other ingredients are, the blood-stone in powder, and some other things, which seem to have a virtue to stanch blood; as also the moss hath. And the description of the whole ointment is to be found in the chemical dispensatory of Crollius.' Secondly, the same kind of ointment applied to the hurt itself worketh not the effect; but only applied to the weapon. Thirdly, (which I like well,) they do not observe the confecting of the ointment under any certain constellation; which commonly is the excuse of magical medicines when they fail, that they were not made under a fit figure of heaven. Fourthly, it may be applied to the weapon, though the party hurt be at great distance. Fifthly, it seemeth the imagination of the party to be cured is not needful to concur; for it may be done without the knowledge of the party wounded : and thus much hath been tried, that the ointment (for experiment's sake) hath been wiped off the weapon, without the knowledge of the party hurt, and presently the party hurt hath been in great rage of pain, till the weapon was re-anointed. Sixthly, it is affirmed that if you cannot get the weapon, yet if you put an instrument of iron or wood, resembling the weapon, into the wound, whereby it bleedeth, the anointing of that instrument will serve and work the effect. This I doubt should be a device to keep this strange form of cure in request and use ; because many times you cannot come by the weapon itself. Seventhly, the wound must be at first washed clean with white wine, or the party's own water; and then bound up close in fine linen, and no more dressing renewed till it be whole. Eighthly, the sword itself must be wrapped up close, as far as the ointment goeth, that it taketh no wind. Ninthly, the ointment, if you wipe it off from the sword and keep it, will serve again ; and rather increase in virtue than diminish. Tenthly, it will cure in far shorter time than ointments of wounds commonly do. Lastly, it will cure a beast, as well as a man; which I like best of all the rest, because it subjecteth the matter to an easy trial. .

Experiment solitary touching secret proprieties. 999. I would have men know, that though I reprehend the easy passing over of the causes of things, by ascribing them to secret and hidden virtues and proprieties; (for this hath arrested and laid asleep all true inquiry and indications;) yet I do not understand but that in the practical part of knowledge, much will be left to experience and probation, whereunto indication cannot so fully reach: and this not only in specie, but in individuo. So in physic, if you will cure the jaundice', it is not enough to say that the medicine must not be cooling; for that will hinder the opening which the disease requireth: that it must not be hot ; for that will exasperate choler: that it must go to the gall; for there is the obstruction which causeth the disease, &c. But you must receive from experience, that powder of Chamæpitys, or the like, drunk in beer, is good for the jaundice. So again, a wise physician doth not continue still the same medicine to a patient; but he will vary, if the first medicine doth not apparently succeed: for of those remedies that are good for the jaundice, stone, agues, &c., that will do good in one body which will not do good in another; according to the correspondence the medicine hath to the individual body. CENTURY IV.

Experiment solitary touching the general sympathy of men's

spirits. 1000. The lelight which men have in popularity, fame, honour, submission and subjection of other men's minds, wills, or affections, (although these things may be desired for other ends,) seemeth to be a thing in itself, without contemplation of consequence, grateful and agreeable to the nature of man. This thing (surely) is not without some signification, as if all spirits and souls of men came forth out of one divine limbus ; else why should men be so much affected with that which others think or say? The best temper of minds desireth good name and true honour: the lighter, popularity and applause: the more depraved, subjection and tyranny; as is seen in great conquerors and troublers of the world; and yet more in archheretics; for the introducing of new doctrines is likewise an affectation of tyranny over the understandings and beliefs of men.

A

TABLE OF THE EXPERIMENTS.

CENTURY I.

Of Straining or Percolation, outward and inward
Of Motion upon Pressure
Of Separations of Bodies liquid by weight
Of Infusions in Water and Air
Of the Appetite of Continuation in Liquids
Of Artificial Springs
Of the Venomous Quality of Man's Flesh
Of Turning Air into Water
Of Helping or Altering the Shape of the Body
Of Condensing of Air, to yield Weight or Nourishment
Of Flame and Air Commixed
Of the Secret Nature of Flame
Of Flame, in the Midst, and on the Sides
Of Motion of Gravity
Of Contraction of Bodies in Bulk
Of Making Vines more Fruitful
Of the Several Operations of Purging Medicines
Of Meats and Drinks most Nourishing
Of Medicines applied in Order
Of Cure by Custom
Of Cure by Excess
Of Cure by Motion of Consent
Of Cure of Diseases contrary to Predisposition
Of Preparation before and after Purging
Of Stanching Blood
Of Change of Aliments and Medicines
Of Diets
Of Production of Cold
Of Turning Air into Water
Of Induration of Bodies
Of Preying of Air upon Water
Of the Force of Union

Page 339 342 343 344 346 347 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 353 354 354 355 358 365 366 366 367 367 368 308 369 369 370 372 374 377 378

O

Of Making Feathers and Hairs of divers colours
Of Nourishment of Young Creatures in the Egg, or Womb
Of Sympathy and Antipathy
Of the Spirits, or Pneumaticals in Bodies
Of the Power of Heat
Of Impossibility of Annihilation

CENTURY II.

Of Music
Of the Nullity and Entity of Sounds
Of Production, Conservation, and Delation of Sounds
Of Magnitude, Exility, and Damps of Sounds
Of Loudness and Softness of Sounds
Of Communication of Sounds
Of Equality and Inequality of Sounds
Of more Treble and Base Tones
Of Proportion of Treble and Base
Of Exterior and Interior Sounds
Of Articulation of Sounds

Page Of Clarification of Liquors, and the Accelerating thereof 442 Of Maturation, and the Accelerating thereof; and of the Maturation of Drinks and Fruits

445 Of Making Gold

448 Of the Several Natures of Gold

450 Of Inducing and Accelerating Putrefaction

451 Of Prohibiting and Preventing Putrefaction

453 Of Rotten Wood Shining

456 Of Acceleration of Birth

457 Of Acceleration of Growth and Stature

458 Of Bodies Sulphureous and Mercurial

459 Of the Chameleon

460 Of Subterrany Fires

461 Of Nitrous Water

461 Of Congealing of Air

462 Of Congealing of Water into Crystal

462 Of Preserving the Smell and Colour in Rose Leaves

462 Of the Lasting of Flame

463 Of Infusions or Burials of Divers Bodies in Earth

466 Of the Affects of Men's Bodies from Several Winds

468 Of Winter and Summer Sicknesses

468 Of Pestilential Years

468 Of Epidemical Diseases

468 Of Preservation of Liquors in Wells, or deep Vaults

. 469 Of Stutting

. 469 Of Sweet Smells

470 Of the Goodness and Choice of Waters

471 Of Temperate Heats under the Equinoctial

472 Of the Coloration of Black and Tawny Moors

473 Of Motion after the Instant of Death

. 474

CENTURY V.

Of Accelerating or hastening forward Germination
Of Retarding or putting back Germination
Of Meliorating, or making better, Fruits and Plants
Of Compound Fruits and Flowers
Of Sympathy and Antipathy of Plants
Of Making Herbs and Fruits Medicinable

CENTURY VI.

501

Of Curiosities about Fruits and Plants
Of the Degenerating of Plants, and of their Transmutation

one into another

506