon Blew or Red or White Onely the Greene Spots receiue a more Orient Lustre Laid vpon Blacke he looketh all Blacke though not without a Mixture of Greene. He feedeth not only vpon Aire though that be his principall Sustenance For sometimes hee taketh Flies as was said yet some that haue kept Chameleons a whole yeare together could neuer perceiue that euer they fed vpon any Thing else but Aire And might obserue their Bellies to swell after they had exhausted the Aire and closed their Iawes Which they open commonly against the Rayes of the Sunne They haue a foolish Tradition in Magicke that if
faster vpon vs. The daintiest Smells of Flowers are out of those Plants whose Leaues smell not As Violets Roses Wall-flowers Gilly-flowers Pinckes Woodbines Vine-flowers Apple-Bloomes Lime-Tree Bloomes Beane-Bloomes c. The Cause is for that where there is Heat and strength enough in the Plant to make the Leaues Odorate there the Smell of the Flower is rather Euanide and Weaker than that of the Leaues As it is in Rose-Mary-Flowers Lauender-Flowers and Sweet-Briar-Roses But where there is lesse Heat there the Spirit of the Plant is disgested and refined and feuered from the Grosser Iuyce in the Esstorescence and not before Most Odours Smell best Broken or Crusht as hath beene said But Flowers Pressed or Beaten doe leese the Freshnesse and Sweetnesse of their Odour The Cause is for that when they are Crushed the Grosser and more Earthy Spirit commeth out with the Finer and troubleth it Whereas in stronger Odours there are no such Degrees of the Issue of the Smell It is a Thing of very good Vse to Discouer the Goodnesse of Waters The Taste to those that Drinke Water onely doth somewhat But other Experiments are more sure First try Waters by Weight Wherein you may finde some difference though not much And the Lighter you may account the Better Secondly try them by Boyling vpon an Equall Fire And that which consumeth away fastest you may account the Best Thirdly try them in Seuerall Bottles or Open Vessels Matches in euery Thing else and see which of them Last Longest without Stench or Corruption And that which holdeth Vnputrified longest you may likewise account the Best Fourthly try them by Making Drinkes Stronger or Smaller with the same Quantity of Mault And you may conclude that that Water which maketh the Stronger Drinke is the more Concocted and Nou-rishing though perhaps it be not so good for Medicinall vse And such Water commonly is the Water of Large and Nanigable Riuers And likewise in Large and Cleane Ponds of Standing Water For vpon both them the Sunne hath more power than vpon Fountaines or Small Riuers And I concelue that Chalke-water is next them the best for going furthest in Drinke For that also helpeth Concoction So it be out of a Deepe Well For then it Cureth the Rawnesse of the Water But Chalkie Water towards the Top of the Earth is too fretting As it appeareth in Laundry of Cloaths which weare out apace if you vse such Waters Fifthly The Houswiues doe finde a Difference in Waters for the Bearing or Not Bearing of Soape And it is likely that the more Fat Water will beare Soape best For the Hungry Water doth kill the Vnctuous Nature of the Soape Sixthly you may make a Iudgement of Waters according to the Place whence they Spring or Come The Rain-Water is by the Physitians esteemed the Finest and the best But yet it is said to putrifie soonest which is likely because of the Finenesse of the Spirit And in Conseruatories of Raine-water such as they haue in Venice c. they are and not so Choice waters The worse perhaps because they are Couered aloft and kept from the Sunne snow-Snow-water is held vnwholesome In so much as the People that dwell at the Foot of the SnowMountaines or otherwise vpon the Ascent especially the Women by drinking of snow-Snow-water haue great Bagges hanging vnder their Throats Well-water except it be vpon Chalke or a very plentifull Spring maketh Meat Red which is an ill Signe Springs on the Tops of High-Hills are the best For both they seeme to haue a Lightnesse and Appetite of Mounting And besides they are most pure and Vnmingled And againe are more Percolated thorow a great Space of Earth For Waters in Valleyes ioyne in effect vnder Ground with all Waters of the same Leuell Whereas Springs on the Tops of Hills passe thorow a great deale of Pure Earth with lesse Mixture of other Waters Seuenthly Iudgement may be made of Waters by the Soyle whereupon the Water runneth As Pebble is the Cleanest and best tasted And next to that clay-Clay-water And Thirdly Water vpon Chalke Fourthly that vpon Sand And Worst of all vpon Mudde Neither may you trust Waters that Taste Sweet For they are commonly found in Rising Grounds of great Cities which must needs take in a great deale of Filth In Peru and diuers Parts of the West Indies though vnder the Line the Heats are not so Intolerable as they be in Barbary and the Skirts of the Torrid Zone The Causes are First the Great Brizes which the Motion of the Aire in great Circles such as are vnder the Girdle of the World produceth Which doe refrigerate And therefore in those Parts Noone is nothing so hot when the Brizes are great as about Nine or Ten of the Clocke in the Fore-Noone Another Cause is for that the Length of the Night and the Dewes thereof doe compense the Heat of the Day A third Cause is the Stay of the Sunne Not in Respect of Day and Night for that wee spake of before but in Respect of the Season For vnder the Line the Sunne crosseth the Line and maketh two Summers and two Winters But in the Skirts of the Torrid Zone it doubleth and goeth backe againe and so maketh one Long Summer The Heat of the Sunne maketh Men Blacke in some Countries as in AEthiopia and Ginny c. Fire doth it not as wee see in GlasseMen that are continually about the Fire The Reason may be because Fire doth licke vp the Spirits and Bloud of the Body so as they Exhale So that it euer maketh Men looke Pale and Sallow But the Sunne which is a Gentler Heat doth but draw the Bloud to the Outward Parts And rather Concooteth it than Soaketh it And therefore wee see that all AEthiapes are Fleshy and Plumpe and haue great Lips All which betoken Moisture retained and not drawne out Wee see also that the Negroes are bred in Countries that haue Plenty of Water by Riuers or otherwise For Meroe which was the Metropolis of AEthiopia was vpon a great Lake And Congo where the Negroes are is full of Riuers And the Confines of the Riuer Niger where the Negroes also are are well watered And the Region about Capo Verde is likewise Moist in so much as it is pestilent through Moisture But the Countries of the Abyssenes and Barbary and Peru. where they are Tawney and Oliuaster and Pale are generally more Sandy and Dry. As for the AEthiopes as they are Plumpe and Fleshy So it may bee they are Sanguine and ruddy Coloured if their blacke Skinne would suffer it to be seene Some Creatures doe moue a good while after their Head is off As Birds Some a very little time As Men and all beasts Some moue though cut in feuerall Pieces As Snakes Eeles Wormes Flies c. First therefore it is certaine that the Immediate Cause of Death is the Resolution or Extinguishment of the Spirits And that the Destruction or Corruption of the Organs is but the
much the like Iuyce And therefore I thinke Rosemary will leese in Sweetnesse if it be set with Lauender or Bayes or the like But yet if you will correct the strength of an Herbe you shall doe well to set other like Herbs by him to take him downe As if you should set Tansey by Angelica it may be the Angelica would be the weaker and fitter for Mixture in Perfume And if you should set Rew by Common Wormewood it may be the Wormewood would turne to be like Roman Worniewood This Axiome is of large extent And therefore would be seuered and refined by Triall Neither must you expect to haue a Grasse Difference by this kinde of Culture but only Further Perfection Triall would be also made in Herbs Poisonous and Purgatine whose ill Qualitie perhaps may be discharged or attempted by Setting stronger Poisons or Purgatines by them It is reported that the Shrub called Our Ladies Seale which is a Kinde of Briony and Coleworts set neere together one or both will die The Cause is for that they be both great Depredatours of the Earth and one of them starueth the other The like is said of a Reed and a Brake Both which are succulent And therefore the One deceiueth the Other And the like of Hemlocke and Rew Both which draw strong luyces Some of the Ancients and likewise diures of the Moderne Writers that haue laboured in Natural Magicke haue noted a Sympathy between the Sunne Moone and some Principall Starres And certaine Herbs and Plants And so they haue denominated some Herbs Solar and some Lunar And such like Toyes put into great Words It is manifest that there are some Flowers that haue Respect to the Sunne in two Kindes The one by Opening and Shutting And the other by Bowing and Inclining the Head For Mary-golds Tulippa's Pimperâ—ell and indeed most Flowers doe open or spread their Leaues abroad when the Sunne shineth serene and faire And againe in some part close them or gather them inward either towards Night or when the Skie is ouercast Of this there needeth no such Solemne Reason to be assigned As to say that they reioyce at the presence of the Sunne And mourne at the Absence thereof For it is Nothing else but a little Loading of the Leaues and Swelling them at the Bottome with the Moisture of the Aire whereas the drie Aire doth extend them And they make it a Peece of the wonder that Garden Clauer will hide the Stalke when the Sunne sheweth bright Which is Nothing but a full Expansion of the leaues For the Bowing and Inclining the Head it is found in the great Flower of the Sunne in Mary-golds Wart wort Mallow Flowers and others The Cause is somewhat more Obscure than the former But I take it to be no other but that the Part against which the Sunne beateth waxeth more faint and flaccide in the Stalke And thereby lesse able to support the Flower What a little Moisture will doe in Vegetables euen though they be dead and seuered from the Earth appeareth well in the Experiment of Inglers They take the Beard of an Oate which if you marke it well is wreathed at the Bottome and one smooth entire Straw at the Top. They take only the Part that is Wreathed and cut off the other leauing the Beard halfe the Breadth of a finger in length Then they make a little Crosse of a Quill long-wayes of that Part of the Quill which hath the Pith And Crosse-wayes of that peece of the Quill without Pith The whole Crosse being the Breadth of a Finger high Then they pricke the Bottome where the Pith is and thereinto they put the Oaten-beard leauing halfe of it sticking forth of the Quill Then they take a little white Box of wood to deceiue Men as if somewhat in the Box did worke the Feat In which with a Pinne they make a little Hole enough to take the Beard but not to let the Crosse sinke downe but to sticke Then likewise by way of Imposture they make a Question As Who is the Fairest Woman in the Company Or Who hath a Gloue or Card And canse Another to name diners Persons And vpon euery Naming they sticke the Crosse in the Box hauing first put it towards their Mouth as if they charmed it And the Crasse stirreth not But when they come to the Person that they would take As they hold the Orasse to their Mouth they touch the Beard with the Tip of their Tongue and wet it And so sticke the Crosse in the Box And then you shall see it turne finely and softly three or foure Turnes Which is caused by the vntwining of the Beard by the Moisture You may see it more euidently if you sticke the Crosse betweene your fingers in Stead of the Box And therfore you may see that this Motion which is effected by so little Wet is stronger than the Closing or Bending of the Head of a Marigold It is reported by some that the Herb called Rosa-Solis wherof they make Strong Waters will at the Noone-day when the Sunne shineth hot and bright haue a great Dew vpon it And therefore that the right Name is Ros Solis which they impute to a Delight and Sympathy that it hath with the Sunne Men fauour Wonders It were good first to be sure that the Dew that is found vpon it be not the Dew of the Morning Preserued when the Dew of other Herbs is breathed away for it hath a smooth and thicke Leafe that doth not discharge the Dew so soone as other Herbs that are more Spungy and Porous And it may be Purslane or some other Herb doth the like and is not marked But if it be so that it hath more Dew at Noone than in the Morning then sure it seemeth to be an Exudation of the Herb is solfe As Plums sweat when they are set into the Ouen for you will not I hope thinke that it is like Gedeons Fleeel of Wood that the Dew should fail vpon that and no where else It is certaine that the Honey-dews are found more vpon Oahe-leâ—â—es than vpon Aâ—â— of Beech or the like But whether any Cause be from the Leafe it selfe to concoctâ— the Dew Or whether it be onely that the Leafe is Close and Smooth And therefore drinketh not in the Dew but preserueth it may be doubted It would be well inquired whether Maâ—â—â— the Drug doth fall but vpon certaine Herbs or Lâ—â—â— onely Flowers that haue deepe Sockets doe gather in the Bottome a kinde of Honey As Honey-Suckles both the Woodbine and the Trisoile Dillier and the like And in them certainly the Flower beareth part with the Dew The Experience is that the Froth which they call Woodsears being like a kinde of Spittle is found but vpon certaine Herbs and those Hot Ones As Lauender-cotton Sage Hissope c. Of the Cause of this enquire further For it seemeth a Secret There falleth also Mildew vpon Corne and smutteth it But it may be that the same
Sixth Helpe of Ground is by Watering and Irrigation which is in two Munners The one by Letting in and Shutti gout Waters at seasonable Tunes For Water at some Seasons and with reasonable dry deth good But at some other Seasons and with too long Stay doth â—â—â— And this serueth onely for Meadowes which are along some Rtuer The other way is to bring Water from some Hanging Grounds where there are Springs into the Lower Grounds carrying it in some â—â—â— Furrowes And from those Furrowes drawing it trauerse to spread the Water And this maketh an excellent Improuement both for Corne and Grasse It is the richer if those Hanging Grounds be fruitfull because it washeth off some of the Fatnesse of the Earth But howsoeuer it profiteth much Generally where there are great Ouerflowes in Fens or the like the drowning of them in the Winter maketh the Summer following more fruitfull The Cause may be for that it keepeth the Ground warme and nourisheth it But the Fen-Men hold that the Sewers must be kept so as the Water may not stay too long in the Spring til the Weeds and Sedge be growne vp For then the Ground will be like a Wood which keepeth out the Sunne And so continueth the Wet Whereby it will peuer graze to purpose that yeare Thus much for Irrigation But for Anoydances and Draynings of water where there is too much and the Helps of Ground in that kinde wee shall speake of them in another Place NATVRALL HISTORIE VII Century THe Differences betweene Animate and Inanimate Bodies we shall handle fully vnder the Title of Life and Liuing Spirits and Powers We shall therefore make but a briefe Mention of them in this Place The Maine Differences are two All Bodies haue Spirits and Pneumaticall Parts within them But the Maine Differences betweene Animate and Inanimate are two The first is that the Spirits of Things Animate are all Continued with themselues and are Branched in Veines and secret Canales as Bloud is And in Liuing Creatures the Spirits haue not only Branches but certaine Cells or Seats where the Principall Spirits doe reside and whereunto the rest doe resort But the Spirits in Things Inanimate are shut in and cut off by the Tangible Parts And are not peruious one to another As Aire is in Snow The Second Maine Difference is that the Spirits of Animate Bodies are all in some degree more or lesse kindled and inflamed And haue a fine Commixture of Flame and an Aeriall Substance But Inanimate Bodies haue their Spirits no whit Inflamed or Kindled And this Difference consisteth not in the Heat or Coolenesse of Spirits For Cloues and other Spices Naphtha and Petroleum haue exceeding Hot Spirits hotter a great deale than Oyle Wax or Tallow c. but not Inflamed And when any of those Weake and Temperate Bodies come to be Inflamed then they gather a much greater Heat than others haue Vn-inflamed besides their Light and Motion c. The Differences which are Secondary and proceed from these two Radicall Differences are First Plants are all Figurate and Determinate which Inanimate Bodies are not For looke how farre the Spirit is able to Spread and Continue it selfe So farre goeth the Shape or Figure And then is determined Secondly Plants doe nourish Inanimate Bodies doe not They haue an Accretion but no Alimentation Thirdly Plants haue a Period of Life which Inanimate Bodies haue not Fourthly they haue a Succession and Propagation of their Kinde which is not in Bodies Inanimate The Differences betweene Plants and Metalls or Fossiles besides those foure before mentioned For Metalls I hold Inanimate are these First Metalls are more Durable than Plants Secondly they are more Solid and Hard Thirdly they are wholly Subterrany Whereas Plants are part aboue Earth and part vnder Earth There be very few Creatures that participate of the Nature of Plants and Metalls both Corall is one of the Nearest of both Kindes Another is Vitrioll for that is aptest to sprout with Moisture Another speciall Affinitie is betweene Plants and Mould or Putrefaction For all Putrefaction if it dissolue not in Arefaction will in the end issue into Plants or Liuing Creatures bred of Putrefaction I account Mosse and Mushromes and Agaricke and other of those kindes to be but Moulds of the Ground Walls and Trees and the like As for Flesh and Fish and Plants themselues and a Number of other things after a Mouldinesse or Rottensesse or Corrupting they will fall to breed Wormes These Putrefactions which haue Affinitie with Plants haue this Difference from them That they haue no Succession or Propagation though they Nourish and haue a Period of Life and haue likewise some Figure I left once by chance a Citron cut in a close Roome for three Summer-Moneths that I was absent And at my Returne there were grown forth out of the Pith cut Tufts of Haires an Inch long with little blacke Heads as if they would haue beene some Herbe The Affinities and Differences betweene Plants and Liuing Creatures are these that follow They haue both of them Spirits Continued and Branched and also Inflamed But first in Liuing Creatures the Spirits haue a Cell or Seat which Plants haue not As was also formerly said And secondly the Spirits of Liuing Creatures hold more of Flame than the Spirits of Plants doe And these two are the Radicall Differences For the Secondary Differences they are as follow First Plants are all Fixed to the Earth Whereas all Liuing Creatures are seuered and of themselues Secondly Liuing Creatures haue Locall Motion Plants haue not Thirdly Liuing Creatures nourish from their Vpper Parts by the Mouth chiefly Plants nourish from below namely from the Roots Fourthly Plants haue their Seed and Seminall Parts vppermost Liuing Creatures haue them lower-most And therefore it was said not elegantly alone but Philosophically Homoest Planta inuerse Man is like a Plant turned vpwards For the Root in Plants is as the Head in Liuing Creatures Fifthly Liuing Creatures haue a more exact Figure than Plants Sixthly Liuing Creatures haue more Diuersity of Organs within their Bodies and as it were Inward Figures than Plants haue Seuenthly Liuing Creatures haue Sense which Plants haue not Eighthly Liuing Creatures haue Voluntary Motion which Plants haue not For the Difference of Sexes in Plants they are oftentimes by name distinguished As Male-Piony Female-Piony Male-Rose-mary FemaleRose mary Hee-Holly Shee-Holly c. but Generation by Copulation certainly extendeth not to Plants The nearest Approach of it is between the Hee-Palme and the Shee-Palme which as they report if they grow neare incline the One to the other In so much as that which is more strange they doubt not to report that to keepe the Trees vpright from Bending they tye Ropes or Lines from the one to the other that the Contact might be enjoyed by the Contact of a Middle Body But this may be Faigned or at least Amplified Neuerthelesse I am apt enough to thinke that this same Binarium of a Stronger
participate of Saltnesse as Alga Marina Sampire Scorny-Grasse c. And they report there is in some of the Indian-Seas a Swimming Plant which they call Salgazus spreading ouer the Sea in such sort as one would thinke it were a Meadow It is certaine that out of the Ashes of all Plants they extract a Salt which they vse in Medicines It is reported by one of the Ancients that there is an Herb growing in the Water called Lincostis which is full of Prickles This Herbe putteth forth another small Herbe out of the Leafe which is imputed to some Moisture that is gathered betweene the Prickles which Putrified by the Sunne Germinateth But I remember also I haue seene for a great Rarity one Rose grow out of another like Honey-Suckles that they call Top and Top-gallants Barley as appeareth in the Malting being steeped in Water three dayes and afterwards the Water drained from it and the Barley turned vpon a dry floare will sprout halfe an Inch long at least And if it be let alone and not turned much more vntill the Heart be out Wheat will doe the same Try it also with Pease and Beanes This Experiment is not like that of the Orpin and Semper-Vine For there it is of the old Store for no Water is added But here it is nourished from the Water The Experiment would be further driuen For it appeareth already by that which hath beene said that Earth is not necessary to the first Sprouting of Plants And we see that Rose-Buds set in Water will Blow Therefore try whether the Sprouts of such Graines may not be raised to a further Degree As to an Herbe or Flower with Water onely Or some small Commixture of Earth For if they will it should seeme by the Experiments before both of the Malt and of the Roses that they will come far faster on in Water than in Earth For the Nourishment is easilier drawne out of Water than out of Earth It may giue some light also that Drinke infused with Flesh as that with the Capon c. will nourish faster and easilier than Meat and Drinke together Try the same Experiment with Roots as well as with Graines as for Example take a Turnip and steepe it a while and then dry it and see whether it will sprout Malt in the Drenâ—bing will swell And in such a manner as after the Putting forth in Sprouts and the drying vpon the Keele there will be gained at least a Bushell in eight and yet the Sprouts are rubbed off And there will be a Bushell of Dust besides the Malt Which I suppose to be not onely by the loose and open Laying of the Parts but by some Addition of Substance drawne from the Water in which it was steeped Malt gathereth a Sweetnesse to the Taste which appeareth yet more in the Wort. The Dulcoration of Things is worthy to be tried to the full For that Dulcoration importeth a degree to Nourishment And the Making of Things Inalimentall to become Alimentall may be an Experiment of great Profit for Making new Victuall Most Seeds in the Growing leaue their Huske or Rinde about the Root But the Onion will carry it vp that it will be like a Cap vpon the Top of the Young Onion The Cause may be for that the Skin or Huske is not easie to breake As we see by the Pilling of Onions what a Holding Substance the Skin is Plants that haue Curled Leaues doe all abound with Moisture Which commeth so fast on as they cannot spread themselues Plaine but must needs gather together The Weakest Kinde of Curling is Roughnesse As in Clary and Burre The Second is Curling on the Sides As in Lettuce and Young Cabbage And the Third is Folding into an Head As in Cabbage full growne and Cabbage-Lettuce It is reported that Firre and Pine especially if they be Old and Putrified though they shine not as some Rotten Woods doe yet in the sudden Breaking they will sparkle like Hard Sugar The Roots of Trees doe some of them put downwards deepe into the Ground As the Oake Pine Firre c. Some spread more towards the Surface of the Earth As the Ash Cypresse-Tree Oline c. The Cause of this latter may be for that such Trees as loue the Sunne doe not willingly descend farre into the Earth And therefore they are commonly Trees that shoot vp much For in their Body their desire of Approach to the Sunne maketh them spread the lesse And the same Reason vnder Ground to auoid Recesse from the Sunne maketh them spread the more And wee see it commeth to passe in some Trees which haue beene planted too deepe in the Ground that forloue of Approach to the Sunne they forsake their first Root and put out another more towards the Top of the Earth And wee see also that the Oliue is full of Oylie Iuyce And Ash maketh the best Fire And Cypresse is an Hot Tree As for the Oake which is of the former sort it loueth the Earth And therefore groweth slowly And for the Pine and Firre likewise they haue so much Heat in themselues as they need lesse the Heat of the Sunne There be Herbs also that haue the same difference As the Herbe they call Morsus Diaboli Which putteth the Root downe so low as you cannot pull it vp without Breaking Which gaue Occasion to the Nâ—me and â—â—â— For that it was said it was so wholesome a Root that the Deuill when it was gathered bit â—â— for Enny And some of the Ancients doe report that there was a Goodly Firre which they desired to remoue whole that had a Root vnder Ground eight Cubits deepe And so the Root came vp broken It hath beene obserued thaâ— a Branch of a Tree being Vnberked some space at the Botome and so set into the Ground hath growen Euen of such Trees as if the Branch were set with the Barke on they would not grow yet coâ—â—driwise we see that a Tree â—ared round in the Body aboue Ground will die The Cause may be for that the Vnbarke Part draweth the Nourishment best but the Barke continueth it only Grapes will continue Fresh and Moist all Winter long if you hang them Cluster by Cluster in the Roofe of a Warme Roome Especially it when you gather the Cluster you take off with the Cluster some of the Stocke The Reed or Cane is a Watry Plant and groweth not but in the Water It hath these Properties That it is Hollow That it is Knuckled both Stalke and Root That being Drie it is more Hard and Fragile than other Wood That it putteth forth no Boughs though many Stalkes come out of one Root It differeth much in Greatnesse The smallest being fit for Thatching of Houses And Stopping the Chinkes of Ships Better than Glew or Pitch The Second Bignesse is vsed for Angle-Rods and Staues And in China for beating of Offenders vpon the Thighs The differing Kindes of them are The Common Reed The Cassia Fistula And the Sugar-Reed
the salt-Salt-Water doe neuerthelesse delight more in Fresh Wee see that Salmons and Smelts loue to get into Riuers though it be against the Streame At the Hauen of Constantinople you shall haue great Quantities of Fish that come from the Euxine-Sea that when they come into the Fresh Water doe inebriate and turne vp their Bellies So as you may take them with your Hand I doubt there hath not beene sufficient Experiment made of Putting Sea-Fish into Fresh Water Ponds and Pooles It is a Thing of great Vse and Pleasure For so you may haue them new at some good distance from the Sea And besides it may be the Fish will eat the pleasanter and may fall to breed And it is said that Colchester Oysters which are put into Pits where the Sea goeth and commeth but yet so that there is a Fresh Water Comming also to them when the Sea voideth become by that meanes Fatter and more Growne The Turkish-Bow giueth a very Forcible Shoot Insomuch as it hath beene knowne that the Arrow hath pierced a Stecle Target or a Peece of Brasse of two Inches thicke But that which is more strange the Arrow if it be Headed with Wood hath beene knowne to pierce thorow a Peece of Wood of eight Inches thicke And it is certaine that wee had in vse at one time for Sea-Fight short Arrowes which they called Sprights without any other Heads saue Wood sharpned which were discharged out of Muskets and would pierce thorow the Sides of Ships where a Bullet would not pierce But this dependeth vpon one of the greatest Secrets in all Nature Which is that Similitude of Substance will cause Attraction where the Body is wholly freed from the Motion of Grauitie For if that were taken away Lead would draw Lead and Gold would draw Gold and Iron would draw Iron without the helpe of the Load-Stone But this same Motion of Weight or Grauitie which is a meere Motion of the Matter and hath no Affinitie with the Forme or Kinde doth kill the other Motion except it selfe be killed by a violent Motion As in these Instances of Arrowes For then the Motion of Attraction by Similitude of Substance beginneth to shew it selfe But wee shall handle this Point of Nature fully in due Place They haue in Turkey and the East certaine Confections which they call Seruetts which are like to Candied Conserues And are made of Sugar and Limons or Sugar and Citrons or Sugar and Violets and some other Flowers And some Mixture of Amber for the more delicate Persons And those they dissolue in Water and thereof make their Drinke because they are forbidden Wine by their Law But I doe much maruell that no Englishman or Dutehman or German doth set vp Brewing in Constantinople Considering they haue such Quantitie of Barley For as so the generall Sort of Men Frugalitie may be the Cause of Drinking Water For that it is no small Sauing to pay nothing for ones Drinke But the better Sort mought well be at the Cost And yet I wonder the lesse at it because I see France Italie or Spaine haue not taken into vse Beere or Ale Which perhaps if they did would better both their Healths and their Complexions It is likely it would be Matter of great Gaine to any that should begin it in Turkey In Bathing in Hot Water Sweat neuerthelesse commeth not in the Parts vnder the Water The Cause is First for that Sweat is a Kinde of Colliquation And that Kinde of Colliquation is not made either by an Ouer-Drie Heat or an Ouer-Moist Heat For Ouer-Moisture doth somewhat extinguish the Heat As wee see that euen Hot Water quencheth Fire And Ouer-Drie Heat shutteth the Pores And therefore Men will sooner Sweat couered before the Sunne or Fire than if they stood Naked And Earthen Bottles filled with Hot Water doe prouoke in Bed a Sweat more daintily than Bricke-bats Hot. Secondly Hot Water doth cause Euaporation from the Skin So as it spendeth the Matter in those Parts vnder the Water before it issueth in Sweat Againe Sweat commeth more plentifully if the Heat be increased by Degrees than if it be greatest at first or equall The Cause is for that the Pores are better opened by a Gentle Heat than by a more Violent And by their opening the Sweat issueth more abundantly And therefore Physitians may doe well when they prouoke Sweat in Bed by Bottles with a Decoction of Sudorisicke Herbs in Hot Water to make two Degrees of Heat in the Bottles And to lay in the Bed the lesse Heated first and after halfe an Houre the more Heated Sweat is Salt in Taste The Cause is for that that Part of the Nourishment which is Fresh and Sweet turneth into Bloud and Flesh And the Sweat is only that Part which is Separate and Excerned Bloud also Raw hath some Saltnesse more than Flesh because the Assimilation into Flesh is not without a little and subtile Excretion from the Bloud Sweat commeth forth more out of the Vpper Parts of the Body than the Lower The Reason is because those Parts are more replenished with Spirits And the Spirits are they that put forth Sweat Besides they are lesse Fleshy and Sweat issueth chiefly out of the Parts that are lesse Fleshy and more Dry As the Forehead and Breast Men Sweat more in Sleepe than Waking And yet Sleepe doth rather stay other Fluxions than cause them As Rheumes Loosenesse of the Body c. The Cause is for that in Sleepe the Heat and Spirits doe naturally moue inwards and there rest But when they are collected once within the Heat becommeth more Violent and Irritate And thereby expelleth Sweat Cold Sweats are many times Mortall and neere Death And alwayes ill and Suspected As in Great Feares Hypochondricall Passions c. The Cause is for that Cold Sweats come by a Relaxation or Forsaking of the Spirits wherby the Moisture of the Body which Heat did keepe firme in the Parts seuereth and issueth out In those Diseases which cannot be discharged by Sweat Sweat is ill and rather to be stayed As in Diseases of the Lungs and Fluxes of the Belly But in those Diseases which are expelled by Sweat it easeth and lightneth As in Agues Pestilences c. The Cause is for that Sweat in the Latter Sort is partly Criticall and sendeth forth the Matter that offendeth But in the Former it either proceedeth from the Labour of the Spirits which sheweth them Oppressed Or from Motion of Consent when Nature not able to expell the Disease where it is seated moueth to an Expulsion indifferent ouer all the Body The Nature of the Glo-wormexs is hitherto not well obserued Thus much we see That they breed chiefly in the Hottest Moneths of Summer And that they breed not in Champaigne but in Bushes and Hedges Wherby it may be conceiued that the Spirit of them is very fine and not to be refined but by Summer Heats And againe that by reason of the Finenesse
to the Deity Which is the Authour by Power and Prouidence of Strange Wonders Laughing causeth a Dilatation of the Mouth and Lips A Continued Expulsion of the Breath with the loud Noise which maketh the Interiection of Laughing Shaking of the Breast and Sides Running of the Eyes with Water if it be Violent and Continued Wherein first it is to be vnderstood that Laughing is scarce properly a Passion but hath his Source from the Intellect For in Laughing there euer precedeth a Conceit of somewhat Ridiculous And therefore it is Proper to Man Secondly that the Cause of Laughing is but a Light Touch of the Spirits and not so deepe an Impression as in other Passions And therefore that which hath no Affinity with the Passions of the Minde it is moued and that in great vehemency onely by Tickling some Parts of the Body And we see that Men euen in a Grieued State of Minde yet cannot sometimes forbeare Laughing Thirdly it is euer ioyned with some Degree of Delight And therefore Exhilaration hath some Affinity with Ioy though it be a much Lighter Motion Res seneraest verum Gandium Fourthly that the Obiect of it is Deformity Absurdity Shrew'd Turnes and the like Now to speake of the Causes of the Effects before mentioned whereunto these Generall Notes giue some Light For the Dilatation of the Mouth and Lips Continued Expulsion of the Breath and Voice and Shaking of the Breast and Sides they proceed all from the Dilatation of the Spirits Especially being Sudden So likewise the Running of the Eyes with Water as hath beene formerly touched where we spake of the Teares of Ioy and Griefe is an Effect of Dilatation of the Spirits And for Suddennesse it is a great Part of the Matter For we see that any Shrew'd Turne that lighteth vpon Another Or any Deformity c. moueth Laughter in the Instant Which after a little time it doth not So we cannot Laugh at any Thing after it is Stale but whilest it is New And euen in Tickling if you Tickle the Sides and giue warning Or giue a Hard or Continued Touch it doth not moue Laughter so much Lust causeth a Flagrancy in the Eyes and Priapisme The Cause of both these is for that in Lust the Sight and the Touch are the Things desired And therefore the Spirits resort to those partâ— whch are most affected And note well in generall For that great Vse may be made of the Obseruation that euermore the Spirits in all Passions resort most to the Parts that labour most or are most affected As in the last which hath been mentioned they resort to the Eyes and Venereous Parts In Feare and Anger to the Heart In Shame to the Face And in Light Dislikes to the Head It hath beene obserued by the Ancients and is yet beleeued that the Sperme of Drunken Men is Vnfruitfull The Cause is for that it is Ouer-moistened and wanteth Spissitude And we haue a merry Saying that they that goe Drunke to Bed get Daughters Drunken Men are taken with a plaine Defect or Destitution in Voluntary Motion They â—â—ele They tremble They cannot stand nor speake strongly The â—â—â—â— is for that the Spirits of the Wine oppresse the Spirits Animall and â—â—â— pate Part of the Place where they are And so make them Weake to moue And therefore Drunken Men are apt to fall asleepe And Opiates and Stupefactines as Poppy Henbane Hemlocke c. induce a kinde of Drunkennesse by the Grossenesse of their Vapour As Wine doth by the Quantity of the Vapour Besides they rob the Spirits Animall of their Matter whereby they are nourished For the Spirits of the Wine prey vpon it as well as they And so they make the Spirits lesse Supple and Apt to moue Drunken Men imagine euery Thing turneth round They imagine also that Things Come vpon them They See not well Things a farre off Those Things that they See neare hand they See out of their Place And sometimes they see Things double The Cause of the Imagination that Things turne Round is for that the Spirits themselues turne being compressed by the Vapour of the Wine For any Liquid Body vpon Compression turneth as we see in Water And it is all one to the Sight whether the Visuall Spirits moue or the Obiect moueth or the Medium moueth And we see that long Turning Round breedeth the same Imagination The Cause of the Imagination that Things come vpon them is for that the Spirits Visuall themselues draw backe which maketh the Obiect seeme to come on And besides when they see Things turne Round and Moue Feare maketh them thinke they come vpon them The Cause that they cannot see Things a farre off is the Weaknesse of the Spirits for in euery Megrim or Vertige there is an Obtenebration ioyned with a Semblance of Turning round Which we see also in the lighter Sort of Swonnings The Cause of Seeing things out of their Place is the Refraction of the Spirits Visuall For the Vapour is as an Vnequall Medium And it is as the Sight of Things out of place in Water The Cause of Seeing Things double is the Swift and Vnquiet Motion of the Spirits being Oppressed to and fro For as was said before the Motion of the Spirits Visuall and the Motion of the Obiect make the same Appearances And for the Swift Motion of the Obiect we see that if you fillip a Lute-String it sheweth double or Treble Men are sooner Drunke with Small Draughts than with Great And againe Wine Sugred inebriateth lesse than Wine Pure The Cause of the Former is for that the Wine descendeth not so fast to the Bottome of the Stomach But maketh longer Stay in the Vpper Part of the Stomach and sendeth Vapours faster to the Head And therefore inebriateth sooner And for the same Reason Sops in Wine Quantity for Quantity inebriate more than Wine of it selfe The Cause of the Latter is for that the Sugar doth inspissate the Spirits of the Wine and maketh them not so easie to resolue into Vapour Nay further it is thought to be some Remedy against Inebriating if Wine Sugred be taken after Wine Pure And the same Effect is wrought either by Oyle or Milke taken vpon much Drinking The Vse of Wine in Dry and Consumed Bodies is hurtfull In Moist and Full Bodies it is good The Cause is for that the Spirits of the Wine doe prey vpon the Dew or Radicall Moisture as they terme it of the Body and so deceiue the Animall Spirits But where there is Moisture Enough or Superfluous there Wine helpeth to disgest and desiccate the Moisture The Catterpiller is one of the most Generall of Wormes and breedeth of Dew and Leaues For we see infinite Number of Catterpillers which breed vpon Trees and Hedges By which the Leaues of the Trees or Hedges are in great Part consumed As well by their Breeding out of the Leafe as by their Feeding vpon the Leafe They breed in the Spring chiefly
the Spirits and make them Strong and Aleger But it seemeth they are taken after seuerall manners For Coffa and Opium are taken downe Tobacco but in Smoake And Betel is but champed in the Mouth with a little Lime It is like there are more of them if they were well found out and well corrected Quare of Henbane-Seed Of Mandrake Of Saffron Root and Flower Of Folium Indum Of Amber-grice Of the Assyrian Amomum if it may be had And of the Scarlet Powder which they call Kermez And generally of all such Things as doe inebriate and prouoke Sleepe Note that Tobacco is not taken in Root or Seed which are more forcible euer than Leaues The Turkes haue a Blacke Powder made of a Minerall called Alcohole Which with a fine long Pencill they lay vnder their Eye-lids Which doth colour them Blacke Whereby the White of the Eye is set off more white With the same Powder they colour also the Haires of their Eye-lids and of their Eye-browes which they draw into Embowed Arches You shall finde that Xenophon maketh Mention that the Medes vsed to paint their Eyes The Turkes vse with the same Tincture to colour the Haire of their Heads and Beards Blacke And diuers with vs that are growne Gray and yet would appeare Young finde meanes to make their Haire blacke by Combing it as they say with a Leaden Combe or the like As for the Chineses who are of an ill Complexion being Oliuaster they paint their Cheekes Scarlet Especially their King and Grandes Generally Barbarous People that goe Naked doe not onely paint Themselues but they pownce and raze their Skinne that the Painting may not be taken forth And make it into Works So doe the West Indians And so did the Ancient Picts and Brittons So that it seemeth Men would haue the Colours of Birds Feathers if they could tell how Or at least they will haue Gay Skins instead of Gay Cloathes It is strange that the Vse of Bathing as a Part of Diet is left With the Romans and Grecians it was as vsuall as Eating or Sleeping And so is it amongst the Turkes at this day Whereas with vs it remaineth but as a Part of Physicke I am of Opinion that the Vse of it as it was with the Romans was hurtfull to Health For that it made the Body Soft and easie to Waste For the Turkes it is more proper because that their Drinking Water and Feeding vpon Rize and other Food of small Nourishment maketh their Bodies so Solide and Hard as you need not feare that Bathing should make them Froathie Besides the Turkes are great Sitters and seldome walke Whereby they Sweat lesse and need Bathing more But yet certaine it is that Bathing and especially Annointing may be so vsed as it may be a great Helpe to Health and Prolongation of Life But hereof we shall speake in due Place when we come to handle Experiments Medicinall The Turkes haue a Pretty Art of Chamoletting of Paper which is not with vs in vse They take diuers Oyled Colours and put them seuerally in drops vpon Water And stirre the Water lightly And then wet their Paper being of some Thicknesse with it And the Paper will be Waued and Veined like Chamolet or Marble It is somewhat strange that the Bloud of all Birds and Beasts and Fishes should be of a Red Colour and only the Bloud of the Cuttle should be as Blacke as Inke A Man would thinke that the Cause should be the High Concoction of that Bloud For wee see in ordinary Puddings that the Boyling turneth the Bloud to be Blacke And the Cuttle is accounted a delicate Meat and is much in Request It is reported of Credit that if you take Earth from Land adioyning to the Riuer of Nile And preserue it in that manner that it neither come to be Wet nor Wasted And Weigh it daily it will not alter Weight vntill the seuenteenth of Iune which is the Day when the Riuer beginneth to rise And then it will grow more and more Ponderous till the Riuer commeth to his Heighth Which if it be true it cannot be caused but by the Aire which then beginneth to Condense And so turneth within that Small Mould into a degree of Moisture Which produceth Weight So it hath beene obserued that Tobacco Cut and Weighed and then Dried by the Fire loseth Weight And after being laid in the open Aire recouereth Weight againe And it should seeme that as soone as euer the Riuer beginneth to increase the whole Body of the Aire thereabouts suffereth a Change For that which is more strange it is credibly affirmed that vpon that very Day when the Riuer first riseth great Plagues in Caire vse suddenly to breake vp Those that are very Cold and especially in their Feet cannot get to Sleepe The Cause may be for that in Sleepe is required a Free Respiration which Cold doth shut in and hinder For wee see that in great Colds one can scarce draw his Breath Another Cause may be for that Cold calleth the Spirits to succour And therefore they cannot so well close and goe together in the Head Which is euer requisite to Sleepe And for the same Cause Paine and Noise hinder Sleepe And Darknesse contrariwise furthereth Sleepe Some Noises whereof wee spake in the 112. Experiment helpe Sleepe As the Blowing of the Wind the Trickling of Water Humming of Bees Soft Singing Reading c. The Cause is for that they moue in the Spirits a gentle Attention And whatsoeuer moueth Attention without too much Labour stilleth the Naturall and discursiue Motion of the Spirits Sleepe nourisheth or at least preserueth Bodies a long time without other Nourishment Beasts that sleepe in Winter as it is noted of Wilde Beares during their Sleep wax very Fat though they Eat nothing Bats haue beene found in Ouens and other Hollow Close Places Matted one vpon another And therefore it is likely that they Sleepe in the Winter time and eat Nothing Quare whether Bees doe not Sleepe all Winter and spare their Honey Butterflies and other Flies doe not onely Sleepe but lye as Dead all Winter And yet with a little Heat of Sunne or Fire reuine againe A Dormonse both Winter and Summer will Sleepe some dayes ' together and eat Nothing To restore Teeth in Age were Magnale Naturae It may be thought of But howsoeuer the Nature of the Teeth deserueth to be enquired of as well as the other Parts of Liuing Creatures Bodies There be Fiue Parts in the Bodies of Liuing-Creatures that are of Hard Substance The Skull The Teeth The Bones The Hornes and the Nailes The greatest Quantity of Hard Substance Continued is towards the Head For there is the Skull of one Entire Bone There are the Teeth There are the Maxillary Bones There is the Hard Bone that is the Instrument of Hearing And thence issue the Hornes So that the Building of Liuing Creatures Bodies is like the Building of a
is in September For that they need the whole Summers Feed and Grasse to make them fit for Generation And if Raine come Earely about the Middle of September they goe to Rut somewhat the sooner If Drought somewhat the later So Sheepe in respect of their small Neat. generate about the same time or somewhat before But for the most part Creatures that generate at certaine Seasons generate in the Spring As Birds and Fishes For that the End of the Winter and the Heat and Comfort of the Spring prepareth them There is also another Reason why some Creatures generate at certaine Seasons And that is the Relation of their Time of Bearing to the time of Generation For no Creature goeth to generate whilest the Female is full Nor whilest shee is busie in Sitting or Rearing her Young And therefore it is found by Experience that if you take the Egges or Young Ones out of the Neasts of Birds they will fall to generate againe three or foure times one after another Of Liuing Creatures some are Longer time in the Wombe and some Shorter Women goe commonly nine Moneths The Cow and the Ewe about six Moneths Doe's goe about nine Moneths Mares eleuen Moneths Bitches nine Weekes Elephants are said to goe two Yeares For the Receiued Tradition of ten Yeares is Fabulous For Birds there is double Enquiry The Distance betweene the Treading or Coupling and the Laying of the Egge And againe betweene the Egge Layed and the Disclosing or Hetching And amongst Birds there is lesse Diuersity of Time than amongst other Creatures yet some there is For the Hen sitteth but three Weekes The Turky-Hen Goose and Ducke a Moneth Quare of others The Cause of the great Difference of Times amongst Liuing Creatures is Either from the Nature of the Kinde Or from the Constitution of the Wombe For the former those that are longer in Comming to their Maturity or Growth are longer in the Wombe As is chiefly seene in Men And so Elephants which are long in the Wombe are long time in Comming to their full Growth But in most other Kindes the Constitution of the Wombe that is the Hardnesse or Drinesse thereof is concurrent with the former Cause For the â—â—lt hath about foure yeares of Growth And so the Fawne And so the Calfe But Whelps which come to their Growth commonly within three Quarters of a yeare are but nine Weekes in the Wombe As for Birds as there is lesse Diuersity amongst them in the time of their Bringing forth So there is lesse Diuersity in the time of their Growth Most of them comming to their Growth within a Twelue-Moneth Some Creatures bring forth many Young Ones at a Burthen As Bitches Hares Conneyes c. Some ordinatily but One As Women Lionesses c. This may be caused either by the Quantity of Sperme required to the Producing One of that Kinde which if lesse be required may admit greater Number If more fewer Or by the Partitions and Cells of the Wombe which may feuer the Sperme There is no doubt but Light by Refraction will shew greater as well as Things Coloured For like as a Shilling in the Bottomes of the Water will shew greater So will a Candle in a Lanthorne in the Bottome of the Water I haue heard of a Practise that Glo-wormes in Glasses were put in the Water to make the Fish come But I am not yet informed whether when a Diuer Diueth hauing his Eyes open and swimmeth vpon his Backe whether I say he seeth Things in the Aire greater or lesse For it is manifest that when the Eye standeth in the Finer Medium and the Obiect is in the Grosser things shew greater But contrariwise when the Eye is placed in the Grosser Medium and the Obiect in the Finer how it worketh I know not It would be well boulted out whether great Refractions may not be made vpon Reflexions as well as vpon Direct Beames For Example We see that take an Empty Basen put an Angell of Gold or what you will into it Then goe so farre from the Basen till you cannot see the Angell because it is not in a Right Line Then fill the Basen with Water and you shall see it out of his Place because of the Reflexion To proceed therefore put a Looking-Glasse into a Basen of Water I suppose you shall not see the Image in a Right Line or at equall Angles but aside I know not whether this Experiment may not be extended so as you might see the Image and not the Glasse Which for Beauty and Strangenesse were a fine Proofe For then you should see the Image like a Spirit in the Aire As for Example If there be a Cesterne or Poole of Water you shall place ouer against it a Picture of the Deuill or what you will so as you doe not see the Water Then put a Looking-Glasse in the Water Now if you can see the Deuills Picture aside not seeing the Water it will looke like a Deuill indeed They haue an old Tale in Oxford that Friar Bacon walked betweene two Steeples Which was thought to be done by Glasses when he walked vpon the Ground A Weighty Body put into Motion is more easily impelled than at first when it Resteth The Cause is Partly because Motion doth discusse the Torpour of Solide Bodies Which beside their Motion of Grauity haue in them a Naturall Appetite not to moue at all And partly because a Body that resteth doth get by the Resistance of the Body vpon which it resteth a stronger Compression of Parts than it hath of it Selfe And therefore needeth more Force to be put in Motion For if a Weighty Body be Pensile and hang but by a Thred the Percussion will make an Impulsion very neare as easily as if it were already in Motion A Body Ouer-great or Ouer-small will not be throwne so farre as a Body of a Middle Sixe So that it seemeth there must be a Commensuration or Proportion betweene the Body Moued and the Force to make it moue well The Cause is because to the Impulsion there is requisite the Force of the Body that Moueth and the Resistance of the Body that is Moued And if the Body be too great it yeeldeth too little And if it be too small it resisteth too little It is Common Experience that no Weight will presse or cut so strong being laid vpon a Body as Falling or strucken from aboue It may be the Aire hath some part in furthering the Percussion But the chiefe Cause I take to be for that the Parts of the Body Moued haue by Impulsion or by the Motion of Grauity continued a Compression in them as well downwards as they haue when they are throwne or Shot thorow the Aire forwards I conceiue also that the quicke Loose of that Motion preuenteth the Resistance of the Body below And Priority of the Force alwaies is of great Efficacy As appeareth in infinite Instances Tickling is most in the Soles of the Feet and
vnder the Arme-Holes and on the Sides The Cause is the Thinnesse of the Skin in those Parts Ioyned with the Rarenesse of being touched there For all Tickling is a light Motion of the Spirits which the Thinnesse of the Skin and Suddennesse and Rarenesse of Touch doe further For we see a Feather or a Rush drawne along the Lip or Cheeke doth tickle Whereas a Thing more Obtuse or a Touch more Hard doth not And for Suddennesse We see no Man can tickle himselfe Wee see also that the Palme of the Hand though it hath as Thinne a Skin as the other Parts Mentioned yet is not Ticklish because it is accustomed to be Touched Tickling also causeth Laughter The Cause may be the Emission of the Spirits and so of the Breath by a Flight from Titillation For vpon Tickling we see there is euer a Starting or Shrinking away of the Part to auoid it And we see also that if you Tickle the Nosthrills with a Feather or Straw it procureth Sneezing Which is a Sudden Emission of the Spirits that doe likewise expell the Moisture And Tickling is euer Painfull and not well endured It is strange that the Riuer of Nilus Ouer-flowing as it doth the Country of AEgypt there should be neuerthelesse little or no Raine in that Country The Cause must be Either in the Nature of the Water Or in the Nature of the Aire Or of Both. In the Water it may be ascribed either vnto the Long â—â—â— of the Water For Swift Running Waters vapour not so much as Standing Waters Or else to the Concoction of the Water For Waters well Concocted vapour not so much as Waters Raw No more than Waters vpon the Fire doe vapour so much after some time of Boyling as at the first And it is true that the Water of Nilus is sweeter than other Waters in Taste And it is excellent Good for the Stone and Hypochondriacall Melancholy Which sheweth it is Lenefying And it runneth thorow a Countrey of a Hot Climate and flat without Shade either of Woods or Hills Whereby the Sunne must needs haue great Power to Concoct it As for the Aire from whence I conceiue this Want of Showers commeth chiefly The Cause must be for that the Aire is of it selfe Thin and Thirsty And as soone as euer it getteth any Moisture from the Water it imbibeth and dissipateth it in the whole body of the Aire And suffereth it not to remaine in Vapour Whereby it might breed Raine It hath beene touched in the Title of Percolations Namely such as are Inwards that the Whites of Eggs and Milke doe clarifie And it is certaine that in AEgypt they prepare and clarifie the Water of Nile by putting it into great Iarres of Stone and Stirring it about with a few Stamped Almonds Wherewith they also besmeare the Mouth of the Vessell And so draw it off after it hath rested some time It were good to trie this Clarifying with Almonds in New Beere or Must to hasten and perfect the Clarifying There be scarce to be found any Vegetables that haue Branches and no Leaues except you allow Corall for one But there is also in the Desarts of S. Macario in AEgypt a Plant which is Long Leauelesse Browne of Colour and Branched like Corall faue that it closeth at the Top. This being set in Water within House spreadeth and displayeth strangely And the People thereabouts haue a Superstitious Beleefe that in the Labour of Women it helpeth to the Easie Deliuerance The Crystalline Venice Glasse is reported to be a Mixture in equall Portions of Stones brought from Pauia by the Riuer Ticinum And the Ashes of a Weed called by the Arabs Kall which is gathered in a Desart betweene Alexandria and Rosetta And is by the AEgyptians vsed first for Fuell And then they crush the Ashes into Lumps like a Stone And so sell them to the Venetians for their Glasse-workes It is strange and well to be noted how long Carkasses haue continued Vncorrupt and in their former Dimensions As appeareth in the Mummies of AEgypt Hauing lafted as is conceiued some of them three thousand yeeres It is true they finde Meanes to draw forth the Braines and to take forth the Entrailes which are the Parts apteft to corrupt But that is nothing to the Wonder For wee see what a Soft and Corruptible Substance the Flesh of all the other Parts of the Body is But it should seeme that according to our Obseruation and Axiorne in our hundredth Experiment Putrefaction which we conceiue to be so Naturall a Period of Bodies is but an Accident And that Matter maketh not that Haste to Corruption that is conceiued And therefore Bodies in Shining-Amber In Quicke-Siluer In Balmes whereof wee now speake In Wax In Honey In Gummes And it may be in Conseruatories of Snow c. are preserued very long It need not goe for Repetition if we resume againe that which wee said in the aforesaid Experiment concerning Annihilation Namely that if you prouide against three Causes of Putrefaction Bodies will not corrupt The First is that the Aire be excluded For that vndermineth the Body and conspireth with the Spirit of the Body to dissolue it The Second is that the Body Adiacent and Ambiens be not Commateriall but meerely Heterogeneall towards the Body that is to be presured For if Nothing can be receiued by the One Nothing can issue from the Other Such are Quick-Siluer White-Amber to Herbs and Flies and such Bodies The Third is that the Body to be preserued be not of that Grasse that it may corrupt within it selfe although no Part of it issue into the Body Adiacent And therefore it must be rather Thinne and Small than of Bulke There is a Fourth Remedie also which is That if the Body to be preserued be of Bulke as a Corps is then the Body that Incloseth it must haue a Vertue to draw forth and drie the Moisture of the Inward Body For else the Putrefaction will play within though Nothing issue forth I remember Liuy doth relate that there were found at a time two Coffins of Lead in a Tombe Whereof the one contained the Body of King Numa It being some foure hundred yeares after his Death And the other his Bookes of Sacred Rites and Ceremonies and the Discipline of the Pontises And that in the Coffin that had the Body there was Nothing at all to be seene but a little light Cinders about the Sides But in the Coffin that had the Bookes they were found as fresh as if they had beene but newly Written being written in Parchment and couered ouer with Watch-Candles of Wax three or foure fold By this it seemeth that the Romans in Numa's time were not so good Embalmers as the AEgyptians were Which was the Cause that the Body was vtterly consumed But I finde in Plutarch and Others that when Augustus Caesar visited the Sepulchre of Alexander the Great in Alexandria he found the Body to keepe his
may be many Deawes fall that spend before they come to the Valleys And I suppose that he that would gather the best May-Deaw for Medicine should gather it from the Hills It is said they haue a manner to prepare their Greeke-Wines to keepe them from Fuming and Inebriating by adding some Sulphur or Allome Whereof the one is Vnctnous and the other is Astringent And certaine it is that those two Natures doe best represse Fumes This Experiment would be transferred vnto other Wine and Strong Beere by Putting in some like Substances while they worke Which may make them both to Fume lesse and to Inflame lesse It is conceiued by some not improbably that the reason why Wilde-Fires Whereof the principall Ingredient is Bitumen doe not quench with Water is for that the first Concretion of Bitumen is a Mixture of a Fiery and Watry Substance So is not Sulphur This appeareth for that in the Place neare Puteoli which they call the Court of Valcan you shall heare vnder the Earth a Horrible Thundring of Fire and Water conflicting together And there breake forth also Spouts of Boyling Water Now that Place yeeldeth great Quantities of Bitumen Whereas AEtna and Vesuuius and the like which consist vpon Sulphur shoot forth Smoake and Ashes and Pumice but no Water It is reported also that Bitumen Mingled with Lime and Put vnder Water will make as it were an Artificiall Rocke The Substance becommeth so Hard. There is a Cement compounded of Floure Whites of Egges and Stone powdred that becommeth Hard as Marble wherewith Piscina mirabilis neare Cuma is said to haue the Walls Plastered And it is certaine and tried that the Powder of Load-Stone and Flint by the Addition of Whites of Egges and Gumm-Dragon made into Paste will in a few dayes harden to the Hardnesse of a Stone It hath beene noted by the Ancients that in Full or Impure Bodies Vlcers or Hurts in the Leggs are Hard to Cure And in the Head more Easie. The Cause is for that Vlcers or Hurts in the Leggs require Deficcation which by the Defluxion of Humours to the Lower Parts is hindred Whereas Hurts and Vlcers in the Head require it not But contrariwise Drinesse maketh them more apt to Consolidate And in Moderne Obseruation the like difference hath beene found betweene French-Men and English-Men Where of the ones Constitution is more Dry and the others more Moist And therefore a Hurt of the Head is harder to cure in a French-Man and of the Legge in an English-Man It hath beene noted by the Ancients that Southerne Winds blowing much without Raine doe cause a Feuourous Disposition of the Yeare But with Raine not The Cause is for that Southerne Winds doe of themselues qualifie the Aire to be apt to cause Feuers But when Showers are ioyned they doe Refrigerate in Part and Checke the Sultry Heat of the Southerne Wind. Therefore this holdeth not in the Sea-Coasts because the Vapour of the Sea without Showers doth refresh It hath beene noted by the Ancients that Wounds which are made with Brasse heale more easily than Wounds made with Iron The Cause is for that Brasse hath in it selfe a Sanatiue Vertue And so in the very Instant helpeth somewhat But Iron is Corrosiue and not Sanatiue And therefore it were good that the Instruments which are vsed by Chirurgians about Wounds were rather of Brasse than Iron In the Cold Countries when Mens Noses and Eares are Mortified and as it were Gangrened with Cold if they come to a Fire they rot off presently The Cause is for that the few Spirits that remaine in those Parts are suddenly drawne forth and so Putrefaction is made Compleat But Snow Put vpon them helpeth For that it preserueth those Spirits that remaine till they can reuiue And besides Snow hath in it a Secret Warmth As the Monke proued out of the Text Qui dat Niuem sicut Lanam Gelu sicut Cineres spargit Whereby he did inferre that Snow did warme like Wooll and Frost did fret like Ashes Warme Water also doth good Because by little and little it openeth the Pores without any sudden Working vpon the Spirits This Experiment may be transferred vnto the Cure of Gangrenes either Comming of themselues or induced by too much Applying of Opiates Wherein you must beware of Dry Heat and resort to Things that are Refrigerant with an Inward Warmth and Vertue of Cherishing Weigh Iron and Aqua Fortis seuerally Then dissolue the Iron in the Aqua Fortis And weigh the Dissolution And you shall finde it to beare as good Weight as the Bodies did seuerally Notwithstanding a good deale of Wast by a thicke Vapour that issueth during the Working Which sheweth that the Opening of a Body doth increase the Weight This was tried once or twice but I know not whether there were any Errour in the Triall Take of Aqua-Fortis two Ounces of Quick-siluer two Drachmes For that Charge the Aqua-Fortis will beare The Dissolution will not beare a Flint as big as a Nutmeg Yet no doubt the Increasing of the Weight of Water will increase his Power of Bearing As we see Broine when it is Salt enough will beare an Egge And I remember well a Physitian that vsed to giue some Minerall Baths for the Gout c. And the Body when it was put into the Bath could not get downe so easily as in Ordinary Water But it seemeth the Weight of the Quick-siluer more than the Weight of a Stone doth not compense the Weight of a Stone more than the Weight of the Aqua-Fortis Let there be a Body of Vnequall Weight As of Wood and Lead or Bone and Lead If you throw it from you with the Light-End forward it will turne and the Weightier End will recouer to be Forwards Vnlesse the Body be Ouer-long The Cause is for that the more Dense Body hath a more Violent Pressure of the Parts from the first Impulsion Which is the Cause though heretofore not found out as hath been often said of all Violent Motions And when the Hinder Part moueth swifter for that it lesse endureth Pressure of Parts than the Forward Part can make way for it it must needs be that the Body turne ouer For turned it can more easily draw forward the Lighter Part. Gaâ—â—laeus noteth it well That if an Open Trough wherein Water is be driuen faster than the Water can follow the Water gathereth vpon an heape towards the Hinder End where the Motion began Which he supposeth holding confidently the Motion of the Earth to be the Cause of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Ocean Because the Earth ouer-runneth the Water Which Theory though it be false yet the first Experiment is true As for the Inequality of the Pressure of Parts it appeareth manifestly in this That if you take a Body of Stone or Iron and another of Wood of the same Magnitude and Shape and throw them with equall Force you cannot possibly throw the
Wood so farre as the Stone or Iron It is certaine as it hath beene formerly in part touched that Water may be the Medium of Sounds If you dash a Stone against a Stone in the Bottome of the Water it maketh a Sound So a long Pole strucke vpon Grauell in the Bottome of the Water maketh a Sound Nay if you should thinke that the Sound commeth vp by the Pole and not by the Water you shall finde that an Anchor let downe by a Roape maketh a Sound And yet the Roape is no Solide Body whereby the Sound can ascend All Obiects of the Senses which are very Offensiue doe cause the Spirits to retire And vpon their Flight the Parts are in some degree destitute And so there is induced in them a Trepidation and Horrour For Sounds we see that the Grating of a Saw or any very Harsh Noise will set the Teeth on edge and make all the Body Shiuer For Tastes we see that in the Taking of a Potion or Pills the Head and the Necke shake For Odious Smells the like Effect followeth which is lesse perceiued because there is a Remedy at hand by Stopping of the Nose But in Horses that can vse no such Help we see the Smell of a Carrion especially of a Dead Horse maketh them fly away and take on almost as if they were Mad. For Feeling if you come out of the Sunne suddenly into a Shade there followeth a Chilnesse or Shiuering in all the Body And euen in Sight which hath in effect no Odious Obiect Comming into Sudden Darknesse induceth an Offer to Shiuer There is in the City of Ticinum in Italy a Church that hath Windownes onely from aboue It is in Length an Hundred Feet in Breadth Twenty Feet and in Height neare Fifty Hauing a Doore in the Middest It reporteth the Voice twelue or thirteene times if you stand by the Close End-Wall ouer against the Doore The Eccho fadeth and dyeth by little and little as the Eccho at Pont-charenton doth And the Voice soundeth as if it came from aboue the Doore And if you stand at the Lower End or on either Side of the Doore the Eccho holdeth But if you stand in the Doore or in the Middest iust ouer against the Doore not Note that all Eccho's sound better against Old Walls than New Because they are more Dry and Hollow Those Effects which are wrought by the Percussion of the Sense and by Things in Fact are produced likewise in some degree by the Imagination Therefore if a Man see another eat Soure or Acide Things which set the Teeth on edge this Obiect tainteth the Imagination So that hee that seeth the Thing done by another hath his owne Teeth also set on edge So if a Man see another turne swiftly and long Or if he looke vpon Wheeles that turne Himselfe waxeth Turne-sicke So if a Man be vpon an High Place without Railes or good Hold except he be vsed to it he is Ready to Fall For Imagining a Fall it putteth his Spirits into the very Action of a Fall So Many vpon the Seeing of others Bleed or Strangled or Tortured Themselues are ready to faint as if they Bled or were in Strife Take a Stocke-Gilly-Flower and tye it gently vpon a Sticke and put them both into a Stoope Glasse full of Quick-siluer so that the Flower be couered Then lay a little Weight vpon the Top of the Glasse that may keepe the Sticke downe And looke vpon them after foure or fiue daies And you shall finde the Flower Fresh and the Stalke Harder and lesse Flexible than it was If you compare it with another Flower gathered at the same time it will be the more manifest This sheweth that Bodies doe preserue excellently in Quick-siluer And not preserue only but by the Coldnesse of the Quick-siluer Indurate For the Freshnesse of the Flower may be meerely Conseruation which is the more to be obserued because the Quick-Siluer presseth the Flower But the Stiffenesse of the Stalke cannot be without Induration from the Cold as it seemeth of the Quick-siluer It is reported by some of the Ancients that in Cyprus there is a Kinde of Iron that being cut into Little Peeces and put into the Ground if it be well Watred will increase into Greater Peeces This is certaine and knowne of Old That Lead will multiply and Increase As hath beene seene in Old Statua's of Stone which haue beene put in Cellars The Feet of them being bound with Leaden Bands Where after a time there appeared that the Lead did swell Insomuch as it hanged vpon the Stone like Warts I call Drowning of Metalls when that the Baser Metall is so incorporate with the more Rich as it can by no Meanes be separated againe which is a kinde of Version though False As if Siluer should be inseparably incorporated with Gold Or Copper and Lead with Siluer The Ancient Electrum had in it a Fifth of Siluer to the Gold And made a Compound Metall as fit for most vses as Gold And more Resplendent and more Qualified in some other Properties But then that was easily Separated This to doe priuily or to make the Compound passe for the Rich Metall Simple is an Adulteration or Counterfeiting But if it be done Auowedly and without Disguizing it may be a great Sauing of the Richer Metall I remember to haue heard of a Man skilfull in Metalls that a Fifteenth Part of Siluer incorporate with Gold will not be Recouered by any Water of Separation Except you put a Greater Quantity of Siluer to draw to it the Lesse which he said is the last Refuge in Separations But that is a tedious way which no Man almost will thinke on This would be better enquired And the Quantity of the Fifteenth turned to a Twentieth And likewise with some little Additionall that may further the Intrinsique Incorporation Note that Siluer in Gold will be detected by Weight compared with the Dimension But Lead in Silver Lead being the Weightier Metall will not be detected If you take so much the more Siluer as will counteruaile the Ouer-Weight of the Lead Gold is the onely Substance which hath nothing in it Volatile and yet melteth without much difficulty The Melting sheweth that it is not Ieiune or Scarce in Spirit So that the Fixing of it is not Want of Spirit to fly out but the Equall Spreading of the Tangible Parts and the Close Coaceruation of them Whereby they haue the lesse Appetite and no Meanes at all to issue forth It were good therefore to try whether Glasse Re-moulten doe leese any Weight For the Parts in Glasse are euenly Spred But they are not so Close as in Gold As we see by the Easie Admission of Light Heat and Cold And by the Smalnesse of the Weight There be other Bodies Fixed which haue little or no Spirit So as there is nothing to fly out As wee see in the Stuffe whereof Coppells are made Which they
hath lesse being many wayes corrected And this Experiment would be made about the End of March For that Season is likest to discouer what the Winter hath done And what the Summer following will doe vpon the Aire And because the Aire no doubt receiueth great Tincture and Infusion from the Earth It were good to trie that Exposing of Flesh or Fish both vpon a Stake of Wood some heighth aboue the Earth and vpon the Flat of the Earth Take May-Dew and see whether it putrifie quickly or no For that likewise may disclose the Qualitie of the Aire and Vapour of the Earth more or lesse Corrupted A Drie March and a Drie May portend a Wholesome Summer if there be a Showring Aprill betweene But otherwise it is a Signe of a Pestilentiall Yeare As the Discouerie of the Disposition of the Aire is good for the Prognosticks of Wholesome and Vnwholesome Yeares So it is of much more vse for the Choice of Places to dwell in At the least for Lodges and Retiring Places for Health For Mansion Houses respect Prouisions as well as Health Wherein the Experiments aboue mentioned may serue But for the Choice of Places or Seats it is good to make Triall not only of Aptnesse of Aire to corrupt but also of the Moisture and Drinesse of the Aire and the Temper of it in Heat or Cold For that may concerne Health diuersly Wee see that there be some Houses wherein Sweet Meats will relent and Baked Meats will mould more than in others And Wainscoats will also sweat more so that they will almost run with Water All which no doubt are caused chiefly by the Moistnesse of the Aire in those Seats But because it is better to know it before a Man buildeth his House than to finde it after take the Experiments following Lay Wooll or a Sponge or Bread in the Place you would trie comparing it with some other Places And see whether it doth not moisten and make the Wooll or Sponge c. more Ponderous than the other And if it doe you may iudge of that Place as Situate in a Grosse and Moist Aire Because it is certaine that in some Places either by the Nature of the Earth or by the Situation of Woods and Hills the Aire is more Vnequall than in Others and Inequalitie of Aire is euer an Enemy to Health It were good to take two Weather-Glasses Matches in all things and to set them for the same Houres of One day in seuerall Places where no Shade is nor Enclosures And to marke when you set them how farre the Water commeth And to compare them when you come againe how the Water standeth then And if you finde them Vnequall you may be sure that the Place where the Water is lowest is in the Warmer Aire and the other in the Colder And the greater the Inequalitie be of the Ascent or Descent of the Water the greater is the Inequalitie of the Temper of the Aire The Predictions likewise of Cold and Long Winters and Hot and Drie Summers are good to be knowne As well for the Discouerie of the Causes as for diuers Prouisions That of Plenty of Hawes and Heps and Briar-Berries hath beene spoken of before If Wainscast or Stone that haue vsed to Sweat be more drie in the Beginning of Winter Or the Drops of the Eaues of Houses come more slowly downe than they vse it portendeth a Hard and Frostie Winter The Cause is for that it sheweth an Inclination of the Aire to Drie Weather which in Winter is euer ioyned with Frost Generally a Moist and Coole Summer portendeth a Hard Winter The Cause is for that the Vapours of the Earth are not dissipated in the Summer by the Sunne And so they rebound vpon the Winter A Hot and Drie Summer and Autumne and especially if the Heat and Drought extend farre into September portendeth an Open Beginning of Winter And Colds to succeed toward the latter Part of the Winter and the Beginning of the Spring For till then the former Heat and Drought beare the Sway And the Vapours are not sufficiently Multiplied An Open and Warme Winter portendeth a Hot and Drie Summer For the Vapours disperse into the Winter Showres Whereas Cold and Frost keepeth them in and transporteth them into the late Spring and Summer following Birds that vse to change Countries at certaine Seasons if they come Earlier doe shew the Temperature of Weather according to that Country whence they came As the Winter-Birds namely Woodcocks Feldefares c. if they come earlier and out of the Northerne Countries with vs shew Cold Winters And if it be in the same Country then they shew a Temperature of Season like vnto that Season in which they come As swallowes Bats Cuckooes c. that come towards Summer if they come early shew a Hot Summer to follow The Prognosticks more Immediate of Weather to follow soone after are more Certaine than those of Seasons The Resounding of the Sea vpon the Shoare And the Murmur of Winds in the Woods without apparent Wind shew Wind to follow For such Winds breathing chiefly out of the Earth are not at the first perceiued except they be pent by Water or Wood. And therefore a Murmur out of Caues likewise portendeth as much The Vpper Regions of the Aire perceiue the Collection of the Matter of Tempest and Winds before the Aire here below And therefore the Obscuring of the Smaller Starres is is a Signe of Tempests following And of this kinde you shall finde a Number of Instances in our Inquisition De Ventis Great Mountaines haue a Perception of the Disposition of the Aire to Tempests sooner than the Valley's or Plaines below And therefore they say in Wales when certaine Hills haue their Night-Cups on they meane Mischiefe The Cause is for that Tempests which are for the most part bred aboue in the Middle Region as they call it are soonest perceiued to collect in the Places next it The Aire and Fire haue Subtill Perceptions of Wind Rising before Men finde it Wee see the Trembling of a Candle will discouer a Wind that otherwise wee doe not feele And the Flexuous Burning of Flames doth shew the Aire beginneth to be vnquiet And so doe Coales of Fire by Casting off the Ashes more than they vse The Cause is for that no Wind at the first till it hath strooke and driven the Aire is Apparent to the Sense But Flame is easier to moue than Aire And for the Ashes it is no maruell though Wind vnperceiued shake them off For wee vsually trie which way the Wind bloweth by casting vp Grasse or Chaffe or such light Things into the Aire When Wind expireth from vnder the Sea As it causeth some Resounding of the Water whereof wee spake before so it causeth some Light Motions of Bubbles and White Circles of Froth The Cause is for that the Wind cannot be perceiued by the Sense vntill there be an Eruption of a great Quantitie from vnder the Water And so it
wholesome Drinke and very Cleare They vse also in Wales a Compound Drinke of Mead with Herbs and Spices But meane-while it were good in recompence of that wee haue lost in Honey there were brought in vse a Sugar Meadâ— for so wee may call it though without any Mixture at all of Honey And to brew it and keepe it stale as they vse Mead For certainly though it would not be so Abster siue and Opening and Solutiue a Drinke as Mead yet it will be more gratefull to the Stomach and more Lenitiue and fit to be vsed in Sharpe Diseases For wee see that the vse of Sugar in Beere and Ale hath good Effects in such Cases It is reported by the Ancients that there was a Kinde of Steele in some places which would polish almost as white and bright as Siluer And that there was in India a Kinde of Brasse which being polished could scarce be discerned from Gold This was in the Naturall Vre But I am doubtfull whether Men haue sufficiently refined Metals which we count Base As whether Iron Brasse and Tinne be refined to the Heighth But when they come to such a Finenesse as serueth the ordinary vse they trie no further There haue beene found certaine Cements vnder Earth that are very Soft And yet taken forth into the Sunne harden as Hard as Marble There are also ordinary Quarries in Sommerset-Shire which in the Quarry cut soft to any Bignesse and in the Building proue firme and hard Liuing Creatures generally doe change their Haire with Age turning to be Gray and White As is seene in Men though some Earlier some Later In Horses that are Dappled and turne White In Old Squirrels that turne Grisly And many Others So doe some Birds As Cygnets from Gray turne White Hawkes from Browne turne more White And some Birds there be that vpon their Moulting doe turne Colour As Robin-Redbrests after their Moulting grow to be Red againe by degrees So doe Gold-Finches vpon the Head The Cause is for that Moisture doth chiefly colour Haire and Feathers And Drinesse turneth them Gray and White Now Haire in Age waxeth Drier So doe Feathers As for Feathers after Moulting they are Young Feathers and so all one as the Feathers of Young Birds So the Beard is younger than the Haire of the Head and doth for the most part wax Hoare later Out of this Ground a Man may deuise the Meanes of Altering the Colour of Birds and the Retardation of Heare-Haires But of this see the fifth Experiment The Difference betweene Male and Female in some Creatures is not to be discerned otherwise than in the Parts of Generation As in Horses and Mares Dogs and Bitches Doues He and She and others But some differ in Magnitude and that diuersly For in most the Male is the greater As in Man Pheasants Peacocks Turkey's and the like And in some few as in Hawkes the Female Some differ in the Haire and Feathers both in the Quantitie Crispation and Colours of them As He-Lions are Miâ—sute and haue great Maines The She 's are smooth like Cats Bulls are more Crispe vpon the Fore-head than Cowes The Peacocke and Pheasant-Cocke and Gold-Finch-Cocke haue glorious and fine Colours The Henn's haue not Generally the Hees in Birds haue the fairest Feathers Some differ in diuers Features As Bucks haue Hornes Doe's none Rammes haue more wreathed Hornes than Ewes Cocks haue great Combes and Spurres Henns little or none Boares haue great Fangs Sowes much lesse The Turky-Cocke hath great and Swelling Gills the Hen hath lesse Men haue generally Deeper and Stronger Voices than Women Some differ in Facultie As the Cocks amongst Singing Birds are the best Singers The Chiefe Cause of all these no doubt is for that the Males haue more Strength of Heat than the Females Which appeareth manifestly in this that all young Creatures Males are like Females And so are Eunuchs and Gelt Creatures of all kinds liker Females Now Heat causeth Greatnesse of Growth generally where there is Moisture enough to worke vpon But if there be found in any Creature which is seene rarely an Ouer-great Heat in proportion to the Moisture in them the Female is the greater As in Hawkes and Sparrowes And if the Heat be ballanced with the Moisture then there is no Difference to be seene betweene Male and Female As in the Instances of Horses and Dogs Wee see also that the Hornes of Oxen and Cowes for the most part are Larger than the Bulls which is caused by abundance of Moisture which in the Hornes of the Bull failethâ— Againe Heat causeth Pilosuy and Crispation And so likewise Beards in Men. It also expelleth finer Moisture which Want of Heat cannot Expell And that is the Cause of the Beauty and Variety of Feathers Againe Heat doth put forth many Excreseences and much Solide Matter which Want of Heat cannot do And this is the Cause of Hornes and of the Greatnesse of them And of the Greatnesse of the Combes and Spurres of Cocks Gills of Turky-Cocks and Fangs of Boares Heat also dilateth the Pipes and Organs which causeth the Deepnesse of the Voice Againe Heat refineth the Spirits and that causeth the Cock-Singing Bird to Excell the Hen. There be Fishes greater than any Beasts As the Whale is farre greater than the Elephant And Beasts are generally greater than Birds For Fishes the Cause may be that because they Liue not in the Aire they haue not their Moisture drawne and Soaked by the Aire and Sun-Beames Also they rest alwaies in a manner and are supported by the Water whereas Motion and Labour doe consuine As for the Greatnesse of Beasts more than of Birds it is caused for that Beasts stay Longer time in the Wombe than Birds and there Nourish and Grow Whereas in Birds after the Egge Lay'd there is no further Growth or Nourishment from the Female For the Sitting doth Vinifie and not Nourish We haue partly touched before the Meanes of Producing Fruits without Coares or Stones And this we adde further that the Cause must be Abundance of Moisture For that the Coare and Stone are made of a Dry Sapâ— And we see that it is possible to make a Tree put forth onely in Blossome without Fruit As in Cherries with Double Flowers Much more into Fruit without Stone or Coares It is reported that a Cions of an Apple grafted vpon a Coloâ—â—â— Stalke sendeth forth a great Apple without a Coare It is not vnlikely that if the Inward Pith of a Tree were taken out so that the Iuyce came onely by the Barke it would worke the Effect For it hath beene obserued that in Pollards if the Water get in on the Top and they become Hollow they put forth the more We adde also that it is deliuered for certaine by some that if the Cions be grafted the Small End downwards it will make Fruit haue little or no Coares and Stones Tobacco is a thing of great Price if it be in request For
But in the first Kinde it is more Diffused and more Mastered by the Grosser Parts which the Spirits doe but disgest But in Drinkes the Spirits doe raigne and finding lesse Opposition of the Parts become themselues more Strong Which causeth also more Strength in the Liquour Such as if the Spirits be of the Hotter Sort the Liquour becommeth apt to Burne But in Time it causeth likewise when the Higher Spirits are Euapourated more Sourenesse It hath beene obserued by the Ancients that Plates of Metall and especially of Brasse applied presently to a Blow will keepe it downe from Swelling The Cause is Repercussion without Humectation or Entrance of any Body for the Plate hath onely a Virtuall Cold which doth not search into the Hurt Whereas all Plasters and Ointments doe enter Surely the Cause that Blowes and Bruises enduce Swellings is for that the Spirits resorting to Succour the Part that Laboureth draw also the Humours with them For we see that it is not the Repulse and the Returne of the Humour in the Part Strucken that causeth it For that Gouts and Tooth-Aches cause Swelling where there is no Percussion at all The Nature of the Orris Root is almost Singular For there be few Odoriferous Roots And in those that are in any degree Sweet it is but the same Sweetnesse with the Wood or Leafe But the Orris is not Sweet in the Leafe Neither is the Flower any thing so Sweet as the Root The Root seemeth to haue a Tender dainty Heat Which when it commeth aboue Ground to the Sunne and the Aire vanisheth For it is a great Mollifier And hath a Smell like a Violet It hath been obserued by the Ancients that a great Vessell full drawne into Bottles And then the Liquour put againe into the Vessell will not fill the Vessell againe so full as it was but that it may take in more Liquour And that this holdeth more in Wine than in Water The Cause may be Triuiall Namely by the Expence of the Liquour in regard some may sticke to the Sides of the Bottles But there may be a Cause more Subtill Which is that the Liquour in the Vessell is not so much Compressed as in the Bottle Because in the Vessell the Liquour meeteth with Liquour chiefly But in the Bottles a Small Quantity of Liquour meeteth with the Sides of the Bottles which Compresse it so that it doth not Open againe Water being contiguous with Aire Cooleth it but Moisteneth it not except it Vapour The Cause is for that Heat and Cold haue a Virtuall Transition without Communication of Substance but Moisture not And to all Madefaction there is required an Imbibition But where the Bodies are of such seuerall Leuity and Grauity as they Mingle not there can follow no Imbibition And therefore Oyle likewise lyeth at the Top of the Water without Commixture And a Drop of Water running swiftly ouer a Straw or Smooth Body wetteth not Starre-light Nights yea and bright Moone-shine Nights are Colder than Cloudy Nights The Cause is the Drinesse and Finenesse of the Aire which thereby becommeth more Piercing and Sharpe And therefore Great Continents are colder than Islands And as for the Moone though it selfe inclineth the Aire to Moisture yet when it shineth bright it argueth the Aire is dry Also Close Aire is warmer than Open Aire which it may be is for that the true Cause of Cold is an Expiration from the Globe of the Earth which in open Places is stronger And againe Aire it selfe if it be not altered by that Expiration is not without some Secret Degree of Heat As it is not likewise without some Secret Degree of Light For otherwise Cats and Owles could not see in the Night But that Aire hath a little Light Proportionable to the Visuall Spirits of those Creatures The Eyes doe moue â—â—â—â—â—â— way For when one Eye moueth to the Nosthrill the other moueth from the Nosthrill The Cause is Motion of Consent which in the Spirits and Parts Spirituall is Strong But yet Vse will induce the Contrary For some can Squint when they will And the Common Tradition is that if Children be set vpon a Table with a Candle behinde them both Eyes will moue Outwards As affecting to see the Light and so induce Squinting We see more exquisitely with One Eye Shut than with Both Open. The Cause is for that the Spirits Visuall vnite themselues more and so become Stronger For you may see by looking in a Glasse that when you shut one Eye the Pupill of the other Eye that is Open Dilateth The Eyes if the Sight meet not in one Angle See Things Double The Cause is for that Seeing two Things and Seeing one Thing twice worketh the same Effect And therefore a little Pellet held betweene two Fingers laid a-crosse seemeth Double Pore-blinde Men see best in the Dimmer Lights And likewise haue their Sight Stronger neare hand than those that are not Pore-blinde And can Reade and Write smaller Letters The Cause is for that the Spirits Visuall in those that are Pore-blinde are Thinner and Rarer than in others And therefore the Greater Light disperseth them For the same Cause they need Contracting But being Contracted are more strong than the Visuall Spirits of Ordinary Eyes are As when we see thorow a Leuell the Sight is the Stronger And so is it when you gather the Eye-lids somewhat close And it is commonly seene in those that are Poreblinde that they doe much gather the Eye-lids together But Old Men when they would see to Reade put the Paper somewhat a farre off The Cause is for that Old Mens Spirits Visuall contrary to those of Pore-blinde Men vnite not but when the Obiect is at some good distance from their Eyes Men see better when their Eyes are ouer-against the Sunne or a Candle if they put their Hand a little before their Eye The Reason is for that the Glaring of the Sunne or the Candle doth weaken the Eye wheras the Light Circumfused is enough for the Perception For we see that an Ouer-light maketh the Eyes Dazell Insomuch as Perpetuall Looking against the Sunne would Cause Blindnesse Againe if Men come out of a Great Light into a Darke Roome And contrariwise if they come out of a Darke Roome into a Light Roome they seeme to haue a Mist before their Eyes and see worse than they shall doe after they haue stayed a little while either in the Light or in the Darke The Cause is for that the Spirits Visuall are vpon a Sudden Change disturbed and put out of Order And till they be recollected doe not performe their Function well For when they are much Dilated by Light they cannot Contract suddenly And when they are much Contracted by Darknesse they cannot Dilate suddenly And Excesse of both these that is of the Dilatation and Contraction of the Spirits Visuall if it belong Destroyeth the Eye For as long Looking against the Sunne or Fire hurteth the Eye by Dilatation
Strainer it selfe is tincted with Salt The Remedie therefore is to digge still New Pits when the old wax Brackish As if you would change your Strainer It hath beene obserued by the Ancients that Salt Water will dissolue Salt put into it in lesse time than Fresh Water will dissolue it The Cause may be for that the Salt in the Precedent Water doth by Similitude of Substance draw the Salt new put in vnto it Whereby it diffuseth in the Liquour more speedily This is a Noble Experiment if it be true For it sheweth Meanes of more Quicke and Easie Infusions And it is likewise a good Instance of Attraction by Similitude of Substance Trie it with Sugar put into Water formerly Sugred And into other Water Vnsugred Put Sugar into Wine part of it aboue part vnder the Wine And you shall finde that which may seeme strange that the Sugar aboue the Wine will soften and dissolue sooner than that within the Wine The Cause is for that the Wine entreth that Part of the Sugar which is vnder the Wine by Simple Infusion or Spreading But that Part aboue the Wine is likewise forced by Sacking For all Spungie Bodies expell the Aire and draw in Liquour if it be Contiguous As wee see it also in Spunges put part aboue the Water It is worthy the Inquiry to see how you may make more Accurate Infusions by Helpe of Attraction Water in Wells is warmer in Winter than in Summer And so Aire in Caues The Cause is for that in the Hither Parts vnder the Earth there is a Degree of some Heat As appeareth in Sulphureous Veines c. Which shur close in as in Winter is the More But if it Peripire as it doth in Summer it is the Lesse It is reported that amongst the Leucadians in Ancient time vpon a Superstition they did vse to Precipitate a Man from a High Cliffe into the Sea Tying about him with Strings at some distance many great Fowles And fixing vnto his Body diuers Feathers spred to breake the Fast. Certainly many Birds of good Wing As Kites and the like would beare vp a good Weight as they file And Spreading of Feathers thinne and close and in great Bredth will likewise beare vp a great Weight Being euen laid without Tilting vpon the Sides The further Extension of this Experiment for Flying may be thought vpon There is in some Places namely in Cephalonia a little Shrub which they call Holy-Oake or Dwarfe-Oake Vpon the Leaues whereof there riseth a Tumour like a Blister Which they gather and rub out of it a certaine Red Dust that conuerteth after a while into Wormes which they kill with Wine as is reported when they begin to Quicken With this Dust they die Scarlet In Zant it is very ordinary to make Men Impotent to accompany with their Wines The like is Practised in Gasconie Where it is called Nouër l' eguillette It is practised alwayes vpon the Wedding Day And in Zant the Mothers themselues doe it by way of Preuention Because thereby they hinder other Charmes and can vndoe their Owne It is a Thing the Ciuill Law taketh knowledge of And therefore is of no Light Regard It is a Common Experiment but the Cause is mistaken Take a Pot Or better a Glasse because therein you may see the Motion And set a Candle lighted in the Bottome of a Basen of Water And turne the Mouth of the Pot or Glasse ouer the Candle and it will make the Water rise They ascribe it to the Drawing of Heat Which is not true For it appeareth plainly to be but a Motion of Nexe which they call Ne detur vacuum And it proceedeth thus The Flame of the Candle as soone as it is couered being suffocated by the Close Aire lesseneth by little and little During which time there is some little Ascent of Water but not much For the Flame Occupying lesse and lesse Roome as it lesseneth the Water succeedeth But vpon the Instant of the Candles Going out there is a sudden Rise of a great deale of Water For that the Body of the Flame filleth no more Place And so the Aire and the Water succeed It worketh the same Effect if in stead of Water you put Flower or Sand into the Basen Which sheweth that it is not the Flames Drawing the Liquour as Nourishment As it is supposed For all Bodies are alike vnto it As it is euer in Motion of Nexe Insomuch as I haue seene the Glasse being held by the Hand hath lifted vp the Basen and all The Motion of Nexe did so Claspe the Bottome of the Basen That Experiment when the Basen was lifted vp was made with Oyle and not with Water Neuerthelesse this is true that at the very first Setting of the Mouth of the Glasse vpon the Bottome of the Basen it draweth vp the Water a little and then standeth at a Stay almost till the Candles Going out as was said This may shew some Attraction at first But of this we will speake more when we handle Attractions by Heat Of the Power of the Gelestiall Bodies and what more Secret Influences they haue besides the two Manifest Influences of Heat and Light We shall speake when we handle Experiments touching the Celestiall Bodies Meane-while wee will giue some Directions for more certaine Trials of the Vertue and Influences of the Moone which is our Nearest Neighbour The Influences of the Moone most obserued are Foure The Drawing forth of Heat The Inducing of Putrefaction The Increase of Moisture The Exciting of the Motions of Spirits For the Drawing forth of Heat we haue formerly prescribed to take Water Warme and to set Part of it against the Moone-Beames and Part of it with a Skreene betweene And to see whether that which standeth Exposed to the Beames will not Coole sooner But because this is but a Small Interposition though in the Sunne wee see a Small Shade doth much it were good to try it when the Moone shineth and when the Moone shineth not at all And with Water Warme in a Glasse-Bottle as well as in a Dish And with Câ—â—â—rs And with Iron Red-Hot c. For the Inâ—â—â—ing of Putrefaction it were good to try it with Flesh or Fish Exposed to the Moone-Beames And againe Exposed to the Aire when the Moone shineth not for the like time To see whether will corrupt sooner And try it also with Capon or some other Fowle laid abroad to see whether it will mortifie and become tender sooner Try it also with Dead Flies or Dead Wormes hauing a little Water cast vpon them to see whether will Putrifie sooner Try it also with an Apple or Orenge hauing Holes made in their Tops to see whether will Rot or Mould soonerâ— Try it also with Holland-Cheese hauing Wine put into it whether will breed Mites sooner or greater For the Increase of Moisture the Opinion Receiued is That Seeds will grow soonest And Haire and Nailes and Hedges and
it selfe and there were found in it a Booke and a Letter Both written in fine Parchment and wrapped in Sindons of Linnen The Booke conteined all the Canonicall Bookes of the Old and New Testament according as you haue them For we know well what the Churches with you receiue And the Apocalypse it selfe And Some other Bookes of the New Testament which were not at that time written were neuerthelesse in the Booke And for the Letter it was in these words IBartholomew a Seruant of the Highest and Apostle of IESVS CHRIST was warned by an Angell that appeared to me in a vision of Glory that I should commit this Arke to the flouds of the Sea Therefore I doe testifie and declare vnto that People where GOD shall ordaine this Ark to come to Land that in the same day is come vnto them Saluation and Peace and Good Will from the Father and from the LORD IESVS There was also in both these writings as well the Booke as the Letter wrought a great Miracle Conforme to that of the Apostles in the Originall Gift of Tongues For there being at that time in this Land Hebrewes Persians and Indians besides the Natiues euery one redd vpon the Booke and Letter as if they had been written in his owne Language And thus was this Land saued from Infidelity as the Remaine of the Old World was from Water by an Ark through the Apostolicall and Miraculous Euangelisme of Saint Bartholomew And here hee paused and a Messenger came and called him from vs. So this was all that passed in that Conference The next Day the same Gouernour came againe to vs immediately after Dinner and excused himselfe saying That the Day before he was called from vs somewhat abruptly but now he would make vs amends and spend time with vs if we held his Company and Conference agreeable Wee answered That wee held it so agreeable and pleasing to vs as wee forgot both Dangers past and Feares to come for the time wee heard him speake And that wee thought an Houre spent with him was worth Yeares of our former life He bowed himselfe a little to vs and after we were set againe he said Well the Questions are on your part One of our Number said after a little Pause That there was a Matter wee were no lesse desirous to know then fearefull to aske least wee might presume too farre But encouraged by his rare Humanity towards vs that could scarce thinke our selues Strangers being his vowed and professed Seruants We would take the Hardines to propound it Humbly beseeching him if hee thought it not fit to bee answered that hee would pardon it though he reiected it Wee said VVee well obserued those his words which hee formerly spake that this happy Island wher we now stood was knowne to few and yet knew must of the Nations of the World which we found to be true considering they had the Languages of Europe and knew much of our State and Businesse And yet we in Europe notwithstanding all the remote Discoueries and Nauigations of this last Age neuer heard any of the least Inkling or Glimse of this Island This we found wonderfull strange For that all Nations haue Enterknowledge one of another either by Voyage into Forraigne Parts or by Strangers that come to them And though the Trauailer into a Forreine Countrey doth commonly know more by the Eye then he that stayeth at home can by relation of the Trauailer Yet both wayes suffice to make a mutuall Knowledge in some degree on both parts But for this Island wee neuer heard tell of any Shipp of theirs that had been Seene to arriue vpon any Shore of Europe No nor of either the East or West Indies nor yet of any Shipp of any other part of the World that had made returne from them And yet the Maruell rested not in this For the Situation of it as his Lordship said in the secret Conclaue of such a vast Sea mought cause it But then that they should haue Knowledge of the Languages Bookes Affaires of those that lye such a distance from them it was a thing wee could not tell what to make of For that it seemed to vs a condition and Proprietie of Diuine Powers and Beings to be hidden and vnseene to others and yet to haue others open and as in a light to them At this speach the Gouernour gaue a gracious smile and sayd That we did well to aske pardon for this Question we now asked For that it imported as if we thought this Land a Land of Magicians that sent forth Spirits of the Ayre into all parts to bring them Newes and Intelligence of other Countries It was answered by vs all in all possible humblenes but yet with a Countenance taking knowledge that we knew he spake it but merrily That we were apt enough to think ther was some what supernaturall in this Island but yet rather as Angelicall then Magicall But to let his Lordship know truely what it was that made vs tender and doubtful to aske this Question it was not any such conceit but because we remembred he had giuen a Touch in his former Speach that this Land had Lawes of Secrecy touching Strangers To this he said You remember it aright And therefore in that I shall say to you I must reserue some particulars which it is not lawfull for mee to reueale but there will bee enough left to giue you satisfaction You shall vnderstand that which perhaps you will scarce think credible that about three thousand Yeares agoe or somewhat more the Nauigation of the World specially for remote Voyages was greater then at this Day Doe not thinke with your selues that I know not how much it is encreased with you within these sixescore Years I know it well And yet I say greater then than now Whether it was that the Example of the Ark that saued the Remnant of Men from the vniuersall Deluge gaue Men confidence to aduenture vpon the Waters Or what it was but such is the Truth The Phoeniceans and specially the Tyrians had great Fleetes So had the Carthaginians their Colony which is yet further West Toward the East the Shipping of Egypt and of Palestina was likewise great China also and the great Atlantis that you call America which haue now but Iunks and Canoa's abounded then in tall Ships This Island as appeareth by faithfull Registers of those times had then fifteene hundred strong Ships of great content Of all this there is with you sparing Memory or none But we haue large Knowledge thereof At that time this Land was knowne and frequented by the Shipps and Vessells of all the Nations before named And as it commeth to passe they had many times Men of other Countries that were no Saylers that came with them As Persians Chaldeans Arabians So as almost all Nations of Might and Fame resorted hither Of whom we haue some Stirps and little Tribes with vs at this day And for our owne Ships they
saw him weare in the Chariott but in stead of his Gowne he had on him a Mantle with a Cape of the same fine Black fastned about him When we came in as we were taught we bowed Lowe at our first Entrance And when we were come neare his Chaire he stood vp holding forth his Hand vngloued and in Posture of Blessing And we euery one of vs stooped downe and kissed the Hemme of his Tippett That done the rest departed and I remayned Then hee warned the Pages forth of the Roome and caused mee to sit downe beside him and spake to me thus in the Spanish Tongue GOD blesse thee my Sonne I will giue thee the greatest Iewell I haue For I will impart vnto thee for the Loue of GOD and Men a Relation of the true State of Salomons House Sonne to make you know the true state of Salomons House I will keepe this order First I will set forth vnto you the End of our Foundation Secondly the Preparations and Instruments we haue for our Workes Thirdly the seuerall Employments and Functions wherto our Fellowes are assigned And fourthly the Ordinances and Rites which we obserue The End of our Foundation is the Knowledge of Causes and Secrett Motions of Things And the Enlarging of the bounds of Humane Empire to the Effecting of all Things possible The Preparations and Instruments are these We haue large and deepe Causes of seuerall Depths The deepest are sunke 600. Fathome And some of them are digged and made vnder great Hills and Mountaines So that if you reckon together the Depth of the Hill and the Depth of the Caue they are some of them aboue three Miles deepe For wee finde that the Depth of a Hill and the Depth of a Caue from the Flat is the same Thing Both remote alike from the Sunn and Heauens Beames and from the Open Aire These Caues we call the Lower Region And wee vse them for all Coagulations Indurations Refrigerations and Conseruations of Bodies We use them likewise for the Imitation of Naturall Mines And the Producing also of New Artificiall Mettalls by Compositions and Materialls which we vse and lay ther for many years Wee vse them also sometimes which may seeme strange for Curing of some Diseases and for Prolongation of Life in some Hermits that choose to liue ther well accommodated of all things necessarie and indeed liue very long By whom also we learne many things We haue Burialls in seuerall Earths wher we put diuerse Cements as the Chineses doe their Porcellane But we haue them in greater Varietie and some of them more fine We haue also great variety of Composts and Soiles for the Making of the Earth Fruitfull We haue High Towers The Highest about halfe a Mile in Heigth And some of them likewise set vpon High Mountaines So that the Vantage of the Hill with the Tower is in the highest of them three Miles at least And these Places wee call the Vpper Region Accounting the Aire betweene the High Places and the Lowe as a Middle Region VVee vse these Towers according to their seuerall Heights and Situations for Insolation Refrigeration Conseruation And for the View of diuers Meteors As Windes Raine Snow Haile And some of the Fiery Meteors also And vpon them in some Places are Dwellings of Hermits whom wee visit sometimes and instruct what to obserue We haue great Lakes both Salt and Fresh wherof we haue vse for the Fish and Fowle We vse them also for Burialls of some Naturall Bodies For we finde a Difference in Things buried in Earth or in Aire below the Earth and things buried Water VVe haue also Pooles of which some doe straine Fresh Water out of Salt And others by Art doe turne Fresh Water into Salt VVe haue also some Rocks in the Midst of the Sea And some Bayes vpon the Shore for some Works wherin is required the Ayre and Vapour of the Sea VVe haue likewise Violent Streames and Cataracts which serue vs for many Motions And likewise Engines for Multiplying and Enforcing of VVindes to set also on going diuerse Motions VVe haue also a Number of Artificiall VVels and Fountaines made in Imitation of the Naturall Sources and Baths As tincted vpon Vitrioll Sulphur Steele Brasse Lead Nitre and other Mineralls And againe wee haue little VVells for Infusions of many Things wher the VVaters take the Vertue quicker and better then in Vessels or Basins And amongst them we haue a VVater which wee call VVater of Paradise being by that we doe to it made very Soueraigne for Health and Prolongation of Life We haue also Great and Spatious Houses wher we imitate and demonstrate Meteors As Snow Haile Raine some Artificiall Raines of Bodies and not of VVater Thunders Lightnings Also Generations of Bodies in Aire As Froggs Flies and diuerse Others We haue also certaine Chambers which wee call Chambers of Health wher wee qualifie the Aire as we thinke good and proper for the Cure of diuerse Diseases and Preseruation of Health We haue also faire and large Baths of seuerall Mixtures for the Cure of Diseases and the Restoring of Mans Body from Arefaction And Others for the Confirming of it in Strength of Sinnewes Vitall Parts and the very Iuyce and Substance of the Body We haue also large and various Orchards and Gardens Wherin we do not so much respect Beauty as Variety of Ground and Soyle proper for diuerse Trees and Herbs And some very spatious wher Trees and Berries are set wherof we make diuerse Kinds of Drinks besides the Vine-yards In these wee practise likewise all Conclusions of Grafting and Inoculating as well of VVilde-Trees as Fruit-Trees which produceth many Effects And we make by Art in the same Orchards and Gardens Trees and Flowers to come earlier or later then their Seasons And to come vp and beare more speedily then by their Naturall Course they doe We make them also by Art greater much then their Nature And their Fruit greater and sweeter and of differing Tast Smell Colour and Figure from their Nature And many of them we so Order as they become of Medicinall Vse Wee haue also Meanes to make diuerse Plants rise by Mixtures of Earths without Seedes And likewise to make diuerse New Plants differing from the Vulgar and to make one Tree or Plant turne into another We haue also Parks and Enclosures of all Sorts of Beasts and Birds which wee vse not onely for View or Rarenesse but likewise for Dissections and Trialls That therby we may take light what may be wrought vpon the Body of Man Wherin we finde many strange Effects As Continuing Life in them though diuerse Parts which you acount Vitall be perished and taken forth Resussitating of some that seeme Dead in Appearance And the like We try also all Poysons and other Medicines vpon them as well of Chyrurgery as Phisicke By Art likewise we make them Greater or Taller then their Kinde is And contrary-wise Dwarfe them and stay their Grouth Wee make them more
which in their Originall are Entire Wee represent and imitate all Articulate Sounds and Letters and the Voices and Notes of Beasts and Birds Wee haue certaine Helps which sett to the Eare doe further the Hearing greatly Wee haue also diuerse Strange and Artificiall Eccho's Reflecting the Voice many times and as it were Tossing it And some that giue back the Voice Lowder then it came some Shriller and some Deeper Yea some rendring the Voice Differing in the Letters or Articulate Sound from that they receyue Wee haue also meanes to conuey Sounds in Trunks and Pipes in strange Lines and Distances Wee haue also Perfume-Houses wherwith we ioyne also Practises of Tast. VVe Multiply Smells which may seeme strange VVe Imitate Smells making all Smells to breath out of other Mixtures then those that giue them VVe make diuerse Imitations of Tast likewise â— so that they will deceyue any Mans Tast. And in this House wee containe also a Confiture-House wher wee make all Sweet-Meats Dry and Moist And diuerse pleasant Wines Milks Broaths and Sallets farr in greater variety then you haue Wee haue also Engine-Houses wher are prepared Engines and Instruments for all Sorts of Motions Ther we imitate and practise to make Swifter Motions then any you haue either out of your Musketts or any Engine that you haue And to Make them and Multiply them more Easily and with Small Force by VVheeles and other Meanes And to make them Stronger and more Violent then yours are Exceeding your greatest Cannons and Basilisks Wee represent also Ordnance and Instruments of VVarr and Engines of all Kindes And likewise New Mixtures and Compositions of Gun-Powder Wilde-Fires burning in Water and Vnquenchable Also Fire-workes of all Variety both for Pleasure and Vse Wee imitate also Flights of Birds Wee haue some Degrees of Flying in the Ayre Wee haue Shipps and Boates for Going vnder Water and Brooking of Seas Also Swimming-Girdles and Supporters Wee haue diuers curious Clocks And other like Motions of Returne And some Perpetuall Motions Wee imitate also Motions of Liuing Creatures by Images of Men Beasts Birds Fishes and Serpents Wee haue also a great Number of other Various Motions strange for Equality Finenesse and Subtilty Wee haue also a Mathematicall House wher are represented all Instruments as well of Geometry as Astronomy exquisitely made Wee haue also Houses of Deceits of the Senses wher we represent all manner of Feates of Iugling False Apparitions Impostures and Illusions And their Fallaces And surely you will easily beleeue that wee that haue so many Things truely Naturall which induce Admiration could in a World of Particulars deceiue the Senses if wee would disguise those Things and labour to make them seeme more Miraculous But we doe hate all Impostures and Lies Insomuch as wee haue seuerely forbidden it to all our Fellowes vnder paine of Ignominy and Eines that they doe not shew any Naturall worke or Thing Adorned or Swelling but onely Pure as it is and without all Affectation of Strangenesse These are my Sonne the Riches of Salomons House For the seuerall Employments and Offices of our Fellowes Wee haue Twelue that Sayle into Forraine Countries vnder the Names of other Nations for our owne wee conceale Who bring vs the Bookes and Abstracts and Patternes of Experiments of all other Parts These wee call Merchants of Light Wee haue Three that Collect the Experiments which are in all Bookes These wee call Depredatours Wee haue Three that Collect the Experiments of all Mechanicall Arts And also of Liberall Sciences And also of Practises which are not Brought into Arts. These we call Mystery-Men Wee haue Three that try New Experiments such as themselues thinke good These wee call Pioners or Miners Wee haue Three that Drawe the Experiments of the Former Foure into Titles and Tables to giue the better light for the drawing of Obseruations and Axiomes out of them These wee call Compilers Wee haue Three that bend themselues Looking into the Experiments of their Fellowes and cast about how to draw out of them Things of Vse and Practise for Mans life and Knowledge as well for VVorkes as for Plaine Demonstration of Causes Meanes of Naturall Diuinations and the easie and cleare Discouery of the Vertues and Parts of Bodies These wee call Dowry-men or Benefactours Then after diuerse Meetings and Consults of our whole Number to consider of the former Labours and Collections wee haue Three that take care out of them to Direct New Experiments of a Higher Light more Penetrating into Nature then the Former These wee call Lamps Wee haue Three others that doe Execute the Experiments so Directed and Report them These wee call Inoculatours Lastly wee haue Three that raise the former Discoueries by Experiments into Greater Obseruations Axiomes and Aphorismes These wee call Interpreters of Nature Wee haue also as you must thinke Nouices and Apprentices that the Succession of the former Employed Men doe not faile Besides a great Number of Seruants and Attendants Men and Women And this we doe also We haue Consultations which of the Inuentions and Experiences which wee haue discouered shall be Published and which not And take all an Oath of Secrecy for the Concealing of those which wee thinke fitt to keepe Secrett Though some of those we doe reuease sometimes to the State and some not For our Ordinances and Rites Wee haue two very Long and Faire Galleries In one of these wee place Patternes and Samples of all manner of the more Rare and Excellent Inuentions In the other wee place the Statuas of all Principall Inuentours These wee haue the Statua of your Columbus that discouered the West-Indies Also the Inuentour of Shipps Your Monke that was the Inuentour of Ordnance and of Gunpowder The Inuentour of Musicke The Inuentour of Letters The Inuentour of Printing The Inuentour of Obseruations of Astronomy The Inuentour of Works in Mettall The Inuentour of Glasse The Inuentour of Silke of the VVorne The Inuentour of VVine The Inuentour of Corne and Bread The Inuentour of Sugars And all these by more certaine Tradition then you haue Then haue we diuerse Inuentours of our Owne of Excellent VVorkes Which since you haue not seene it were too long to make Descriptions of them And besides in the right Vnderstanding of those Descriptions you might easily erre For vpon euery Inuention of Valew wee erect a Statua to the Inuentour and giue him a Liberall and Honourable Reward These Statua's are some of Brasse some of Marble and Touchstone some of Cedar and other speciall VVoods guilt and adorned some of Iron some of Siluer Some of Gold Wee haue certaine Hymnes and Seruices which wee say dayly of Laud and Thanks to GOD for his Marueillous VVorks And Formes of Prayers imploring his Aide and Blessing for the Illumination of our Labours and the Turning of them into Good and Holy Vses Lastly wee haue Circuites or Visits of diuers Principall Citties of the Kingdome wher as it commeth to passe we doe publish such New Profitable
Inuentions as wee thinke good And wee doe also declare Naturall Diuinations of Diseases Plagues Swarmes of Hurtfull Creatures Scarcety Tempests Earthquakes Great Inundations Cometts Temperature of the Yeare and diuerse other Things And wee giue Counsell thereupon what the People shall doe for the Preuention and Remedy of them And when Hee had sayd this Hee stood vp And I as I had beene taught kneeled downe and He layd his Right Hand vpon my Head and said GOD blesse thee my Sonne And GOD blesse this Relation which I haue made I giue thee leaue to Publish it for the Good of other Nations For wee here are in GODS Bosome a Land vnknowne And so hee left mee Hauing assigned a Valew about two Thousand Duckets for a Bounty to mee and my Fellowes For they giue great Largesses they come vpon all occasions The rest was not Perfected MAGNALIA NATVRAE PRAECIPVE QVOAD VSVS HVMANOS THe Prolongation of Life The Restitution of Youth in some Degree The Retardation of Age. The Curing of Diseases counted Incurable The Mitigation of Paine More Easie and lesse Loathsome Purgings The Encreasing of Strength and Actiuity The Encreasing of Ability to suffer Torture or Paine The Altering of Complexions And Fatnesse and Leannesse The Altering of Statures The Altering of Features The Encreasing and Exalting of the Intellectuall Parts Versions of Bodies into other Bodies Making of New Species Transplanting of one Species into another Instruments of Destruction as of Warre and Poyson Exhilaration of the Spirits and Putting them in good Disposition Force of the Imagination either vpon another Body or vpon the Body it selfe Acceleration of Time in Maturations Acceleration of Time in Clasifications Acceleration of Putrefaction Acceleration of Decoction Acceleration of Germination Making Rich Composts for the Earth Impressions of the Aire and Raising of Tempests Great Alteration As in Induration Emollition c. Turning Crude and VVatry Substances into Oyly and Vnctious Substances Drawing of New Foodes out of Substances not now in Vse Making New Threds for Apparell And New Stuffes Such as are Paper Glasse c. Naturall Diuinations Deceptions of the Senses Greater Pleasures of the Senses Artificiall Mineralls and Cements FINIS In the New Atlantis Pag. 28. lin 27. for both read bath Pag. 36. lin 6. for procueed read produced This Epistle is the same that should haue been prefixed to this Booke if his Lordship had liued Experiments in Consort touching the Straining and Passing of Bodies one through another which they Call Percolation Experiments in Consort touching Motion of Bodies vpon their Pressure Experiments in Consort touching Separations of Bodies by Weight Experiments in Consort touching Iudicious Accurate Infusions both in Liquors and Aire Experiment Solitary touching the Appetite of Continuation in liquids Experiment Solitary touching the Making of Artificiall Springs Experiment Solitary touching the Venemous Quality of Mans Flesh. Experiment Solitary touching the Version and Transmutation of Aire into Water Experiment Solitary touching Helpes towards the Beauty and good Features of Persons Experiments Solitary touching the Condensing of Aire in such sort as it may put on Weight and yield Nourishment Experiment Solitary touching the CoÌ„mixture of Flame and Aire and the great Force therof Experiment Solitary touching the Secret Nature of Flame Experiment Solitory touching the Different force of Flame in the Middest and on the Sides Experiment Solitary touching the Decrease of the Naturall motion of Grauity in great distance from the Earth or within some depth of the Earth Experiment Solitary touching the Contraction of Bodies in Bulke by the Mixture of the more Liquid Body with the more Solid Experiment Solitary touching the Making Vines more fruitfull Experiments in Consort touching Purging Medicines Experiments in Consort touching Meats and Drinks that are most Nourishing Experiment Solitary touching Filum Medicinale Experiment Solitary touching Cure by Custome Experiment Solitary touching Cure by Excesse Experiment Solitary touching Cure by Motion of Consent Experiment Solitary touching Cure of Diseases which are contrary to Predist sition Experiment Solitary touching Preparations before Purging and setling of the Body afterward Experiment Solitary touching Stocking of Bloud Experiment Solitary touching Change of Aliments and Medicines Experiment Solitary touching Diets Experiments in Consort touching the Production of Cold. Experiments in CoÌ„sort touching the Version and Transmutation of Aire into water Experiments in Consort touching Induration of Bodies Experiment Solitary touching the Version of water into Aire Experiment Solitary touching the Force of Vnion Experiment Solitary touching the Producing of Feathers and Haires of diuers Colours Experiment Solitary touching the Nourishment of Liuing Creatures before they be brought forth Experiments in CoÌ„sort touching Sympathy and Antipathy for Medicinall vse Experiment Solitary touching the Secret Processes of Nature Experiment Solitary touching the Power of Heat Amalgama Experiment Solitary touching the Impossibility of Annibilation Experiments in Consort touching Musicke Experiments in Consort touching Sounds and first touching the Nullity and Entity of Sounds Experiments in CoÌ„sort touching Production Conseruation and Dilation of Sounds And the Office of the Aire therein Experiments in CoÌ„sort touching the Magnitude and Exiluy and Damps of Sounds Experiments in Consort touching the Loudnesse or Sofinesse of Sounds and their Carriage at longer or shorter Distance Experiments in Consort touching the Communication of Sounds Experiments in CoÌ„sort touching Equality and Inequality of Sounds Experiments in Consort touching the â—â—â— treble and the â—â—â— Base Tones or Musicall Sounds Experiments in Consort touching the Proportion of Treble and Base Tones Experiments in Consort touching Exteriour and Interiour Sounds Experiments in Consort touching Articulation of Sounds Experiments in Consort touching the Motions of Sounds in what Lines they are Circular Oblique Straight Vpwards downwards Forwards Backwards Experiments in CoÌ„sort touching the Lasting and Perishing of Sounds And touching the Time they require to their Generation or Delation Experiments in Consort touching the Passage and Interceptions of Sounds Experiments in CoÌ„sort touching the Medium of Sounds Experiments in Consort what the Figures of the Pipes or Concanes or the Bodies Diferent conduce to the Sounds Experiments in Consort touching the Mixture of Sounds Experiments in Consort touching Melioration of Sounds Experiments in CoÌ„sort touching the Imitation of Sounds Experiments in Consort touching the Reflexion of Sounds Experiments in CoÌ„sort touching the Consent and Dissint between Visibles Audibles Experiments in Consort touching the Sympathy or Antipathy of sounds one with another Experiments in Consort touching the Hindring or Helping of the Hearing Experiments in Consort touching the Spirituall and Fine Nature of Sounds Experiment Solitary touching the Orient Colours in dissolution of Metalls Experiment Solitary touching Prolongation of Life Experiment Solitary touching Appetite of Vnion in Bodies Experiment Solitary touching the like Oâ—â—â—â—â—â—ons of Heat and Time Experiment Solitary touching the differing Operations of Fire and Time Experiment Solitary touching Motions by Inuitation Experiment Solitary touching Infectious Disease Experiment Solitary touching the incorporation
to take Marsh-Herbs and Plant them vpon Tops of Hills and Champaignes And such plants as require much Moisture vpon Sandy and very drie Grounds As for Example Marsh-Maltowes and Sedge vpon Hills Cucumber and Letâ—nce Seeds and Coloworis vpon a Sandy Plas So contrariwise plant Bushes Heath Ling and Brakes vpon a Wet or Muâ—sh Ground This I conceiue also that all Eâ—câ—lent and Garden-Herbs set vpon the Tops of Hills will proue more Modicinall though leffe Eâ—â—â—lent than they were before And it may be likewise some Wilde-Herbs you may make Sallel-Herbs This is the first Rule for Transâ—â—ction of Plants The second Rule shall be to burie some few Seeds of the Herbe you would change amongst other Seeds And then you shall see whether the luyee of those other Seeds doe â—â—â— so qualifie the Earth as it will alter the Seed whereupon you worke As for Example Put Parflyâ—â—â— amongst Onion-Sâ—â—t Or Lettuce Seed amongst Parthy-Seed Or Baâ—â—-Seed amongst Thyme-Seed And see the Change of Taste on otherwise But you shall doe well to put the Seed you would change into a little linnen Cloth that it mingle not with the forraine Seed The third Rule shall be the Making of some Medley or Mixture of Earth with some other plants Braised or Shanes either in Leafe or Root As for Example make Earth with a Mixture of Calmert-Leaues stamped and set in it Artisâ—â—â—kes or Parsâ—ips So take Earth made with Maiâ—â— or Origaâ—â—m or Wilde Thâ—â—â— bruised or stamped and set in it Fennell-Seed c. In which Operation the Processe of Nature still will be as I conceiue not that the Harbe you worke vpon should draw the Iuyce of the Foâ—â—ne Herbes For that Opinion was haue formerly reiected But that there will be a New Confection of Mould which perhaps will alter the Seed and yet not to the kinde of the former Herbe The foâ—â—â— Rule shall be to â—â—â— what Herbs some â—â—â— doe put forth of themselues And to take â—â—â— Earth and to Pat it or to â—â—â—â—â—â— it And in that to set the Seed you would change as for example sake from vnder Walls or the like where Nettles put forth in abundance the Earth which you shall there finde without any String or Root of the Nettles And Pot that Earth and set in it Stock-gilly flowers or Wall Flowers c. Or sow in the Seeds of them And see what the Euent will be Or take Earth that you haue prepared to put forth Mushromes of it selfe whereof you shall finde some Instances following And sow in it Purslane Seed or Lettuce-Seed For in these Experiments it is likely enough that the Earth being accustomed to send forth one Kinde of Nourishment will alter the new Seed The fifth Rule shall be to make the Herbe grow Contrary to his Nature As to make Ground-Herbes rise in Heighth As for example Carry Camomill or Wilde-Thyme or the Greene Strawberry vpon Sticks as you doe Heps vpon Poles And see what the Euent will be The sixth Rule shall be to make Plants grow out of the Sunne or Open Aire For that is a great Mutation in Nature And may induce a Change in the Seed As barrell vp Earth and sow some Seed in it and put it in the Bottome of a Pond Or put it in some great hollow Tree Trie also the Sowing of Seeds in the Bottomes of Caues And Pots with Seeds sowne hanged vp in Wells some distance from the Water and see what the Euent will be It is certaine that Timber-Trees in Coppice-Words grow more vpright and more free from Vnder-Boughs than those that stand in the Field The Cause whereof is for that Plants haue a Naturall Motion to get to the Sunne And besides they are not glutted with too much Nourishment For that the Coppice shareth with them And Repletion euer hindreth Stature Lastly they are kept warme And that euer in Plants helpeth Mounting Trees that are of themselues full of Heat which Heat appeareth by their Inflammable Gumms as Firrs and Pines mount of themselues in Heighth without Side-Boughs till they come towards the Top. The Cause is partly Heat And partly Tenuitie of Iuyce Both which send the Sap vpwards As for Iuniper it is but a Shrub and groweth not bigge enough in Body to maintaine a tall Tree It is reported that a Good Strong Canuas spread ouer a Tree grasted low soone after it putteth forth will dwarfe it and make it spread The Cause is plaine For that all Things that grow will grow as they finde Roome Trees are generally set of Roots or Kernells But if you set them of Slips as of some Trees you may by name the Mulberry some of the Slips will take And those that take as is reported will be Dwarfe-Trees The Cause is for that a Slip draweth Nourishment more weakly than either a Root or Kernell All Plants that put forth their Sap hastily haue their Bodies not proportionable to their Length And therefore they are Winders and Creepers As Iuy Briony Hops Woodbine Whereas Dwarsing requireth a slow Putting forth and lesse Vigour of Mounting The Scripture saith that Salomon wrote a Naturall History from the Cedar of Libanus to the Mosse growing vpon the Wall For so the belt Translations haue it And it is true that Mosse is but the Rudiment of a Plant. And as it were the Mould of Earth or Barke Mosse groweth chiefly vpon Ridges of Houses tiled or thatched And vpon the Crests of Walls And that Mosse is of a lightsome and pleasant Greene. The Growing vpon Slopes is caused for that Mosse as on the one side it commeth of Moisture and Water so on the other side the Water must but Slide and not Stand or Poole And the Growing vpon Tiles or Walls c. is caused for that those dried Earths hauing not Moisture sufficient to put forth a Plant doe practise Gormination by Putting forth Mosse Though when by Age or otherwise they grow to relent and resolue they sometimes put forth Plants As Wall-Flowers And almost all Mosse hath here and there little Stalkes besides the low Thrumme Mosse groweth vpon Alleyes especially such as lye Cold and vpon the North As in diuers Tarrasses And againe if they be much trodden Or if they were at the first grauelled For wheresoeuer Plants are kept downe the Earth putteth forth Mosse Old Ground that hath beene long vnbroken vp gathereth Mosse And therfore Husbandmen vse to cure theit Pasture Grounds when they grow to Mosse by Tilling them for a yeare or two Which also dependeth vpon the same Cause For that the more Sparing and Staruing Iuyce of the Earth in sufficient for Plants doth breed Mosse Old Trees are more Mossy farre than Young For that the Sap is not so francke as to rise all to the Boughes but tireth by the way and putteth out Mosse Fountaines haue Mosse growing vpon the Ground about them Muscosi Fontes The Cause is for that the Fountaines draine the Water from the Ground Adiacent and leaue but