11278Natural Hiſtory;
Nature;
for that attenuateth the Juyce, and furthereth the Motion of the
Spirits upwards. Neither is it without cauſe, that Xenophon in the Nouriture
of the Perſian Children, doth ſo much commend their feeding upon Cardamon,
which (he ſaith) made them grow better, and be of a more active habit.
Cardamon is in Latin, Naſturtium, and with us Water-creſſes; which, it is cer-
tain, is an Herb, that whilſt it is young, is friendly to Life. As for the
quickning of Natural Heat, it muſt be done chiefly with exerciſe; and
therefore (no doubt) much going to School, where they ſit ſo much,
hindereth the growth of Children; whereas Countrey-People, that go
not to School, are commonly of better ſtature. And again, Men muſt
beware how they give Children any thing that is cold in operation;
even long ſucking doth hinder both Wit and Stature. This hath been
tryed, that a Whelp that hath been fed with Nitre in Milk, hath be-
come very little, but extream lively: For the Spirit of Nitre is cold.
And though it be an excellent Medicine in ſtrength of years for Pro-
longation of Life; yet it is in Children and young Creatures an enemy
to growth; and all for the ſame reaſon, For Heat is requiſite to Growth.
But after a Man is come to his middle age, Heat conſumeth the Spirits;
which the coldneſs of the Spirit of Nitre doth help to condence and
correct.
Spirits upwards. Neither is it without cauſe, that Xenophon in the Nouriture
of the Perſian Children, doth ſo much commend their feeding upon Cardamon,
which (he ſaith) made them grow better, and be of a more active habit.
Cardamon is in Latin, Naſturtium, and with us Water-creſſes; which, it is cer-
tain, is an Herb, that whilſt it is young, is friendly to Life. As for the
quickning of Natural Heat, it muſt be done chiefly with exerciſe; and
therefore (no doubt) much going to School, where they ſit ſo much,
hindereth the growth of Children; whereas Countrey-People, that go
not to School, are commonly of better ſtature. And again, Men muſt
beware how they give Children any thing that is cold in operation;
even long ſucking doth hinder both Wit and Stature. This hath been
tryed, that a Whelp that hath been fed with Nitre in Milk, hath be-
come very little, but extream lively: For the Spirit of Nitre is cold.
And though it be an excellent Medicine in ſtrength of years for Pro-
longation of Life; yet it is in Children and young Creatures an enemy
to growth; and all for the ſame reaſon, For Heat is requiſite to Growth.
But after a Man is come to his middle age, Heat conſumeth the Spirits;
which the coldneſs of the Spirit of Nitre doth help to condence and
correct.
THere be two great Families of Things, you may term them by
11Experiments
in Conſort,
touching
Sulphure and
Mercury, two
of Paracelſus
Principles. ſeveral names, Sulphureous and Mercureal, which are the Chymists
words: (For as for their Salt, which is their third Principle, it is a Com-
pound of the other two,) Inflamable, and Not Inflamable; Mature and Crude,
Oily and Watry: For we ſee that in Subterranies there are, as the Fathers of
their Tribes, Brimſtone and Mercury; In Vegetables and Living Crea-
tures, there is Water and Oyl; in the Inferior order of Pneumaticals,
there is Air and Flame; and in the Superior, there is the Body of the
Star, and the Pure Skey. And theſe Pairs, though they be unlike in the
Primitive Differences of Matter, yet they ſeem to have many conſents;
for Mercury and Sulphure are principal materials of Metals; Water and
Oyl are principal materials of Vegetables and Animals, and ſeem to differ
but in Maturation or Concoction. Flame (in Vulgar Opinion) is but
Air incenſed, and they both have quickneſs of Motion, and facility of
Ceſſion, much alike: And the Interſtellar Skey, (though the opinion be
vain, that the Star is the Denſer Part of his Orb,) hath not withſtanding
ſo much affinity with the Star, that there is a rotation of that, as well as
of the Star. Therefore, it is one of the greateſt Magnalia Naturæ, to turn
Water or Watry Juyce into Oyl or Oyly Juyce: Greater in Nature, than
to turn Silver or Quick-ſilver into Gold.
11Experiments
in Conſort,
touching
Sulphure and
Mercury, two
of Paracelſus
Principles. ſeveral names, Sulphureous and Mercureal, which are the Chymists
words: (For as for their Salt, which is their third Principle, it is a Com-
pound of the other two,) Inflamable, and Not Inflamable; Mature and Crude,
Oily and Watry: For we ſee that in Subterranies there are, as the Fathers of
their Tribes, Brimſtone and Mercury; In Vegetables and Living Crea-
tures, there is Water and Oyl; in the Inferior order of Pneumaticals,
there is Air and Flame; and in the Superior, there is the Body of the
Star, and the Pure Skey. And theſe Pairs, though they be unlike in the
Primitive Differences of Matter, yet they ſeem to have many conſents;
for Mercury and Sulphure are principal materials of Metals; Water and
Oyl are principal materials of Vegetables and Animals, and ſeem to differ
but in Maturation or Concoction. Flame (in Vulgar Opinion) is but
Air incenſed, and they both have quickneſs of Motion, and facility of
Ceſſion, much alike: And the Interſtellar Skey, (though the opinion be
vain, that the Star is the Denſer Part of his Orb,) hath not withſtanding
ſo much affinity with the Star, that there is a rotation of that, as well as
of the Star. Therefore, it is one of the greateſt Magnalia Naturæ, to turn
Water or Watry Juyce into Oyl or Oyly Juyce: Greater in Nature, than
to turn Silver or Quick-ſilver into Gold.
The Inſtances we have wherein Crude and Watry Subſtance, turneth
22355. into Fat and Oyly, are of four kindes. Firſt, In the Mixture of Earth and
Water, which mingled by the help of the Sun, gathered a Nitrous Fat-
neſs, more than either of them have ſeverally; As we ſee, in that they put
forth Plants, which need both Juyces.
22355. into Fat and Oyly, are of four kindes. Firſt, In the Mixture of Earth and
Water, which mingled by the help of the Sun, gathered a Nitrous Fat-
neſs, more than either of them have ſeverally; As we ſee, in that they put
forth Plants, which need both Juyces.
The ſecond is in the Aſſimilation of Nouriſhment, made in the Bodies
33356. of Plants, and Living Creatures; whereof Plants turn the Juyce of meer
Water and Earth, into a great deal of Oyly matter: Living Creatures,
though much of their Fat, and Fleſh, are out of Oyly Aliments, (as Meat,
and Bread,) yet they aſſimilate alſo in a meaſure their Drink of
33356. of Plants, and Living Creatures; whereof Plants turn the Juyce of meer
Water and Earth, into a great deal of Oyly matter: Living Creatures,
though much of their Fat, and Fleſh, are out of Oyly Aliments, (as Meat,
and Bread,) yet they aſſimilate alſo in a meaſure their Drink of
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