34062The Hiſtory of Life and Death.
THe nature of the spirits is as the uppermoſt wheel, which turneth about the other
wheels in the body of man, and therefore in the Intention of Long life, that ought
to be firſt placed. Hereunto may be added, that there is an eaſier and more expedite
way to alter the ſpirits, than to other Operations. For the Operation upon the spirits is
two-fold: the one by Aliments, which is ſlow, and, as it were, about; the other, (and
that two fold) which is ſudden, and goeth directly to the ſpirits, namely, by Vapours,
or by the Affections.
wheels in the body of man, and therefore in the Intention of Long life, that ought
to be firſt placed. Hereunto may be added, that there is an eaſier and more expedite
way to alter the ſpirits, than to other Operations. For the Operation upon the spirits is
two-fold: the one by Aliments, which is ſlow, and, as it were, about; the other, (and
that two fold) which is ſudden, and goeth directly to the ſpirits, namely, by Vapours,
or by the Affections.
THe reaſon i@ plain, ſeeing we ſhe wed before, that hard things, and oily or roſcid are
hardly diſſipated: notwithſtanding there is difference, (as we alſo noted in the
tenth operation) That juice ſome what hard is indeed leſs diſſipable, but then it is withal
leſs reparable; therefore a Convenience is interlaced with an Inconvenience, and for this
cauſe no wonderful matter will be atchieved by this. But roſcid juice will admit both
Operations; therefore this would be principally endeavoured.
hardly diſſipated: notwithſtanding there is difference, (as we alſo noted in the
tenth operation) That juice ſome what hard is indeed leſs diſſipable, but then it is withal
leſs reparable; therefore a Convenience is interlaced with an Inconvenience, and for this
cauſe no wonderful matter will be atchieved by this. But roſcid juice will admit both
Operations; therefore this would be principally endeavoured.
Canon XXI.
THis Canon is more hard to practiſe than to underſtand.
For it is manifeſt, what-
ſoever penetrateth well, but yet with a ſting or tooth, (as do all ſharp and ſour
things) it leaveth behind it whereſoever it goeth ſome mark or print of drineſs and
cleaving, ſo that it hardneth the juices, and chappeth the parts: contrarily, whatſoever
things penetrate through their thinneſs merely, as it were by ſtealth, and by way of in-
ſinuation, without violence, they bedew and water in their paſſage. Of which ſort we
have recounted many in the fourth and ſeventh Operations.
ſoever penetrateth well, but yet with a ſting or tooth, (as do all ſharp and ſour
things) it leaveth behind it whereſoever it goeth ſome mark or print of drineſs and
cleaving, ſo that it hardneth the juices, and chappeth the parts: contrarily, whatſoever
things penetrate through their thinneſs merely, as it were by ſtealth, and by way of in-
ſinuation, without violence, they bedew and water in their paſſage. Of which ſort we
have recounted many in the fourth and ſeventh Operations.
Canon XXIII.
WE ſee that all things which are done by Nutrition, ask a long time, but thoſe which
are done by embracing of the like (as it is in Infuſions) require no long time. And
therefore Alimentation from without would be of principal uſe, and ſo much the more,
becauſe the Faculties of Concoction decay in old age: ſo that if there could be ſome auxi-
liary Nutritions, by Bathings, Vnctions, or elſe by Clyſters, theſe things in conjunction
might do much, which ſingle are leſs available.
are done by embracing of the like (as it is in Infuſions) require no long time. And
therefore Alimentation from without would be of principal uſe, and ſo much the more,
becauſe the Faculties of Concoction decay in old age: ſo that if there could be ſome auxi-
liary Nutritions, by Bathings, Vnctions, or elſe by Clyſters, theſe things in conjunction
might do much, which ſingle are leſs available.
Canon XXIV.
THat which is propounded in this Canon is not the ſame thing with the former;
for
it is one thing for the outward Aliment to be attracted inward, another for the in-
ward Aliment to be attracted outward: yet herein they concur, that they both help
the weakneſs of the inward Concoctions, though by divers ways.
it is one thing for the outward Aliment to be attracted inward, another for the in-
ward Aliment to be attracted outward: yet herein they concur, that they both help
the weakneſs of the inward Concoctions, though by divers ways.
Canon XXV.
THere are two things in the body, Spirits and Parts:
to both theſe the way by Nu-
trition is long and about; but it is a ſhort way to the Spirits by Vapours and by
the Affections, and to the Parts by Malaciſſations. But this is diligently to be noted,
that by no means we confound Alimentation from without with Malaciſſation; for the
intention of Malaciſſation is not to nouriſh the parts, but onely to make them more fit
to be nouriſhed.
trition is long and about; but it is a ſhort way to the Spirits by Vapours and by
the Affections, and to the Parts by Malaciſſations. But this is diligently to be noted,
that by no means we confound Alimentation from without with Malaciſſation; for the
intention of Malaciſſation is not to nouriſh the parts, but onely to make them more fit
to be nouriſhed.