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. Experiment solitary touching the general sympathy of men's spirits. 1000. The delight 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 2 See Pliny, xxiv. 20. 1 jaundies in the original. — J. S. 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 arch-heretics; 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 VIII. Page Of Spunges Of Sweat Of Veins of Earth Medicinal Of Sea-fish in Fresh Waters Of Attraction by Similitude of Substance Of Certain Drinks in Turkey Of the Glow-worm Of the Impressions upon the Body from several Passions of Of Drunkenness Of the Hurt or Help of Wine, taken moderately 7 7 8 9 10 10 12 13 Of Casting the Skin, and Shell, in some Creatures *For the first part of this Table see the end of vol. iv. of this edition. Page Of Plants without Leaves Of the Generation and Bearing of Living Creatures in the Of Species Visible Of Impulsion and Percussion Of Titillation Of Scarcity of Rain in Egypt Of Clarification Of the Materials of Glass Of Prohibition of Putrefaction, and the long Conservation of Bodies Of Abundance of Nitre in certain Sea-shores Of Bodies borne up by Water Of Fuel consuming little or nothing Of Teeth, and Hard Substances in the Bodies of Living 31 36 38 40 41 42 42 43 43 44 Of the Gathering of Manna 50 Of Bitumen, one of the Materials of Wild-fire Of Plaster growing as hard as Marble Of the Cure of some Ulcers and Hurts Of Super-natation of Bodies Of the Flying of Unequal Bodies in the Air 53 54 Of Water, that it may be the Medium of Sounds 56 Of the Flight of the Spirits upon Odious Objects 56 Of the Super-reflexion of Echoes 57 Of the Force of Imagination imitating that of the Sense 57 |