30022The Hiſtory of Life and Death.
increaſed;
another by a piece of fleſh expoſed likewiſe, if it corrupt not over-ſoon;
another by a Weather-glaſs, if the Water interchange not too ſuddenly. Of theſe and
the like enquire further.
another by a Weather-glaſs, if the Water interchange not too ſuddenly. Of theſe and
the like enquire further.
Not onely the Goodneſs or Pureneſi of the Air, but alſo the Equality of the Air,
1130. is material to long life. Intermixture of Hills and Dales is pleaſant to the ſight, but
ſuſpected for long life. A Plain, moderately drie, but yet not over-barren or ſan-
dy, nor altogether without Trees and Shade, is very convenient for length of
life.
1130. is material to long life. Intermixture of Hills and Dales is pleaſant to the ſight, but
ſuſpected for long life. A Plain, moderately drie, but yet not over-barren or ſan-
dy, nor altogether without Trees and Shade, is very convenient for length of
life.
Inequality of Air (as was even now ſaid) in the place of our dwelling is naught;
2231. but Change of Air by travelling, after one be uſed unto it, is good; and therefore
great Travellers have been long liv’d. Alſo thoſe that have lived perpetually in a little
Cottage, in the ſame place, have been long-livers: for air accuſtomed conſumeth leſs;
but air changed nouriſheth and repaireth more.
2231. but Change of Air by travelling, after one be uſed unto it, is good; and therefore
great Travellers have been long liv’d. Alſo thoſe that have lived perpetually in a little
Cottage, in the ſame place, have been long-livers: for air accuſtomed conſumeth leſs;
but air changed nouriſheth and repaireth more.
As the continuation and number of Succeſſions (which we ſaid before) makes no-
3332. hing to the Length and Shortneſs of Life; ſo the immediate condition of the Parents,
(as well the Father as the Mother) without doubt availeth much. For ſome are be
gotten of old men, ſome of young men, ſome of men of middle age; again, ſome
are begotten of fathers healthful and well-diſpoſed, others of diſeaſed and languiſh-
ing; again, ſome of fathers immediately after repletion, or when they are
drunk, others after ſleeping, or in the morning; again, ſome after a long inter-
miſſion of Venus, others upon the act repeated; again, ſome in the fervency of the
father’s love, (as it is commonly in Baſtards) others after the cooling of it, as in
long-married couples. The ſame things may be conſidered on the part of the Mother:
unto which muſt be added the condition of the Mother whilſt ſhe is with child,
as touching her health, as touching her diet, the time of her bearing in the womb,
to the tenth month, or earlier. To reduce theſe things to a Rule, how far they
may concern Long Life, is hard; and ſo much the harder, for that thoſe things
which a man would conceive to be the beſt, will fall out to the contrary: For that
alacrity in the Generation which begets luſty and lively children, will be leſs
proſitable to long life, becauſe of the Acrimony and inflaming of the Spirits. We
ſaid before, That to partake more of the mother’s bloud conduceth to long life:
alſo we ſuppoſe all things in moderation to be beſt; rather Conjugal love than
Meretricious; the hour for Generation to be the morning; a ſtate of body not too
luſty or full, and ſuch like. It ought to be well obſerved, that a ſtrong Conſtitu-
tion in the Parents is rather good for them then for the Child, eſpecially in the Mother:
And therefore Plato thought, ignorantly enough, that the virtue of Generations
halted, becauſe the Woman uſed not the ſame exerciſe both of mind and body
with the Men. The contrary is rather true; for the difference of virtue betwixt
the Male and the Female is moſt profitable for the Child; and the thinner Wo-
men yield more towards the nouriſhment of the Child; which alſo holds in
Nutſes. Neither did the Spartan Women, which married not beforetwenty two, or,
as ſome ſay, twenty five, (and therefore were called Man-like women) bring forth a
more generous or long-liv’d Progeny than the Roman or Athenian, or Theban
women did, which were ripe for Marriage at twelve or fourteen years; and if there
were any thing eminent in the spartans, that was rather to be imputed to the Par-
ſimony of their Diet than to the late Marriages of their Women. But this we are
taught by experience, that there are ſome Races which are long-liv’d for a few
Deſcents; ſo that Life is like ſome Diſeaſes, a thing hereditary within certain
bounds.
3332. hing to the Length and Shortneſs of Life; ſo the immediate condition of the Parents,
(as well the Father as the Mother) without doubt availeth much. For ſome are be
gotten of old men, ſome of young men, ſome of men of middle age; again, ſome
are begotten of fathers healthful and well-diſpoſed, others of diſeaſed and languiſh-
ing; again, ſome of fathers immediately after repletion, or when they are
drunk, others after ſleeping, or in the morning; again, ſome after a long inter-
miſſion of Venus, others upon the act repeated; again, ſome in the fervency of the
father’s love, (as it is commonly in Baſtards) others after the cooling of it, as in
long-married couples. The ſame things may be conſidered on the part of the Mother:
unto which muſt be added the condition of the Mother whilſt ſhe is with child,
as touching her health, as touching her diet, the time of her bearing in the womb,
to the tenth month, or earlier. To reduce theſe things to a Rule, how far they
may concern Long Life, is hard; and ſo much the harder, for that thoſe things
which a man would conceive to be the beſt, will fall out to the contrary: For that
alacrity in the Generation which begets luſty and lively children, will be leſs
proſitable to long life, becauſe of the Acrimony and inflaming of the Spirits. We
ſaid before, That to partake more of the mother’s bloud conduceth to long life:
alſo we ſuppoſe all things in moderation to be beſt; rather Conjugal love than
Meretricious; the hour for Generation to be the morning; a ſtate of body not too
luſty or full, and ſuch like. It ought to be well obſerved, that a ſtrong Conſtitu-
tion in the Parents is rather good for them then for the Child, eſpecially in the Mother:
And therefore Plato thought, ignorantly enough, that the virtue of Generations
halted, becauſe the Woman uſed not the ſame exerciſe both of mind and body
with the Men. The contrary is rather true; for the difference of virtue betwixt
the Male and the Female is moſt profitable for the Child; and the thinner Wo-
men yield more towards the nouriſhment of the Child; which alſo holds in
Nutſes. Neither did the Spartan Women, which married not beforetwenty two, or,
as ſome ſay, twenty five, (and therefore were called Man-like women) bring forth a
more generous or long-liv’d Progeny than the Roman or Athenian, or Theban
women did, which were ripe for Marriage at twelve or fourteen years; and if there
were any thing eminent in the spartans, that was rather to be imputed to the Par-
ſimony of their Diet than to the late Marriages of their Women. But this we are
taught by experience, that there are ſome Races which are long-liv’d for a few
Deſcents; ſo that Life is like ſome Diſeaſes, a thing hereditary within certain
bounds.
Fair in Face, or Skin, or Hair, are ſhorter livers;
Black, or Red, or Freckled,
4433. longer. Alſo too freſh a colour in Youth doth leſs promiſe long life than paleneſs.
A hard skin is a ſign of long life rather that a ſoft; but we underſtand not this of a rug-
ged skin, ſuch as they call the Gooſe skin, which is as it were ſpongy, but of that which
is hard and cloſe. A Fore-head with deep furrows and wrinkles is a better ſign than a
ſmooth and plain Forehead.
4433. longer. Alſo too freſh a colour in Youth doth leſs promiſe long life than paleneſs.
A hard skin is a ſign of long life rather that a ſoft; but we underſtand not this of a rug-
ged skin, ſuch as they call the Gooſe skin, which is as it were ſpongy, but of that which
is hard and cloſe. A Fore-head with deep furrows and wrinkles is a better ſign than a
ſmooth and plain Forehead.
The Hairs of the Head hard and like briſtles, do betoken longer life than thoſe that are
5534. ſoft and delicate. Curled Hairs betoken the ſame thing, if they be hard withal; but the
contrary if they be ſoft and ſhining: the like if the curling be rather thick than in large
bunches.
5534. ſoft and delicate. Curled Hairs betoken the ſame thing, if they be hard withal; but the
contrary if they be ſoft and ſhining: the like if the curling be rather thick than in large
bunches.
Early or late Baldneſs is an indifferent thing, ſeeing many which have been
6635.
6635.
zoom in
zoom out
zoom area
full page
page width
set mark
remove mark
get reference
digilib