211177Century IX.
IT is certain, that no ſmell iſſueth but wth emiſſion of ſome corporeal ſub-
11834.
Experiment
Solitary,
touching the
Corporeal
Subſtance of
Smells. ſtance; not as it is in Light, and Colours, and Sounds: For weſee plainly
that ſmell doth ſpred nothing that diſtance that the other do. It is true, that
ſome Woods of Orenges, and Heaths of Roſemary, will ſmell a great way into
the Sea, perhaps twenty Miles; but what is that, ſince a peal of Ordnance
will do as much, which moveth in a ſmall compaſs, whereas thoſe Woods
and Heaths are of vaſt ſpaces? Beſides, we ſee that ſmells do adhere to hard
Bodies; as in perfuming of Gloves, & c. which ſheweth them corporeal; and
do laſt a great while, which Sounds and Light do not.
11834.
Experiment
Solitary,
touching the
Corporeal
Subſtance of
Smells. ſtance; not as it is in Light, and Colours, and Sounds: For weſee plainly
that ſmell doth ſpred nothing that diſtance that the other do. It is true, that
ſome Woods of Orenges, and Heaths of Roſemary, will ſmell a great way into
the Sea, perhaps twenty Miles; but what is that, ſince a peal of Ordnance
will do as much, which moveth in a ſmall compaſs, whereas thoſe Woods
and Heaths are of vaſt ſpaces? Beſides, we ſee that ſmells do adhere to hard
Bodies; as in perfuming of Gloves, & c. which ſheweth them corporeal; and
do laſt a great while, which Sounds and Light do not.
THe Excrements of moſt Creatures ſmell ill, chiefly to the ſame Creature
22835.
Experiment
Solitary,
touching
Fetide and
Fragrant O-
dors. that voideth them: For we ſee, beſides that of Man, that Pigeons and
Hoiſes thrive beſt, if their Houſes and Stables be kept ſweet, and ſo of Cage-
Birds; and the Cat burieth that which ſhe voideth. And it holdeth chieſly in
thoſe Beaſts which feed upon Fleſh. Dogs (almoſt) onely of Beaſts delight in
fetide odors; which ſheweth there is ſome what in their ſenſe of ſmell differ-
ing from the ſmells of other Beaſts. But the cauſe why Excrements ſmell ill is
manifeſt, for that the Body it ſelf rejecteth them, much more the Spirits:
And we ſee, that thoſe Excrements that are of the firſt digeſtion ſmell the worſt,
as the Excrements from the Belly; thoſe that are from the ſecond digeſtion, leſs
ill, as Vrine; and thoſe that are from the third, yet leſs; for Sweat is not ſo
bad as the other two, eſpecially of ſome perſons that are full of heat. Like-
wiſe moſt Putrefactions are of an odious ſmell, for they ſmell either fertile or
mouldy. The cauſe may be, for that Putrefaction doth bring forth ſuch a
conſiſtence as is moſt contrary to the conſiſtence of the Body whileſt it is
ſound, for it is a meer diſſolution of that form. Beſides, there is another rea-
ſor, which is profound: And it is, That the objects that pleaſe any of the
ſenſes, have (all) ſome equality, and (as it were) order in their compoſition,
but where thoſe are wanting the object is ever ingrate. So mixture of many
diſagreeing colours is never unpleaſant to the Eye: Mixture of diſcordant
Sounds is unpleaſant to the Ear; mixture or hotch-potch of many taſtes is
unpleaſant to the taſte; harſhneſs and ruggedneſs of Bodies is unpleaſant to
the touch. Now it is certain, that all Putrefaction, being a diſſolution of the
firſt form, is a meer confuſion, and unformed mixture of the part. Never-
theleſs, it is ſtrange, and ſeemeth to croſs the former obſervation, that ſome
Putrefactions and Excrements do yield excellent Odors; as Civit and Musk, and,
as ſome think, Amber-greece, for divers take it (though unprobably) to come
from the Sperm of Fiſh; and the Moſs we ſpake of from Apple-trees is little
better then an Excretion. The reaſon may be, for that there paſſeth in the
Excrements and remaineth in the Putrefactions, ſome good ſpirits, eſpecially
where they proceed from Creatures that are very hot. But it may be alſo
joyned with a further cauſe, which is more ſubtil; and it is, that the Senſes
love not to be over-pleaſed, but to have a commixture of ſome what that is
in it ſelf ingrate. Certainly, we ſee how Diſcords in Muſick, falling upon
Concords, make the ſweeteſt ſtrains: And we ſee again what ſtrange taſtes
delight the taſte; as Red-herrings, Caviare, Parmeſan, & c. And it may be the
ſame holdeth in ſmells. For thoſe kinde of ſmells that we have mentioned
are all ſtrong, and do pull and vellicate the Senſe. And we finde alſo, that
places where men Urine commonly have ſome ſmell of Violers. And Urine,
if one hath eaten Nutmeg, hath ſotoo.
22835.
Experiment
Solitary,
touching
Fetide and
Fragrant O-
dors. that voideth them: For we ſee, beſides that of Man, that Pigeons and
Hoiſes thrive beſt, if their Houſes and Stables be kept ſweet, and ſo of Cage-
Birds; and the Cat burieth that which ſhe voideth. And it holdeth chieſly in
thoſe Beaſts which feed upon Fleſh. Dogs (almoſt) onely of Beaſts delight in
fetide odors; which ſheweth there is ſome what in their ſenſe of ſmell differ-
ing from the ſmells of other Beaſts. But the cauſe why Excrements ſmell ill is
manifeſt, for that the Body it ſelf rejecteth them, much more the Spirits:
And we ſee, that thoſe Excrements that are of the firſt digeſtion ſmell the worſt,
as the Excrements from the Belly; thoſe that are from the ſecond digeſtion, leſs
ill, as Vrine; and thoſe that are from the third, yet leſs; for Sweat is not ſo
bad as the other two, eſpecially of ſome perſons that are full of heat. Like-
wiſe moſt Putrefactions are of an odious ſmell, for they ſmell either fertile or
mouldy. The cauſe may be, for that Putrefaction doth bring forth ſuch a
conſiſtence as is moſt contrary to the conſiſtence of the Body whileſt it is
ſound, for it is a meer diſſolution of that form. Beſides, there is another rea-
ſor, which is profound: And it is, That the objects that pleaſe any of the
ſenſes, have (all) ſome equality, and (as it were) order in their compoſition,
but where thoſe are wanting the object is ever ingrate. So mixture of many
diſagreeing colours is never unpleaſant to the Eye: Mixture of diſcordant
Sounds is unpleaſant to the Ear; mixture or hotch-potch of many taſtes is
unpleaſant to the taſte; harſhneſs and ruggedneſs of Bodies is unpleaſant to
the touch. Now it is certain, that all Putrefaction, being a diſſolution of the
firſt form, is a meer confuſion, and unformed mixture of the part. Never-
theleſs, it is ſtrange, and ſeemeth to croſs the former obſervation, that ſome
Putrefactions and Excrements do yield excellent Odors; as Civit and Musk, and,
as ſome think, Amber-greece, for divers take it (though unprobably) to come
from the Sperm of Fiſh; and the Moſs we ſpake of from Apple-trees is little
better then an Excretion. The reaſon may be, for that there paſſeth in the
Excrements and remaineth in the Putrefactions, ſome good ſpirits, eſpecially
where they proceed from Creatures that are very hot. But it may be alſo
joyned with a further cauſe, which is more ſubtil; and it is, that the Senſes
love not to be over-pleaſed, but to have a commixture of ſome what that is
in it ſelf ingrate. Certainly, we ſee how Diſcords in Muſick, falling upon
Concords, make the ſweeteſt ſtrains: And we ſee again what ſtrange taſtes
delight the taſte; as Red-herrings, Caviare, Parmeſan, & c. And it may be the
ſame holdeth in ſmells. For thoſe kinde of ſmells that we have mentioned
are all ſtrong, and do pull and vellicate the Senſe. And we finde alſo, that
places where men Urine commonly have ſome ſmell of Violers. And Urine,
if one hath eaten Nutmeg, hath ſotoo.
zoom in
zoom out
zoom area
full page
page width
set mark
remove mark
get reference
digilib