The Works of the Lord Bacon in Four Volumes ; Opera omnia Quatuor Voluminibus [3] [PDF]

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T H E

WORKS O

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FRANCIS BACON, Baron of FERULAM, V is c o u n t

St A lb a n ,

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Lord High Chancellor of E ngland.

VOL. HI. C O NT A IN IN G, I. His Natural Hiftory. II. Phyfiological and Medical R e­ mains. III. T h e N ew Atlantis. IV . His Apophthegms. V . E flays. V I. Colours o f Good and Evil. VII. Hiftory o f the Reign o f Hen­ ry VII.

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V III. Hiftory o f Henry V III. IX . Beginning o f the Hiftory o f Great Britain. X . O f a W ar with Spain. XI. O f an holy W ar. XII. T h e Hiftory o f the Office o f Alienations. XIII. Advice to the Duke o f Buck­ ingham, Sir George Filliers.

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Printed for J. and J . K n a p t o n , R . K n a p l o c k , J . W a l t h o e , D. M i d w i n t e r , R. G o slin g , W. M ears , W. I n n y s , T . W o t t o n , D. B r o w n and T. O sb o r n e . MDCCXXX.

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T O T HE

Moft High and Mighty P rin ce

C H A R L E S , By the Grace of GOD,

King o f Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender o f the Faith, &c. May it pleafe your mojl excellent Majejly:

[-A H E whole body o f the Natural Hiftory, either defigned or written r by the late lord viicount St Alban, was dedicated to your majefty in his book De Ventis, about four years paft, when your majefty was prince: fo as there needed no new dedication o f this work, but only in all humblenefs to let your majefty know it is yours. It is true, i f that lord had lived, your majefty, ere long, had been invoked to the prote&ion o f ano­ ther h iftory; whereof, not nature’s king­ dom, as in this, but thefe o f your majefty’s, (during the time and reign o f king Henry the eighth) had been the fubje£t: Which fince it died under the defignation merely, there is nothing left but your majefty s princely goodnefs, gracioufly to accept o f the undertaker’s heart and intenV ol. III. a tions;

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. tions; who was willing to have parted for a while with his darling philofophy, that he might have attended your royal command­ ment in that other work. Thus much I have been bold in all lowlinefs to reprel'ent unto your majefty, as one that was trufted with his lordfhip’s writings even to the laft. And as this work aifeð the ftamp o f your majefty’s royal protection, to make it more current to the world j fo un­ der the protection o f this work, I prefume in all humblenefs to approach your majefty’s prefence, and to oiler it up into your facred hands. d e d i c a t i o n

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Moft loyal and devoted fuljecl, W. R

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A V I N G had the honour to be continually with m y lord, in compiling o f this work, and to be employed therein; I have thought it not amifs (with his lordShip’s good leave and liking) for the better fatisfaCtion o f thole that lhall read it, to make known fomewhat o f his lordlhip’s intentions, touching the ordering and publishing o f the fame. I have heard his lordShip often fay, that i f he Should have Served the glory o f his own name, he had been better not to have publilhed this Natural hiftory: for it may feem an indigefted heap o f particulars, and cannot have that luftre w hich books call into methods h a v e : but that he refolved to prefer the good o f men, and that which might bell Secure it, before any thing that m ight have relation to himfelf. And he knew w ell that there was no other w ay open to unloofe mens minds being bound, and (as it were) maleficiate, by the charms o f deceiving notions and theories, and thereby made impotent for generation o f w orks; but only no where to depart from the fenfe and clear experience, but to keep clofe to it efpecially in the beginning: befides, this Natural hiftory was a debt o f his, being defigned and fet down for a third part o f the inftauration. I have alfo heard his lordShip difcourfe, that men (no doubt) w ill think many o f the experiments contain­ ed in this collection to be vulgar and trivial, mean and Sordid, curious and fruitlefs: and therefore he wiSheth, that they would have perpetually be­ fore their eyes what is now in doing; and the dilference between this N a ­ tural hiftory and others. For thofe Natural hiftories w hich are extant, being gathered for delight and ufe, are full o f pleafant defcriptions and pictures; and affeCt and Seek after admiration, rarities and fecrets: But contrariwife, the fcope w hich his lordShip intended, is to write fuch a Natural hiftory, as may be fundamental to the ereCting and building o f a true philofophy; for the illumination o f the understanding, the extracting o f axioms, and the producing o f many noble works and elfeCts. For he hopeth by this means to acquit him lelf o f that, for which he taketh him ­ fe lf in a fort bound; and that is the advancement o f all learning and fciences. For having in this prefent work collected the materials for the build­ ing, and in his Novum Organum (of which his lordShip is yet to publish a fecond part) fet down the instruments and directions for the w ork; men Shall now be wanting to themfelves, i f they raife not knowledge to that perfection, w hereof the nature o f mortal men is capable. And in this behalf I have heard his lordShip fpeak complainingly, that his lordShip (who thinketh that he deferveth to be an architect in this building) Should be forced to be a workman and. a labourer, and to dig the clay, and burn the brick; and more than that (according to the hard condition o f the Ifraelites at the later end) to gather the Straw and Stubble over all the fields, to burn the bricks withal. F or he knoweth, that except he do it, nothing w ill be done; men are fo fet to defpife the means o f their own

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T O T H E REA DE R. good. And as for the bafenefs o f many o f the experiments, as long as they be G od’s works, they are honourable enough. And for the vulgarnefs o f them, true axioms muft be drawn from plain experience, and not from doubtful; and his lordlhip’s courfe is to make wonders plain, and not plain things wonders; and that experience likewife muft be broken and grinded, and not whole, or as it groweth. And for ufe, his lordftiip hath often in his mouth the two kinds o f experiments, Experimenta fr u g ife r a , and Experimenta lucifera-, experiments o f u fe , and experiments o f light: and he reporteth himfelf, whether he were not a ftrange man, that fhould think that light hath no ufe, becaufe it bath no matter. Farther, his lordftiip thought good alfo to add unto many o f the experiments themfelves, fame g lo i o f the caules; that in the fucceeding work o f interpret­ ing nature, and framing axioms, all things may be in more readinefs. And for the caufes herein by him afligned, his lordftiip perfuadeth him­ felf they are far more certain than thofe that are rendred by others; not for any excellency o f his own wit, (as his lordftiip is wont to fay) but in refpeCt o f his continual co n ven tion with nature and experience. H e did conftder likewife, that by this addition o f caufes, mens minds (which make fo much hafte to find out the caufes o f things;) would not think themfelves utterly loft in a vaft wood o f experience, but ftay upon thefe caules (fuch as they are) a little, till true axioms may be more fully difcovered. 1 have heard his lordftiip fay alfo, that one great reafon w hy he would not, put thefe particulars into any exaCl method, (though he that looketh at­ tentively into them, Ihall find that they have a fecret order) was becaufe he conceived that other men would now think that they could do the like; and fo go on with a further collection: which if the method had been exaCt, many would have defpaired to attain by imitation. As for his lordfhip’g love o f order, I can refer any man to his lordlhip’s latin book, D e Augmentis Scientiarum * ; which (if m y judgment be any thing) is writ­ ten in the exaCteft order that I know any writing to be. I will conclude with an ufual fpeech o f his lordlhip’s: that this work o f his Natural hiftory is the world as God made it; and not as men have made it; for that it hath nothing o f imagination. W . R

aw l e y .

* This epilllc is the fame that {hould have been prefixed to this book, if his kirdlhip had lived.

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Experim ents in conforty touching the fr a in in g and pajjing o f bodies, one through another; 'which they call Percolation. I G a pit upon the fea-fhore, fomewhat above the high-water mark, and fink it as deep as the low-water m a rk ; and as the tide cometh in, it w ill fill w ith water, frefh and potable. T his is commonly pradtifed upon the coafl: o f Barbary , where other frefh water is wanting. And Caefar knew this well, when he was befieged in A lexa n d ria : for by digging o f pits in the feafhore, he did fruflrate the laborious works o f the enemies, w hich had turned the fea-water upon the wells o f A lexandria ; and fo faved his army being then in defperation. But Caefar miftook the caufe, for he thought that all fea-fands had natural fprings o f frefh w a te r: but it is plain, that it is the fea-water; becaufe the pit filleth according to the meafure o f the tid e : and the fea-water palling or ftraining through the fands, leaveth the faltnefs. 2. I remember to have read, that trial hath been made o f falt-water paffed through earth, through ten veflels, one within another; and yet it hath not loft its faltnefs, as to become potable: but the fame man faith, that (by the relation o f another) falt-water drained through twenty veflels, hath be­ come frefh. This experiment feemeth to crofs that other o f pits, made by the fea-fide; and yet but in part, i f it be true, that twenty repetitions do the effedt. But it is worth the note, how poor the imitations o f nature are in common courfe o f experiments, except they be led by great judgment, and fome good light o f axioms. For firft, there is no fmall difference be­ tween a paffage o f water through twenty fmall veffels, and through fuch a diftance, as between the low-water and high-water mark. Secondly, there is a great difference between earth and fand; for all earth hath in it a kind o f nitrous fait, from w hich fand is more fre e : and befides, earth doth not ftrain the water fo finely, as fand doth. But there is a third point, that I fufpedt as much or more than the other tw o ; and that is, that in the expe­ riment o f tranfmiffion o f the fea-water into the pits, the water rifeth; but in the experiment o f tranfmiffion o f the water through the veflels, it falleth. Now certain it is, that the falter part o f water (once faked throughout) goeth to the bottom. And therefore no marvel, i f the draining o f water by defcent, doth not make it frefh: betides, I do fomewhat doubt, that the V o L . III. A very

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very dafhing o f the water, that cometh from the fea, is more proper to drike off the (alt part, than where the water llideth o f its own motion. 3. It feemeth Percolation, or Tranfmiffion, (which is commonly called draining) is a good kind o f reparation, not only o f thick from thin, andgrofe from fine, but o f more fubtile natures; and varieth according to the body through which the tranfmiffion is made: as i f through a woollen bag, the liquor leaveth the fatnefs; i f through fand, the faltnefs, & c, T h ey fpeak o f fevering wine from water, paifing it through ivy wood, or through other the like porous body ; but non confiat.

4. T he gum o f trees (which we fee to be commonly fhining and clear) is but a fine padage or draining o f the juice o f the tree through the wood and bark. And in like manner, cornifh diamonds, and rock rubies (which are yet more refplendent than gums) are the fine exudations o f done. y. A r is t o t l e giveth the caufe, vainly, w hy the feathers o f birds are o f more lively colours, than the hairs o f beads; for no bead: hath any fine azure, or carnation, or green hair. H e faith, it is, becaufe birds are more in the beams o f the fun than beads; but that is manifedly untrue; for cattel are more in the fun than birds, that live commonly in the woods, or in fome covert. T h e true caufe is, that the excrementitious moidure o f living creatures, which maketh as well the feathers in birds, as the hair in beads, padeth in birds through a finer and more delicate drainer than it doth in beads: for feathers pafs through quills; and hair through fkin. 6. T he clarifying o f liquors by adhefion, is an inward Percolation; and is effedled, when fome cleaving body is mixed and agitated with the liquors; whereby the groder part o f the liquor dicks to that cleaving body; and fo the finer parts are freed from the groder. So the apothecaries clarify their fyrups by whites o f eggs, beaten with the juices which they would clarify; which whites o f eggs gather all the dregs and groder parts o f the juice to them; and after the fyrup being fet on the fire, the whites o f eggs themfelves harden, and are taken forth. So ippocrafs is clarified by mixing with milk, and dirring it about, and then pafiing it through a woollen bag, which they call Hippocrates's Sleeve, and the cleaving nature o f the milk draweth the powder o f the fpices, and groder parts o f the liquor to it; and in the padage they dick upon the woollen bag. 7. T he clarifying o f water, is an experiment tending to health; befides the pleafure o f the eye, when water is crydalline. It is effefted by cading in and placing pebbles at the head o f the current, that the water may drain through them. 8. It may be, Percolation doth not only caufe clearnefs and fplendour, but fweetnefs o f favour; for that alfo followeth as well as clearnefs, when the finer parts are fevered from the groder. So it is found, that the fweats o f men, that have much heat, and exercife much, and have clean bodies, and fine fkins, do fmell fw eet; as was faid o f A lexander ; and we fee, commonly, that gums have fweet odours.

Experim ents in confort, touching Motion o f bodies upon their prejfure. 9. T a k e a glafs, and put water into it, and wet your finger, and draw it round about the lip o f the glafs, preding it fomewhat hard; and after you have drawn it fome few times about, it w ill make the water frifk andfprinkle up, in a fine dew. This indance doth excellently demondrate the force o f compredion in a folid body: for whenfoever a folid body (as wood, done, metal, &c.) is preded, there is an inward tumult in the parts thereof, feeking ' to

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to deliver themfelves from the compreffion: and this is the caufe o f all vio­ lent motion. W herein it is ftrange, in the higheft degree, that this motion hath never been obferved, nor inquired; it being o f all motions the m oil common, and the ch ief root o f all mechanical operations. This motion worketh in round at firft, by w ay o f p roof and fearch, w hich way to deli­ ver it felf; and then worketh in progrefs, where it findeth the deliverance eafieft. In liquors this motion is vifible ; for all liquors ftrucken make round circles, and withal dafh; but in folids (which break not) it is fo ffibtile, as it is invifible; but neverthelefs bewrayeth it fe lf by many effects; as in this inftance w hereof we fpeak. For the preflure o f the finger, furthered by the wetting, (becaufe it fticketh fo much the better unto the lip o f the glafs) after fome continuance, putteth all the fmall parts o f the glafs into w o r k ; that they ftrike the water fharply; from which percuflion that fprinkling cometh.

10. I f you ftrike or pierce a folid body, that is brittle, as glafs, or fugar, it breaketh not only where the immediate force is; but breaketh all about into Olivers and fitters; the motion, upon the preflure, fearching all ways, and breaking where it findeth the body weakeft. 11. T he powder in ftiot, being dilated into fuch a flame, as endureth not compreffion, moveth likewife in round, (the flame being in the nature o f a liquid body) fometimes recoiling; fometimes breaking the piece; but gene­ rally difcharging the bullet, becaufe there it findeth eafieft deliverance. i z . T his motion upon preflure, and the reciprocal thereof, which is mo­ tion upon tenfure, we ufe to call (by one common name) motion o f liberty; which is, when any body, being forced to a preternatural extent of dimenfion, delivereth and reftoreth it felf to the natural: as when a blown bladder (prefled) rifeth again; or when leather or cloth tentured, fpring back. Thefe two motions (of which there be infinite inftances) we fhall handle in due place. 13. T his motion upon preflure is excellently alio demonftrated in founds; as when one chimeth upon a bell, it foundeth; but as foon as he layeth his hand upon it, the found ceafeth: and lo, the found o f a virginal firing, as foon as the quill o f the jack fiftieth from it, ftoppeth. For thefe founds are produced by the fubtile percuflion o f the minute parts o f the bell, or ftring, upon the air, all one, as the water is caufed to leap by the fubtile percuflion o f the minute parts o f the glafs, upon the water, w h ereof w e fpake a little before in the ninth experiment. For you m ull not take it to be the local lhaking o f the bell, or ftring, that doth i t : as w e fhall fully declare, when w e come hereafter to handle founds.

Experim ents in confrn t, touching Separations o f bodies by w eight. 14. T ake a glafs w ith a belly and a long neb; fill the belly (in part) with water: take alfo another glafs, whereinto put claret wine and water mingled; reverfe the firft glafs, w ith the belly upwards, flopping the neb with your finger; then dip the mouth o f it within the fecond glafs, and remove your finger: continue it in that pofture for a tim e; and it w ill unmingle the wine from the water: thewine afcending and fettling in the top o f the up­ per glafs; and the water defcending and fettling in the bottom o f the lower glafs. T h e paflage is apparent to the eye; for you fhall fee the w in e,a s it were, in a fmall vein, rifing through the water. For handfomnefs fake (be­ caufe the working requireth fome fmall time) it were good you hang the upper glafs upon a nail. But as foon as there is gathered fo much pure and unmixed

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unmixed water in the bottom o f the lower glafs, as that the mouth o f die upper glafs dippeth into it, the motion ceal'eth. , , L et the upper glafs be wine, and the lower water; there Followeth no motion at all. Let the upper glafs be water pure, the lower water co­ loured or, contrariwife, there followeth no motion at all. But it hath been tried, that’ though the mixture o f wine and water, in the lower glafs, be three parts water and but one wine, yet it doth not dead the motion. This feparation o f water and wine appeareth to be made by weight; for it muft be o f bodies o f unequal weight, or elfe it worketh not; and the heavier body mnft ever be in the upper glafs. But then note withal, that the water be­ ing made penfile, and there being a great weight o f water in the belly o f the glafs, fuftained by a fmall pillar o f water in the neck o f the glafs; it is that which fetteth the motion on w ork: For water and wine in one glafc, with long Handing, will hardly fever. 1 6 T h is experiment would be extended from mixtures of leveral liquors, to Ample bodies, which confift o f feveral fimilar parts: try it therefore with brine or falt-water, and frefh-water: placing the falt-water (which is the heavier) in the upper glafs; and fee whether the frelh will come above. T ry it alfo with water thick fugared, and pure water; and fee whether the water, which cometh above, will lofe its fweetnefs: for which purpofe it were good there were a little cock made in the belly o f the upper glafs.

Experim ents in confort, touching judicious and accurate infufions, both in liquors and air. 17. I n bodies containing fine fpirits, which do eafily difiipate, when you make infufions, the rule is; a fhort Hay o f the body in the liquor, receive* the fpirit; and a longer ftay, confoundeth it; becaufe it draweth forth the earthy part withal, which embafeth the finer. And therefore it is an error in phyficians, to reft Amply upon the length o f ftay for increafing the vir­ tue. But if you w ill have the infufion ftrong, in thofe kinds o f bodies which have fine fpirits, your way is not to give longer time, but to repeat the in­ fufion o f the body oftner. Take violets, and infufe a good pugil o f them in a quart o f vinegar; let them ftay three quarters o f an hour, and take them forth, and refrefti the infufion with like quantity o f new violets, feven times; and’ it will make a vinegar fo frelh o f the flower, as if a twelvemonth after it be brought you in a faucer, you lhall fmell it before it come at you. Note, that it fmelleth more perfectly o f the flower, a good while after, than 1 8. T h is rule, which we have given, is o f Angular ufe for the prepara­ tions o f medicines, and other infufions. As for example: the leaf o f burrage hath an excellent fpirit, to reprefs the fuliginous vapour o f dulky melancholy, and fo to cure madnefs: but neverthelefs, i f the leaf be infufed long it yieldeth forth but a raw fubftance, o f no virtue: therefore I fuppofe, that if in the muft o f wine, or wort o f beer, while it worketh, before it be tunned, the burrage ftay a fmall time, and be often changed with frelh; it will make a fovereign drink for melancholy paflions. And the like I conceive o f orange flowers. io . R hubarb hath manifeftly in it parts o f contrary operations: parts that purge; and parts that bind the body: and the firft lay loofcr, and the lat­ ter lay deeper: fo that i f you infufe rhubarb for an hour, and crulh it well, it will purge better, and bind the body lefs after the purging, than if it ftood twenty four hours; this is tried: but I conceive likewife, that by repeating

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the infufion o f rhubarb, feveral times, (as was faid o f violets,) letting each ftay in but a fmall tim e; you may make it as ftrong a purging medicine, as fcammony. And it is not a fmall thing won in phyfick, i f you can make rhubarb, and other medicines that are benedid, as ftrong purgers, as thofe that are not without fome malignity. zo. P urgin g medicines, for the moft part, have their purgative virtue in a fine fpirit; as appeareth by that they endure not boiling without much lofs o f virtue. And therefore it is o f good ufe in phyfick, i f you can retain the purging virtu e, and take away the unpleafant tafte o f the purger; which it is like you may do, by this courfe o f infilling oft, with little flay. For it is probable, that the horrible and odious tafte, is in die groffer part. z i . G e n e r a l l y , the working by infufions, is grols and blind, except you firft try the ifluing o f the feveral parts o f the body, which o f them iffue more fpeedily, and which more flow ly; and fo by apportioning the time, can take and leave that quality, which you defire. This to know, there are tw o ways; the one to try what long ftay, and what Ihort ftay worketh, as hath been faid: the other to try in order, the fucceeding infufions, o f one and the fame body, lucceflively, in feveral liquors. As for example; take orange-pills, or rofemary, or cinnamon, or what you w ill; and let them infufe h a lf an hour in w ater: then take them out, and infufe them again in another water; and fo the third time: and then tafte and coijfider the firft water, the fecond, and the third: and you w ill find them differing, not only in ftrength and weaknefs, but otherwife in tafte or odour; for it may be the firft water will have more o f the fcent, as more fragrant; and the fecond more o f the tafte, as more bitter or biting, & c. z z . I nfusions in air, (for fo we may well call odours) have the fame diverlifies with infufions in water; in that the feveral odours *(which are in one flower, or other body) iffue at feveral times; fome earlier, fome later: fo w e find that violets, woodbines, ftrawberries, yield a pleafing fcent, that cometh forth firft; but foon after an ill fcent quite differing from the for­ mer. W h ich is caufed, not fo much by mellowing, as by the late iffuing o f the groffer fpirit. Z3. As w e may defire to exrrad the fineft fpifits in fome cafes; fo we may defire alfo to difcharge them (as hurtful) in fome other. So wine burnt, by reafon o f the evaporating o f the finer fpirit, enflameth Ids, and is beft in agues: opium lofeth fome o f his poifonous quality, i f it be vapoured out, mingled with fpirit o f w ine, or the like: fena lofeth fomewhat o f its windinefs by decoding; and (generally) fubtile or windy fpirits are taken off by incenfion, or evaporation. And even in infufions in things that are o f too high a fpirit, you were better pour off the firft infufion, after a fmall time, and ufe the later.

E xperim ent folitary touching the appetite o f continuation in liquids. Z4- B ubbles are in the form o f an hemifphere; air within, and a little lkin o f water without: and it feemeth fomewhat ftrange, that the air fliould rife fo fwiftly, while it is in the water; and when it cometh to the top, ftiould be ftayed by fo weak a cover as that o f the bubble is. But as for the fwift afcent o f the air, w hile it is under the water, that is a motion o f percuffion from the water; w hich it felf defcending, driveth up the air; and no motion o f levity in the air. And this Democritus called Motus Plagae. In this common experiment, the caufe o f the enclofure o f the bubble is, for that the appetite to refill feparation, or difcontinuance, (which in folid boV o L. IIL B die#

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dies is ftrong) is alfo in liquors, though fainter and weaker; as we fee in this o f the bubble: we fee it alfo in little glafles o f fpittle that children make o f rufhes; and in caftles o f bubbles, which they make by blowing into water, having obtained a little degree o f tenacity by mixture o f foap: we fee it alfo in the ftillicides o f water, which if there be water enough to follow, will draw themfelves into a fmall thread, becaufe they will not difcontinue; bur i f there be no remedy, then they call themfelves into round drops; which is the figure that faveth the body moil from difcontinuance: the fame reafon is o f the roundnefs o f the bubble, as well for the lkin o f water, as for the air within: for the air likewife avoideth difcontinuance; and therefore cafteth it felf into a round figure. And for the flop and arreft o f the air a little while, it Iheweth that the air o f it felf hath little or no appetite o f afcending.

Experim ent folitary touching the making o f artificial fprings. zy. T he rejection, which I continually ule, o f experiments, (though it appeareth not) is infinite; but yet if an experiment be probable in the work, and o f great ufe, I receive it, but deliver it as doubtful. It was reported by a fober man, that an artificial fpring may be made thus: find out a hanging ground, where there is a good quick fall o f rain-water. Lay a half-trough o f ftone, o f a good length, three or four foot deep within the fame ground; with one end upon the high ground, the other upon the low. Cover the trough with brakes a good thicknels, and call fand upon the top o f the brakes: you Ihall fee, (faith he) that after fome fhowers are part, the lower end o f the trough will run like a fpring o f water: which is no marvel, if it hold while the rain-water lafteth; but he faid it would continue long time after the rain is part: as i f the water did multiply it felf upon the air, by the help o f the coldnefs and cendenfation o f the earth, and the confort o f the firft water.

Experim ent folitary touching the venomous quality of man's fleflo. z 6. T he French, (which put off the name o f the French difeafe, unto the name o f the difeafe o f Naples,) do report, that at the fiege o f Naples, there were certain wicked merchants that barrelled up man’s flelh, (of fome that had been lately flain in Barbary) and fold it for tunney; and that upon that foul and high nourishment, was the original o f that difeafe. W hich may well be; for that it is certain, that the canibals in the Weft. Indies, eat man’s flelh; and the IVefl Indies were full o f the pox when they were firft difcovered: and at this day the mortaleft poifons, praftifed by the IVefl Indians, have fome mixture o f the bloud, or fat, or flelh o f man : and divers witches, and forcerefles, as well amongft the heathen, as amongft the chriftians, have fed upon mans flelh, to aid (as it feemeth) their imagination, with high and foul vapours.

Experim ent folitary touching the verfion and tranfm utation o f air into w ater. 17. I t feemeth that there be thefe ways (in likelihood) o f verfion o f va­ pours or air, into water and moifture. T he firft is cold; which doth manifeftly condenfe; as we fee in the contracting o f the air in the weather-glafs; whereby it is a degree nearer to water. W e fee it alfo in the generation o f fprings, which the ancients thought (very probably) to be made by the ver­ fion o f air into water, holpen by the reft, which the air hath in thofe parts; whereby it cannot diffipate. And by the coldnefs o f rocks; for there fprings are chiefly generated. W e fee it alfo in the effects o f the cold o f the middle 4 region'

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region (as they call it) o f the air; which produceth dews and rains. And the experiment o f turning water into ice, by fnow, nitre and fait, (whereof we Ihall fpeak hereafter,) would be transferred to the turning o f air into water. T h e fecond way is by compreffion; as in ftillatories, where the vapour is turned back upon it felf, by the encounter o f the fides o f the ftillatory; and in the dew upon the covers o f boiling pots; and in the dew towards rain, upon marble and wainfeot. But this is like to do no great effedl; except it be upon vapours, and grofs air, that are already very near in degree to wa­ ter. T h e third is that, which may be fearched into, but doth not yet appear ; which is, by mingling o f moift vapours with a ir ; and trying i f they w ill not bring a return o f more water, than the water was at firft: for if fo, that increafe is a verlion o f the air: therefore put water into the bottom o f a ftillatory, with the neb flopped; weigh the water firft; hang in the middle o f the ftillatory a large fpunge; and fee what quantity o f water you can crulh out o f it; and what it is more, or lefs, compared with the water fpent; for you m ull underftand, that if any verfion can be wrought, it w ill be eafilieft done in fmall pores: and that is the reafon w hy we preferibe a Ipunge. T h e fourth way is probable alfo, though not appearing; which is, by receiv­ ing the air into the fmall pores o f bodies; for (as hath been faid) every thing in fmall quantity is more eafy for verfion; and tangible bodies have no pleafure in the confort o f air, but endeavour to fubadt it into a more denfe body: but in entire bodies it is checked; becaufe i f the air Ihould condenle, there is nothing to fucceed: therefore it m ull be in loofe bodies, as fand, and pow­ der; which we fee, i f they lie clofe, o f themfelves gather moifture.

Experim ent folitary touching helps towards the beauty and good features of perfons. a 8. It is reported by fome o f the ancients; that whelps, or other creatures, i f they be put young into fuch a cage or box, as they cannot rife to their ftature, but may increafe in breadth or length, will grow accordingly, as they can get ro o m : which i f it be true and feifible, and that the young creature fo prelied, and ftraightened, doth not thereupon die ; it is a means to produce d w arf creatures, and in a very ftrange figure. This is certain, and noted long fince; that the preflure or forming o f parts o f creatures, when they are very young, doth alter the lhape not a little; "as the ftroaking o f the heads o f infants, between the hands, was noted o f old, to make M acrocephali-, which lhape o f the head, at that time, was efteeiried. And the railing gently o f the bridge o f the nofe, doth prevent the deformity o f a faddle nofe. W hich obfervation well weighed, may teach a means, to make the perfons o f men and women, in many kinds, more comely, and better featured, than otherwife they would be; by the forming and lhaping o f them in their infancy: as by ftroaking up the calves o f the legs, to keep them from filling down too lo w ; and by ftroaking up the forehead, to keep them from being low-foreheaded. And it is a common practice to fwathe infants, that they may grow more ftraight, and better fhaped: and w e fee young women, by wearing ftraight bodice, keep themfelves from be­ ing grofs and corpulent.

Experim ent folitary touching the condenfing o f air in fu ch fo rt as it may p ut on w eight, and yield nounfhment. 19. O n io n s , as they hang, will many o f them Ihoot forth; and lo will penny-royal; and fo w ill an herb called orpin; with which they ufe in the countrey,

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countrey, to trim their houfes, binding it to a lath or flick, and fetting it againfl a wall. W e fee it likewife, more efpecially, in the greater fcmpervive, which will put out branches, two or three years: but it is true, that commonly they wrap the root in a cloth belmeared with oil, and renew it once in h alf a year. T h e like is reported by fome o f die ancients, o f die flalks o f lilies. T h e caufe is; for that thefe plants have a flrong, denfe, and fucculent moifture, w hich is not apt to exhale; and fo is able, from the old flore, without drawing help from the earth, to fuffice the fprouting o f the plant: and this fprouting is chiefly in the late fpring, or early fum m er; w hich are the times o f putting fordi. W e fee alfo, that flumps o f trees, ly­ ing out o f the ground, w ill put forth fprouts for a time. But it is a noble trial, and o f very great confequence, to try whether thefe things, in the fprouting, do increafe weight; which m ufl be tried, by weighing them be­ fore they be hang’d up; and afterwards again, when they are fprouted. For i f they increafe not in weight; then it is no more but this; that what they fend forth in the fprout, they lofe in fome other part: but i f they gather weight, then it is magnale naturae-, for it fheweth that air may be made fo to be condenfed, as to be converted into a denfe body; whereas the race and period o f all things, here above the earth, is to extenuate and turn things to be more pneuroatical and rare; and not to be retrograde, from pneumatical to that w hich is denfe. It fheweth alfo, that air can nourifh; which is another great matter o f confequence. Note, that to try this, the experiment o f the feniper-vive, m ufl be made without oiling the cloth ; for ell'e, it may be, the plant recciverh nourifhment from the oil.

Experim ent folitary touching the com m ixture o f fa m e and a ir, and the great force thereof. 30. F lame and air do not mingle, except it be in an inflant; or in the vital fpirits o f vegetables, and living creatures. In gun-powder, the force o f it hath been aferibed to rarefaction o f the earthy fubflance into flame; and thus far it is true: and then (forfooth) it is become another element; the form w hereof occupieth more place; and fo, o f neceffity, followeth a dilatation: and therefore, left two bodies fliould be in one place, diere m ufl needs alfo follow an expullion o f the pellet; or blowing up o f the mine. But thefe are crude and ignorant fpeculations. For flame, i f there were nothing elfe, except it were in y.ery great quantity, w ill be fuffocated with any hard body, fuch as a pellet is; or the barrel o f a gun; fo as the flame would not expel the hard bqdy; but the hard body would kill the flame, and not fuffer it to kindle, o f l'pread. But the caufe o f this fo potent a motion, is the nitre, (which we call otherwife falt-petre;) w hich having in it a notable crude and windy fpirir, firfl by the heat o f the fire fuddenly dilateth it f e lf ; (and we know that fimple air, being preternaturally attenuated by heat, w ill make it fe lf room, and break, and blow up that which refifleth i t ;) and fecondly, when the nitre hath dilated it felf, it bloweth abroad the flame, as an inward bellows. A n d therefore we foe that brimflone, pitch, camphire, wild-fire, and divers other inflammable matters, though they burn cruelly, and are hard to quench, yet they make no fuch fiery wind, as gun-powder doth: and on the other fide, w e fee that quick-filver, (which is a mofl crude and watry body) heated, and pent in, hath the like force w ith gun-powder. As for living creatures, it is certain, their vital fpirits are a fubflance compounded o f an airy ;jnd flamy matter; and though air and flame being free, w ill not well mingle; yet bound in by a body that hath fome fixing, they will. For that you 3 may

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may beft fee in thofe two bodies', (which are their aliments,) water and oil; for they likewife will not well mingle o f themfelves; but in the bodies o f plants, and living creatures, they will. It is no marvel therefore, that a lmall quantity o f ipirits, in the cells o f the brain and canals o f die finews, are able to move the whole body, (which is o f fo great mafs,) both with fo great force, as in wreftling, leaping; and with fo great fwiftnefs, as in play­ ing divifion upon the lute. Such is the force o f thefe two natures, air and flame, when they incorporate.

Experim ent folitary touching the fe c rit nature o f flam e. 31. T a k e a fmall wax candle, and put it in a focket o f brafs or iron ; dien fet it upright in a porringer full o f fpirit o f wine, heated; then fet both the candle, and fpirit o f wine, on fire, and you fhall fee the flame o f the candle open it feIf, and become four or five times bigger than otherwife it would have been; and appear in figure globular, and not in pyramis. Y ou fhall fee alfo, that the inward flame o f the candle keepeth colour, .and doth not w'ax any whit blue towards the colour o f the outward flame o f die fpirit o f wine. This is a noble inftance; wherein two diings are moft remarkable: the one, that one flame within another quencheth not; but is a fixed body, and continueth as air, or water do. And therefore flame would flill afcend upwards in one greatnefs, i f it were not quenched on the fides: and the greater the flame is at the bottom, the higher is the rife. T h e other, that flame doth not mingle with flame, as air doth with air, or water with water, but only remaineth contiguous; as it cometh to pafs betwixt confifting bo­ dies. It appeareth alfo, that the form o f a pyramis in flame, which we ufually fee, is merely by accident, and that the air about, by quenching the fides o f the flame, crufheth it, and extenuateth it into that form ; for o f it felf it would be round: and therefore fmoak is in the figure o f a pyramis reverfed; for the air quencheth the flame, and receiveth the fmoak. Note alfo, that the flame o f the candle, within the flame o f the fpirit o f wine, is troubled; and doth not only open and move upwards, but moveth waving, and to and fr o : as i f flame o f its own nature (if it were not quenched,) would roll and turn, as well as move upwards. By all which it fhould feem, that the celeftial bodies, (moft o f them,) are true fires or flames, as the Stoicks h eld; more fine (perhaps) and rarified, than our flame is. For they are all globular and determinate; they have rotation; and they have the colour and fplendour o f flame: fo that flame above is durable, and confiftent, and in its natural place; but with us, it is a ftranger, and momentany, and impure; like F illcan that halted with his fall.

Experim ent folitary touching the dijferent force o f flam e in the m idjl and on the fldes. 31. T a k e an arrow, and hold it in flame, for the fpace o f ten pulfes ; and when it cometh forth, you fhall find thofe parts o f the arrow, which were on the outfides o f the flame, more burned, blacked, and turned almoft into a coal, whereas that in the midft o f the flame, will be, as if the fire had fcarce touched it. This is an inftance o f great confequence for the difcovery o f the nature o f flame; and fheweth manifeftly, that flame burneth more violently towards the fldes, than in the midft: and, which is more, that heat or fire is not violent or furious, but where it is checked and pent. And therefore the Peripateticks (howfoever their opinion o f an element of fire above the air is juftly exploded;) in that point they acquit themfelves w e ll: V o t . IIL C for o

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for being oppofed, that if there were a fphere o f fire, that encompafled the earth fo near hand, it were impoflible but all things fhould be burnt u p ; they anfwer, that the pure elemental fire, in its own place, and not irritated, is but o f a moderate heat.

Experim ent folitary touching the decreafe o f the natural motion o f g ra v ity in great diftancefrom the ea rth , or w ithin fome depth e f the earth. 33. I t is affirmed conftantly by many, as an ufual experiment; that a lump o f oar, in the bottom o f a mine, will be tumbled and ftirred by tw o mens ftrength; which i f you bring it to the top o f the earth, w ill afk fix mens ftrength at the leaft to ftir it. It is a noble inftance, and is fit to be tried to the full-: for it is very probable, that the motion o f gravity worketh weakly, both far from the earth, and alfo within the earth: the former, becaufe the appetite o f union o f denfe bodies with the earth, in refped; o f the diftance, is more dull; the latter, becauie the body hath in part attained its nature, when it is fome depth in the earth. For as for the moving to a point or place (which was the opinion o f the ancients) it is a mere vanity.

Experim ent folitary touching the contraction of bodies in bulk, by the m ixture o f the more liquid body w ith the more foltd. 34. It is ftrange, how the ancients took up experiments upon credit, and yet did build great matters upon them. T h e obfervation o f fome o f the beft o f them, delivered confidently is, that a veflel filled with afhes, w ill receive the like quantity o f water, that it would have done i f it had been empty. But this is utterly untrue, for the water w ill not go in by a fifth part. And I fuppole, that that fifth part is the difference o f the lying clofe, or open, o f the afhes; as we fee that afhes alone, i f they be hard prefled, w ill lie in lefs room: and fo the afhes with air between, lie loofer; and with water, clofer. For I have not yet found certainly, that the water it felf, by mixture o f afhes, or duft, w ill fhrink or draw into lefs room.

Experim ent folitary touching the making vines more fru itfu l. 3f . It is reported o f credit, that i f you lay good ftore o f kernels o f grapes about the root o f a vine, it will make the vine come earlier and profper bet­ ter. It may be tried with other kernels, laid about the root o f a plant o f the fame kind; as figs, kernels o f apples, & c. T h e caufe may be, for that the ker­ nels draw out o f the earth juice fit to nourifh the tree, as thofe that would be trees o f themfelves, though there were no root; but the root being o f greater ftrength, robbeth and devoureth the nourifhment, when they have drawn i t : as great fifties devour little.

Experim ents in confort touching purging medicines. 36. T he operation o f purging medicines, and the caufes thereof, have been thought to be a great fecret; and fo according to the flothful manner o f men, it is referred to a hidden propriety, a fpecifical virtue, and a fourth quality, and the like fhifts o f ignorance. T h e caufes o f purging are divers j all plain and perfpicuous; and throughly maintained by experience. T h e firft is, that whatsoever cannot be overcome and digefted by the ftomach, is by the ftomach either put up by vomit, or put down to the guts; and by that motion o f expulfion in the ftomach and guts, other parts o f the body, (as the orifices o f the veins, and the like) are moved to expel by confent. For nothing is more frequent than motion o f confent in the body o f man. T his

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This furcharge o f the ftomach, is caufed either by the quality o f die medi­ cine, or by the quantity. T he qualities are three: extreme bitter, as in aloes, coloquintida, & c. loathfome and o f horrible tafte, as in agarick, black hel­ lebore, & c. and o f fecret malignity, and dilagreement towards mans body, many times not appearing much in the tafte; as in fcammony, mechoachan, antimony, & c. And note well, that i f there be any medicine that purgeth, and hath neither o f the firft two manifeft qualities; it is to be held fufpeCted as a kind o f poifon; for that it worketh either by corrofion, or by a fecret malignity, and enmity to nature: and therefore fuch medicines are warily to be prepared and ufed. T h e quantity o f that which is taken, doth alio caufe purging; as we fee in a great quantity o f new milk from the cow ; yea and a great quantity o f meat; for furfeits many times turn to purges, both upwards and downwards. Therefore we fee generally, that the work­ ing o f purging medicines cometh two or three hours after the medicines taken; for that the ftomach firft maketh a proof, whether it can concoCt them. And the like happeneth after furfeits, or milk in too great quantity. 37. A fecond caufe is mordication o f the orifices o f the parts; efpecially o f the mefentery veins; as it is feen, that fait, or any fuch thing that is Iharp and biting, put into the fundament, doth provoke the part to expel; and muftard provoketh fneezing: and any Iharp thing to the eyes provoketh tears. And therefore we fee that almoft all purgers have a kind o f twitch­ ing and vellication, befides the griping which cometh o f wind. And i f this mordication be in an over-high degree, it is little better than the corrofion o f poifon; as it cometh to pafs fometimes in antimony, efpecially i f it be given to bodies not replete with humours; for where humours abound, the humours fave the parts. 38. T he third caufe is attraction: for I do not deny, but that purging me­ dicines have in them a diredt force o f attraction; as drawing plaifters have in furgery: and we fee fage, or betony bruifed, fneezing powder, and other powders or liquors (which the phyficians call errhinesy) put into the nofe, draw phlegm and water from the head; and fo it is in apophlegmatifms and gargarifms, that draw the rheum down by the palate. And by this virtue, no doubt, fome purgers draw more one humour, and fome another, accord­ ing to the opinion received: as rhubarb draweth choler j fena melancholy; agarick phlegm, & c . but yet (more or left) they draw promifcuoully. And note alfo, that befides fympathy between the purger and the humour, there is alfo another caufe, w h y fome medicines draw fome humour more than another. And it is, for that fome medicines work quicker than others: they that draw quick, draw only the lighter and more fluid humours; and they that draw flow, work upon the more tough and vifcous humours. And therefore men muft beware how they take rhubarb, and the like, alone fami­ liarly ; for it taketh only the lighteft part o f the humour away, and leaveth the mafs o f humours more obftinate. And the like may be faid o f worm­ wood, which i8 fo much magnified. 39. T he fourth caufe is flatuofity; for wind ftirred moveth to expel: and w e find that (in effeCt) all purgers have in them a raw fpirit, or w in d ; which is die principal caufe o f tortion in the ftomach and belly. And therefore purgers lofe (moll o f them) the virtue, by decoCtion upon the fire; and for that caufe are given chiefly in infufion, juice, or powder.

40. T he fifth caufe is comprellion, or crufhing: as when water is crulhed out o f a fpunge: fo we fee that taking cold moveth loofenefs by contraction o f the fkin and outward parts; and fo doth cold likewiie caufe rheums and defluxions

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defluxions from the head; and fome aftringent plaifters crufti out pundenc matter. This kind o f operation is not found in many medicines: mvrobalancs have it; and it may be the barks o f peaches; for this virtue requireth au aftridtion; but fuch an aftridtion as is not grateful to the body; (for a plealing aftridtion doth rather bind in the humours,than expel them:) and there­ fore fuch aftridtion is found in things o f an harfh tafte. 41. T he fixth caufe is lubrefadtion and relaxation. As we fee in medi­ cines emollient; fuch as are milk, honey, mallows, lettice, mercurial, pelli— tory o f the wall, and others. There is alfo a fecret virtue o f relaxation in cold: for the heat o f the body bindeth the parts and humours together, which cold relaxeth: as it is feen in urine, blood, pottage, or the like; which, i f they be cold, break and diflolve. And by this kind o f relaxation, fear loofeneth die belly; becaufe the heat retiring inwards towards the heart, the guts and other parts are relaxed; in the fame manner as fear alfo caufeth trembling in the finews. And o f this kind o f purgers are fome medicines made o f mercury. 41. T he feventh caufe is abfterfion; which is plainly a fcouring off, or incifion o f the more vifcous humours, and making the humours more fluid; and cutting between them and the part: As is found in nitrous water, which fcoureth linen cloth (fpeedily) from the foulnefs. But this incifion muff be by a fharpnefs, without aftridtion: which we find in fait, wormwood, oxymel, and the like. 43. T here be medicines that move ftools, and not urine; fome other, urine, and not ftools. Thofe that purge by ftool, are fuch as enter not at all, or little into the mefentery veins; but either at the firft are not digeftible by the ftomach, and therefore move immediately downwards to the guts; or elfe are afterwards rejected by the mefentery veins, and fo turn likewife downwards to the guts; and o f diefe two kinds are moft purgers. But thofe that move urine, are fuch as are well digefted o f the ftomach, and well re­ ceived alfo o f the mefentery veins; fo they come as far as the liver, which fendeth urine to the bladder, as the whey o f blood: and thofe medicines being opening and piercing, do fortify the operation o f the liver, in fending down the wheyey part o f the blood to the reins. For medicines urinative do not work by rejection and indigeftion, as folutive do. 44. T here be divers medicines, which in greater quantity move ftool, and in fmaller, urine: and fo contrariwife, fome that in greater quantity, move urine, and in fmaller, ftool. O f the former fort is rhubarb, and fome others. T h e caufe is, for that rhubarb is a medicine, which die ftomach in a ftnall quantity doth digeft and overcome, (being not flatuous nor loathfome;) and fo fendeth it to the mefentery veins; and fo being opening, it helpedi down urine: but in a greater quantity, the ftomach cannot overcome it, and fo it goeth to the guts. Pepper by fome o f the ancients is noted to be o f the fecond fort; which being in ftnall quantity, moveth wind in the ftomach and guts, and fo expelleth by ftool; but being in greater quantity, diflipateth the w ind ; and it felf getteth to the mefentery veins, and fo to the liver and reins; where, by heating and opening, it fendeth down urine more plentifully.

Experiments in confort touching meats and drinks that are moft nourijhing. 45\ W e have fpoken o f evacuating o f the body; we will now fpeak fomething o f die filling o f it by reftoratives in confumptions and emaciating difeafes. In vegetables, there is one part that is more nourifhing than another; as grains and roots nourifh more, than the leaves; in fo much as the order of

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o f the folietanes was put down by the pope, as finding leaves unable to nou­ rifh mans body. W hether there be that difference in the flefh o f living crea­ tures, is not well inquired: as whether livers, and other entrails, be not more nourifhing than the outward flefh. W e find that amongd the Romans, a goofe’s liver was a great delicacy} infomuch as they had artificial means to make it fair and great} but whether it were more nourifhing, appeareth not. It is certain, that marrow is more nourifhing than fat. And I con-» ceive that fome decodtion o f bones and finews, damped and well drained, would be a very nourifhing broth: W e find alfo that Scotch fkinck, (which is a pottage o f drong nourifhmen ) is made with the knees and finews o f beef, but long boiled: jelly alfo, which they ufe for a redorative, is chiefly made o f knuckles o f veal. T he pulp that is within the crawfifh or crab, which they fpice and butter, is more nourifhing than the flefh o f the crab or crawfifh. T h e yolks o f eggs are clearly more nourifliing than the whites. So that it fhould feem, that the parts o f living creatures that lie more inwards, nourifh more than the outward flefh} except it be the brain: which the fpirits prey too much upon, to leave it any great virtue o f nourifhing. It feemeth for the nourifhing o f aged men, or men in confumptions, fome fuch thing fhould be devifed, as fhould be h alf chylus, before it be put into the domach. 4 6. T a k e two large capons; parboil them upon a foft fire, by the fpace o f an hour or more, till in effedl all the blood be gone.* Add in the deccxdion the pill o f a fweet lemon, or a good part o f the pill o f a citron, and a little mace. C u t off the fhanks, and throw them away. Then with a good drong chopping-knife, mince the two capons, bones and all, as fmall as ordinary minced meat; put them into a large neat boulter; then take a kilderkin, fweet, and well feafoned, o f four gallons o f beer, o f 8 s. drength, new as it cometh from the tunning; make in the kilderkin a great bung-hole o f purpofe: then thrud into it the boulter (in which the capons are) drawn out in length; let it deep in it three days and three nights, the bung-hole open, to w ork; then clofe the bung-hole, and fo let it continue a day and a half; then draw it into bottles, and you may drink it well after three days botteling; and it w ill lad fix weeks (approved.) It drinketh frefh, flowreth and mantleth exceedingly; it drinketh not newifh at all; it is an excellent drink for a confumption, to be drunk either alone, or carded with fome other beer. It quencheth third, and hath no whit o f windinefs. Note, that it is not poflible, that meat and bread, either in broths, or taken with drink, as is ufed, fhould get forth into the veins and outward parts, fo finely and eafily, as when it is thus incorporate, and made alm od a chylus aforehand. 47. T r i a l would be made o f the like brew with potado roots, or burf roots, or the pith o f artichoaks, which are nourifhing meats: it may be tried alfo with other flefh; as phefant, partridge, young pork, pig, venifon, efpecially o f young deer, & c. 48. A mortrefs made with the brawn o f capons, damped, and drained, and mingled (after it is made) with like quantity (at the lead) o f almond butter, is an excellent meat to nourifh thofe that are w ea k ; better than blank-manger, or jelly: and fo is the cullice o f cocks, boiled thick with the like mixture o f almond butter: for the mortrefs or cu llice, o f it felf, is’ more favoury and drong, and not fo fit for nourifhing o f weak bodies; but the almonds that are not o f fo high a tade as flefh, do excellently qua­ lify it. 49. In d ia n maiz hath (of certain) an excellent fpirit o f noUrifhment; V o l . III. D but 6

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but it muft be throughly boiled, and made into a maiz-cream like a bar­ ley-cream. I judge the fame o f rice, made into a cream; for rice is in Turky, and other countries o f the eaft, m oll fed upon; but it muft be throughly boiled in refpedt o f the hardnefs o f i t ; and alfo becaufe otherwife it bindeth the body too much. yo. P i st a c h o e s , fo they be good, and not mufty, joyned with almonds in almond m ilk; or made into a milk o f themfelves, like unto almond milk, but more green, are an excellent nourifher: But you fhall do well, to add a little ginger, fcraped, becaufe they are not without fome fubtil windinefs. y i. M il k warm from the cow, is found to be a great nourifher, and a good remedy in confumptions: but then you muft put into it, when you m ilk the cow, two little bags; the one o f powder o f mint, the other o f powder o f red rofes; for diey keep the milk fomewhat from aim in g, or curdling in the ftomach; and put in fugar alfo, for the fame cartfe, and partly for the tafte’s fake; but you muft drink a good draught, that it may ftay lefs time in the ftomach, left it curdle: and let the cup into w hich you milk the cow, be fet in a greater cup o f hot water, that you may take it warm. And cow m ilk thus prepared, I judge to be better for a confiimption, than afs milk, w hich (it is true) turneth not fo eafily, but it is a little harfh; marry it is more proper for fharpnefs o f urine, and exulceratioii o f the bladder, and all manner o f lenifyings. Womans milk likewife is prefcribed, when all fa il; but I commend it not, as being a little too near the juice o f mans body, to be a good nourifher; except it be in infants, to whom it is natural. y i . O il o f fweet almonds, newly drawn, w ith fugar, and a little fpice, fpread upon bread toafted, is an excellent nourifher: but then to keep the oil from frying in the ftomach, you muft drink a good draught o f mild beer after it; and to keep it from relaxing the ftomach too much, you muft put in a little powder o f cinnamon.

y3. T he yolks o f eggs are o f themfelves fo well prepared by nature for nourifhment; as (fo they be poached, or rear boiled) they need no other preparation or mixture; yet they may be taken alfo raw , when they are new laid with malmfey, or fweet wine; you fhall do well to put in fome few flices o f eryngium roots, and a little ambergrice; for by this means, befides the immediate faculty o f nourifhment, fuch drink will ftrengthen the back; fo that it will not draw down the urine too faft; for too much urine doth always hinder nourifhment. y.4, M in c in g o f meat, as in pies, and buttered minced meat, faveth the grinding o f the teeth; and therefore (no doubt) it is more nourifhing, efpecially in age, or to them that have weak teeth; but the butter is not fo pro­ per for weak bodies; and therefore it were good to moiften it with a little claret wine, pill o f lemon, or orange, cut fmall, fugar, and a very little cin­ namon, or nutmeg. As for chuets, w hich are likewife minced meat, inftead o f butter and fat, it were good to moiften them, partly with cream, or al­ mond, or piftacho m ilk; or barley, or maiz cream; adding a little coriander feed and caraway feed, and a very little faffron. T h e more full handling o f alimentation we referve to the due place.

W e have hitherto handled the particulars which yield beft, and eafieft, and plentifulleft nourifhment; and now we will fpeak o f the beft means of conveying and converting the nourifhment. yy. T he firft means is, to procure that the nourifhment may not be rob­ bed

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bed and drawn away; wherein that which we have already fkid is very ma­ terial; to provide, that the reins draw not too ftrongly an over-great parr o f the blood into urine. T o this add that precept o f Ariftotle, that wine be forborn in all confumptions; for that the ipirits o f the wine, do prey upon the rofcid juice o f the body, and inter-common with the fpirits o f the bo­ dy, and fo deceive and rob them o f their nourilhment. And therefore i f the confumption growing from the weaknefs o f the ftomach, do force you to ufe wine; let it always be burnt; that the quicker fpirits may evaporate; or at the lead: quenched with two little wedges o f gold, fix or feven times re­ peated. Add alfo this provifion, that there be not too much expence o f the nourilhment, by exhaling and fweating: and therefore if the patient be apt to fw eat, it mull be gently reftrained. But chiefly Hippocrates's rule is to be followed, who advifeth quite contrary to that which is in ufe: Namely, that the linen, or garment next the flefh, be in winter dry, and oft changed; and in fummer feldom changed, and fmeared over with oil; for certain it is, that any fubftance that is fat, doth a little fill the pores o f the body, and ftay fweat, in fome degree: But the more cleanly way is, to have the linen fmeared lightly over with oil o f fweet almonds; and not to forbear drifting as oft as is fit. 56. T he fecond means is, to fend forth the nourilhment into the parts more ftrongly; for which the working muft be by ftrengthening o f the ftomach; and in this, becaufe the ftomach is chiefly comforted by wine and hot things, which otherwife h u rt; it is good to refort to outward applica­ tions to the ftomach: Wherein it hath been tried, that the quilts o f rofes, fpices, maftick, wormwood, mint, & c. are nothing fo helpful, as to take a cake o f new bread, and to bedew it with a little fack, or alicant; and to dry i t ; and after it be dried a little before the fire, to put it within a clean napkin, and to lay it to the ftomach: for it is certain, that all flower hath a potent virtue o f aftrkftion; in fo much as it hardeneth a piece o f flefh, or a flower, that is laid in it: and therefore a bag quilted with bran, is likewife very good; but it drieth fomewhat too much, and therefore it muft not lie long. 57. T he third means (which may be a branch o f the former) is to fend forth the nourilhment the better by fleep. For we fee, that bears, and other creatures that fleep in the winter, wax exceeding fat: and certain it is (as it is commonly believed) that fleep doth nourifh much; both for that the fpi­ rits do lefs fpend the nourilhment in fleep, than when living creatures are aw ake: and becaufe (that which is to the prefent purpofe) it helpeth to thruft out the nourilhment into the parts. Therefore in aged men, and weak bodies, and fuch as abound riot with choler, a Ihort fleep after din­ ner doth help to nourifh; for in fuch bodies there is no fear o f an over-hafty digeftion, which is the inconvenience o f poftmeridian fleeps. Sleep alfo in the morning, after the taking o f fomewhat o f eafy digeftion; as milk from the cow, nourilhing broth, or the like, doth further nourilhment: but this Would be done fitting upright, that the milk or broth may pafs the more fpeedily to the bottom o f the ftomach. 58. T he fourth means is to provide that the parts themfelves may draw to them the nourilhment ftrongly. There is an excellent obfervation o f A r i­ ftotle ; that a great reafon, why plants (fome o f them) are o f greater age than living creatures, is, for that they yearly put forth new leaves and boughs; whereas living creatures put forth (after their period o f growth) nothing that is young, but hair and nails, which are excrements, and no parts. And

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it is moft certain, that whatfoever is young, doth draw nourifhment better than that which is old: and tlien (that which is the myftery o f that obfervation) young boughs, and leaves, calling the fap up to them ; the fame nourifheth the body in the paflage. And this we fee notably proved alfo, in that the oft cutting, or polling o f hedges, trees, and herbs, doth conduce much to their lading. Transfer therefore this obfervation to the helping o f nourifhment in living creatures: the nobleft and principal ufe whereof is, for the prolongation o f life; reftauration o f fome degree o f youth, and inteneration o f the parts: for certain it is, that there are in living creatures parts that nourifh and repair eafily, and parts that nourifh and repair hardly; and you muft refrefh and renew thofe that are eafy to nourifh, that the other may be refrefhed, and (as it were) drink in nourifhment in the paflage. N ow we fee that draught oxen, put into a good pafture, recover the flefh o f young beef; and men after long emaciating diets, wax plump and fat, and almoft new: fo that you may i'urely conclude, that the frequent and wife ufe o f thofe emaciating diets, and o f purgings, and perhaps o f fome kind o f bleed­ ing, is a principal means o f prolongation o f life, and reftoring fome degree o f youth: for as we have often faid, death cometh upon living creatures like the torment o f M ezentius:

M ortua quinetiam jungebat corpora vivis, Componens mambufque manus, atque oribus ora. Ain. 8 .^ 4 8 y. For the parts in mans body eafily reparable, (as fpirits, blood and flefh) die in the embracement o f the parts hardly reparable, (as bones, nerves, and membranes;) and likewife fome entrails (which they reckon amongft the fpermatical parts) are hard to repair: though that divifion o f fpermatical and menftrual parts be but a conceit. And this fame obfervation alfo may be drawn to the prefent purpofe o f nourifhing emaciated bodies: and there­ fore gentle frication draweth forth the nourifhment, by making the parts a little hungry, and heating them; whereby they call forth nourifhment the better. This frication I wifh to be done in the morning. It is alfo beft done by the hand, or a piece o f fcarlet wooll, wet a little with oil o f al­ monds, mingled with a fmall quantity o f bay-falt, or faffron; we fee that the very currying o f horfes doth make them fat, and in good liking. $•9. T he fifth means is, to further the very aft o f aflimilation o f nourifh­ ment; which is done by fome outward emollients, that make the parts more apt to aflimilate. For which I have compounded an ointment o f excellent odour, which I call Roman ointment; vide the receipt. T he ufe o f it would be between fleeps; for in the latter fleep the parts aflimilate chiefly.

Experim ent folitary touching Filum medicinale. 60. T here be many medicines, which by themfelves would do no cure, but perhaps hurt; but being applied in a certain order, one after another, do great cures. I have tried (my felf) a remedy for the gout, which hath leldom failed,but driven it away in twenty four hours fpace: it is firft to ap­ ply a poultis, o f which vide the receipt; and then a bath or fomentation, o f which vide the receipt; and then a plaifler, vide the receipt. T he poultis relaxerh the pores, and maketh the humour apt to exhale. T he fomenta­ tion calleth forth the humour by vapours; but yet in regard o f the way made by the poultis, draweth gently; and therefore draweth the humours out, and doth not draw more to i t ; for it is a gentle fomentation, and hath withal a mixture (though very little) o f fome flupefaftive. T he plaifler is a moderate

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moderate aftringent plaifter, which repelleth new humour from falling. T h e poultis alone would make the part more foft and weak, and apter to take the defluxion and impreffion o f the humour. T h e fomentation alone, i f it were too weak, without way made by the poultis, would draw forth little; i f too ftrong, it would draw to the part, as well as draw from it. T he plaifter alone would pen the humour already contained in the part, and lo exafperate it, as well as forbid new humour. Therefore they muft be all taken in order, as is faid. T h e poultis is to be laid to for two or three hours: the fomentation for a quarter o f an hour, or fomewhat better, being ufed hot, and feven or eight times repeated: the plaifter to continue on ftill, till the part be well confirmed.

Experim ent folitary touching cure by cujiom. 6 1. T h er e is a fecret way o f cure, (unpradlifed) by afliietude o f that

w hich in it felf hurteth. Poifons have been made, by fome, familiar, as hath been faid. Ordinary keepers o f the lick o f the plague, are feldom infedled. Enduring o f tortures, by cuftom, hath been made more eafy: the brooking o f enormous quantity o f meats, and fo o f wine or ftrong drink, hath been, by cuftom, made to be without furfeit or drunkennefs. And generally difeafes that are chronical, as coughs, phthificks, fome kinds o f palfies, luna­ cies, & C . are moft dangerous at the firft: therefore a wile phylician w ill confider whether a dileafe be incurable; or whether the juft cure o f it be not full o f peril; and i f he find it to be fuch, let him refort to palliation; and alleviate the fymptom, without bufying him felf too much with the per­ fect cure: and many times (if the patient be indeed patient) that courfe w ill exceed all expectation. Likewife the patient him felf may ftrive, by little and little, to overcome the fymptom in the exacerbation, and fo, by time, turn fufi'ering into nature.

Experim ent folitary touching cure by excefs. 6 z. D ivers difeafes, efpecially chronical, (luch as quartan agues) are fometimes cured by furfeit and excelles: as excefs o f meat, excefs o f drink, ex­ traordinary falling, extraordinary ftirring or laffitude, and the like. T h e caufe is, for that difeafes o f continuance get an adventitious ftrength from cuftom, befides their material caufe from the humours: fo that the breaking o f the cuftom doth leave them only to their firft caufe; which i f it be any thing weak will fall off. Befides, fuch excefles do excite and fpur nature, which thereupon rifeth more forcibly againft the difeafe.

Experim ent folitary touching cure by motion o f confent. 63. T here is in the body o f man a great confent in the motion o f the feveral parts. W e fee, it is childrens fport, to prove whether they can rub upon their bread with one hand, and pat upon their forehead with ano­ ther; and ftraightways they lhall fometimes rub with both hands, or pat with both hands. W e fee, that when the fpirits that come to the noftrils, expel a bad fcent, the ftomach is ready to expel by vomit. W e find that in conlumptions o f the lungs, when nature cannot expel by cough, men fall into fluxes o f the belly, and then they die. So in peftilent difeafes, if they cannot be expelled by fweat, they fall likewife into loofenefs; and that is commonly mortal. Therefore phyficians fhould ingenioufly contrive, how by motions that are in their power, they may excite inward motions that are not in their power, by confent: as by the flench o f feathers, or the like, they cure the rifing o f the mother. V o l . III.

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Experiment folitary touching cure o f difeafes, which are contrary to predifpofition. 64. H ip p o c r a t e s aphorifm, in morbis minus, is a good profound aphorifm. It importeth, that difeafes, contrary to the complexion, age, lex, feafon o f the year, diet, & c. are more dangerous than thofe that are concurrent. A man would think it fhould be otherwife; for that, when the accident o f ficknefs, and the natural difpofition, do fecond the one the other, the difeafe fhould be more forcible: and fo (no doubt) it is; i f you fuppofe like quantity o f matter. But that which maketh good the aphorifm, is, becaufe fuch dif­ eafes do fhew a greater collection o f matter, by that they are able to over­ come thofe natural inclinations to the contrary. And therefore in difeafes o f that kind, let the phyfician apply him felf more to purgation, than to altera­ tion ; becaufe the offence is in the quantity; and the qualities are redtified o f themfelves. Experiment folitary touching preparations before purging, and fettling o f the body afterward. 65. P h y s ic ia n s do wifely prefcribe, that there be preparatives ufed be­ fore juft purgations; for certain it is, that purgers do many times great hurt, i f the body be not accommodated, bodi before and after the purging. T he hurt that they do, for want o f preparation before purging, is by the flick­ ing o f the humours, and their not coming fair away; which caufeth in the body great perturbations, and ill accidents, during the purging; and alfo the diminifhing and dulling o f the working o f the medicine it fe lf that it purgeth not fufficiently; therefore the work o f preparation is double; to make the humours fluid and mature, and to make the paflages more open: for both thofe help to make the humours pafs readily. And for the former o f thefe, fyrups are moft profitable; and for the latter, apozemes, or prepar­ ing broths; clyfters alfo help left the medicine flop in the guts, and work gripingly. But it is true, that bodies abounding with humours, and fat bo­ dies, and open weather, are preparatives in themfelves; becaufe they make the humours more fluid. But let a phyfician beware, how he purge after hard frofty weather, and in a lean body, without preparation. For the hurt that they may do after purging, it is caufed by the lodging o f fome humours in ill places: for it is certain, that there be humours, which fomewhere placed in the body, are quiet, and do little hurt; in other places, (efpecially paflages) do much mifchief. Therefore it is good, after purging, to ufe apo­ zemes and broths, not fo much opening as thofe ufed before purging; but abfterfive and mundifying clyfters alfo are good to conclude with, to draw1 away the reliques o f the humours, that may have defcended to the lower region o f the body. Experiment folitary touching ftanching o f blood. 66. B lood is ftanched divers ways. Firft by aftringents, and repercuffive medicines. Secondly by drawing o f the fpirits and blood inwards; which is done by cold; as iron or a ftone laid to the neck, doth ftanch the bleeding at the nofe; alfo it hath been tried, that the tefticles being put into fliarp vinegar, hath made a fudden recefs o f the fpirits, and ftanched blood. Thirdly by the recefs o f the blood by fympathy. So it hath been tried, that the part that bleedeth, being thruft into the body o f a capon, or fheep, new rrpt and bleeding, hath ftanched blood; the blood, as it feemeth, fucking and i drawing

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drawing up, by fimilitude o f fubftance, the blood it meeteth w ith, and fo it felf going back. Fourthly by cuftom and tim e; fo die Prince o f Orange , in his firft hurt, by the Spanifh boy, could find no means to ftanch the blood, either by medicine or ligament; but was fain to have the orifice o f the wound flopped by mens thumbs, fucceeding one another, for the fpace at the leaft o f tw o days; and at the lafl the blood by cuftom only retired. T here is a fifth way alfo in ufe, to let blood in an adverfe part, for a revulfion.

Experim ent folitary touching change o f aliments and medicines. 6 y. I t helpeth, both in medicine and aliment, to change and not to con­ tinue the fame medicine and aliment ftill. T h e caufe is, for that nature by continual ufe o f any thing, groweth to a fatiety and dulnefs, either o f appe­ tite or working. And we lee that afluetude o f things hurtful, doth make them lofe their force to h u rt; as poyfon, w hich with ufe fome have brought themfelves to brook. And therefore it is no marvel, though things helpful b y cuftom lole their force to h elp : I count intermiflion almoft the fame thing w ith change; for that, that hath been intermitted, is after a fort new.

E xperim ent folitary touching diets. 68. I t is found by experience, that in diets o f guaiacum, farza, and the like, (efpeciaily i f they be ftridt) the patient is more troubled in the begin­ ning, than after continuance; w hich hath made fome o f the more delicate ftjrt o f patients give them over in the m id ft; fuppofing that i f thofe diets trouble them fo much at firft, they lhall not be able to endure them to the end. But the caufe is, for that all thofe diets do dry up humours, rheums, and the like; and they cannot dry up until they have firft attenuated; and w h ile the humour is attenuated, it is more fluid than it was before, and troubleth the body a great deal more, until it be dried up and confumed. A n d therefore patients mull; expedt a due time, and not keck at them at th e firft.

Experim ents in confort touching the production o f cold. 69. T he producing o f cold is a thing very worthy the inquifition; both for ufe and difclofure o f caufes. For heat and cold are nature’s two hands, whereby Ihe chiefly worketh: and heat we have in readinefs, in relpedl o f the fire; but for cold we muft ftay till it cometh, or feek it in deep caves, o r high mountains: and when all is done, we cannot obtain it in any great degree: for furnaces o f fire are far hotter than a fummer’s fun; but vaults o r hills are not much colder than a winter’s froft. T he firft means o f producing cold, is that which nature prefenteth us w ithal; namely, the expiring o f cold out o f the inward parts o f the earth in winter, when the fun hath no power to overcome it; the earth being (as hath been noted by fome) prim um frigidum . This hath been alferted, as. well by ancient, as by modern philosophers: it Was the tenet o f T a r me­ nides, It was the opinion o f the author o f the difeourfe in P lutarch, (for I take it, that book was not P lutarch’s own) de primo frigido. It was the opi­ nion o f 'Telejius, who hath renewed the philofophy o f Parmenides, and is the beft o f the novel ifts. 70. T he fecond caufe o f cold is the contatt o f cold bodies; for cold is a&ive an d tranfitive into bodies adjacent, as well as heat: which is feen in thofe things that are touched with fnow or cold water. And therefore, whofoever w ill be an inquirer into nature, let him refort to a confervatory o f fnow and ice *,

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ic e ; fuch as they ufe for delicacy, to cool wine in fummer: which is a poor and contemptible ufe, in refpedt o f other ufes, that may be made o f fuch confervatories. y i. T he third caufe is the primary nature o f all tangible bodies: for it is

well to be noted, that all things whatfoever (tangible) are o f themfelves cold; except they have an acceffory heat by fire, life, or motion: For even the fpirit o f wine, or chymical oils, which are fo hot in operation, are to the firft touch cold; and air it felf comprelfed, and condenfed a little by blowing, is cold. 7 z. T he fourth caufe is the denfity o f the body; for all denfe bodies are colder than moll other bodies, as metals, Hone, glafs; and they are longer in heating than fofter bodies. And it is certain, that earth, denle, tangible, hold all o f the nature o f cold. T he caufe is, for that all matters tangible being cold, it m ull needs follow, that where the matter is m oll congregate, the cold is die greater. 73. T he fifth caufe o f cold, or rather o f increafe and vehemency o f cold, is a quick fpirit inclofed in a cold body: as will appear to any that lhall at­ tentively confider o f nature in many inllances. W e fee nitre (which hath a quick fpirit) is cold; more cold to the tongue than a Hone; fo water is cold­ er than oil, becaufe it hath a quicker fpirit; for all oil, though it hath the tangible parts better digelted than water, yet hath it a duller lpirit: fo fnow is colder than water, becaufe it hath more fpirit within it: fo we fee that fait put to ice (as in the producing o f the artificial ice) increafeth the adtivity o f cold: fo fome tnjecta which have fpirit o f life, as fnakes and filkworms, are to the touch cold. So quickfilver is the coldell o f metals, be­ caufe it is fiillelt o f fpirit.

74. T he fixth caufe o f cold is the chafing and driving away o f fpirits, fuch as have fome degree o f heat: for the banifhing o f the heat mull needs leave any body cold. This we fee in the operation o f opium, and ftupefadtives, upon the fpirits o f living creatures: and it were not amifs to try opium, by laying it upon the top o f a weather-glafs, to fee whether it will contradi the air: but I doubt it will not fucceed: for befides that the vir­ tue o f opium will hardly penetrate through fuch a body as glafs, I conceive that opium, and the like, make the fpirits fly rather by malignity, than by cold. 75". S e v e n t h l y , the fame effedl m ull follow upon the exhaling or drawing out o f the warm fpirits, that doth upon the flight o f the fpirits. There is an opinion, that the moon is magnetical o f heat, as the fun is o f cold and moiflure: it were not amifs therefore to try it, with warm waters; the one expofed to the beams o f the moon, the other with fome fkreen betwixt the beams o f the moon and the water; as we ufe to the fun for (hade; and to fee whether the former will cool fooner. And it were alfo good to inquire, what other means there may be, to draw forth the exile heat, which is in the a ir; for that may be a fecret o f great power to produce cold weather. Experiments in confort touching the verjion and tranfmittation o f air into water.

W e have formerly fet down the means o f turning air into water, i* the experiment zy. But becaufe it is magnate naturae, and tendeth to the fubduing o f a very great effedl, and is alfo o f manifold ufe, we will add fome inllances in confort that give light thereunto. 76. It

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7 6. I t is reported by fome o f rhe ancients, that Tailors have ufed, every night, to hang fleeces o f wool on the lides o f their (hips, the wool towards the water; and that they have crufhed frelh water out o f them, in the morn­ ing, for their ufe. And thus much we have tried, that a quantity o f wool tied loofe together, being let down into a deep well, and hanging in the mid­ dle, fome three fathom from the water, for a night, in the winter-time; increafed in weight (as I now remember) to a fifth part. 77. It is reported by one o f the ancients, that in Lydia , near Pergamus, there were certain workmen, in time o f wars fled into caves; and the mouth o f the caves being Hopped by the enemies, they were famiflied. But long tim e after the dead bones were found; and fome veflels w hich they had carried with them ; and the veflels full o f water; and that water thicker, and more towards ice, than common w a te r: which is a notable inflance o f condenfadon and induration by burial under earth, (in caves) for a long tim e ; and o f verfion alfo (as it fhould feem) o f air into w ater; i f any o f thofe veflels were empty. T r y therefore a fmall bladder hung in fnow, and the like in nitre, and the like in quickfilver: and i f you find the bladders fallen or fhrunk, you may be fure the air is condenfed by the cold o f thofe bodies, as it would be in a cave under earth. 78. I t is reported o f very good credit, that in the Raft-Indies, i f you fet a tub o f water open in a room where cloves are kept, it w ill be drawn dry in twenty four hours; though it Hand at fome dillance from the cloves. In the countrey, they ufe many times, in deceit, when their wool is new fliorn, to fet l'ome pails o f water by in the fame room , to increafc the weight o f the wool. But it may be, that the heat o f the wool, remaining from the body o f the fheep, or the heat gathered by the lying clofe o f the wool, helpeth to draw the watry vapour; but that is nothing to the verfion.

79. It is reported alfo credibly, that wool new fliorn, being laid cafually upon a veflel o f verjuice, after fome time, had drunk up a great part o f the verjuice, though the veflel were whole without any flaw, and had not the bung-hole open. In this inflance, there is (upon the by) to be noted, the percolation or fuing o f the verjuice through the wood; for verjuice o f it fe lf would never have palled through the wood: fo as, it feemeth, it mull be firft in a kind o f vapour, before it pafs. 80. It is efpecially to be noted, that the caufe that doth facilitate the verfion o f air into water, when the air is not in grofs but fubtilly mingled w ith tangible bodies, is, (as hath been partly touched before) for that tangible bodies have an antipathy w ith a ir; and i f they find any liquid body that is more denle near them, they w ill draw it: and after they have drawn it, they w ill condenfe it more, and in effect incorporate it; for we fee that a fpunge, or wool, or fugar, or a woollen cloth, being put but in part in water, or wine, w ill draw the liquor higher, and beyond the place: where the water or wine cometh. W e fee alfo, that wood, lute-firings, and the like, do fwell in moifl: feafons : as appeareth by the breaking o f the firings, the hard turning o f the pegs, and the hard drawing forth o f boxes, and opening o f wainfeot doors; w h ich is a kind o f infufion: and is much like to an infufion in water, which w ill make wood to fwell: as we fee in the filling o f the chops o f bowles, by laying them in water. But for that part o f thefe experiments which concerneth attraction, we w ill referve it to the proper title o f attraction. 81. T h er e is alfo a verfion o f air into water feen in the l'weating o f mar­ bles and other Hones; and o f wainfeot before and in moifl weather. This m u fl be, either-by fome moiflure the body yieldeth; or elfe by the moifl air V o l . III. ' F thickned

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tfrickned againft the hard body. But it is plain, that it is the latter; for that We fee wood painted with oil colour, will fooner gather drops in a moift night, than wood alone; which is caufed by the fmoothnefs and clolenefs; which letteth in no part o f the vapour, and fo turneth it back, and thickeneth it into dew. W e fee alfo, that breathing upon a glafs, or fmooth body, giveth a dew; and in frofty mornings (fuch as we call rime frofts) you (hall find drops o f dew upon the infide o f glafs windows; and the froft itfe lf upon the ground, is but a verfion or condenfation, o f the moift vapours o f the night, into a watry fubftance: dews likewife and rain, are but the re­ turns o f moift vapours condenfed; the dew, by the cold only o f the fun’s departure, which is the gentler cold; rains, by the cold o f that which they call the middle region o f the a ir; which i9 the more violent cold. 8z. It is very probable (as hath been touched) that that which w ill turn water into ice, will likewife turn air fome degree nearer unto water. There­ fore try the experiment o f the artificial turning water into ice (whereof we fhall fpeak in another place) with air in place o f water, and the ice about it. And although it be a greater alteration to turn air into water, than water into ice: yet there is this hope, that by continuing the air longer time, the effecft will follow; for that artificial converfion o f water into ice, is the work o f a few hours; and this o f air may be tried by a month’s fpace, or the like.

Experiments in confort touching induration o f bodies. I n d u r a t i o n , or lapidification o f fubftances more foft, is likewife another degree o f condenfation; and is a great alteration in nature. T he effecting and accelerating thereof is very worthy to be inquired. It is effected by three means. The firft is by cold; whole property is to condenfe andconftipate, as hath been laid. T h e fecond is by heat; which is not proper but by confequence; for the heat doth attenuate; and by attenuation doth fend forth the fpirit and moifter part o f a body; and upon that, the more grofs o f the tangible parts do contract and ferre themfelves together; both to avoid vacuum (as they call it) and alfo to munite themfelves againft the force o f the fire, which they have differed. And the third is by affimilation; when a hard body affimilateth a foft, being contiguous to it. T he examples o f induration, taking them promifcuoufly, are many: as the generation o f ftones within the earth, which at the firft are but rude earth or cla y : and fo o f minerals, which come (no doubt) at firft o f juices concrete, which afterward indurate: and fo o f porcellane, which is an arti­ ficial cement, buried in the earth a long time: and fo the making o f brick and tile: alfo the making o f glafs o f a certain fand and brake-roots, and fome other matters: alfo the exudations o f rock-diamonds and cryftal, which harden with tim e: alfo the induration o f bead-amber, which at firft is a foft fubftance; as appeareth by the flies and fpiders which are found in it; and many m ore: but we will fpeak o f them diftindtly. 83. F or indurations by cold, there be few trials o f it; for we have no ftrong or intenfe cold here on the fdrface o f the earth, fo near the beams o f the fun, and the heavens. T he likelieft trial is by fnow and ice; for as fnow and ice, efpecially being holpen and their cold activated by nitre or fait, will turn water into ice, and that in a few hours; fo it may be, it w ill turn wood or ftiff clay into ftone, in longer time. Put therefore, into a conferving pit o f fnow and ice, (adding fome quantity o f fait and nitre) a piece o f wood, or a piece o f tough clay, and let it lie a month or more. 84. A n other trial is by metalline waters, which have virtual cold in

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them. Put therefore wood or clay into fmiths water, of other metalline water, and try whether it w ill not harden in fome reafonable time. But I linderftand it o f metalline waters, that come by waftiing or quenchings and not o f ftrong waters that come by diflblution; for they are too corrofive to confolidate. 8 y. It is already found, that there are fome natural fpring-waters, that

will inlapidate wood; fo that you fhall fee one piece o f woocf whereof the part above the water fhall continue wood; and the part under the water fhall be turned into a kind o f gravelly done. It is likely thole waters afe o f fome metalline mixture; but there would be more particular inquiry made o f them. It is certain, that an egg was found, having lain many years in the bottom o f a moat, where the earth had fomewhat overgrown it; and this egg was come to the hardnefs o f a ftone; and had the colours o f the whjte and yolk perfedt: and the fhell fhining in fmall grains like fugar, or alabaftcr. 86. A n o th er experience there is o f induration by cold, w hich is already found; which is, that metals themfelves are hardened by often heating and quenching in cold w ater: for cold ever worketh moft potently upon heat precedent. 87. F or induration by heat, it m ult be confidered, that heat, by the ex­ haling o f the moifter parts, doth either harden the body, as in bricks, tiles, & c . or i f the heat be more fierce, maketh the groffer part it fe lf run and melt; as in the making o f ordinary glafs; and in the vitrification o f earth, (as we fee in the inner parts o f furnaces;) and in the vitrification o f brick, and o f metals. And in the former o f thefe, w hich is the hardening by baking, without melting, the heat hath thefe degrees; firft, it indurateth ; and then maketh fragile; and laflly it doth incinerate and calcinate. 88. Bu t if you deiire to make an induration w ith toughnefs, and lefs fra­ gility, a middle way would be taken; w hich is that which Ariftotle hath w ell noted ; but would be throughly verified. It is to decod: bodies in wa­ ter for two or three days; but they mult be fuch bodies into which the water w ill not enter; as ftone and metal: For i f they be bodies, into which the water w ill enter, then long feething will rather foften than indurate them ; as hath been tried in eggs, & c . therefore fofter bodies muft be put into bottles; and the bottles hung into water feething, with the mouths open above the water, that no water may get in ; for by this means the vir­ tual heat o f the water w ill enter; and fuch a heat, as w ill not make the body aduft, or fragile; but the fubftance o f the water w ill be fhut out. T his experiment we made; and it forted thus. It was tried with a piece o f frce-ftone, and with pewter, put into the water at large. T h e free-ftone we found received in fome w ater; for it was fofter and eafier to fcrape, than a piece o f the fame ftone kept dry. But the pewter into which no water could enter, became more white, and liker to filver, and lefs flexible, by much. T here were alfo put into an earthen bottle, placed as before, a good pellet o f clay, a piece o f cheefe, a piece o f chalk, and a piece o f free-ftone. T h e clay came forth almoft o f the hardnefs o f ftone; the cheefe likewife very hard, and not well to be cut: the chalk and the free-ftone much harder than they were. T h e colour o f the clay inclined not a w hit to the1 colour o f brick, but rather to white, as in ordinary drying by the fun. Note, that all the former trials were made by a boiling upon a good hot fire, renewing th e water as it confumed, with other hot water ; but the boiling was but for tw elve hours only; and it is like that the experiment wo'uld have been more eftedtyal,

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effectual, i f the boiling had been for two or three days, as w e prefcribed before. 89. As touching affimilation, (for there is a degree o f affimilation even in. inanimate bodies) we fee examples o f it in fome ftones in clay-grounds, lying near to the top o f the earth, where pebble is; in which you may ma­ nifestly fee divers pebbles gathered together, and a cruft o f cement or ftone between them , as hard as the pebbles themfelves: and it were good to make a trial o f purpofe, by taking clay, and putting in it divers pebble ftones, thick fet, to fee whether in continuance o f time, it will not be harder than other clay o f the fame lump, in which no pebbles are fet. W e fee alfo in ruins o f old walls, efpecially towards the bottom, the mortar will become as hard as the brick: we fee alfo, that the wood on the lides o f veflels o f wine, gathereth a cruft o f tartar, harder than the wood it fe lf; and fcales likewife ■ grow to the teeth, harder than the teeth themfelves. 90. M ost o f all, induration by affimilation appeareth in the bodies o f trees and living creatures: for no nouriffiment that the tree receiveth, or that the living creature receiveth, is fo hard as wood, bone, or horn, & c. but is indurated after by affimilation.

Experim ent folitary touching the verjion o f w ater into air. 91. T he eye o f the underftanding, is like the eye o f the fenfe: for as you may fee great objedts through fmall crannies, or levels; fo you may fee great axioms o f nature, through fmall and contemptible inftances. T h e fpeedy depredation o f air upon watry moifture, and verfion o f the fame into air, appeareth in nothing more vifible, than in the fudden difcharge, or vanifhing, o f a little cloud o f breath, or vapour, from glafs, or the blade o f a fword, or any fuch poliftied body; fuch as doth not at all detain or imbibe the moi­ fture; for the miftinefs fcattereth and breaketh up fuddenly. But the like cloud, i f it were oily or fatty, will not difcharge; not becaufe it fticketh fafter; but becaufe air preyeth upon w ater; and flame, and fire, upon o i l; and therefore, to take out a fpot o f greafe, they ufe a coal upon brown paper; becaufe fire worketh upon greafe, or oil, as air doth upon water. And we fee paper oiled, or wood oiled, or the like, laft long m oift; but wet with water, dry or putrify fooner. T h e caufe is, for that air meddleth little with the moifture o f oil.

Experim ent folitary touching the force o f union. 92. T here is an admirable demonftration in the fame trifling inftance o f the little cloud upon glafs, or gems, or blades o f fwords, o f the force o f union, even in the leaft quantities, and weakeft bodies, how much it conduceth to prefervation o f the prefent form, and the refilling o f a new. For mark well the difcharge o f that cloud; and you fhall fee it ever break up, firft in the fkirts, and laft in the midft. W e fee likewife, that much water draweth forth the juice o f the body infufed; but little water is imbibed by the body: and this is a principal caufe, w hy in operation upon bodies for their verfion or alteration, the trial in great quantities doth not anfwer the trial in fmall; and fo deceiveth many; for that (I fay) the greater body refifteth more any alteration o f form, and requireth far greater ftrength in the adtive body, that fhould fubdue it.

93. W e have fpoken before, in the fifth inftance, o f the caufe o f orient colours in birds; which is by the finenefs o f the ftrainer; we will now en3 deavour TY

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deavour to reduce the fame axiom to a work. For this writing o f our Sylva Sylvarum, is (to fpeak properly) not natural hiftory, but a high kind o f natural magick. For it is not a defeription only o f nature, but a breaking o f nature, into great and ftrange works. T r y therefore the anointing over o f pigeons, or other birds, when they are but in their down; or o f whelps, cutting their hair as fhort as may be; or o f fome other beaft; with feme ointment, that is not hurtful to the flefh; and that will harden and ftick very clofe; and fee whether it will not alter the colours o f the feathers or hair. It is received, that the pulling o ff the firft feathers of birds clean, w ill make the new come forth w h ite : and it is certain, that white is a pe­ nurious colour, &nd where moifture is fcant. So blue violets, and other flow­ ers, i f they be ftarved, turn pale and white; birds and horfes, by age or fears, turn w h ite : and the hoar hairs o f men come by the fame reafon. And therefore in birds, it is very likely, that the feathers that come firft, w ill be many times o f divers colours, according to the nature o f the b ird ; for that the fkin is more porous; but when the fkin is more fhut and dole, the fea­ thers w ill come white. T his is a good experiment, not only for the pro­ ducing o f birds and beafts o f ftrange colours; but alfo for the difelofure o f the nature o f colours themfelves; w hich o f them require a finer porofity, and which a grofler.

Experim ent folitary touching the nourifhm ent o f livin g creatures before they be brought fo rth . 94. I t is a work o f providence, that hath been truly obferved by fom e; that the yolk o f the egg conduceth little to the generation o f the bird; but only to the nourifhment o f the fam e: for i f a chicken be opened, when it is new hatched; you fhall find much o f the yolk remaining. And it is need­ ful, that birds that are fhaped without the female’s womb, have in the egg, as well matter o f nourifhment, as matter o f generation for the body. For after the egg is laid, and fevered from the body o f the hen; it hath no more nourifhment from the hen; but only a quickning heat when fhe fittethn B ut beafts and men need not the matter o f nourifhment within themfelves: becaufe they are fhaped within the womb o f the female, and are nourifhea continually from her body. Experim ents in confort touching fym pathy and antipathy fo r medicinal ufe. 95". It is an inveterate and received opinion, that cantharides applied to any part o f the body, touch the bladder, and exulcerate it, if they flay on long. It is likewife received, that a kind o f ftone, which they bring out o f the iV efi Indies, hath a peculiar force to move gravel, and to diflolve the ftone; in fo much, as laid but to the wrift, it hath fo forcibly fent down gra­ vel, as men have been glad to remove it, it was fo violent. 96. It is received and confirmed by daily experience, that the foals o f the feet have great affinity w ith the head, and the mouth o f the ftomach: as we fee, going wet-fhod, to thofe that ufe it not, affedleth both: applications o f hot powders to the feet attenuate firft, and after dry the rheum : and there­ fore a phyfician that would be myftical, preferibeth, for the cure o f the rheum, that a man fhould w alk continually upon a camomile alley; mean­ ing, that he fhould put camomile within his focks. Likewife pigeons bleed­ ing, applied to the foals o f the feet, eafe the head: and foporiferous medi­ cines applied unto them, provoke fleep. 97. I t feemeth; that as the feet have a fympathy with the head; fo the V o L. III. G wrifts 6

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wrifts and hands have a fympathy with the heart; We fee the affeCis and p a t fions o f the heart and fpirits, are notably difclofed by the pulfe: and it is often tried, that juices o f ftock-gilly-floWers, rofe-Campian, garlick, and other things, applied to the wrifts, and renewed, have cured long agues. And I conceive, that wafhing, with certain liquors, the palms o f the hands doth much good: and they do well in heats o f agues, to hold in the hands eggs o f alabafter, and balls o f cryftal. O f thefe things we ftiall fpeak m ore, when we handle the title o f fympathy and antipathy in the proper place.

Experim ent folitdry touching the fecret procejjes o f nature. 98. T he knowledge o f man (hitherto) hath been determined by the view, £>r figh t; fo that whatfoever is invifible, either in refpeCt o f the finehef9 o f the body it felf; or the fmallnefs o f the parts; or o f the fubtilty o f the men tion; is little inquired. And yet thefe be th£ things that govern nature principally; and without which, you cannot make any true imalyjis and ifH dication o f the proceedings o f nature. T h e fpirits or pneumaticals, that are in all tangible bodies, are fcarce known. Sometimes they take them fot Vacuums whereas they are the moft aCtive o f bodies. Sometimes they take them for air; from which they differ exceedingly, as much as wine From' w ater; and as wood from earth. Sometimes they will have them to be natural heat, or a portion o f the element o f fire; whereas fome o f them are crude and cold. And fometimes they will have them to be the virtues and qualities o f the tangible parts, which they fee; whereas they are things by themfelves. And then, when they come to plants and living Creatures, they call them fouls. And fuch fuperficial fpeculations they have; like profpeCtives, that fhew things inward, when they are but paintings. Neither is this a queftion o f words, but infinitely material in nature. For fpirits are nothing elfe but a natural body, rarified to a proportion, and included in the tangible parts o f bodies, as in an integument. And they be no lefs differing one from the other, than the denfe or tangible parts: and they are in all tangible bo­ dies whatfoever, more or lefs: and they are never (almoft) at reft: and from them, and their motions, principally proceed arefaCtion, colliquation, con­ coction, maturation, putrefaction, vivification, and moft o f the effects o f na­ ture: for, as we have figured them in our Sapientia veterum, in the fable o f Proferpina, you fhall in the infernal regiment hear little doings o f Pluto., but moft o f Proferpina: for tangible parts in bodies are ftupid things; and the fpirits do (in effeCt) all. As for the differences o f tangible parts in bodies, tlie induftry o f rhe chymifts hath given fome light, in difeeming by their feparations, the oily, crude, pure, impure, fine, grofs parts o f bodies, and the like. And the phyficians are content to acknowledge, that herbs and drugs have divers parts; as that opium hath a ftupefaCtive pan, and a heat­ ing part; the one moving fleep, the other a fweat following; and diat rhu­ barb hath purging parrs, and aftringent parts, & c. But this whole inquifition is weakly and negligently handled. And for the more fubtle differences o f the minute parts, and the pofture o f them in the body, (Which alfo hath great effects) they are not at all touched: as for the motions o f the minute parts o f bodies, which do fo gfeat effeCts, they have not been obferVed at a ll; becaufe they are invifible, and incur not to the eye; but yet they are to be dcprehended by experience: as Democritus faid well, when they charged him to hold, that the World was made o f fuch little moats, as Were feen in the fu n ; atomus (faith he) neceffitate rationis & experientiae effe convincitur; ato1 mum

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vm *t m m nemo unqnam vubt. Arad therefore the tumult in the- pacts, o f fcli4 bodies, when* they are compreflesk w hich is tbe-eaufe. o f ah flight o f bodies through the air, and o f ocher mechanical motions, (as hath been partly touched before, and fhall be throughly handled in due place) is not feen at all. But neverthelefs, i f you know it not, or inquire it not attentively and diftgenrfy, you- fhall never be able to difeern, amid much lefe to produce, a number o f mechanical motions. Again, as to the motions corporal, within the enrfofwres o f bodies, whereby the eflfedts (which were mentioned be­ fore) pafsr between the fpirits and the tangible parts, (which are a^efadtion* colliquation, conception* maturation, & c.) they are not at all handled. But they are pot off by the names o f virtues, and natures, and actions, and paffions, and fuch other logical words. Experiment folitary touching the power o f heat. 99. I t is certain, that o f all powers in nature, heat is the chief} both in the frame o f nature, and in the works o f art. Certain it is likewife, that the effedfs o f heat are m oil advanced, when it worketh upon a body without lols or dillipation o f the m atter} for that ever betrayeth the account. And therefore it is true, that the power o f heat is beft perceived in diftillations, w hich are performed in clofe veffels and receptacles. But yet there is a higher degree; for howfoever diftillations do keep the body in cells and cloyfters, w ithout going abroad, yet they give fpace unto bodies to turn into vapour; to return into liquor; and to feparate one part from another. So as nature doth expatiate, although it hath not full liberty: whereby the true and ultimate operations o f heat are not attained. But i f bodies may be altered by heat, and yet no fuch reciprocation o f rarefadtion, and o f condenfation, and o f feparation, admitted; then it is like that this Proteus o f matter, being held by the fleeves, w ill turn and change into many metamorphofes. T ake therefore a fquare veffel o f iron, in form o f a cube, and let it have good thick and ftrong fides. Put into it a cube o f wood, that may fill it as dole as may b e ; and let it have a cover o f iron, as ftrong (at leaft) as the fides; and let it be well luted, after the manner o f the chymifts. T hen place the veflel within burning coals, kept quick kindled for fome few hours fpace. Then take the veflel from die fire, and take o ff the cover, and fee what is become o f the wood. I conceive, that fince all inflammation and evaporation are utterly prohibited, and the body ftill turned upon itfe lf, that one o f thefe tw o effects w ill follow : either tin t the body o f the wood will be turned into a kind o f amalgama, (as the chymifts call it;) or that the finer part will be turned into air, and the grofler ftick as it were baked, and incruftate up­ on the fides o f the veflel; being become o f a denfer matter, than the wood it felf, crude. And for another trial, take alfo water, and put it in the like veflel, flopped as before; but ufe a gentler heat, and remove the veflel fometimes from the fire; and again, after fome fmall time, when it is cold, reliew the heating o f it; and repeat this alteration fome few times: and i f you can once bring to pafs, that the water, w hich is one o f the fimpleft o f bodies, be changed in colour, odour, or tafte, after the manner o f compound bodies, you may be lure that there is a great w ork wrought in nature, and a notable entrance made into ftrange changes o f bodies, and productions: and alfo a w ay made to do that by fire, in fmall time, which the fun and age do in long time. But o f the admirable effects o f this diftillation in clofe, (for fo w e call it) which is like the wombs and matrices o f living creatures, w here nothing expireth nor feparateth; we w ill fpeak fully, in the due place; not

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not that w e aim at the making o f Paracelfus pygmies, or any fuch prodigious follies; but that we know the effeds o f heat w ill be fuch, as w ill fcarce fall under the conceit o f man, i f the force o f it be altogether kept in. Experiment folitary touching the impojjibility of annihilation. io o . T h er e is nothing more certain in nature, than that it is impoffible for any body to be utterly annihilated; but that, as it was the w ork o f the omnipotency o f God, to make fomewhat o f nothing; fo it requireth the like omnipotency, to turn fomewhat into nothing. And therefore it is well laid by an obfcure writer o f the fe d o f the chymifts; that there is no fuch way to effed the llrange tranfmutations o f bodies, as to endeavour and urge by all means, the reducing o f them to nothing. And herein is contained alfo a great fecret o f prefervation o f bodies from change; for i f you can prohibit, that they neither turn into air, becaufe no air cometh to th em ; nor go into the bodies adjacent, becaufe they are utterly heterogeneal; nor make a round and circulation within themfelves; they will never change, though they be in their nature never fo perilhable or mutable. W e fee, how flies, and Ipiders, and the like, get a fepulchre in amber, more durable than the monument and embalming o f the body o f any king. And I conceive the like w ill be o f bodies put into quick-filver. But then they muft be but thin, as a leaf, or a piece o f paper or parchm ent; for i f they have a greater craffitude, they w ill alter in their own body, though they fpend not. But o f this, we ftiall fpeak more, when we handle the title o f confervation o f bodies.

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Experiments in conjbrt touching mufick. U S I C K in the pradlick, hath been well purfued; and in good variety; but in the theory, and efpecially in the yield­ ing o f the caufes o f the pradlick, very w e a k ly ; being re­ duced into certain myftical fubtilties, o f no ufe, and not much truth. W e fhall therefore, after our manner, join the contemplative and adlive part together. io i. A ll founds, are either mufical founds, w hich w e call tones; whereunto there may be an harm ony; w hich founds are ever equal; as linging, the founds o f ftringed and wind-inflruments, the ringing o f bells, & c . or im m ufical founds, which are ever unequal; fuch as are the voice in fpeaking, all whifperings, all voices o f beafts and birds, (except they be finging birds;) all percuffions o f ftones, wood, parchment, fkins, (as in drums;) and infinite others. 102. T he founds that produce tones, are ever from fuch bodies, as are in their parts and pores equal; as well as the founds themfelves are equal; and fuch are the percuflions o f metal, as in bells; o f glafs, as in the fillipping o f a drinking glafs; o f air, as in mens voices w hilft they fing; in pipes, whiffles, organs, ftringed inftruments, & C. and o f water, as in the nightin­ gale pipes o f regalls, or organs, and other hydraulicks; w hich the ancients had, and N ero did fo m uch efteem, but are now loft. And i f any man think, that the firing o f the bow, and the firing o f the viol, are neither o f them equal bodies; and yet produce tones; he is in an error. For the found is not created between the bow or plectrum, and the firing; but between the firing and the air; no more than it is between the finger or quill, and th e firing in other inftruments. So there are (in effedt) but three percuf­ fions that create tones; percuffions o f metals, (comprehending glafs, and the like) percuffions o f air, and percuffions o f water. 103. T he diapafon or eight in mufick is die fweeteft concord; in fo much as it is in effedt an unifon; as w e fee in lutes, that are ftrung in the bale firings w ith tw o firings, one an eight above another; w hich make but as one found. And every eight note in afcent, (as from eight to fifteen, from fifteen to twenty two, and fo in infinitum) are but fcales o f diapafon. The. caufe is dark, and hath not been rendred by any; and therefore w ould be better contemplated. It feemeth that air, (which is the fubjedt o f founds) V o l . III. H in

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in founds that are not tones, (which are all unequal, as hath been faid) admitteth much variety; as we lee in the voices o f living creatures; and likewife in the voices o f feveral men, (for we are capable to difcern leveral men by their voices;) and in the conjugation o f letters, whence articulate founds, proceed; which o f all others are moft various. But in the founds which w e call tones, (that are ever equal) the air is not able to call it l'elf into any luch variety; but is forced to recur into one and the fame pofture or figure, only differing in greatnefs and fmalinefs. So we fee figures may be made o f lines, •rooked and ftraight, in infinite variety, where there is inequality; but cir­ cles or fquares or triangles equilateral, (which are all figures o f equal lines) can differ but in greater or lefier. 104. I t is to be noted (the rather left any man Ihould think, that there is any thing in this number o f eight, to Create the diapafon) that this com­ putation o f eight, is a thing rather received, than any true computation. For a true computation ought ever to be, by diftribution into equal por­ tions. N o w there be intervenient in the rile o f eight (in rones) two beemolls, or h alf notes; fo as i f you divide the tones equally, the eight is but feven whole and equal notes; and if you fubdivide that into h alf notes, (as it is in the ftops o f a lute) it maketh the number o f thirteen. io y . Y e t this is true; that in the ordinary rifes and falls o f the voice o f man (not meafuring the tone by whole notes, and h alf notes, which is the equal meafure;) there fall out to be two beemolls (as hath been faid) between the unifon and the diapafon: and this varying is natural. For i f a man would endeavour to raife or fall his voice, ftill by h alf notes, like the ftops o f a lute; or by whole notes alone without halfs, as far as an eight; he w ill not be able to frame his voice unto it. W h ich fheweth, that after every three whole notes, nature requireth, for all harmonical ufe, one h alf note to be inrerpoled. 106. It is to be confidered, that whatfoever'virtue is in numbers, for con­ ducing to concent o f notes, is rather to be afcribed to the ante-number, th in to the entire number; as namely, that the found returneth after fix, or after tw elve; fo that the feventh or the thirteenth is not the matter, but the fixth or the tw elfth; and the feventh and the thirteenth are but the limits and boundaries o f the return. 107. T he concords in mufick which are perfect or femiperfect, betweenthe unifon, and the diapafon, are the fifth, which is the moft perfect; the third n ext; and the fixth which is more h arfh : and as the ancients efteemed, and fo do m y fe lf and fome other yet, the fourth which they call diateffaron. As for the tenth, twelfth, thirteenth, and fo in infinitum-, they be but recurrences o f the former; v iz . o f the third, the fifth, and the fixth; being an eight relpectively from them. 1 08. F o r difcords, the fecond and the feventh are o f all others the m oft odious, in harmony, to the fenfe; w hereof the one is next above the unifon, the other next under the diapafon: which may fhew, that harmony requir­ eth a competent diftance o f notes. 109. In harmony, i f there be not a difcord to the bafe, it doth not difturb the harmony, though there be a difcord to the higher parts; fo the difcord be not o f the tw o that are odious; and therefore the ordinary concent offour parts confifteth o f an eight, a fifth, and a third to the bafe: but that fifth is a fourth to the treble, and the third is a fixth. And the caufe is, for that the bafe ftriking more air, doth overcome and drown the treble, (unlefs the difcord be very odious;) and fo hideth a fmall imperfection. For w e fee, 4 that-

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that in one o f the lower firings o f a lute, there foundeth not the found o f the treble, nor any mixt found, but only the found o f the bafe. n o . W e have no mufick o f quarter-notes; and it m aybe, they are not capable o f harm ony; for we fee the half-notes themfelves do but interpofe fometimes. Neverthelefs we have fome Aides or relifhes o f the voice, or firings, as it were continued without notes, from one tone to another, rifing or falling, which are delightful. h i . T he caufes o f that which is pleafing, or ingrate to the hearing, may receive light by that which is pleafing or ingrate to the fight. There be tw o things pleafing to the fight (leaving pictures and fhapes afide, which are but fecondary objects; and pleafe or difpleafe but in memory) thefe two are colours and order. T h e pleafing o f colour fymbolizeth with the pleafing o f any fingle tone to the ear ; but the pleafing o f order doth fymbolize with harmony. And therefore we fee in garden-knots, and the frets o f houfes, and all equal and well-anfwering figures, (as globes, pyramids, cones, cylin­ ders, crc.) how they pleafe; whereas unequal figures are but deformities. And both thefe pleafures, that o f the eye, and that o f the ear, are but the effects o f equality, good proportion, or correfpondence: fo that (out o f queftion) equality, and correfpondence, are the caufes o f harmony. But to find the proportion o f that correfpondence, is more abflrufe; whereof notwithftanding'we fhall fpeak fomewhat, (when we handle tones) in the general enquiry o f founds. 1 11. T ones are not fo apt altogether to procure fieep,as fome other founds; as the wind, the purling o f water, humming o f bees, a fweet voice o f one that readeth, & c . T h e caule w hereof is, for that tones, becaufe they are equal and Aide not, do more ftrike and eredt fenfe than the other. And overmuch attention hindreth Aeep. 113. T here be in mufick certain figures or tropes; almofl agreeingwith the figures o f rhetorick; and with the affedtions o f the mind, and other fenfes. Firfl, the divifion and quavering, which pleafe fo much in mufick, have an agreement with the glittering o f light; as the moon-beams play­ ing upon a wave. Again, the falling from a difcord to a concord, which maketh great fweetnefs in mufick, hath an agreement with the affedlions, which are reintegrated to the better, after fome difiikes: it agreeth alfo with the tafle, which is foon glutted with that which is fweet alone. T h e Aiding from the clofe or cadence, hath an agreement with the figure in rhetorick, which they call praeter expectation; for there is a pleafure even in being de­ ceived. T he reports, and fuges, have an agreement with the figures in rhe­ torick, o f repetition and tradudlion. T h e tripla's, and changing o f times, have an agreement with the changes o f motions; as when galliard time, and meafure time, are in the medley o f one dance. 114. It hath been anciently held and obferved, that the fenfe o f hearing, and the kinds o f mufick, have mofl operation upon manners; as to incourage men, and make them warlike; to make them foft and effeminate; to make them grave; to make them light; to make them gentle and inclin’d to pity, & c . T h e caufe is, for that the fenfe o f hearing flriketh the fpirits more immediately, than the other fenfes; and more incorporeally than the fmelling: for the fight, tafle, and feeling, have their organs, not o f fo prefent and immediate accefs to the fpirits, as the hearing hath. And as for the fmelling, (which indeed worketh alfo immediately upon the fpirits, and is forcible w hile the objedl remaineth) it is with a communication o f the breath, or Vapour o f the objedl odorate: but harmony entring eafily, and mingling not ' at

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at all, and coming with a manifeft motion; doth by cuftom o f often affedhing the fpirits, and putting them into one kind o f pofture, alter not a little the nature o f the fpirits, even when the objedt is removed. And therefore we fee, that tunes and airs, even in their own nature, have in themfelves fome affinity with the affedtions; as there be merry tunes, doleful tunes, folemn tunes; tunes inclining mens minds to pity; warlike tunes, & c . So as it is no marvel i f they alter the fpirits, confidering that tunes have a predifpofition to the motion o f the fpirits in themfelves. But yet it hath been no­ ted, that though this variety o f tunes doth difpofe the fpirits to variety o f paffions, conform unto them, yet generally mufick feedeth that difpofition o f the fpirits which it findeth. W e fee alfo, that feveral airs, and tunes, da pleafe feveral nations and perfons, according to the fympathy they have with their fpirits. Experiments in confort touching founds-, and firft touching the nullity and entity o f founds. P e r s p e c t iv e hath been with fome diligence inquired; and fo hath the nature o f founds, in fome fort, as far as concerneth mulick : But the nature o f founds in general, hath been fuperficially obferved. It is one o f the fubtileft pieces o f nature. And befides, I pradlife, as I do advife; which is, after long inquiry o f things, immerfe in matter, to interpofe fome fubjedt which is immateriate, or lefs materiate; fuch as this o f founds; to the end, that the intelledt may be redtified, and become not partial. 1 1 y. It is firft to be confidered, what great motions there are in nature, which pafs without found or noife. T he heavens turn about in a moft ra­ pid motion, without noife to us perceived; though in fome dreams they nave been faid to make an excellent mufick. So the motions o f the comets, and fiery meteors (as Jlella cadens, & c.) yield no noife. And i f it be thought, that it is the greatnefs o f diftance from us, whereby the found cannot be heard; we fee that lightnings and corufcations, which are near at hand, yieldno found neither: And yet in all thefe, there is a percuffion and divifion o f the air. T h e winds in the upper region (which move the clouds above, which we call the rack, and are not perceived below) pafs without noife. T he lower winds in a plain, except they be ftrong, make no noife; but amongft trees, the noife o f fuch winds will be perceived. And the winds (generally) when they make a noife, do ever make it unequally, rifing and falling, and fometimes (when they are vehement) trembling at the height o f their blaft. Rain or hail falling (though vehemently) yieldeth no noife in paffing through the air, till it fall upon the ground, water, houfes, or the like. Water in a river (though a fwift ftream) is not heard in the chanel, but runneth in filence, i f it be o f any depth; but the very ftream upon, dial lows, o f gravel, or pebble, w ill be heard. And waters, when they beat upon the fhore, or are ftraitned, (as in the falls o f bridges) or are dafhed againft themfelves, by winds, give a roaring noife. Any piece o f timber, or hard body, being thruft forwards by another body contiguous, without knock­ ing, giveth no noife. And fo bodies in weighing one upon another, though the upper body prefs the lower body down, make no noife. So the motion in the minute parts o f any folid body, (which is the principal caufe o f vio­ lent motion, though unobferved) pafleth without found; for that found that is heard fometimes, is produced only by the breaking o f the air; and not by the impulfion o f the parts. So it is manifeft, that where the anteriour body giveth way, as faft as the pofteriour cometh on, it maketh no noife, he the motion never fo great or fwift. 1 16. A i r

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x i 6. A i r open, and at large, maketh no noife, except it be fharply per­ cufled ; as in the found o f a firing, where air is percufled by a hard and fliff body, and with a fharp loofe; for i f the firing be not flrained, it maketh no noife. But where the air is pent and ftraitned, there breath or other blowing, (which carry but a gentle percuffion) fuffice to create found; as in pipes and wind-inflruments. But then you mult note, that in recorders, which go with a gentle breath, the concave o f the pipe, were it not for the Apple that flraitneth the air, (much more than the Ample concave) would yield no found. For as for other wind-inflruments, they require a forcible breath; as trumpets, cornets, hunters-horns, & c . which appeareth by the blown cheeks o f him that windeth them. Organs alfo are blown with a flrong wind by the bellows. And note again, that fome kind o f wind-inflruments, are blown at a fmall hole in the fide, which flraitneth the breath at the Arfl entrance; the rather, in refpcdt o f their traverfe and flop above the hole, w hich performeth the Apples part; as it is feen in Autes and Afes, which w ill not give found by a blafl at the end, as recorders, & c . do. Likewife in all whiffling, you contradi the m outh; and to make it more fharp, men fometimes ufe their Anger. But in open air, i f you throw a flone or a dart, they give no found: no more do bullets, except they happen to be a little hollow­ ed in the carting; which hollownefs penneth the air: nor yet arrows, except they be ruffled in their feathers, which likewife penneth the air. As for fmall whiftles or fhepherds oaten pipes, they give a found becaufe o f their extreme flendernefs, whereby the air is more pent, than in a wider pipe. Again, the voices o f men and living creatures, pafs through the throat, which penneth the breath. As for thej'm 'J harp it is a fharp percuffion; and befides, hath the advantage o f penning the air in the mouth. 11 7. Solid bodies, i f they be very foftly percufled, give no found; as when a man tread eth very foftly upon boards. So cherts or doors in fair weather, when they open eaflly give no found. And cart wheels fqueak not when they are liquored. 118. T he flame o f tapers or candles, though it be a fwift motion and breaketh the air, yet pafleth without found. Air in ovens, though (no doubt) it doth (as it were) boil and dilate it felf, and is repercufled; yet it is with­ out noife. 1 19. F la m e percufled by air, giveth a noife; as in blowing o f the Are by bellow s; greater, than i f the bellows fhould blow upon the air it felf. And fo likewife flame percuffing the air ftrongly, (as when flame fuddenly taketh and openeth) giveth a noife; fo great flames, while the one impelleth the other, give a bellowing found. 120. T here is a conceit runneth abroad, that there fhould be a white powder; which w ill difcharge a piece without noife; which is a dangerous experiment if it fhould be true: for it mdy caufe fecret murders. But it feemeth to me impoffible; for, i f the air pent be driven forth and ftrike the air open; it will certainly make a noife. As for the white powder, (if any fiich thing be, that may extinguifh or dead the noife) it is like to be a mixture o f petre and folphilr, without coal. For petre alone will not take fire. And if any man think, that the found m aybe extinguifhed or deaded, by difcharging the pent air, before it cometh to the mouth o f the piece and to the open air; that is not probable; for it will make more divided founds: as i f you fhould make a crofs barrel hollow, through the barrel o f a piece, it may be, it would give feveral founds, both at the nofe and at the fides. But I conceive, that if it were poffible to bring to paf6, that there fhould be V o l . III. I no

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no air pent at the mouth o f the piece, the bullet might fly with fmall or no noife. For firft it is certain, there is no noife in the percullion o f the flame upon the bullet. Next the bullet, in piercing through the air, maketli no noife; as hath been faid. And then, i f there be no pent air that ftriketh up­ on open air, there is no caufe o f noife; and yet the flying o f the bullet will not be Hayed. For that motion (as hath been oft faid) is in the parts o f the bullet, and not in the air. So as trial m ull be made by taking fome fmall con­ cave o f metal, no more than you mean to fill with powder; and laying the bullet in the mouth o f it, h alf out into the open air. h i . I heard it affirmed by a man, that was a great dealer in fecrets, but he was but vain; that there was a confpiracy (which him felf hindred) to have killed Queen Mary, After to Queen Elizabeth, by a burning glafs, when fhe walked in Saint James's, park, from the leads o f the houfe. But thus much (no doubt) is true; that i f burning glafles could be brought to a great ftrength, (as they talk generally o f burning glafles, that are able to burn a navy) the percuflion o f the air alone, by luch a burning glafs, would make no noife; no more than is found in corrufcations and lightnings, without thunders. n i . I fuppofe, that impreffion o f the air with founds afketh a time to be conveyed to the fenfe; as well as the impreflion o f fpecies vifible. O r elfe they will not be heard. And therefore, as the bullet moveth fo fwift, that it is invifible; fo the fame fwiftnefs o f motion maketh it inaudible: for we fee, that the apprehenfion o f the eye, is quicker than that o f the ear. 113. A ll eruptions o f air, though fmall and flight, give an entity o f found, which we call crackling, puffing, fpitting, drc. as in bay-falt and hay-leaves, caft into the fire; fo in cheftnuts, when they leap forth o f the allies; fo in green wood laid upon the fire, elpecially roots; fo in candles that fpit flame, i f they be w et; fo in rafping, fneezing, & c . fo in a rofe leaf gathered toge­ ther into the faihion o f a purfe, and broken upon the forehead, or back o f the hand, as children ufe. Experiments in confort touching production, confervation, and delation o f founds-, and the office o f the air therein. 124. T he caufe given o f found, that it fliould be an elifion o f the air, (whereby, i f they mean any thing, they mean a cutting or dividing, or elfe an attenuating o f the air) is but a term o f ignorance; and the motion is but a catch o f die wit upon a few instances; as the manner is in the philofophy received. And it is common with men, that i f they have gotten a pretty expreflion, by a word o f art, that expreflion goeth current; though it be empty o f matter. This conceit o f elifion, appeareth mofl manifeftly to be falfe, in that the found o f a bell, firing, or the like, continueth melting fome time after the percuflion; but ceafeth Araightways, if the bell, or firing, be touched and fiayed: whereas, i f it were the elifion o f the air that made the found, it could not be, that the touch o f the bell or firing, fhould extinguifti fo fuddenly that motion, caufed by the elifion o f the air. This ap­ peareth yet more manifeftly, by chiming with a hammer, upon the outfide o f a b e ll; for the found w ill be according to the inward concave o f the bell; whereas the elifion or attenuation o f the air, cannot be but only be­ tween the hammer and the outfide o f the bell. So again, if it were an eli­ fion, a broad hammer, and a bodkin, ftruck upon metal, would give a di­ vers tone, as well as a divers loudnefs: but they do. not fo; for though the found o f the one be louder, and o f the other fofter, yet the tone is the fame. 3 Befides,

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Befides, in echoes (whereof fome are as loud as the original voice) there is no new elifion, but a repercuffion only. But that which convinceth it moil o f all is, that founds are generated, where there is no air at all. But thefe and the like conceits, when men have cleared their underftanding, by the light o f experience, will fcatter and break up like a mill. n y . I t is certain, that found is not produced at the firft, but with fome local motion o f the air or flame, or fome other medium; nor yet without fome refiftance, either in the air or the body percufied. For if there be a mere yielding or ceffion, it produceth no found; as hath been faid. And therein founds differ from light and colours, which pafs through the air, or other bodies, without any local motion o f the a ir; either at the firft, or after. But you muft attentively diftinguifti, between the local motion o f the air (which is but 'vehiculum caufae, a carrier o f the founds) and the founds themfelves, conveyed in the air. For as to the former, we fee manifeftly, that no found is produced, (no not by air it felf again!! other air, as in organs, & c.) but with a perceptible blaft o f the air; and with fome refiftance o f the air ftrucken. For even all fpeech, (which is one o f the gentleft motions o f air) is with expulfion o f a little breath. And all pipes have a blaft, as well as a found. W e fee alfo manifeftly, that founds are carried with wind: and therefore founds will be heard further with the wind, than again!! the wind; and likewile do rife and fall with the intenfion or remiflion o f the wind. But for the impreffion o f the found, it is quite another thing; and is utterly without any local motion o f the air, perceptible; and in that refembleth the fpecies vifible: for after a man hath lured, or a bell is rung, we cannot difcern any perceptible motion (at all) in the air along as the found goeth; but only at the firft. Neither doth the wind (as far as it carrieth a voice) with the motion thereof, confound any o f the delicate and articulate figurations o f the air, in variety o f words. And i f a man fpeak a good loudnefs again!! the flame o f a candle, it will not make it tremble m uch; though moft, when thofe letters are pronounced which contradi the m outh ; as F, S, V> and fome others. But gentle breathing, or blowing with­ out fpeaking, will move the candle far more. And it is the more probable, that found is without any local motion o f the air, becaufe as it differeth from the fight, in that it needeth a local motion o f the air at firft; fo it parallelled in fo many other things with the fight, and radiation o f things vifible; which (without all queftion) induce no local motion in the air, as hath been faid. 1 1 6. N ev er th e less it is true, that upon the noife o f thunder, and great ordnance, glafs windows will !hake; and fifties are thought to be frayed with the motion, caufed by noife upon the water. But thefe effedls are from the local motion o f the air, which is a concomitant o f the found, (as hath been faid) and not from the found. 1 17 . I t hath been anciently reported, and is ftill received, that extreme applaufes and fliouting o f people aflembled in great multitudes, have fo ra­ tified and broken the air, that birds flying over have fallen down, the air being not able to fupport them. And it is believed by fome, that great ringing o f bells in populous cities, hath chafed away thunder; and alfo diffipated peftilent air: all which may be alfo from the contuffion o f the air, and not from the found. n 8 . A very great found, near hand, hath ftrucken many deaf; and at the inftant they have found, as it were, the breaking o f a !kin or parch­ ment in their ear: and my felf Handing near one that lured loud and ftirill, had

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3 we fee that in mirrours there is the like angle o f incidence, from the objedt to the glafs, and from the glafs to the eye. And i f you ftrifce a ball fide-long, not full upon the furface, the rebound will be as m uch the contrary w a y ; whether rhere be any inch refilience in echo’s, (that is, whether a man dial I hear better if he Hand afide the body repercuffing, than i f he ftand where he fpeaketh, or anywhere in a right line between) may be tried. T rial likewife would be made, by Handing nearer the place o f repercuffing than he that fpeaketh; and again by ftanding farther off than he that fpeaketh; and fo knowledge

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knowledge would be taken, whether echo’s as well as original founds, be not ftrongeft near hand. 1 4 6 . T here be many places where you fliall hear a number o f echo’s one after another: and it is when there is variety o f hills or woods, fome hearer, fome farther off: fo that the return from the farther being laft cre­ ated, w ill be likewife laft heard. xiff. As the voice goeth round, as well towards the back, as towards the front o f him that fpeaketh; fo likewife doth the echo; for you have many back echo’s to the place where you ftand. 248. T o make an echo that will report three, or four, or five words diftin&ly, it is requifite that the body reperculling be a good diftance o ff: for i f it be near, and yet not fo near as to make a concurrent echo, It choppeth with you upon the fudden. It is requifite likewife that the air be not much pent: For air at a great diftance pent, Worketh the fame effedf with air at large in a fmall diftance. And therefore in the trial o f fpeaklng in the well, though the well was deep, the voice came back fuddenly, and would bear the report but o f two words. 249. F or echo’s upon echo’s, there is a rare inftance thereof in a place, which I will now exadtly defcribe. It is fome three or four miles from P a­ n s, near a town called Pont-Charenton ■, and fome bird-bolt-fhot or more from the river o f San. T he room is a chapel dr fmall church. T he Walls all ftanding, both at the fides and at the ends. T w o rows o f pillars, after the manner o f ifles o f churches, alfo ftanding; the roof all open* not fo much as any erhbowment near any o f the walls left. There Was dgainft every pil­ lar a ftack o f billets above a mart’s height; which the Wdtetmefl that bring wood down the Sein in facks, and not in boats, laid there (as it feemeth) for their eafe. Speaking at the one end, I did hear it return the voice thirteen feteral times; and I have heard o f others, that it would return fixteen times: for I was there about three Of the clock irt the afternoon: and it is beft (as all other echo’s are) in the evening. It is manifeft that it is not echo’s from feveral places, but a toffing o f the vpice as a ball to and frd ; like to reflexions in looking-glafles, where i f fa il place one glafs before and another behind, you fliall fee the glafs behind with the image, within the glafs before; and again, the glafs before in that; and divers fuch fuper-reflexions, till the fpecies fpeciei at laft die. For it is every return weaker and more fhady. In like manner the voice in that chapel createth fperiem fpeciei, and maketh fucceeding fuper-reflexions; for it melteth by degrees,- artd every reflexion is Weaker than the form er: fo that i f you fpeak three Words, it Will (perhaps) fome three times report you the whole three Words; and then the tWo latter wOrds for fome times; and then the laft word alone for fome times; ftill fading and growing weaker. And whereas in echo’s o f one return, it is much to hear four or five Words; in this echo o f fo many returns upon the matter, you hear above twenty words for three. ayo. T he like echo Upon echo, but only With two reports, hath been obferved to be, i f you ftand between a hotife and a hill, and lure towafd9 the hill. For the houfe will give a back echo, one taking it from the other, and the latter the weaker. i ? i . T h ere are certain letters that an echo w ill hardly exprefs; as S for one, efpecially being principal in a word. I remember well, that when I went to the echo at Pont-Charenton, there Was art old Pariftan, that took it to be the work o f fpirits, and o f good fpirits. For ((aid he) call Satan, and the

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as much in French as apage, or avoid And thereby I did hap to find, that an echo would not return T, being but a hiding and an interiour found. z y z . E c h o ’s are fome more fudden, and chop again as foon as the voice is delivered} as hath been partly faid: others are more deliberate, that is, give more Ipace between the voice and the ech o ; which is caufed by the local nearnels or diftance: fome will report a longer train o f words; and fome a fhorter: fome more loud (full as loud as the original, and fometimes more loud) and fome weaker and fainter. ay3. W h er e echo’s come from feveral parts at the fame diftance, they muft needs make (as it were) a quire o f echo’s, and fo make the report greater, and even a continued echo; which you fhall find in fome hills that ftand encompafled theatre-like. 2 5"4. It doth not yet appear that there is refraction in founds, as well as in fpecies vifible. For I do not think, that i f a found fhould pal's through di­ vers mediums, (as air, cloth, wood) it would deliver the found in a different place from that unto which it is deferred; which is the proper effect o f refraction. But majoration, which is alfo the work o f refraction, appeareth plainly in founds, (as hath been handled at full) but it is not by diverfity o f mediums.

Experim ents in confort touching the confent and dijfent between vifbles and audibles. W e have obiter, for demonftration fake, ufed in divers inftances the ex­ amples o f the fight and things vifible, to illuftrate the nature o f founds: But w e think good now to profecute that comparifon more fully.

Confent of vifbles and audibles. 1 5 5 . B oth o f them fpread themfelves in round, and fill a whole floor or orb unto certain limits: and are carried a great w ay: and do languifh and leflen by degrees, according to the diftance o f the objedts from the fenfories. xy6. B oth o f them have the whole fpecies in every fmall portion o f the air or medium, fo as the fpecies do pafs through fmall crannies without confufion: as we fee ordinarily in levels, as to the eye; and in crannies or chinks as to the found. 257. B oth o f them are o f a fudden and eafy generation and delation; and likewife perifh fwiftly and fuddenly; as i f you remove the light, or touch the bodies that give the found. 25-8. B o th o f them do receive and carry exquifite and accurate differences; as o f colours, figures, motions, diftances, in vifibles; and o f articulate voices, tones, fongs and quaverings, in audibles. 259. B o th o f them in their virtue and working, do not appear to emit any corporal fubftance into their mediums, or the orb o f their virtue; nei­ ther again to rife or ftir any evident local motion in their mediums as they pafs, but only to carry certain fpiritual fpecies; the perfect knowledge o f the caufe whereof being hitherto fcarcely attained, we fhall fearch and handle in due place. 260. B o th o f them feem not to generate or produce any other effect in nature, but fuch as appertaineth to their proper objects and fenles, and are otherwife barren. 261. B ut both o f them in ther own proper action, do work three manifeft effedts. T h e firft, in that the ftronger fpecies drowneth the lefler; as the light o f the fun, the light o f a glow -w orm ; the report o f an ordnance, the 1 voice:

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voice: T h e fecoiid, in that an objedl o f furcharge or excefs deftroyeth thd fenfe, as the light o f the fun the eye; a violent found (near the ear) the hearing: the third, in that both o f them will be reverberated; as in mirrours; and in echo’s. z 6 i. N e it h e r o f them doth deftroy or hinder the fpecies o f the other1, although they encounter in the fame medium; as light or colour hinder not found, nor e contra. 26-’ . B oth o f them affedt the fenfe in living creatures, and yield objedls o f pleafure and diflike: yet neverthelefs the objedts o f them do alfo (if it be well obferved) affedl and work upon dead things; namely fuch as have fome conformity with the organs o f the two fenfes; as vifibles work upon a looking-glafs, which is like the pupil o f die eye; and audibles upon the places o f echo, which refemble in fome fort the cavern and ftrudture o f the ear. 1.64. B oth o f them do diverfly work, as they have their medium diverfly difpofed. So a trembling medium (as fmoak) maketh the objedt feem to tremble; and a riling or falling medium (as winds) maketh the founds to rife or fall. 265-» T o both, the medium, which is the moft propitious and conducible, is a ir ; for glafs or water* & c. are not comparable. a 66. In both o f them, where the objedt is fine and accurate, it conduceth much to have the fenfe intentive and eredt; in fo much as you contradi your eye when you would fee fharply; and eredl your ear when you woulT hear attentively; which in bcalls that have ears moveable is moft manifeft. 267. T he beams o f light, when they are multiplied and conglomerate; generate heat; which is a different adlion from the adtidn o f fight: and the multiplication and conglomeration o f founds doth generate an extreme rarefadlion o f the air; which is an adlion materiate, differing from the adlion o f found; i f it be true (which is anciently reported) that birds with great Ihouts have fallen down. Dijjents o f vifibles and audibles» 268. T he fpecies o f vifibles feem to be emiffions o f beams from the ob^ jedl feen, almoft like odours, fave that they are more incorporeal: but the fpecies o f audibles feem to participate more with local motion, like percufiions, or impreffions made upon the air. So that whereas all bodies do feem to work in two manners, either by the communication o f their na­ tures, or by the impreffions and fignatures o f their motions; the diffufion o f fpecies vifible feemeth to participate more o f the former operation, and the fpecic9 audible o f the latten 269. T he fpecies o f audibles feem to be carried more manifeftly through the air than the fpecies o f vifibles: for (I conceive) that a contrary ftrong wind will not much hinder the fight o f vifibles, as it will do the hearing o f founds. 270. T here is one difference above all others between vifibles and au­ dibles, that is the moft remarkable; as that whereupon many fmaller differen­ ces do depend: namely* that vifibles (except lights) are carried in right lines; and audibles in arcuate lines. Hence it cometh to pals, that vifibles do not intermingle and confound one another, as hath been faid before; but founds do. Hence it cometh, that the folidity o f bodies doth not much hinder the fight, fo that the bodies be clear, and the pores in a right line* as in glafs; V o L. IIL P eryftsd,

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cryfial, diamonds, water, & c . but a thin fcarf or handkerchief, though they be bodies nothing fo (olid, hinder the fight: whereas (contrariwife) thefe p except it be by reflexion, whereof w e fpeak not. For the beams pafs, and give little tindture to that air w hich i$ adjacent; which i f they did, we fhould fee colours out o f a right line. But as this is in colours, fo otherwife it is in the body o f light. For when there is a fkreen between the candle and the eye, yet the light pafleth to the pa­ per whereon one writeth; fo that the light is feen where the body o f the flame is not feen; and where any colour (if it were placed where the body o f the flame is) would not be feen. I judge that found is o f this latter na­ ture: for when two are placed on both fides o f a wall, and the voice is heard, I judge it is not only the original found which pafleth in an arched lin e; but the found which pafleth above the wall in a right line, begetteth the like motion round about it as the firfl did, though more weak.

Experim ents in confort touching the fym pathy or antipathy o f founds one w ith another. 178. A ll concords and difcords o f mufick, are (no doubt) fympathies and antipathies o f founds. And fo (likewife) in that mufick which we call broken mufick or confort mufick, fome conforts o f inftruments are fweeter than others; (a thing not lufficiently yet obferved:) as the Trifh harp and bafe viol agree w ell: the recorder and ftringed mufick agree w ell: organs and the voice agree well, & c. But the virginals and the lute; or the JVclfh harp and Irifh harp; or the voice and pipes alone, agree not fo w ell; but for the melioration o f .mufick, there is yet much left (in this point o f exquifite conforts) to try and enquire. 179. T here is a common oblervation, that i f a hire or viol be laid upon the back, with a fmall ftraw upon one o f the firings; and another lute or viol be laid by it; and in the other lute or viol, the unifon to that firing be ftrucken, it will make the firing m ove; which w ill appear both to the eye, and by the ftraws falling off. T h e like w ill be, i f the diapafon or eight to that firing be ftrucken, either in the fame lute or viol, or in others lying b y ; but in none o f thefe there is any report o f found that can be difcerned, but only motion. a 80. Ir was deviled, that a viol fhould have a lay o f wire-firings below, as clofe to the belly as a lute; and then the firings o f guts mounted upon a bridge as in ordinary viols; to the end that by this means the upper firings ftrucken, fhould make the lower refound by fympathy, and fo make the mu­ fick the better; which, i f it be to purpofe, then fympathy worketh, as w ell by report o f found as by motion. But this device I conceive to be o f no ufe, bccaufe the upper firings which are flopped in great variety, cannot main­ tain a diapafon or unifon with the lower, which are never flopped. But i f it fhould be o f ufe at all, it muft be in inftruments which have no flops; as virginals and harps; wherein trial may be made o f tw o rows o f firings, diflant the one from the other. 181. T he experiment o f fympathy may be transferred (perhaps) from inftruments o f firings, to other inftruments o f found. As to try if there were in one fleeple two bells o f unifon, whether the flriking o f the one would move the other, more than i f it were another accord: and fo in pipes (if they be o f equal bore and found) whether a little ftraw or feather would move in the one pipe, when the other is blown at an unifon. ' 8 i. I t feemeth both in ear and eye, the inftrument o f fenfe hath a fym­ pathy or fimilicude with that which giveth the reflexion; (as hath been touch­ ed

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cd before:) for as the fight o f the eye is like a cryftal, or glafs, or w a te r; fo is the ear a finuous cave, w ith a hard bone, to ftop and reverberate the found: w hich is like to the places that report echo’s.

Experim enti in confort touching the hindring or helping o f the hearing. 283. W hen a man yawneth, he cannot hear fo well. T h e caufe is, for1 that the membrane o f the ear is extended; and fo rather cafteth o ff the found than draweth it to. 184. W f. hear better when we hold our breath than contrary; in fo m uch as in all liftening to attain a found afar off, men hold their breath. T h e caufe is, for that in all expiration the motion is outwards; and therefore ra­ ther driveth away the voice than draweth it: and befides we fee, that in all labour to do things w ith any ftrength, w e hold the breath: and liftening after any found that is heard with difficulty, is a kind o f labour. 28 f. L e t it be tried, for the help o f the hearing, (and I conceive it likely to fucceed) to make an inftrument like a tunnel; the narrow part w hereof may be o f the bignefs o f the hole o f the ear; and the broader end m uch larger, like a bell at the fkirts; and the length h a lf a foot or more. And let the narrow end o f it be fet clofe to the e a r: and mark whether any found, abroad in the open air, w ill not be heard diftindtly from farther diftance, than without that infixument; being (as it were) an ear-fpedtacle. And I have heard there is in Spain an inftrument in ufe to be fet to the ear, that help-» eth fomewhat thofe that are thick o f hearing. 286. If the mouth be fhut clofe, neverthelefs there is yielded by the ro o f o f the mouth a murmur. Such as is ufed by dumb men: but i f the noftrils be likewife flopped, no fuch murm ur can be made; except it be in the bootom o f the palate towards the throat. W hereby it appeareth manifeftly, that a found in the mouth, except fuch as aforefaid i f the mouth be flopped, palfeth from the palate through the noftrils.

Experim ents in confort touching the fp iritu a l and fin e nature o f founds. 287. T he repercuflion o f founds (which w e call echo) is a great argument o f the fpiritual effenee o f founds. For i f it were corporeal, the repercuflion fhould be created in the fame manner, and by like inftruments w ith the ori­ ginal found: but w e fee what a number o f exquifite inftruments muft concur in fpeaking o f words, w hereof there is no fuch matter in the returning o f them, but only a plain flop and repercuflion. 288. T he exquifite differences o f articulate founds, carried along in the air, fhew that they cannot be fignatures or imprefiions in the air, as hath been well refuted by the ancients. For it is true, that feals make excellent impreffions: and fo it may be thought o f founds in their firft generation: but then the delation and continuance o f them without any new fealing, fhew apparently they cannot be imprefiions. 289. A ll founds are fuddenly made, and do fuddenly p erifh ; but neither that nor the exquifite differences o f them, is matter o f fo great admiration j for the quaverings and warblings in lutes and pipes are as fw ift; and the tongue (which is no very fine inftrument) doth in fpeech make no fewer m o­ tions than there be letters in all the words w hich are uttered. But that founds fhould not only be fo fpeedily generated, but carried fo far every w ay in fuch a momentany time, deferveth more admiration. As for example; i f a man fland in the middle o f a field ar.d fpeak aloud, he fhall be heard a furlong in round;

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round; and that fhall be in articulate founds; and thofe lhall be entire in every little portion o f the a ir ; and this (hall be done in the fpace o f lefs than a minute. 290. T he fudden generation and perifhing o f founds, muft be one o f thefe tw o ways. Either that the air fuffereth fome force by found, and then relloreth it felf as water d o th ; which being divided, maketh many circles, till it reftore it (elf to the natural confidence: or otherwife, that the air doth willingly imbibe the found as grateful, but cannot maintain i t ; for that the air hath (as it (houldfeem) a fecret and hidden appetite o f receiving the found at the firft; but then other grofs and more materiate qualities o f the air (Iraightways fuffocate it; like unto flame, w hich is generated w ith alacrity, but (Iraight quenched by the enmity o f the air or other ambient bodies. T h er e be thefe differences (in general) by w hich founds are divided: I. M ufical, immufical. 2 .Treble, bafe. 3. Flat, (harp. 4. Soft, loud. 5". Exteriour, interiour. 6 . Clean, harfh or purling. 7. Articulate, inarticulate. W e have laboured (as may appear) in this inquifition o f founds diligent­ ly ; both becaufe found is one o f the m od hidden portions o f nature, (as we (aid in the beginning;) and becaufe it is a virtue w hich may be called incor­ poreal and immateriate; w h ereof there be in nature but few. Befides, w e w ere willing (now in thefe our fird centuries) to make a pattern or prefident o f an exadt inquifition; and we fliall do the like hereafter in fome other fubjedts w hich require it. For we defire that men (hould learn and perceive, h ow fevere a thing the true inquifition o f nature is; and (hould accudom themfelves by the light o f particulars, to enlarge their minds to the ampli­ tude o f the world, and not reduce the world to the narrownefs o f their minds.

E xperim ent folitary touching the orient colours in dijjolution of metals. 291. M e t a l s give orient and fine colours in diflolutions; as gold giveth an excellent yello w ; quickfilver an excellent green; tin giveth an excellent azure; likewile in their putrefadtions or ruds; as vermilion,verdegreafe, bi(e, qirrus, e$rc. and likewife in their vitrifications. T h e caufe is, for that by their drength o f body they are able to endure the fire or drong waters, and to be put into an equal podure; and again to retain part o f their principal fpirit; w hich tw o things (equal podure and quick fpirits) are required chiefly to make colours lightfome.

Experim ent folitary touching prolongation o f life. 292. I t conduceth unto long life, and to the more placid motion o f the fpirits,which thereby do lefs prey and confume the juice o f the body; either that mens adtions be free and voluntary, that nothing be done in vita M inerva, but fecundum g enium : or on the other fide, that the adtions of-men be full o f regulation and commands within themfelves: for then the vidtory and performing o f the command giveth a good difpofition to the fpirits; efpecially i f there be a proceeding from degree to degree; for then the fenfe o f vidtory is the greater. An example o f the former o f thefe is in a countrey life; and o f the latter in monks and philofophers, and fuch as do continually enjoin themfelves.

Experim ent folitary touching appetite o f union in bodies. 293. I t is certain that in all bodies there is an appetite o f union, and eviV o L. Ill, Q tation

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tation o f folution o f continuity: and o f this appetite there be many degrees; but the moft remarkable and fit to be didinguifhed are three. T h e fird in liquors; the fecond in hard bodies; and the third in bodies cleaving or te­ nacious. In liquors this appetite is weak: we fee in liquors, the thredding o f them in dillicides (as hath been laid;) the falling o f them in round drops (which is the form o f union) and the flaying o f them for a little time in bubbles and froth. In the fecond degree or kind, this appetite is flrong; as in iron, in flone, in wood, & c. In the third, this appetite is in a medium between the other t w o : for fuch bodies do partly follow the touch o f ano­ ther body, and partly flick and continue to themfelves; and therefore they rope and draw themfelves in threads; as w e fee in pitch, glue, birdlime, crc. But note, that all folid bodies are cleaving more or lefs: and that they love better the touch o f fomewhat that is tangible, than o f air. For water in fmall quantity cleaveth to any thing that is folid; and fo would metal too, i f the weight drew it not off. And therefore gold foliate, or any metal fo­ liate, cleaveth: but thofe bodies which are noted to be clam my and cleav­ ing, are fuch as have a more indifferent appetite (at once) to follow another body, and to hold to themfelves. And therefore they are commonly bodies ill mixed; and which take more pleafure in a foreign body, than in preferving their own confidence; and which have little predominance in drought or moiflure.

Experim ent folitary touching the like operations o f heat and time. r 94. T im e and heat are fellows in many effedis. Heat drieth bodies that do eafily expire 5 as parchment, leaves, roots, clay, & c . And fo doth time or age arefy; as in the fame bodies, & c . Heat dilfolveth and melteth bodies that keep in their fpirits; as in divers liquefiuflions; and fo doth time in feme bodies o f a fofter confidence: as is manifed in honey, which by age waxeth more liquid ; and the like in fugar; and fo in old oil, which is ever more clear and more hot in medicinable ufe. Heat caufeth the fpirits to fearch feme iffue out o f the body; as in the volatility o f metals; and fo doth time; as in the rud o f metals. But generally heat doth that in fmall time, which age doth in long. Experim ent fohtpry touching the different operations o f fire and time. 195-. Som e things which pafs the fire are fofted at fird, and by time grow hard, as the crtjpfe o f bread. Some are harder when they come from the fire, and afterwards give again, and grow foft, as the crud o f bread, bifket, fweet meats, fait, & c. T h e caufe is, for that in thofe things which w ax hard with time, the w ork o f the fire is a kind o f m elting: and in thofe that w ax foft w ith time, (contrariwife) the w ork o f the fire is a kind o f baking; and whatfoever the fire baketh, time doth in feme degree diffolve.

Exper iment folitary touching motions by im itation. 1 9 6. M o t io n s pafs from one man to another, not fo much by exciting imagination, as by invitation; efpecially i f there be an aptnefs or inclination before. Therefore gaping, or yawning, and dretching do pafs from man to man; for that that caufeth gaping and dretching is, when the fpirits are a little heavy by any vapour, or the like. For then they drive (as it were) to wring out and expel that which loadeth them. So men drowfy, and defirous to fleep, or before the fit o f an ague, do ufe to yawn and d re tch ; and do likewife

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like wife yield a voice or found, which is an interjection o f expulfion: fo that i f another be apt and prepared to do the like, he followeth by the light o f another. So the laughing o f another maketh to laugh.

Experim ent folitary touching infectious dfcafes. 297. T here be fome known difeafes that are infectious; and others that are not. Thole that are infectious are, firft, fuch as are chiefly in the fpirits, and not fo much in die hum ours; and therefore pafs ealily from body to body: fuch are peftilences, lippirudes, and fuch like. Secondly, fuch as taint the breath, which we fee pafleth manifeftly from man to man; and hot invilible, as the affeCts o f the fpirits do: fuch are confumptions o f die lungs, & c. Thirdly, fuch as come forth to the Ikin, and therefore taint the air or the body adjacent; efpecially i f they conlift in an unCtuouS fubftance not apt to diffipate; fuch are fcabs and leprofy. Fourthly, fuch as are merely in the humours, and not in the fpirits, breath or exhalations: and therefore they never infeCt but by touch only; and fuch a touch alfo as cometh within the epidermis; as the venom o f the French-pox, and the biting o f a mad dog.

Experim ent folitary touching the incorporation o f powders and liquors. 298. M ost powders grow more dole and coherent by mixture o f water, than by mixture o f oil, though oil be the thicker body; as meal, & c. T he reafon is the congruity o f bodies; which i f it be more, maketh a perfeCter imbibition and incorporation; which in molt powders is more between them and water, than between them and oil: but painters colours ground, and afhes, do better incorporate with oil.

Experim ents folitary touching exercife o f the body. 299. M uch motion and exercife is good for fome bodies; and fitting and lefs motion for others. I f the body be hot and void o f fuperfiuous moiftures, too much motion hurteth: and it is an error in phyficians, to call too much upon exercife. Likewife men ought to beware, that they ufe not exercife and a fpare diet b o th : but i f much exercife, then a plentiful diet; and i f fparing diet, then little exercife. T h e benefits that come o f exercife are, firft, that it fendeth nourifiiment into the parts more forcibly. Secondly* that it helpeth to excern by fweat, and fo maketh the parts aflimilate the more perfedtly. Thirdly, that it maketh the fubftance o f the body more folid and compadl; and fo lels apt to be confumed and depredated by the fpirits. T h e evils that come o f exercife are, firft, that it maketh the fpi­ rits more hot and predatory. Secondly, that it doth abforb likewife, and attenuate too much the moifture o f the body. T hirdly, that it maketh too great concuflion (efpecially i f it be violent) o f the inward parts, which delight more in reft. But generally exercife, i f it be much, is no friend to prolongation o f life; which is one caufe w h y women live longer than men* becaufe they ftir lefs.

Experim ent folitary touching meats that induce fatiety. 300. Som e food we may ufe long, and much, without glutting; as bread, flefh that is not fat or rank, & C. Some other (though pleafant) glutteth foone r ; as fiveet meats, fat meats, drc. T h e caufe is, for that appetite confifteth in the emptinefs o f the mouth o f the ftom ach; or pofleffing it with fome1 what

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what that is aftringent; and therefore cold and dry. But things that are fweet and fat are more filling; and do fwim and hang more about the mouth o f the ftomach; and go not down fo fpeedily: and again turn fooner to choler, which is hot,and ever abateth the appetite. W e fee alfo, that another caufe o f fatiety, is an over-cuftom; and o f appetite is novelty: and therefore meats, i f the fame be continually taken, induce loathing. T o give the reafon o f the diftafte o f fatiety, and o f the pleal'ure in novelty; and to diftin* guilh not only in meats and drinks, but alfo in motions, loves, company, delights, ftudies, what they be that cuftom maketh more grateful, and w hat more tedious, were a large field. But for meats, the caufe is attra­ ction, which is quicker, and more excited towards that which is new, than towards that whereof there remaineth a relifh by former ufe. And (gene­ rally) it is a rule, that whatfoever is fomewhat ingrate at firfl, is made grateful by cuftom; but whatfoever is too pleafing at firft, groweth quickly to fatiate. . ,

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Experim ents in confort touching the clarification o f liquors, and th e accelerating thereof. o f time, in works o f nature, may well be efteemed inter magnalia naturae. And even in divine miracles, acce­ lerating o f the time is next to the creating o f the matter. W e w ill now therefore proceed to the enquiry o f it: and for ac­ celeration o f germination, w e will refer it over unto the place w here w e fhall handle the fubjedt o f plants generally; and w ill now begin w ith other accelerations. 301. L i quors are (many o f them) at the firft thick and troubled; as mufte, w ort, juices o f fruits, or herbs exprefled, & c . and by time they fettle and clarify. B u t to make them clear before the tim e is a great w ork; for it is a fpur to nature, and putteth her out o f her p ace: and befides, it is o f good ufe for m aking drinks and fauces potable and ferviceable fpeedily; but to know the means o f accelerating clarification, we m ull firft know the caufes o f clarifi­ cation. T h e firft caufe is, by the leparation o f the grofler parrs o f the liquor from the finer. T h e fecond, by the equal diftribution o f the fpirits o f the liquor with the tangible parts: for that ever reprefenteth bodies clear and un­ troubled. T h e third, by the refining the fpirit it felf, which thereby giveth to the liquor more fplendor and more luftre. 302. F ir s t , for feparation, it is wrought by weight, as in the ordinary refidence or fettlement o f liquors, by heat, by motion, by precipitation, or fublimation; (that is, a calling o f the feveral parts either up or down, w hich is a kind o f attraction:) by adhefion; as when a body more vifcous is mingled and agitated with the liquor; w hich vifcous body (afterwards fevered) draweth w ith it the grofler parts o f the liquor: and laftly, by percolation orpaflage. 3 o 3. S e c on d ly , for the even diftribution o f the fpirits, it is wrought by gentle heat; and jby agitation or motion; (for o f time we fpeak not,becaufeitisthatw e would anticipate and reprefent:) and it is wrought alfo by .mixture o f fome other body, w hich hath a virtue to open the liquor, and to make the fpirits the better pals through. 304. T h u r d l y , for die refining o f the fpirit, it is wrought likewife by heat; by morion; and by mixture o f fome body which hath virtue to atte­ nuate. So therefore (having fhewn the caules) for the accelerating o f clarifi­ cation in general, and the inducing o f it, take thefe inftances and trials. V o l . III. R 3 0 f.lT

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lo $ . I t is in common practice to draw wine or beer from the lees, (which we call racking;) whereby it will clarify much the fooner: for the lees, though they keep the drink in heart, and make it lafting; yet w ithal they call up fome fpiffitude: and this instance is to be referred to feparation. 306. O n the other fide it were good to try, what the adding to the liquor more lees than his own w ill w o rk ; for though the lees do make the liquor turbid, yet they refine the fpirits. T ake therefore a veflel o f new beer, and take another veflel o f new beer, and rack the one veflel from the lees, and pour the lees o f the racked veflel into the unracked veflel, and fee the effedt: this inftance is referred to the refining o f the fpirits. 307. T a k e new beer, and put in fome quantity o f flale beer into it,and fee whether it will not accelerate the clarification, by opening the body o f the beer, and cutting the grofler parts, whereby they may fall down into lees. And this inftance again is referred to feparation. 308. T he longer malt or herbs, or the like, are infufed in liquor, the more thick and troubled the liquor is; but the longer they be decodted in the li­ quor, the clearer it is. T h e reafon is plain, becaufe in infufion, the longer it is, the greater is the part o f the grofs body that goeth into the liquor: but in decodlion, though more goeth forth, yet it either purgeth at the top, or fettleth at the bottorfi. And therefore the moft exadt way to clarify is, firft to infuie, and then to take off the liquor and decodl i t ; as they do in beer, w hich hath malt firft infufed in the liquor, and is afterwards boiled w ith the hop. T his alfo is referred to feparation. 309. T a k e hot embers, and put them about a bottle filled w ith new beer, almoft to the very neck: let the botde be well flopped, left it fly out: and continue it, renewing the embers every day by the fpace o f ten days; and then compare it with another bottle o f the fame beer fet by. Take alio lime both quenched and unquenched, and fet the bottles in them ut fupra. T h is inftance is referred both to the even diftribution, and alfo to the refining o f the fpirits by heat. 310. TAKE bottles, and fwing th em ; or carry them in a wheel-barrow upon rough ground, twice in a day: but then you may not fill the botdes full, but leave fome air; for i f the liquor come clofe to the ftopple, it cannot play nor flower: and when you have fhaken them well either way, pour the drink into another bottle flopped clofe after the ufual manner; for i f it flay with m uch air in it, the drink w ill pall; neither w ill it fettle fo perfedtly in all the parts. Let it Hand fome twenty four hours: then take it, and put it again into a bottle w ith air, ut fu p ra : and thence into a bottle flopped, ut jupra: and fo repeat the fame operation for feven days. N ote that in the em­ ptying o f one bottle into another, you m ull do it fwiftly left the drink pall. It were good alfo to try it in a bottle with a little air below the neck, without emptying. This inftance is referred to the even diftribution and refining o f the fpirits by motion. 3 ir . As for percolation inward and outward, (which belongeth to fepa­ ration) trial would be made o f clarifying by adhefion, with milk put into new beer, and ftirred with it: for it may be that the grofler part o f the beer w ill cleave to the m ilk: the doubt is, whether the milk w ill fever w ell again; which is foon tried. And it is ufual in clarifying hippocrafs to put in m ilk ; which after fevereth and carrieth with it the grofler parts o f the hippocrafs, as hath been faid elfewhere. Alfo for the better clarification by percolation, when they tun new beer, they ufe to let it pafs through a ftrainer; and it is like the finer the ftrainer is, the clearer it will be.

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Experim ents in confort touching m aturation, and the accelerating thereof. A n d fir fi touching the m aturation and quickning o f drinks. A n d next touching th i m aturation o f fr u its . T he accelerating o f maturation we w ill now enquire of. And o f maturation itfelf. It is o f three natures. T h e maturation o f fruits: the maturation o f drinks: and the maturation o f impoftumes and ulcers. T his laft we refer to another place, w here we fhall handle experiments medicinal. T h ere be alio other maturations, as o f metals, & c. w hereof we w ill Ipeak as occafion lerveth. But w e w ill begin with that o f drinks, becaufe it hath fuch affinity w ith the clarification o f liquors. 3 ix . F o r the maturation o f drinks, it is wrought by the congregation o f the fpirits together, whereby they digefh more perfectly the groffer parts: and it is effected partly by the fame means that clarification is ; (whereof we fpake before}) but then note, that an extreme clarification doth fpread the fpirits fo ftnooth, as they become dull, and the drink dead, which ought to have a little flowering. And therefore all your clear amber drink is flat. 3 1 3. W e fee the degrees o f maturation o f drinks} in m ulle, in wine, as it is drunk, and in vinegar. W h ereof mufte hath not the fpirits well congre­ gated} wine hath them well united} fo as they make the parts fomewhat more oily: vinegar hath them congregated, but more jejune, and in fmaller quantity; the greateft and fineft fpirit and part being exhaled: for w e fee vinegar is made by fetting the veflel o f wine againft the hot fun: and there­ fore vinegar w ill not burn; for that rriuch o f the finer parts is exhaled. 314. T he refreffiing and quickning o f drink palled or dead, is by enforc­ ing the motion o f the fpirit: fo we fee that open weather relaxeth the fpirit, and maketh it more lively in motion. W e fee alfo bottling o f beer orale, w hile it is new and full o f fpirit, (fo that it fpirteth when the ftopple is ta­ ken forth) maketh the drink more quick and windy. A pan o f coals in the cellar doth likewife good, and maketh the drink w ork again. N ew drink put to drink that is dead provoketh it to work again: nay, which is more, (as fom e affirm) a brewing o f new beer fet by old beer, maketh it w ork again. It were good alfo to enforce the fpirits by fome mixtures, that may excite and quicken them ; as by putting into the bottles, nitre, chalk, lime, crc. W e fee cream is matured, and made to rife more fpeedily by putting in cold wa­ ter ; w hich as it feemeth getteth down the whey. 315-. I t is tried, that the burying o f bottles o f drink Well flopped, either in dry earth a good depth; or in the bottom o f a well within w ater; and beft o f all the hanging o f them in a deep w ell fomewhat above the water for fome fortnights lpace, is an excellent means o f making drink frefh and quick: for the cold doth not caufe any exhaling o f the fpirits at all, as heat doth, though it rarifieth the reft that rem ain: but cold maketh the fpirits vi­ gorous, and irritateth them, whereby they incorporate the parts o f the liquor perfectly. 316. As for the maturation o f fruits; it is wrought by the calling forth o f the fpirits o f the body outward, and fo fpreading them more fmoothly: and likewife by digefting in fome degree the groffer parts: and this is effected by heat, motion, attraction; and by a rudiment o f putrefaction: for the in­ ception o f putrefaction hath in it a maturation. 317. T h ere were taken apples, and laid in ftraw ; in hay; in flower; in chalk; in lime; covered over w ith onions; covered over with crabs; clofed up 6

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up in w ax; (hut in a box, & c. There was alfo an apple hanged up in fmoak* o f all which the experiment forted in this manner. 318. A f t e r a month’s fpace, the apple enclofed in wait, was as green and frefh as at the firft putting in, and the kernels continued white. T h e caufe is, for that all exclulion o f open air, (which is ever predatory) maintaineth the body in his firft frefhnefs and m oifture: but the inconvenience is, that it tafteth a little o f the w ax; which, I fuppofe, in a pomgranate, or fome fuch thick-coated fruit, it would not do. 319. T he apple hanged in the fmoak, turned like an old m ellow apple, wrinkled, dry, foft, fweet, yellow widiin. T h e caufe is, for that fuch a degree o f heat, which doth neither melt nor fcorch, (for we fee that in a greater heat, a roaft apple foftneth and m elteth; and pigs feet, made o f quarters o f wardens, fcorch and have a fkin o f cole) doth mellow, and not adure : the fmoak alfo maketh the apple (as it were) fprinkled with foot, which helpeth to mature. W e fee that in drying o f pears and prunes in the oven, and re­ moving o f them often as they begin to fweat, there is a like operation; but that is w ith a far more intenfe degree o f heat. 320. T he apples covered in the lime and allies were well matured; as appeared both in their yellownefs and fweetnefs. T h e caufe is, for that that degree o f heat which is in lime and allies, (being a fmothering heat) is o f all the reft moft proper, for it doth neither liquefy nor a refy ; and that is true maturation. Note that the tafte o f thofe apples was good; and therefore it is the experiment fitted for ufe. 321. T he apples covered with crabs and onions, were likewife well ma­ tured. T h e caufe is, not any h eat; but for that the crabs and the onions draw forth the fpirits o f the apple, and fpread them equally throughout the body; which taketh away hardnefs. So we fee one apple ripeneih againft another. And therefore in making o f cyder, they turn the apples firft upon a heap. So one du ller o f grapes that toucheth another whilft it groweth, ripeneth falter; botrus contra botrum citius maturefcit. 3z z . T he apples in hay and the ftraw, ripened apparently, though not lo much as the other; but the apple in the ftraw more. T h e caufe is, for that the hay and ftraw have a very low degree o f heat, but yet clofe and fmother­ ing, and which drieth nor. 313. T he apple in the clofe box was ripened alfo: the caufe is, for that all air kept clofe hath a degree o f warm th: as we fee in wool, furr, plulh, ir e . N o te that all thefe were compared with another apple o f the fame kind, that lay o f it fe lf: and in comparifon o f that were more fweet and more yel­ low , and fo appeared to be more ripe. 324. T a k e an apple, or pear, or other like fruit, and roll it upon a table hard: we fee in common experience, that the rolling doth foften and fweeten the fruit prefently; which is nothing but the fmooth diftribution o f the fpi­ rits into the parts: for the unequal diftribution o f the fpirits maketh the harlhnefs : but this hard rolling is between conco&ion, and a Ample matu­ ration ; therefore, i f you ftiould roll them but gently, perhaps twice a day; and continue it fome feven days, it is like they would mature more finely, and like unto the natural maturation. 32y. T a k e an apple, and cut out a piece o f the top, and cover it, to fee whether that folution o f continuity w ill not haften a maturation: we fee that where a wafp, or a fly, or a worm hath bitten, in a grape, or any fruit, it w ill fweeten haftily. 326. T a k e an apple, & c . and prick it with a pin full o f holes, not deep, 4 and

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and fmear it a little with Tack, or cinnamon water, or fpirit o f wine, every day for ten days, to fee if the virtual heat o f the wine or firong waters will not mature it. In thefe trials alfo, as was ufed in the firft, fet another o f the fame fruits by to compare them ; and try them by their yellownefs and by their fweetnels. Experiment folitary touching the making o f gold.

T he world hath been much abufed by the opinion o f making o f gold: the w ork it felf I judge to be poffible; but the means (hitherto propounded) to effedt it, are, in the practice, full o f error and impollure; and in the the­ ory, full o f unfound imaginations. For to 1'ay, that nature hath an intention to make all metals gold; and that, i f (he were delivered from impediments, Ihe would perform her own w ork; and that, i f the crudities, impurities, and leprofities o f metals were cured, they would become gold; and that a little quantity o f the medicine, in the w ork o f projection, w ill turn a fea o f the bafer metal into gold by multiplying : all thefe are but dreams; and fo are many other grounds o f alchymy. And to help the matter, the alchymills call in likewife many vanities out o f altrojogy; natural magick; fuperftitious in­ terpretations o f feriptures; auricular traditions; fejgned teilimonies o f an­ cient authors; and the like. It is true, on the other fide, they have brought to light not a few profitable experiments, and thereby made the world fome amends. But we, when we fhall come to handle the verfion and tranfmutation o f bodies, and the experiments concerning metals and minerals; w ill lay open the true ways and palfages q f nature, which may lead to this great effedl. And w e commend the wit o f the Chinefes, w ho defpair o f making o f gold, but are mad upon the making o f filver: for certain it is, that it is more difficult to make gold, (which is the m oll ponderous and materiate amongfi; metals) o f other metals lefs ponderous and lefs materiate; than (via verjdj to make filver o f lead or quickfilver; both w hich are more ponderous than filver; fo that they need rather a farther degree o f fixation, .than any condenlation. In the mean time, by occafion o f handling the axioms touching maturation, w e w ill diredt a trial touching the maturing o f metals, and thereby turning fome o f djem into g o ld : for we conceive indeed, that a perfedt good concadi ion, or digeftjon, -or mapur&tjan o f fome metals, will pro­ duce gold. And here we call to mind, that we knew a "Dutchman, that had w rought him felf into the belief o f a great perfon, by undertaking that he could make gold: whole difeourfe was, that gold might be made; but that rhe alchymifls over-fired the w o rk : for (he faid) the making o f gold did re­ quire a very temperate heat, as being in .nature a fubterrany work, where lit­ tle heat com eth ; but yet more to die making o f gold than o f any other tnetal; and therefore that he would do it with a great la.mp> that Ihould car­ ry a temperate and .equal heat • and that it was the w ork o f many months. T h e device q f die lamp -was folly ; but the over-firing now ufed, and the equal heat to he required, and the making it a w ork o f fome good time, are no ill dilcourfes. W e relort therefore to upr axioms o f maturation, in effedt touched before. T he firft is, that die re be ui'ed a temperate heat; for djey are ever tempe­ rate heats that digeft and m ature: wherein we mean temperate, according to the nature o f the lubjedt; for that may be temperate to fruits and liquors, w hich w ill not weak at all upon metals. T h e fecond is, that the fpirit o f the m etal be quickned, and t.he tangible parts opened: for without thofe two V o L. III. S ope-

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operations, the fpiric o f the metal wrought upon, w ill not be able to digeft the parts. T h e third is, that the fpirits do fpread themlelves even, and move not fubfultorily; for that w ill make die parts clofe and pliant. And this requireth a heat that doth not rife and fall, but continue as equal as may be. T h e fourth is, that no part o f the fpirit be emitted, but detained: for i f there be emiffion o f fpirit, the body o f the metal will be hard and churl ilh. And this will be performed, partly by the temper o f the fire; and partly by the clofenefs o f the veflel. T h e fifth is, that there be choice made o f the Iikelieft and belt prepared metal for the verfion: for that w ill facilitate the work. T h e fixth is, that you give time enough for the work: not to prolong hopes (as the alchymifts do;) but indeed to give nature a convenient fpace to w ork in. Thefe principles are m oil certain and true; we will now derive a direction o f trial out o f them; w hich may (perhaps) by farther medita­ tion be improved. 317. L et there be a fmall furnace made o f a temperate heat; let the heat be fuch as may keep the metal perpetually molten, and no more; for that above all importeth to the work. For the material, take filver, which is the metal that in nature fymbolizeth m od w ith gold; put in alfo w ith the fil­ ver, a tenth part o f quickfilver, and a twelfth part o f nitre, by w eight; both thefe to quicken and open the body o f the m etal: and fo let the w ork be continued by the fpace o f fix months at the leaft. I wifh alfo, that there be at fome times, an injection o f fome oiled fubftance; fuch as they ufe in the recovering o f gold, which by vexing with feparations hath been made churlilh: and this is to lay the parts more clofe and fmooth, w hich is the main work. For gold (as we fee) is the clofeft (and therefore the heavieft) o f me­ tals; and is likewife the m oll flexible and tenfible. Note, that to think to make gold o f quickfilver, becaufe it is the heavieft, is a thing not to be ho­ ped ; for quickfilver will not endure the manage o f the fire. N ext to filver, l think copper were fitted: to be the material.

Experim ent folitary touching the nature o f gold. 318. G old hath thefe natures; greatnefs o f w eigh t; clofenefs o f p an s; fixation; pliantnefs, or foftnefs; immunity from ru ft; colour or tincture o f yellow. Therefore the fureway (though moft about) to make gold, is to know the caufes o f the feveral natures before rehearfed, and the axioms concerning the fame. For i f a man can make a metal that hath all thefe properties, let men difpute whether it be gold or no ?

Experim ents in confort touching the inducing and accelerating o f putrefaction. T he inducing and accelerating o f putrefaction, is a fwbjedt o f a very univerfal enquiry: for corruption is a reciprocal to generation: and they two are as nature’s two terms or boundaries; and the guides to life and death. Putre­ faction is the w ork o f the fpirits o f bodies, w hich ever are unquiet to get forth and congregate w ith the air, and to enjoy the fun-beams. T h e getting forth, or fpreading o f the fpirits, (which is a degree o f getting forth) hath five differing operations. I f the fpirits be detained within the body, and move more violently, there followeth colliquation, as in metals, & c . I f more mild­ ly, there followeth digeftion, or maturation; as in drinks and fruits. I f the fpirits be not merely detained, but protrude a little, and that motion be confufed and inordinate, there followeth putrefaftion; w hich ever diflblveth the confiftence o f the body into much inequality; as in flefh, rotten fruits, fhining wood, & c. and alfo in the ruft o f metals. But if that motion be in ** . a cer-

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Z certain order, there followeth vivification and figuration; as both in living creatures bred o f putrefaction, and in living creatures perfect. But i f the fpirits iflue out o f the body, there followeth deliccation, induration, coniumption, & c. as in brick, evaporation o f bodies liquid,

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Experiment in confort touching the acceleration o f germination. E w ill now enquire o f plants or vegetables: and we lhall do it with diligence. T hey are the principal part o f the third day’s work. T h ey are the firft producat, which is the word o f animation: for the other words are but the words o f eflence; and they are o f excellent and general ufe for food, medicine, and a number o f mechanical arts. 401. T here were fown in a bed, turnip-feed, radilh-feed, wheat, cucum­ ber-feed and peafe. T he bed we call a hot bed, and the manner o f it is this: there was taken horfe dung, old and well rotted; this was laid upon a bank h alf a foot high, and fupported round about with planks; and upon the top was call: lifted earth, fome two fingers deep; and then the feed fprinkled upon it, having been fteeped all night in Water mixed with cow dung. T he turnip-feed and the wheat came up h alf an inch above ground within two days after, without any watring. T h e reft the third day. T h e experiment was made in October; and (it may be) in the fpring, the accelerating would have been the fpeedier. This is a noble experiment; for without this help they would have been four time? as long in coming up. But there doth not occur to me at this prefent, any ufe thereof for profit; except itlh o u ld b e for fowing o f peafe, which have their price very much increafed by the early coming. It may be tried alfo with cherries, Itrawberries, and other fruit, which are deareft when they come early. 401. T here was wheat fteeped in water mixed with cow dung; other in water mixed with horfe dung; other in water mixed with pigeon dung; other in urine o f man; other in water mixed with chalk powdred; other in water mixed with foot; other in water mixed with alhes; other in water mixed with bay-falt; other in claret-wine; other in malmfey; other in fpirit o f wine. T h e proportion o f the mixture was, a fourth part o f the ingre­ dients to the w ater; fave that there was not o f the lalt above ar. eighth part. T h e urine, and wines, and fpirit o f wine, were fimple without mixture o f water. T h e time o f the lteeping was twelve hours. T he time o f the year October. There was alfo other wheat fown unfteeped, but watered twice a day with warm water. There was alfo other wheat fown fimple to compare it with the reft. T he event was; that thofe that were in the mixture o f dung, and urine, and foot, chalk, alhes and fait, came up within fix days: and thofe

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that afterwards proved the higheft, thickeft, and moft lufty, were firft the urine; and then the dungs; next the chalk; next the foot; next the allies; next the fait; next the wheat limple o f it felf, unfteeped and unwatered; next the watered twice a day w ith warm w a ter; next the claret wine. So that thefe three laft were flower than the ordinary wheat o f it fe lf; and this cul­ ture did rather retard than advance. As for rhofe that were fteeped in malmfey and fpirit o f wine, they came not up at all. T his is a rich experiment for profit; for the m oll o f the fteepings are cheap things; and the goodnefs o f the crop is a great matter o f gain; i f the goodnefs o f the crop anfwer the earlinefs o f the coming up: as it is like it w ill; both being from the vigour o f the feed; w hich alfo partly appeared in the former experiments, as hath been faid. T his experiment would be tried in other grains, feeds and kernels: for it m ay be feme fteeping w ill agree belt w ith feme feeds. It would be tried alfo w ith roots fteeped as before, but for longer time. It would be tried alfo in feveral feafons o f the year, efpecially the fpring. 403. Strawberries watered now and then (as once in three days) with water, wherein hath been fteeped fheeps dung or pigeons dung, w ill pre­ vent and come early. And it is like the fame effeft would follow in other berries, herbs, flowers, grains or trees. And therefore it is an experiment, though vulgar in ftrawberries, yet not brought into ufe generally: for it is ufual to help the ground w ith m uck; and likewife to recomfort it fometimes w ith m uck put to the roots; but to water it with muck water, which is like to be more forcible, is not pradlifed. 404. D ung, or chalk, or blood, applied in fubftance (feafonably) to the roots o f trees, doth fet them forwards. But to do it unto herbs, without mixture o f water or earth, it may be thefe helps are too hot. 405. T he former means o f helping germination, are either by the good­ nefs and ftrength o f the nourifhment; or by the comforting and exciting th e fpirits in the plant, to draw the nourifhment better. And o f this latter k in d , concerning the comforting o f the fpirits o f the plant, are alfo the ex­ perim ents that follow ; though they be not applications to the root or feed. T h e planting o f trees warm upon a wall againft the fouth, or fouth-eaft fu n , doth haften their coming on and ripening; and the fouth-eaft is found t o be better than die fouth-weft, though the fouth-weft be the hotter coaft. B u t the caufe is chiefly, for that the heat o f the morning fucceedeth the cold o f the night: and partly, becaufe (many, times) the fouth-weft fun is too parching. So likewife die planting o f them upon the back o f a chimney w h e re a fire is kept, doth haften their coming on and ripening: nay more, th e drawing o f the boughs into the infide o f a room where a fire is continu­ a lly kept, worketh the fame effedl; which hath been tried with grapes; in fb much as they w ill come a month earlier than the grapes abroad. 406. B e s id e s the two means o f accelerating germination formerly defcribed ; that is to fay, the mending o f the nouriftiment; comforting o f the lp irit o f the p lant; diere is a third, which is the making way for the eafy com in g to the nourifhment, and drawing it. And therefore gentle digging a n d loofening o f the earth about die roots o f trees; and the removing herbs a n d flowers into new earth once in tw o years, (which is the fame thin g; for t h e new earth is ever loofer) doth greatly further the profpering and earlinefs o f plants. 407. But the moft admirable acceleration by facilitating the nourifhment, is that of water. For a ftandard of a damaflc rofe with the root on, was fe e in a chamber where no fire was, upright in an earthen pan, full of fair water,

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water, without any mixture, h a lf a foot under the water, the ftandard being more than two foot high above the water: within the fpace o f ten days the ftandard did put forth a fair green leaf, and fome other little buds, w hich ftood at a ftay, without any fhew o f decay or withering, more than feven days. But afterwards that lea f faded, but the young buds did Iprouc on; which afterward opened into fair leaves in the fpace o f three months; and continued fo a while after, till upon removal we left the trial. But note that the leaves were fomewhat paler and lighter-coloured, than the leaves ufe to be abroad. Note that the firft buds were in the end o f October-, and it is like­ ly that if it had been in the fpring time, it would have put forth w ith greater ftrength, and (it may be) to have grown on to bear flowers. By this means you may have (as it feemeth) rofes fet in the midft o f a pool, being fupported with fome fta y ; which is matter o f rarenefs and pleafure, though o f fmall ule. This is the more ftrange, for that the like rofe-ftandard was put at the fame time into water mixed with horfe dung, the horfe dung about the fourth part to the water, and in four months fpace (while it was obferved) put not forth any leaf, though divers buds at the firft, as the other. 408. A D utch flower that had a bulbous root, was likewife put at the lame time all under water, fome two or three fingers deep; and within feven days lprouted, and continued long after further growing. There were alfo put in a beet root, a borage root, and a radilh root, w hich had all their leaves cut almoft clofe to the roots; and within fix weeks had fair leaves; and fo con­ tinued till the end o f November. 409. N o te that i f roots, or peafe, or flowers, may be accelerated in their coming and ripening, there is a double profit; the one in the high price that thofe things bear when they come early: the other in the fwiftnefs o f their returns: for in fome grounds which are ftrong, you Ihall have a radilh, & c . come in a m onth; that in other grounds will not come in tw o ; and fo make double returns. 410. W h e a t alfo was put into the water, and came not forth at all; fo as it feemeth there muft be fome ftrength and bulk in the body put into the water, as it is in roots; for grains, or feeds, the cold o f the water w ill mor­ tify. But cafually fome wheat lay under the pan, which was fomewhat moiftened by the fuing o f the pan; w hich in fix weeks (as aforefaid) looked mouldy to the eye, but it was fprouted forth h alf a finger’s length. 411. It feemeth by thefe inftances of water, that for nourifliment the wa­ ter is almoft all in all, and that the earth doth but keep the plant upright, and fave it from over-heat and over-cold; and therefore is a comfortable experiment for good drinkers. It proveth alfo that our former opinion; that drink incorporate with flelli or roots, (as in capon-beer, & C .) w ill nourilh more eafily, than meat and drink taken feverally. 41 z. T he houfing o f plants (I conceive) w ill both accelerate germina­ tion, and bring forth flowers and plants in the colder feafons: and as we houfe hot countrey plants, as limons, oranges, myrtles, to fave them; fo we may houfe our own countrey plants, to forward them, and make them come in the cold feafons; in fuch fort, that you may have violets, ftrawberries, peafe, all winter: fo that you fow or remove them at fit times. This experiment is to be referred unto the comforting o f the fpirit o f the plant by warmth, as well as houfing their boughs, & c . So then the means to accelerate germi­ nation, are in particular eight, in general three. Expe6

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Experiments in confort touching the putting back or retardation o f germination. 413. T o make rofes, or other flowers come late, it is an experiment o f pleafure. For the ancients efteemed much o f rofa fera. And indeed the November rofe is the fweeteft, having been lefs exhaled by the Sun. T h e means are thefe. Firft, the cutting off their tops immediately after they have done bearing; and then they w ill come again the fame year about N o­ vember: but they will not come juft on the tops, where they were cut, but out o f thofe (hoots, which were (as it were) water boughs. T h e caufe is, for that the fap, which otherwife would have fed the top, (though after bear­ ing) w ill, by the difcharge o f that* divert unto the fide fprouts; and they will come to bear, but later. 414. T he fecond is the pulling off the buds of the rofe, when they are newly knotted; for then the fide branches will bear. The caufe is the lame with the former: for cutting off the tops, arid pulling off the buds, work the fame effect, in retention of the fap for a time, and diverfion of it to the fprouts, that were not fo forward. 415". T he third is the cutting o ff feme few o f the top boughs in the fpring time, but differing the lower boughs to grow on. T h e caufe is, for that the boughs do help to draw up the fap more ftrongly; and we fee that in pol­ ling o f trees, many do ufe to leave a bough or two on the top, to help to draw up the fap. And it is reported alfo, that if you graft upon the bough o f a tree, and cut off feme o f the old boughs, the new cions will perifh. 416. T he fourth is by laying the roots bare about Chrijimas feme days. T h e caufe is plain, for that it doth arreft the fap from going upwards for a tim e; which arreft is afterwards releafed by the covering o f the root again with earth; and then the fap getteth up, but later. 417. T he fifth is the removing o f the tree feme month before itbuddeth. T h e caufe is, for that fomfc time will be required after the remove for the refetling, before it can draw the ju ice ; and that time being loft, die bloffom muft needs come forth later. 418. T he fixth is the grafting o f rofes in Afay, which commonly gardeners do not till fu ly j and then they bear not till the next year; but if you graft them in May, they will bear the fame year, but late. 419. T he feventh is the girding of the body of the tree about with feme packthread; for that alfo in a degree reftraineth the fap, and maketh it come up more late and more (lowly. 41 ?. T he eighth is the planting o f them in a (hade, of in a hedge; the caufe is, partly the keeping out o f the fun, which hafteneth the fap to rife; and partly the robbing them o f nouriftiment, by the ftu ff in the hedge. Thefe means may be pradtifed upon other, both trees and flowers, mutatis mutandis. 41 r. M en have entertained a conceit that (heweth prettily; namely, that if you graft a late coming fruit upon a (lock o f a fruit tree that cometh early, the graft w ill bear fruit early; as a peach upon a cherry; and contrariwife, i f an early coming fruit upon a (lock o f a fruit tree that cometh late, the graft will bear fruit late; as a cherry upon a peach. But thefe are but imagina­ tions, and untrue. T h e caufe is, for that the cion over-ruleth the (lock quite; and the (lock is but paflive only, and giveth aliment, but no motion to the graft. V o L. III.

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Experim ents in confort touching the melioratum of fr u its , trees and plants. W e will fpeak now, h ow to make fruits, flowers and roots larger, in more plenty, and fweeter than they ufe to b e ; and how to make die trees themfelves more tall, more fpread, and more hafly and fudden than they ufe to be : W herein there is no doubt, but the former experiments o f accelera­ tion w ill ferve much to thefe purpofes. And again, that thefe experiments, which we fhall now fet down, do ferve alfo for acceleration, becaufe both effedts proceed from the encreafe o f vigour in the tree; but yet to avoid confufion ; and becaufe fome o f the means are more proper for the one effedt, and fome for the other, w e will handle them apart. 422. It is an aflured experience, that an heap o f flint, or ftone, laid about the bottom o f a wild tree, (as an oak, elm, afli, ir e .) upon the firft planting, doth make it profper double as much as without it. T h e caule is, for that it retaineth the moifture w hich falleth at any time upon the tree, and fuffereth it not to be exhaled by the fun. A gain , it keepeth the tree warm from cold blafts and frofts, as it were in an houfe. It may be al­ io there is fomewhat in the keeping o f it lleddy at the firft. Quaere, i f lay­ ing o f ftraw fome height about the body o f a tree, w ill not make the tree forwards. For though the root giveth the fap, yet it is the body that draweth it. But you muft note, that i f you lay ftones about the ftalk o f lettuce, or other plants that are more foft, it w ill over-moiften the roots, lb as the worms w ill eat them. 423. A tree, at the firft fetting, Ihouldnot be fhaken, until it hath ta­ ken root fu lly : and therefore fome have put two little forks about the bot­ tom o f their trees to keep them upright; but after a year’s rooting, then fhaking doth the tree good, by loofening o f the earth, and (perhaps) by exerciling (as it were) and ftirring the fap o f the tree. 424. G e n e r a l l y the cutting away o f boughs and fuckers at the root and body doth make trees grow high; and contrariwife, the polling and cutting o f the top maketh them grow fpread and bufhy. As we fee in pollards, ir e .

42 y. It is reported, that to make hafty growing coppice woods, the way is, to take willow, fallow, poplar, alder, of fome feven years growth; and to fet them, not upright, but allope, a reafonable depth under the ground; and then inftead o f one root they will put forth many, and fo carry more Ihoots upon a ftem. 426. W hen you would have many new roots o f fruit trees, take a low tree and bow it, and lay all his branches aflat upon the ground, and call earth upon them ; and every tw ig w ill take root. And this is a very profi­ table experiment for coftly trees; (for the boughs will make ftocks without ch arge;) fuch as are apricots, peaches, almonds, cornelians, mulberries, figs,