Bacon, Francis, Sylva sylvarum : or, a natural history in ten centuries

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          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9572" xml:space="preserve">
              <pb o="9" file="0287" n="287" rhead="The Hiſtory of Life and Death."/>
            for long life: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9573" xml:space="preserve">nay, he hath this ſign of ſhort life, that his bearing in the womb is but
              <lb/>
            ſhort, ſcarce full forty days.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9574" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9575" xml:space="preserve">The Fox ſeems to be well diſpoſed in many things for long life; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9576" xml:space="preserve">he is well skinned,
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0287-01" xlink:href="note-0287-01a" xml:space="preserve">5.</note>
            feeds on fleſh, lives in Dens; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9577" xml:space="preserve">and yet he is noted not to have that property. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9578" xml:space="preserve">Certainly
              <lb/>
            he is a kind of Dog, and that kind is but ſhort-liv’d.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9579" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9580" xml:space="preserve">The Camel is a long liver, a lean Creature, and ſinewy, ſo that he doth ordinarily
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0287-02" xlink:href="note-0287-02a" xml:space="preserve">6.</note>
            attain to fifty, and ſometimes to an hundred years.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9581" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9582" xml:space="preserve">The Horſe lives but to a moderate age, ſcarce to forty years, his ordinary period
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0287-03" xlink:href="note-0287-03a" xml:space="preserve">7.</note>
            is twenty years: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9583" xml:space="preserve">but perhaps he is beholden for this ſhortneſs of life to Man; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9584" xml:space="preserve">for
              <lb/>
            we have now no Horſes of the Sun, that live freely, and at pleaſure, in good paſtures.
              <lb/>
            </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9585" xml:space="preserve">Not withſtanding the Horſe grows till he be ſix years old, and is able for generation
              <lb/>
            in his old age. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9586" xml:space="preserve">Beſides, the Mare goeth longer with her young one than a woman,
              <lb/>
            and brings forth, two at a burthen more rarely. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9587" xml:space="preserve">The Aſs lives commonly to the Horſe’s
              <lb/>
            age; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9588" xml:space="preserve">but the Mule out-lives them both.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9589" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9590" xml:space="preserve">The Hart is famous amongſt men for long life, yet not upon any relation that
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0287-04" xlink:href="note-0287-04a" xml:space="preserve">8.</note>
            is undoubted. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9591" xml:space="preserve">They tell of a certain Hart that was found with a Collar about his neck,
              <lb/>
            and that Collar hidden with Fat. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9592" xml:space="preserve">The long life of the Hart is the leſs credible, be-
              <lb/>
            cauſe he comes to his perfection at the fifth year; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9593" xml:space="preserve">and not long aſter his Horns
              <lb/>
            (which he ſheds and renews yearly) grow more narrow at the Root, and leſs
              <lb/>
            branched.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9594" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9595" xml:space="preserve">The Dog is but a ſhort liver, he exceeds not the age of twenty years, and for the
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0287-05" xlink:href="note-0287-05a" xml:space="preserve">9.</note>
            moſt part lives not to fourteen years: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9596" xml:space="preserve">a Creature of the hotteſt temper, and living in ex-
              <lb/>
            treams; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9597" xml:space="preserve">for he is commonly either in vehement motion, or ſleeping: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9598" xml:space="preserve">beſides, the
              <lb/>
            Bitch bringeth forth many at a Burden, and goeth nine weeks.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9599" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9600" xml:space="preserve">The Ox like wiſe, for the greatneſs of his body and ſtrength, is but a ſhort liver, about
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0287-06" xlink:href="note-0287-06a" xml:space="preserve">10.</note>
            ſome ſixteen years, and the Males live longer than the Females; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9601" xml:space="preserve">notwithſtanding they
              <lb/>
            bear uſually but one at a burden, and go nine months: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9602" xml:space="preserve">a Creature dull, fleſhy, and ſoon
              <lb/>
            fatted, and living onely upon Herby ſubſtances, without Grain.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9603" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9604" xml:space="preserve">The Sheep ſeldom lives to ten years, though he be a creature of a moderate ſize, and
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0287-07" xlink:href="note-0287-07a" xml:space="preserve">11.</note>
            excellently clad; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9605" xml:space="preserve">and, that which may ſeem a wonder, being a creature with ſo little
              <lb/>
            a Gall, yet he hath the moſt curled Coat of any other, for the Hair of no Creature is ſo
              <lb/>
            much curled as Wool is. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9606" xml:space="preserve">The Rams generate not before the third year, and continue
              <lb/>
            able for generation until the eighth. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9607" xml:space="preserve">The Ews bear young as long as they live. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9608" xml:space="preserve">The
              <lb/>
            Sheep is a diſeaſed Creature, and rarely lives to his full age.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9609" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9610" xml:space="preserve">The Goat lives to the ſame age with the Sheep, and is not much unlike in other
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0287-08" xlink:href="note-0287-08a" xml:space="preserve">12.</note>
            things; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9611" xml:space="preserve">though he be a Creature more nimble, and of ſomewhat a firmer fleſh, and
              <lb/>
            ſo ſhould be longer-liv’d; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9612" xml:space="preserve">but then he is much more laſcivious, and that ſhortens his
              <lb/>
            life.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9613" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9614" xml:space="preserve">The Sow lives to fifteen years, ſometimes to twenty: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9615" xml:space="preserve">and though it be a Creature
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0287-09" xlink:href="note-0287-09a" xml:space="preserve">13.</note>
            of the moiſteſt fleſh, yet that ſeems to make nothing to Length of Life. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9616" xml:space="preserve">Of the Wild
              <lb/>
            Boar or Sow we have nothing certain.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9617" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9618" xml:space="preserve">The Cat’s age is betwixt ſix and ten years: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9619" xml:space="preserve">a creature nimble and full of ſpirit, whoſe
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0287-10" xlink:href="note-0287-10a" xml:space="preserve">14.</note>
            ſeed (as Ælian reports) burneth the Female; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9620" xml:space="preserve">whereupon it is ſaid, That the Cat con-
              <lb/>
            ceives with pain, and brings forth with eaſe: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9621" xml:space="preserve">A Creature ravenous in eating, rather
              <lb/>
            ſwallowing down his meat whole than feeding.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9622" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9623" xml:space="preserve">Hares and Conies attain ſcarce to ſeven years, being both Creatures generative, and
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0287-11" xlink:href="note-0287-11a" xml:space="preserve">15.</note>
            with young ones of ſeveral conceptions in their bellies. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9624" xml:space="preserve">In this they are unlike, that
              <lb/>
            the Coney lives under ground; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9625" xml:space="preserve">and the Hare above ground; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9626" xml:space="preserve">and again, that the Hare
              <lb/>
            is of a more duskiſh fleſh.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9627" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9628" xml:space="preserve">Birds for the ſize of their bodies are much leſſer than Beaſts; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9629" xml:space="preserve">for an Eagle or Swan
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0287-12" xlink:href="note-0287-12a" xml:space="preserve">16.</note>
            is but a ſmall thing in compariſon of an ox or Horſe, and ſo is an Eſtrich to an Ele-
              <lb/>
            phant.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9630" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9631" xml:space="preserve">Birds are excellently well-clad: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9632" xml:space="preserve">for Feathers, for warmth and cloſe ſitting to the
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0287-13" xlink:href="note-0287-13a" xml:space="preserve">17.</note>
            body, exceed Wooll and Hairs.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9633" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9634" xml:space="preserve">Birds, though they hatch many young ones together, yet they bear them not all in
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0287-14" xlink:href="note-0287-14a" xml:space="preserve">18.</note>
            their bodies at once, but lay their Eggs by turns, whereby their Fruit hath the more
              <lb/>
            plentiful nouriſh ment whilſt it is in their bodies.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9635" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9636" xml:space="preserve">Birds chew little or nothing, but their meat is found whole in their crops, notwith-
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0287-15" xlink:href="note-0287-15a" xml:space="preserve">19.</note>
            ſtanding they will break the ſhells of Fruits, and pick out the Kernels: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9637" xml:space="preserve">they are thought
              <lb/>
            to be of a very hot and ſtrong concoction.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s9638" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
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