domestic creatures, as horses, hogs, dogs, cats, &c. The cause of generation at all seasons seemeth to be fulness: for generation is from redundance. This fulness ariseth from two causes; either from the nature of the creature, if it be hot, and moist, and sanguine; or from plenty of food. For the first, men, horses, dogs, &c. which breed at all seasons, are full of heat and moisture; doves are the fullest of heat and moisture amongst birds, and therefore breed often; the tame dove almost continually. But deer are a melancholy dry creature, as appeareth by their fearfulness, and the hardness of their flesh. Sheep are a cold creature, as appeareth by their mildness, and for that they seldom drink. Most sort of birds are of a dry substance in comparison of beasts. Fishes are cold. For the second cause, fulness of food; men, kine, swine, dogs, &c. feed full; and we see that those creatures, which being wild, generate seldom, being tame, generate often; which is from warmth, and fulness of food. We find, that the time of going to rut of deer is in September; for that they need the whole summer's feed and grass to make them fit for generation. And if rain come early about the middle of September, they go to rut somewhat the sooner; if drought, somewhat the later. So sheep, in respect of their small heat, generate about the same time, or somewhat before. But for the most part, creatures that generate at certain seasons, generate in the spring; as birds and fishes; for that the end of the winter, and the heat and comfort of the spring prepareth them. There is also another reason why some creatures generate at certain seasons; and that is the relation of their time of bearing to the time of generation; for no creature goeth to generate whilst the female is full; nor whilst she is busy in sitting, or rearing her young. And therefore it is found by experience, that if you take the eggs or young ones out of the nests of birds, they will fall to generate again three or four times one after another. 759. Of living creatures, some are longer time in the womb, and some shorter. Women go commonly nine months; the cow and the ewe about six months; does go about nine months; mares eleven months; bitches nine weeks; elephants are said to go two years; for the received tradition of ten years is fabulous. For birds there is double inquiry; the distance between the treading or coupling, and the laying of the egg; and again between the egg laid, and the disclosing or hatching. And amongst birds, there is less diversity of time than amongst other creatures; yet some there is; for the hen sitteth but three weeks, the turkey-hen, goose, and duck, a month: Query, of others. The cause of the great difference of times amongst living creatures is, either from the nature of the kind, or from the constitution of the womb. For the former, those that are longer in coming to their maturity or growth are longer in the womb; as is chiefly seen in men and so elephants, which are long in the womb, are long time in coming to their full growth. But in most other kinds, the constitution of the womb, that is, the hardness or dryness thereof, is concurrent with the former cause. For the colt hath about four years of growth; and so the fawn; and so the calf. But whelps, which come to their growth, commonly, within three quarters of a year, are but nine weeks in the womb. As for birds, as there is less diversity amongst them in the time of bringing forth; so there is less diversity in the time of their growth: most of them coming to their growth within a twelvemonth. 760. Some creatures bring forth many young ones at a burden: as bitches, hares, conies, &c. Some ordinarily but one; as women, lionesses, &c. This may be caused, either by the quantity of sperm required to the producing one of that kind; which if less be required, may admit greater number; if more, fewer: or by the partitions and cells of the womb, which may sever the sperm. Experiments in consort touching species visible. 761. There is no doubt, but light by refraction will show greater, as well as things coloured. For like as a shilling in the bottom of the water will show greater; so will a candle in a lanthorn, in the bottom of the water. I have heard of a practice, that glow-worms in glasses were put in the water to make the fish come. But I am not yet informed, whether when a diver diveth, having his eyes open, and swimmeth upon his back; whether, I say, he seeth things in the air, greater or less. For it is manifest, that when the eye standeth in the finer medium, and the object is in the grosser, things show greater; but contrariwise, when the eye is placed in the grosser medium, and the object in the finer, how it worketh I know not. 762. It would be well bolted out, whether great refractions may not be made upon reflections, as well as upon direct beams. For example, we see, that take an empty basin, put an angel of gold, or what you will, into it; then go so far from the basin, till you cannot see the angel, because it is not in a right line; then fill the basin with water, and you shall see it out of its place, because of the reflection. To proceed, therefore put a looking-glass into a basin of water; I suppose you shall not see the image in a right line, or at equal angles, but aside. I know not whether this experiment may not be extended so, as you might see the image, and not the glass; which for beauty and strangeness were a fine proof: for then you should see the image like a spirit in the air. As for example, if there be a cistern or pool of water, you shall place over against it a picture of the devil, or what you will, so as you do not see the water. Then put a looking-glass in the water: now if you can see the devil's picture aside, not seeing the water, it would look like a devil indeed. They have an old tale in Oxford, that Friar Bacon walked between two steeples: which was thought to be done by glasses, when he walked upon the ground. Experiments in consort touching impulsion and percussion. 763. A weighty body put into motion is more easily impelled than at first when it resteth. The cause is partly because motion doth discuss the torpor of solid bodies; which, besides their motion of gravity, have in them a natural appetite not to move at all; and partly, because a body that resteth, doth get, by the resistance of the body upon which it resteth, a stronger compression of parts than it hath of itself: and therefore needeth more force to be put in motion. For if • a weighty body be pensile, and hang but by a thread, the percussion will make an impulsion very near as easily as if it were already in motion. 764. A body over-great or over-small will not be thrown so far as a body of a middle size: so that it seemeth there must be a commensuration, or proportion between the body moved and the force, to make it move well. The cause is, because to the impulsion there is requisite the force of the body that moveth, and the resistance of the body that is moved: and if the body be too great, it yieldeth too little; and if it be too small, it resisteth too little. that the palm of the hand, though it hath as thin a skin as the other parts mentioned, yet is not ticklish, because it is accustomed to be touched. Tickling also causeth laughter. The cause may be the emission of the spirits, and so of the breath, by a flight from titillation; for upon tickling we see there is ever a starting or shrinking away of the part to avoid it; and we see also, that if you tickle the nostrils with a feather, or straw, it procureth sneezing; which is a sudden emission of the spirits, that do likewise expel the moisture. And tickling is ever painful, and not well endured. Experiment solitary touching the scarcity of rain in Egypt. 767. It is strange, that the river of Nilus overflowing, as it doth, the country of Egypt, there should be, nevertheless, little or no rain in that country. The cause must be either in the nature of the water, or in the nature of the air, or of both. In the water, it may be ascribed either unto the long race of the water; for swift-running waters vapour not so much as standing waters; or else to the concoction of the water; for waters well concocted vapour not so much as waters raw; no more than waters upon the fire do vapour so much after some time of boiling as at the first. And it is true that the water of Nilus is sweeter than other waters in taste; and it is excellent good for the stone, and hypochondriacal melancholy, which showeth it is lenifying; and it runneth through a country of a hot climate, and flat, without shade, either of woods or hills, whereby the sun must needs have great power to concoct it. As for the air, from whence I conceive this want of showers is of itself thin and thirsty; and as soon as ever cometh chiefly, the cause must be, for that the air it getteth any moisture from the water, it imbibeth and dissipateth it in the whole body of the air, and suffereth it not to remain in vapour, whereby it might breed rain. 765. It is common experience, that no weight will press or cut so strong, being laid upon a body, as falling or stricken from above. It may be the air hath some part in furthering the percussion; but the chief cause I take to be, for that the parts of the body moved have by impulsion, or by the motion of gravity continued, a compression in them, as well downwards, as they have when they are thrown, or shot through the Experiment solitary touching clarification. air, forwards. I conceive also, that the quick 768. It hath been touched in the title of percoloose of that motion preventeth the resistance of lations, namely, such as are inwards, that the the body below: and the priority of the force al-whites of eggs and milk do clarify; and it is cerways is of great efficacy, as appeareth in infinite instances. Experiment solitary touching titillation. 766. Tickling is most in the soles of the feet, and under the arm-holes, and on the sides. The cause is the thinness of the skin in those parts, joined with the rareness of being touched there: for all tickling is a light motion of the spirits, which the thinness of the skin, and suddenness and rareness of touch do further: for we see a feather, or a rush, drawn along the lip or cheek, doth tickle; whereas a thing more obtuse, or a touch more hard, doth not. And for suddenness, we see no man can tickle himself: we see also tain, that in Egypt they prepare and clarify the water of Nile, by putting it into great jars of stone, and stirring it about with a few stamped almonds, wherewith they also besmear the mouth of the vessel; and so draw it off, after it hath rested some time. It were good to try this clarifying with almonds in new beer, or muste, to hasten and perfect the clarifying. Experiment solitary touching plants without leaves. 769. There be scarce to be found any vegetables, that have branches and no leaves, except you allow coral for one. But there is also in the deserts of S. Macario in Egypt, a plant which is long, leafless, brown of colour, and branched like coral, save that it closeth at the top. This being | issue forth. I remember Livy doth relate, that set in water within a house, spreadeth and displayeth strangely; and the people thereabout have a superstitious belief, that in the labour of women it helpeth to the easy deliverance. Experiment solitary touching the materials of glass. 770. The crystalline Venice glass is reported to be a mixture in equal portions of stones brought from Pavia by the river Ticinum, and the ashes of a weed, called by the Arabs kal, which is gathered in a desert between Alexandria and Rosetta; and is by the Egyptians used first for fuel; and then they crush the ashes into lumps like a stone, and so sell them to the Venetians for their glass-works. there were found at a time two coffins of lead in a tomb; whereof the one contained the body of King Numa, it being some four hundred years after his death: and the other, his books of sacred rites and ceremonies, and the discipline of the pontiffs; and that in the coffin that had the body, there was nothing at all to be seen, but a little light cinders about the sides, but in the coffin that had the books, they were found as fresh as if they had been but newly written, being written on parchment, and covered over with watchcandles of wax three or four fold. By this it seemeth that the Romans in Numa's time were not so good embalmers as the Egyptians were; which was the cause that the body was utterly consumed. But I find in Plutarch and others, that when Augustus Cæsar visited the sepulchre of Alexander the Great in Alexandria, he found the body to keep its dimension; but withal, that notwithstanding all the embalming, which no doubt was the best, the body was so tender, as Cæsar, touching but the nose of it, defaced it. Which maketh me find it very strange, that the Egyptian mummies should be reported to be as hard as stone-pitch; for I find no difference but one, which indeed may be very material, namely that the ancient Egyptian mummies were shrouded in a number of folds of linen, besmeared with gums, in manner of cerecloth, which it doth not appear was practised upon the body of Alexander. Experiment solitary touching the abundance of nitre in certain sea-shores. Experiment solitary touching prohibition of putrefaction, and the long conservation of bodies. 771. It is strange, and well to be noted, how long carcasses have continued uncorrupt, and in their former dimensions, as appeareth in the mummies of Egypt; having lasted, as is conceived, some of them, three thousand years. It is true, they find means to draw forth the brains, and to take forth the entrails, which are the parts aptest to corrupt. But that is nothing to the wonder: for we see what a soft and corruptible substance the flesh of all the other parts of the body is. But it should seem, that, according to our observation and axiom in our hundredth experiment, putrefaction, which we conceive to be so natural a period of bodies, is but an accident; and that matter maketh not that haste to corruption that is conceived. And therefore bodies in shining amber, in quicksilver, in balms, whereof we now speak, in wax, in honey, in gums, and, it may be, in conservatories of snow, &c., are preserved very long. It need not go for repetition, if we resume again that which we said in the aforesaid experiment concerning annihilation; namely, that if you provide against three causes of putrefaction, bodies will not corrupt: the first is, that the air be excluded, for that undermineth the body, and conspireth with the spirit of the body to dissolve it. The second is, that the body adjacent and ambient be not commaterial, but merely heterogeneal towards the body that is to be preserved; for if nothing can be received by the one, nothing can issue from the other; such are quick-water is but an over-weight of the body put silver and white amber, to herbs, and flies, and such bodies. The third is, that the body to be preserved be not of that gross that it may corrupt within itself, although no part of it issue into the body adjacent and therefore it must be rather thin and small, than of bulk. There is a fourth remedy also, which is, that if the body to be preserved be of bulk, as a corpse is, then the body that incloseth it must have a virtue to draw forth, and dry the moisture of the inward body; for else 772. Near the castle of Caty, and by the wells of Assan, in the land of Idumea, a great part of the way you would think the sea were near at hand, though it be a good distance off: and it is nothing but the shining of the nitre upon the sea sands, such abundance of nitre the shores there do put forth. Experiment solitary touching bodies that are borne up by water. 773. The Dead Sea, which vomiteth up bitumen, is of that crassitude, as living bodies bound hand and foot cast into it have been borne up, and not sunk; which showeth, that all sinking into into the water in respect of the water; so that you may make water so strong and heavy, of quicksilver, perhaps, or the like, as may bear up iron: of which I see no use, but imposture. We see also, that all metals, except gold, for the same reason, swim upon quicksilver. Experiment solitary touching fuel that consumeth little or nothing. 774. It is reported, that at the foot of a hill near the putrefaction will play within, though nothing the Mare Mortuum there is a black stone, where sooner corrupt in some airs than in others. They be noble experiments that can make this discovery; for they serve for a natural divination of seasons, better than the astronomers can by their figures: and again, they teach men where to choose their dwelling for their better health. Experiment solitary touching increasing of milk in milch beasts. of pilgrims make fires, which burneth like a coal, | gather mould more than in others. And I am and diminisheth not, but only waxeth brighter persuaded that a piece of raw flesh or fish will and whiter. That it should do so is not strange for we see iron red-hot burneth, and consumeth not; but the strangeness is, that it should continue any time so: for iron, as soon as it is out of the fire, deadeth straightways. Certainly it were a thing of great use and profit, if you could find out fuel that would burn hot, and yet last long: neither am I altogether incredulous but there may be such candles as they say are made of salamander's wool; being a kind of mineral, which whiteneth also in the burning, and consumeth not. The question is this; flame must be made of somewhat, and commonly it is made of some tangible body which hath weight: but it is not impossible perhaps that it should be made of spirit, or vapour, in a body, which spirit or vapour hath no weight, such as is the matter of ignis fatuus. But then you will say, that that vapour also can last but a short time to that it may be answered, that by the help of oil, and wax, and other candle-stuff, the flame may continue, and the wick not burn. Experiment solitary economical touching cheap fuel. 775. Sea-coal lasts longer than charcoal; and charcoal of roots, being coaled into great pieces, lasts longer than ordinary charcoal. Turf and peat, and cow-sheards, are cheap fuels, and last long. Small-coal, or brier-coal, poured upon charcoal, make them last longer. Sedge is a cheap fuel to brew or bake with: the rather because it is good for nothing else. Trial would be made of some mixture of sea-coal with earth or chalk :| for if that mixture be, as the sea-coal men use it, privily, to make the bulk of the coal greater, it is deceit; but if it be used purposely, and be made known, it is saving. Experiment solitary touching the gathering of wind for freshness. 776. It is at this day in use in Gaza, to couch potsherds or vessels of earth in their walls, to gather the wind from the top, and to pass it down in spouts into rooms. It is a device for freshness in great heats and it is said, there are some rooms in Italy and Spain for freshness, and gathering the winds and air in the heats of summer; but they be but pennings of the winds, and enlarging them again, and making them reverberate, and go round in circles, rather than this device of spouts in the wall. Experiment solitary touching the trials of airs. 777. There would be used much diligence in the choice of some bodies and places, as it were, for the tasting of air; to discover the wholesomeness or unwholesomeness, as well of seasons, as of the seats of dwellings. It is certain, that there be some houses wherein confitures and pies will VOL. II.-14 778. There is a kind of stone about Bethlehem, which they grind to powder, and put into water, whereof cattle drink, which maketh them give more milk. Surely there would be some better trials made of mixtures of water in ponds for cattle, to make them more milch, or to fatten them, or to keep them from murrain. It may be chalk and nitre are of the best. Experiment solitary touching sand of the nature of glass. 779. It is reported, that in the valley near the mountain Carmel in Judea there is a sand, which of all other hath most affinity with glass: insomuch as other minerals laid in it turn to a glassy substance without the fire; and again, glass put into it turneth into the mother sand. The thing is very strange, if it be true: and it is likeliest to be caused by some natural furnace or heat in the earth; and yet they do not speak of any eruption of flames. It were good to try in glass-works, whether the crude materials of glass, mingled with glass already made, and remolten, do not facilitate the making of glass with less heat. Experiment solitary touching the growth of coral. 780. In the sea, upon the south-west of Sicily, much coral is found. It is a submarine plant. It hath no leaves; it brancheth only when it is under water; it is soft, and green of colour; but being brought into the air, it becometh hard and shining red, as we see. It is said also to have a white berry but we find it not brought over with the coral. Belike it is cast away as nothing worth: inquire better of it, for the discovery of the nature of the plant. Experiment solitary touching the gathering of manna. 781. The manna of Calabria is the best, and in most plenty. They gather it from the leaf of the mulberry-tree; but not of such mulberry-trees as grow in the valleys. And manna falleth upon the leaves by night, as other dews do. It should seem, that before those dews come upon trees in the valleys, they dissipate and cannot hold out. It should seem, also, the mulberry-leaf itself hath some coagulating virtue, which inspissateth the dew, for that it is not found upon other trees: and we see by the silk-worm, which feedeth upon that leaf, what a dainty smooth juice it hath; and | require desiccation, which by the defluxion of the leaves also, especially of the black mulberry, humours of the lower parts is hindered: whereas are somewhat bristly, which may help to preserve hurts and ulcers in the head require it not; but the dew. Certainly it were not amiss to observe a little better the dews that fall upon trees, or herbs growing on mountains; for it may be many dews fall, that spend before they come to the valleys. And I suppose, that he that would gather the best May-dew for medicine, should gather it from the hills. contrariwise dryness maketh them more apt to consolidate. And in modern observation, the like difference hath been found between Frenchmen and Englishmen; whereof the one's constitution is more dry, and the other's more moist. And therefore a hurt of the head is harder to cure in a Frenchman, and of the leg in an Englishman. Experiment solitary touching the correcting of Experiment solitary touching the healthfulness or wine. 782. It is said they have a manner to prepare their Greek wines, to keep them from fuming and inebriating, by adding some sulphur or alum; whereof the one is unctuous, and the other is astringent. And certain it is, that those two natures do best repress fumes. This experiment would be transferred unto other wine and strong beer, by putting in some like substances while they work; which may make them both to fume less, and to inflame less. Experiment solitary touching the materials of wildfire. unhealthfulness of the southern wind. 786. It hath been noted by the ancients, that southern winds, blowing much, without rain, do cause a feverous disposition of the year; but with rain, not. The cause is, for that southern winds do of themselves qualify the air, to be apt to cause fevers; but when showers are joined, they do refrigerate in part, and check the sultry heat of the southern wind. Therefore this holdeth not in the sea coasts, because the vapour of the sea, without showers, doth refresh. Experiment solitary touching wounds. 787. It hath been noted by the ancients, that wounds which are made with brass heal more easily than wounds made with iron. The cause is, for that brass hath in itself a sanative virtue; and so in the very instant helpeth somewhat but iron is corrosive and not sanative. And therefore it were good, that the instruments which are used by chirurgeons about wounds, were rather of brass than iron. 783. It is conceived by some, not improbably, that the reason why wild fires, whereof the principal ingredient is bitumen, do not quench with water, is, for that the first concretion of bitumen is a mixture of a fiery and watery substance; so is not sulphur. This appeareth, for that in the place near Puteoli, which they call the court of Vulcan, you shall hear under the earth a horrible thundering of fire and water conflicting together; and there break forth also spouts of boiling water. Now that place yieldeth great quantities of bitumen; whereas Etna and Vesuvius, and the like, which consist upon sulphur, shoot forth smoke, and ashes, and pumice, but no water. It is re-sently. The cause is, for that the few spirits ported also, that bitumen mingled with lime, and put under water, will make as it were an artificial rock; the substance becometh so hard. Experiment solitary touching mortification by cold. 788. In the cold countries, when men's noses and ears are mortified, and, as it were, gangrened with cold, if they come to a fire they rot off pre that remain in those parts, are suddenly drawn forth, and so putrefaction is made complete. But snow put upon them helpeth: for that it preserveth those spirits that remain, till they can re Experiment solitary touching plaster growing as vive; and besides, snow hath in it a secret hard as marble. 784. There is a cement, compounded of flour, whites of eggs, and stone powdered, that becometh hard as marble: wherewith Piscina Mirabilis, near Cuma, is said to have the walls plastered. And it is certain and tried, that the powder of loadstone and flint, by the addition of whites of eggs, and gum-dragon, made into paste, will in a few days harden to the hardness of a stone. warmth: as the monk proved out of the text; qui dat nivem sicut lanam, gelu sicut cineres spargit." Whereby he did infer, that snow did warm like wool, and frost did fret like ashes. Warm water also doth good; because by little and little it openeth the pores, without any sudden working upon the spirits. This experiment may be transferred to the cure of gangrenes, either coming of themselves, or induced by too much applying of opiates; wherein you must beware of Experiment solitary touching judgment of the cure dry heat, and resort to things that are refrigerant, in some ulcers and hurts. 785. It hath been noted by the ancients, that in full or impure bodies, ulcers or hurts in the legs are hard to cure, and in the head more easy. The cause is, for that ulcers or hurts in the legs with an inward warmth, and virtue of cherishing. Experiment solitary touching weight. 789. Weigh iron and aqua fortis severally; then dissolve the iron in the aqua fortis, and |