This sluggishness is taken off by three means, viz. 1. either by heat; 2. some eminent virtue of a body related; or, 3. by a brisk and powerful motion. And, first, as to the assistance of heat, it hence arises, that heat is said to separate heterogeneous and congregate homogeneous bodies, which is a definition of the peripatetics, justly derided by Dr. Gilbert, as being like the defin ing a man to be a thing that sows corn, and plants vineyards, a definition formed only upon particular effects. But the former definition is still more faulty, because the effects, whatever they are, proceed not directly from the proper ty of heat, but only by accident, for cold will do the same, as we shall shew hereafter*, and is really owing to an appetite which the homogeneous parts have of coming together, the heat only assisting to dispel the sluggishness that before subdued or bound down this appetite.

Secondly, as to the assistance of the virtue communicated by a body related, this appears surprizingly in the armed loadstone, which excites in iron a virtue of detaining iron, by similitude of substance, the virtue of the magnet here dispelling the sluggishness of the iron.

And, thirdly, for the assistance of motion, we see it in arrows of wood, with wooden points,

* As particularly, in the freezing of brandy, wine, saline liquors, &c. See below, Aph. 50.

which penetrate farther into wood than if they were tipt with iron, through a similitude of substance, the inactivity of the wood being shook off by the velocity of the motion, as we before observed, under clandestine instances*.

The binding of the motion of the lesser congregation, by the check of a predominating body, appears in the resolution of blood, and urine, by cold, for so long as these fluids conti nue full of that active spirit which directs, governs, and subdues their parts, of every kind, as lord of the whole, so long the different parts do not collect together, by reason of the check upon them; but after this spirit is evaporated, or deadened by cold, then the parts being relaxed and unbridled, severally come together, according to their natural appetites. And hence it is that all bodies, containing a sharp spirit, as salts, and the like, continue unseparated †, viz. by rea

son of

of the permanent and durable check of the presiding, or over-ruling spirit.

We have an eminent example of the motion of the lesser congregation being subdued by external motion; in the agitations of bodies, which are preventive of putrefaction; for all putrefac

* See above, Aph. 25. See also the Sylva Sylvarum, under the article Attraction.

+ Viz. Unresolved into their different principles, or heterogeneous parts.

tion depends upon the uniting of the homogeneous parts, whence there gradually ensues a corruption or destruction of the former state or appearance, and the introduction of a new one ; for a solution of the old state must precede putrefaction, which paves the way to the generation of a new thing. And this solution is the collection of the homogeneous parts together, and if not obstructed, the solution is simple; but if various obstacles intervene, putrefaction ensues, that is the rudiments of a new generation. But if a frequent agitation be made, by external motion, then the motion of union, which is here delicate, soft, and requires rest from without, becomes disturbed, and ceases, as we find by numerous examples.

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*. Thus the continual agitation, or running of waters, prevents their putrefying; winds purge and purify a pestilential air; corn, by being turned and agitated, is kept sound in the granary; and, in short, all things that are kept in agitation from without, do not easily putrefy from within*.

We must not here omit that conjunction of the parts of bodies, from whence hardness and dryness principally proceed; for after the spirit, or moisture turned into spirit, is fled from any po

* See the Sylva Sylvarum, under the article Putrefaction.

rous body, as wood, bone, parchment, &c. the grosser parts forcibly contract, and come together, whereupon hardness or dryness ensues, which we judge not to proceed so much from the motion of connection, as from the motion or appetite of amity or union.

As for the motions that meet from a distance, these are extraordinary and uncommon, yet may be found in more things than have been usually observed. We find examples hereof in bubbles, that rush into and dissolve one another; in medicines, that attract or drain off humours by similitude of substance*; two violins in unison with each other, when the one being struck, the other will move, &c. We likewise suspect this motion prevails in the spirits of animals, though it remains perfectly unknown. It is doubtless exerted in the loadstone, and animated iron.

But with regard to the loadstone, there are four distinct motions, virtues, or operations, that should not be confounded, though through admiration and astonishment, men have blended them together. The first is, the attraction betwixt magnet and magnet, iron and the magnet, or animated iron and iron. The second is, the verticity of the touched needle, or its property

Viz. As rhubarb does the bile, &c.

1

of pointing north and south, together with its variation or declination from that direction. The third is the virtue of penetrating gold, glass, stone, &c. And the fourth is the communication of virtue from the stone to iron, and from iron to iron, without a communication of substance*. But, at present, we speak only of the first of these virtues, that of approach or attraction.

There is also a remarkable motion of attraction between quicksilver and gold, so that gold will attract quicksilver, though it be made up into ointments. And those that work much among the vapours of quicksilver, commonly hold a piece of gold in their mouths, tɔ collect the mercurial effluvia, which would otherwise penetrate the skull, and bones of the body, &c. and the gold so employed soon after becomes white+. And so much for the lesser congre... gation.

Let the ninth motion be magnetical motion, which, though a thing of the same kind with the

*See the article Magnetism, in the Sylva Sylvarum.

It has been lately questioned, whether, when persons have been salivated by mercury, a piece of gold will be whitened by being held, for several hours, to any part of the body, where no mercury from without is supposed to come, or none besides what has passed through the course of circulation, along with the animal juices.