sides.

The farther extension of this experiment for flying may be thought upon.

Experiment solitary touching the dye of scarlet.

887. THERE is in some places, namely in Cephalonia, a little shrub which they call holly-oak, or dwarf-oak: upon the leaves whereof there riseth a tumour like a blister; which they gather, and rub out of it a certain red dust, that converteth, after a while, into worms, which they kill with wine, as is reported, when they begin to quicken: with this dust they dye scarlet.

Experiment solitary touching maleficiating.

888. In Zant it is very ordinary to make men impotent to accompany with their wives. The like is practised in Gascony; where it is called nouër l'eguillette. It is practised always upon the wedding-day. And in Zant the mothers themselves do it, by way of prevention; because thereby they hinder other charms, and can undo their own. It is a thing the civil law taketh knowledge of; and therefore is of no light regard.

Experiment solitary touching the rise of water by means of flame.

889. It is a common experiment, but the cause is mistaken. Take a pot, or better a glass, because therein you may see the motion, and set a candle lighted in the bottom of a bason of water, and turn the mouth of the pot or glass over the candle, and it will make the water rise. They ascribe it to the drawing of heat; which is not true: for it appeareth plainly to be but a motion of nere, which they call ne detur vacuum; and it proceedeth thus. The flame of the candle, as soon as it is covered, being suffocated by the close air, lesseneth by little and little; during which time there is some little ascent of water, but not much for the flame occupying less and less room, as it lesseneth, the water succeedeth. But upon the instant of the candle's going out, there is a sudden rise of a great deal of water; for that the body of the flame filleth no more place, and so the air and the

water succeed. It worketh the same effect, if instead of water you put flour or sand into the bason: which sheweth, that it is not the flame's drawing the liquor as nourishment, as it is supposed; for all bodies are alike unto it, as it is ever in motion of nere; insomuch as I have seen the glass, being held by the hand, hath lifted up the bason and all; the motion of nere did so clasp the bottom of the bason. That experiment, when the bason was lifted up, was made with oil, and not with water: nevertheless this is true, that at the very first setting of the mouth of the glass upon the bottom of the bason, it draweth up the water a little, and then standeth at a stay, almost till the candle's going out, as was said. This may shew some attraction at first: but of this we will speak more, when we handle attractions by heat.

Experiments in consort touching the influences of

the moon.

Or the power of the celestial bodies, and what more secret influences they have, besides the two manifest influences of heat and light, we shall speak when we handle experiments touching the celestial bodies; mean while we will give some directions for more certain trials of the virtue and influences of the moon, which is our nearest neighbour.

The influences of the moon, most observed, are four; the drawing forth of heat; the inducing of putrefaction; the increase of moisture; the exciting of the motions of spirits.

But

890. For the drawing forth of heat, we have formerly prescribed to take water warm, and to set part of it against the moon-beams, and part of it with a screen between ; and to see whether that which standeth exposed to the beams will not cool sooner. because this is but a small interposition, though in the sun we see a small shade doth much, it were good to try it when the moon shineth, and when the moon shineth not at all; and with water warm in a glass bottle, as well as in a dish; and with cinders; and with iron red-hot, etc.

891. For the inducing of putrefaction, it were good to try it with flesh or fish exposed to the moon-beams; and again exposed to the air when the moon shineth not, for the like time; to see whether will corrupt sooner and try it also with capon, or some other fowl, laid abroad, to see whether it will mortify and become tender sooner; try it also with dead flies, or dead worms, having a little water cast upon them, to see whether will putrefy sooner. Try it also with an apple or orange, having holes made in their tops, to see whether will rot or mould sooner. Try it also with Holland cheese, having wine put into it, whether will breed mites sooner or greater.

892. For the increase of moisture, the opinion received is; that seeds will grow soonest; and hair, and nails, and hedges, and herbs, cut, etc. will grow soonest, if they be set or cut in the increase of the moon. Also that brains in rabbits, woodcocks, calves, etc. are fullest in the full of the moon and so of marrow in the bones: and so of oysters and cockles, which of all the rest are the easiest tried if you have them in pits.

893. TAKE Some seeds, or roots, as onions, etc. and set some of them immediately after the change; and others of the same kind immediately after the full: let them be as like as can be ; the earth also the same as near as may be; and therefore best in pots. Let the pots also stand where no rain or sun may come to them, lest the difference of the weather confound the experiment: and then see in what time the seeds set in the increase of the moon come to a certain height; and how they differ from those that are set in the decrease of the moon.

894. IT is like, that the brain of man waxeth moister and fuller upon the full of the moon and therefore it were good for those that have moist brains, and are great drinkers, to take fume of lignum aloës, rosemary, frankincense, etc. about the full of the moon. It is like also, that the humours in men's bodies increase and decrease as the moon doth : and therefore it were good to purge some day or two after

the full; for that then the humours will not replenish so soon again.

895. As for the exciting of the motion of the spirits, you must note that the growth of hedges, herbs, hair, etc. is caused from the moon, by exciting of the spirits, as well as by increase of the moisture. But for spirits in particular, the great instance is in lunacies.

896. THERE may be other secret effects of the influence of the moon, which are not yet brought into observation. It may be, that if it so fall out that the wind be north, or north-east, in the full of the moon, it increaseth cold; and if south, or south-west, it disposeth the air for a good while to warmth and rain; which would be observed.

IT

897. Ir may be, that children, and young cattle, that are brought forth in the full of the moon, are stronger and larger than those that are brought forth in the wane; and those also which are begotten in the full of the moon: so that it might be good husbandry to put rams and bulls to their females, somewhat before the full of the moon. It may be also, that the eggs laid in the full of the moon breed the better bird: and a number of the like effects which may be brought into observation. Query also, whether great thunders and earthquakes be not most in the full of the moon.

Experiment solitary touching vinegar.

898. THE turning of wine into vinegar is a kind of putrefaction and in making of vinegar, they use to set vessels of wine over-against the noon sun; which calleth out the more oily spirits, and leaveth the liquor more sour and hard. We see also, that burnt wine is more hard and astringent than wine unburnt. It is said, that cider in navigations under the line ripeneth, when wine or beer soureth. It were good to set a rundlet of verjuice over-against the sun in summer, as they do vinegar, to see whether it will ripen and sweeten.

Experiment solitary touching creatures that sleep all winter.

899. THERE be divers creatures that sleep all winter, as the bear, the hedge-hog, the bat, the bee, etc. These all wax fat when they sleep, and egest not. The cause of their fattening during their sleeping time, may be the want of assimilating; for whatsoever assimilateth not to flesh turneth either to sweat or fat. These creatures, for part of their sleeping time, have been observed not to stir at all; and for the other part, to stir, but not to remove. And they get warm and close places to sleep in. When the Flemings wintered in Nova Zembla, the bears about the middle of November went to sleep; and then the foxes began to come forth, which durst not before. It is noted by some of the ancients, that the she-bear breedeth, and lieth in with her young, during that time of rest: and that a bear big with young hath seldom been seen.

Experiment solitary touching the generating of creatures by copulation, and by putrefaction.

900. SOME living creatures are procreated by copulation between male and female: some by putrefaction: and of those which come by putrefaction, many do, nevertheless, afterwards procreate by copulation. For the cause of both generations: first, it is most certain, that the cause of all vivification is a gentle and proportionable heat, working upon a glutinous and yielding substance: for the heat doth bring forth spirit in that substance: and the substance being glutinous produceth two effects; the one, that the spirit is detained, and cannot break forth the other, that the matter being gentle and yielding, is driven forwards by the motion of the spirits, after some swelling, into shape and members. Therefore all sperm, all menstruous substance, all matter whereof creatures are produced by putrefaction, have evermore a closeness, lentor, and sequacity. It seemeth therefore, that the generation by sperm only, and