in a weft, may work upon the spirits within the brain. And, therefore, a suffumigation of tobacco, lignum aloes, rosemary leaves dried, and a little myrrh snuffed up in the morning at the mouth and nostrils, would be very good. 34. In grand opiates, such as are treacle, mithridate, and the rest, it would not be amiss (especially in youth) to take rather the distilled waters of them, than themselves in their bodies; for the vapour in distilling doth rise, but the heat of the medicine commonly settleth. Now, distilled waters are good in those virtues which are conveyed by vapours, in other things but weak. 35. There are medicines which have a certain weak and hidden degree, and therefore safe to an opiate virtue; these send forth a slow and copious vapour, but not malignant as opiates do; therefore they put not the spirits to flight, notwithstanding they congregate them, and somewhat thicken them. the tops of dry mountains, or in champaigns open to the wind, and yet not without some shade. 41. As for the refrigeration and condensation of the spirits by vapours, the root of this operation we place in nitre, as a creature purposely made and chosen for this end, being thereunto led and persuaded by these arguments. 42. Nitre is a kind of cool spice; this is apparent to the sense itself, for it bites the tongue and palate with cold, as spices do with heat, and it is the only thing, as far as we know, that hath this property. 43. Almost all cold things (which are cold properly and not by accident, as opium is) are poor and jejune of spirit; contrarily, things full of spirit are almost all hot, only nitre is found amongst vegetables, which aboundeth with spirit and yet is cold. As for camphire, which is full of spirit, and yet performeth the actions of cold, it cooleth by accident only, as namely, for that by the thin36. Medicines, in order to opiates, are princi-ness thereof, without acrimony, it helpeth perspipally saffron, next folium indum, ambergris, ration and inflammations. coriander seed prepared, amomum, pseuda momum, lignum rhodium, orange-flower water, and much more the infusion of the same flowers new gathered in the oil of almonds, nutmegs pricked full of holes and macerated in rosewater. 37. As opiates are to be taken very sparingly, and at certain times, as was said, so these secondaries may be taken familiarly, and in our daily diet, and they will be very effectual to prolongation of life. Certainly an apothecary of Calecute, by the use of amber, is said to have lived a hundred and sixty years, and the noblemen of Barbary through the use thereof are certified to be very long-lived, whereas the mean people are but of short life. And our ancestors, who were longer lived than we, did use saffron much in their cakes, broths, and the like. And touching the first way of condensing the spirits of opiates, and the subordinates thereto, thus much. 38. Now we will inquire of the second way of condensing the spirits by cold, for the proper work of cold is condensation, and it is done without any malignity, or adverse quality; and therefore it is a safer operation than by opiates, though somewhat less powerful, if it be done by turns only as opiates are. But then again, because it may be used familiarly, and in our daily diet with moderation, it is much more powerful for the prolongation of life than by opiates. 39. The refrigeration of the spirits is effected three ways, either by respiration, or by vapours, or by aliment. The first is the best, but, in a sort, out of our power; the second is potent, but vet ready and at hand; the third is weak and somewhat about. 40. Air clear and pure, and which hath no fogginess in it before it be received into the lungs, and which is least exposed to the sunbeams, condenseth the spirits best. Such is found either on 44. In congealing and freezing of liquors (which is lately grown into use) by laying snow and ice on the outside of the vessel, nitre is also added, and no doubt it exciteth and fortifieth the congelation. It is true, that they use also for this work ordinary bay-salt, which doth rather give activity to the coldness of the snow, than cool by itself; but, as I have heard, in the hotter regions, where snow falls not, the congealing is wrought by nitre alone; but this I cannot certainly affirm. 45. It is affirmed that gunpowder, which consisteth principally of nitre, being taken in drink doth conduce to valour, and that it is used oftentimes by mariners and soldiers before they begin their battles, as the Turks do opium. 46. Nitre is given with good success in burning agues, and pestilential fevers, to mitigate and bridle their pernicious heats. 47. It is manifest, that nitre in gunpowder doth mightily abhor the flame, from whence is caused that horrible crack and puffing. 48. Nitre is found to be, as it were, the spirit of the earth; for this is most certain, that any earth, though pure and unmixed with nitrous matter, if it be so laid up and covered, that it be free from the sunbeams, and putteth forth no vegetable, will gather nitre, even in good abundance. By which it is clear, that the spirit of nitre is not only inferior to the spirit of living creatures, but also to the spirit of vegetables. 49. Cattle, which drink of nitrous water, do manifestly grow fat, which is a sign of the cold in nitre. 50. The manuring of the soil is chiefly by nitrous substances; for all dung is nitrous, and this is a sign of the spirit in nitre. 51. From hence it appears, that the spirits of man may be cooled and condensed by the spirit of nitre, and be made more crude and less eager And, therefore, as strong wines, and spices, and the like, do burn the spirits and shorten life; so, on the contrary side, nitre doth compose and repress them, and furthereth to life. 52. Nitre may be used with meat, mixed with our salt, to the tenth part of the salt; in broths taken in the morning, for three grains to ten, also in beer; but howsoever it be used, with moderation, it is of prime force to long life. 53. As opium holds the pre-eminence in condensing the spirits, by putting them to flight, and hath withal his subordinates less potent, but more safe, which may be taken both in greater quantity and in more frequent use, of which we have formerly spoken; so also nitre, which condenseth the spirits by cold, and by a kind of frescour, (as we now-a-days speak,) hath also his subordinates. 54. Subordinates to nitre are, all those things which yield an odour somewhat earthy, like the smell of earth, pure and good, newly digged or turned up; of this sort the chief are, borage, buloss, langue de bœuf, burnet, strawberry leaves, and strawberries, frambois, or raspis, raw cucumbers, raw pearmains, vine leaves, and buds, also violets. 55. The next in order, are those which have a certain freshness of smell, but somewhat more inclined to heat, yet not altogether void of that virtue of refreshing by coolness; such as are balm, green citrons, green oranges, rosewater distilled, roasted wardens; also the damask, red, and musk roses. 56. This is to be noted, that subordinates to nitre do commonly confer more to this intension raw, than having passed the fire, because that the spirit of cooling is dissipated by the fire, therefore they are best taken either infused in some liquor, or raw. 57. As the condensation of the spirits by subordinates to opium is, in some sort, performed by odours, so also that which is by subordinates to nitre; therefore the smell of new and pure earth, taken either by following the plough, or by digging, or by weeding, excellently refresheth the spirits. Also the leaves of trees in woods, or hedges, falling towards the middle of autumn, yield a good refreshing to the spirits, but none so good as strawberry leaves dying. Likewise the smell of violets, or wallflowers, or beanflowers, or sweetbrier, or honeysuckles, taken as they grow, in passing by them only, is of the same nature. 60. And as touching the condensing of the spirits by cold, thus much. The third way of condensing the spirits we said to be by that which we call stroking the spirits. The fourth, by quieting the alacrity and unruliness of them. 61. Such things stroke the spirits as are pleasing and friendly to them, yet they allure them not to go abroad; but rather prevail, that the spirits, contented as it were in their own society, do enjoy themselves, and betake themselves into their proper centre. 61. For these, if you recollect those things which were formerly set down, as subordinates to opium and nitre, there will need no other inquisition. 62. As for the quieting of the unruliness of the spirits, we shall presently speak of that, when we inquire touching their motion. Now then, seeing we have spoken of that condensation of the spirits which pertaineth to their substance, we will come to the temper of heat in them. 63. The heat of the spirits, as we said, ought to be of that kind, that it may be robust, not eager, and may delight rather to master the tough and obstinate, than to carry away the thin and light humours. 64. We must beware of spices, wine, and strong drinks, that our use of them be very temperate, and sometimes discontinued. Also of savory, wild marjorum, pennyroyal, and all such as bite and heat the tongue; for they yield unto the spirits a heat not operative, but predatory. 65. These yield a robust heat, especially elecampane, garlick, carduus benedictus, watercresses, while they are young, germander, angelica, zedoary, vervin, valerian, myrrh, pepperwort, elder flowers, garden chervile. The use of these things, with choice and judgment, sometimes in salads, sometimes in medicines, will satisfy this operation. 66. It falls out well, that the grand opiates will also serve excellently for this operation, in respect that they yield such a heat by composition, which is wished, but not to be found in simples. For the mixing of those excessive hot things, (such as are euphorbium, pellitory of Spain, stavisacre, dragonwort, anacordi, castoreum, aristolochium, opponax, ammoniachum, galbanum, and the like, which of themselves cannot be taken inwardly,) to qualify and abate the stupefactive virtue of the opium, they do make such a constitution of a medicament as we now require; which is excellently seen in this, that treacle and mithridate, and the rest, are not sharp, nor bite the tongue, but are only somewhat bitter, and of strong scent, and at last manifest their heat when they come 59. There is no doubt but the cooling and tem-into the stomach, and in their subsequent operapering of the blood by cool things, such as are endive, succory, leverwort, purslain, and the like, do also by consequent cool the spirits. But this is about, whereas vapours cool immediately. 58. Nay, and we know a certain great lord who lived long, that had every morning, immediately after sleep, a clod of fresh earth laid in a fair napkin under his nose, that he might take the smell thereof. tions. 67. There conduces also to the robust heat of the spirits, Venus often excited, rarely performed ; and no less some of the affections, of which shall be spoken hereafter. So touching the heat of the | sometimes destitute of honey, and likewise butspirits, analogical to the prolongation of life, thus terflies and other flies. much. 68. Touching the quantity of the spirits, that they be not exuberant and boiling, but rather sparing, and within a mean, (seeing a small flame doth not devour so much as a great flame,) the inquisition will be short. 69. It seems to be approved by experience, that a spare diet, and almost a pythagorical, such as is either prescribed by the strict rules of a monastical life, or practised by hermits, which have necessity and poverty for their rule, rendereth a man long-lived. 70. Hitherto appertain drinking of water, a hard bed, abstinence from fire, a slender diet, (as, namely, of herbs, fruits, flesh, and fish, rather powdered and salted, than fresh and hot, a hair shirt, frequent fastings, frequent watchings, few sensual pleasures, and such like; for all these diminish the spirits, and reduce them to such a quantity as may be sufficient only for the functions of life, whereby the depredation is the less. 71. But if the diet shall not be altogether so rigorous and mortifying, yet, notwithstanding, shall be always equal and constant to itself, it worketh the same effect. We see it in flames, that a flame somewhat bigger (so it be always alike and quiet) consumeth less of the fuel, than a lesser flaine blown with bellows, and by gusts stronger or weaker. That which the regiment and diet of Cornarus, the Venetian, showed plainly, who did eat and drink so many years together by a just weight, whereby he exceeded a hundred years of age, strong in limbs, and entire in his senses. 76. Sleep after dinner (the stomach sending up no unpleasing vapours to the head, as being the first dews of our meat) is good for the spirits, but derogatory and hurtful to all other points of health. Notwithstanding in extreme old age there is the same reason of meat and sleep, for both our meals and our sleeps should be then frequent, but short and little; nay, and towards the last period of old age, a mere rest, and, as it were, a perpetual reposing doth best, especially in winter-time. 77. But as moderate sleep conferreth to long life, so much more if it be quiet and not disturbed. 78. These procure quiet sleep, violets, lettuce, especially boiled, syrup of dried roses, saffron, balm, apples, at our going to bed; a sop of bread in malmsey, especially where musk-roses have been first infused; therefore it would not be amiss to make some pill or a small draught of these things, and to use it familiarly. Also those things which shut the mouth of the stomach close, as coriander seed prepared, quinces and wardens roasted, do induce sound sleep; but above all things in youth, and for those that have sufficient strong stomachs, it will be best to take a good draught of clear cold water when they go to bed. Touching voluntary and procured trances, as also fixed and profound thoughts, so as they be without irksomeness, I have nothing certain; no doubt they make to this intention, and condense the spirits, and that more potently than sleep, seeing they lay asleep, and suspend the senses as much or more. Touching them, let further inquiry be made. So far touching sleep. 79. As for motion and exercise, lassitude hurt 72. Care also must be taken, that a body, plen-eth, and so doth all motion and exercise which is tifully nourished, and not emaciated by any of too nimble and swift, as running, tennis, fencing, these aforesaid diets, omitteth not a seasonable and the like; and, again, when our strength is use of Venus, lest the spirits increase too fast, extended and strained to the uttermost, as dancing, and soften and destroy the body. So then, touch-wrestling, and such like; for it is certain, that the ing a moderate quantity of spirits, and (as we spirits being driven into straits, either by the may say) frugal, thus much. swiftness of the motion, or by the straining of the 73. The inquisition, touching bridling the mo- forces, do afterward become more eager and pretions of the spirits, followeth next. Motion doth datory. On the other side, exercises which stir manifestly attenuate and inflame them. This up a good strong motion, but not over swift, or to bridling is done by three means; by sleep, by our utmost strength, (such as are leaping, shootavoiding of vehement labours, immoderate exer-ing, riding, bowling, and the like,) do not hurt, cise, and, in a word, all lassitude; and by re- but rather benefit. fraining irksome affections. And, first, touching sleep. We must come now to the affections and passions of the mind, and see which of them are hurtful to long life, which profitable. 80. Great joys attenuate and diffuse the spirits, and shorten life; familiar cheerfulness strengthens the spirits, by calling them forth, and yet not resolving them. 81. Impressions of joy in the sense are naught; ruminations of joy in the memory, or apprehensions of them in hope or fancy, are good. 82. Joy suppressed, or communicated sparingly, doth more comfort the spirits, than joy poured | Isocrates, Seneca. And, certainly, as old men are forth and published. 83. Grief and sadness, if it be void of fear, and afflict not too much, doth rather prolong life; for it contracteth the spirits, and is a kind of condensation. 84. Great fears shorten the life; for though grief and fear do both strengthen the spirit, yet in grief there is a simple contraction; but in fear, by reason of the cares taken for the remedy, and hopes intermixed, there is a turmoil and vexing of the spirits. 85. Anger suppressed is also a kind of vexation, and causeth the spirit to feed upon the juices of the body; but let loose and breaking forth, it helpeth; as those medicines do, which induce a robust heat. 86. Envy is the worst of all passions, and feedeth upon the spirits, and they again upon the body, and so much the more, because it is perpetual, and, as it is said, keepeth no holidays. 87. Pity of another man's misfortune, which is not likely to befall ourselves, is good; but pity, which may reflect with some similitude upon the party pitying, is naught, because it exciteth fear. 88. Light shame hurteth not, seeing it contracteth the spirits a little, and then straight diffuseth them, insomuch that shamefaced persons commonly live long; but shame for some great ignominy, and which afflicteth the mind long, contracteth the spirits even to suffocation, and is pernicious. 89. Love, if it be not unfortunate, and too deeply wounding, is a kind of joy, and is subject to the same laws which we have set down touching joy. 90. Hope is the most beneficial of all the affections, and doth much to the prolongation of life, if it be not too often frustrated, but entertaineth the fancy with an expectation of good; therefore they which fix and propound to themselves some end, as the mark and scope of their life, and continually and by degrees go forward in the same, are, for the most part, long-lived; insomuch that when they are come to the top of their hope, and can go no higher therein, they commonly droop, and live not long after. So that hope is a leaf-joy, which may be beaten out to a great extension, like gold. 91. Admiration and light contemplation are very powerful to the prolonging of life; for they hold the spirits in such things as delight them, and suffer them not to tumultuate, or to carry themselves unquietly and waywardly. And, therefore, all the contemplators of natural things, which had so many and eminent objects to admire, (as Democritus, Plato, Parmenides, Apollonius,) were long-lived; also rhetoricians, which tasted but lightly of things, and studied rather exornation of speech than profundity of matters, were also long-lived; as Gorgias, Protagoras, for the most part talkative, so talkative men do And as touching the motion of the spirits, by the affections of the mind, thus much. Now, we will add certain other general observations touching the spirits, besides the former, which fall not into the precedent distribution. 92. Especial care must be taken that the spirits be not too often resolved; for attenuation goeth before resolution, and the spirit once attenuated doth not very easily retire, or is condensed. Now, resolution is caused by over-great labours, overvehement affections of the mind, over-great sweats, over-great evacuation, hot baths, and an untemperate and unseasonable use of Venus; also by overgreat cares and carpings, and anxious expectations; lastly, by malignant diseases, and intolerable pains and torments of the body; all which, as much as may be, (which our vulgar physicians also advise,) must be avoided. 93. The spirits are delighted both with wonted things and with new. Now, it maketh wonderfully to the conservation of the spirits in vigour, that we neither use wonted things to a satiety and glutting; nor new things, before a quick and strong appetite. And, therefore, both customs are to be broken off with judgment and care, before they breed a fulness; and the appetite after new things to be restrained for a time until it grow more sharp and jocund; and, moreover, the life, as much as may be, so to be ordered, that it may have many renovations, and the spirits, by perpetual conversing in the same actions, may not wax dull. For though it were no ill saying of Seneca's, The fool doth ever begin to live; yet this folly, and many more such, are good for long life. 94. It is to be observed touching the spirits, (though the contrary used to be done,) that when men perceive their spirits to be in good, placid, and healthful state, (that which will be seen by the tranquillity of their mind, and cheerful disposition,) that they cherish them, and not change them; but when in a turbulent and untoward state, (which will also appear by their sadness, lumpishness, and other indisposition of their mind,) that then they straight overwhelm them, and alter them. Now, the spirits are contained in the same state, by a restraining of the affections, temperateness of diet, abstinence from Venus, moderation in labour, indifferent rest and repose: and the contrary to these do alter and overwhelm the spirits; as, namely, vehement affections, profuse feastings, immoderate Venus, difficult labours. earnest studies, and prosecution of business. Yet men are wont, when they are merriest and best disposed, then to apply themselves to feastings, | greater dominion over the affections, especially Venus, labours, endeavours, business, whereas, if the daily affections, than either the heart or brain, they have a regard to long life, (which may seem strange,) they should rather practise the contrary. For we ought to cherish and preserve good spirits; and for the evil disposed spirits to discharge and alter them. 95. Ficinus saith not unwisely, that old men, for the comforting of their spirits, ought often to remember and ruminate upon the acts of their childhood and youth; certainly such a remembrance is a kind of peculiar recreation to every old man: and, therefore, it is a delight to men to enjoy the society of them which have been brought up together with them, and to visit the places of their education. Vespasian did attribute so much to this matter, that when he was emperor, he would by no means be persuaded to leave his father's house, though but mean, lest he should lose the wonted object of his eyes, and the memory of his childhood. And besides, he would drink in a wooden cup tipped with silver, which was his grandmother's, upon festival days. only those things excepted which are wrought by potent vapours, as in drunkenness and melancholy. 99. Touching the operation upon the spirits, that they may remain youthful, and renew their vigour thus much, which we have done more accurately, for that there is for the most part amongst physicians, and other authors, touching these operations, a deep silence; but especially, because the operation upon the spirits, and their waxing green again, is the most ready and compendious way to long life, and that for a twofold compendiousness; one, because the spirits work compendiously upon the body; the other, because vapours and the affections work compendiously upon the spirits, so as these attain the end, as it were, in a right line, other things rather in lines circular. II. The Operation upon the Exclusion of the Air. The History. 1. The exclusion of the air ambient tendeth to 2. Another effect which followeth the exclusion of air is much more subtile and profound: namely, that the body closed up, and not perspiring by the pores, detaineth the spirits within, and turneth it upon the harder parts of the body, whereby the spirit mollifies and intenerates them. 96. One thing above all is grateful to the spi-length of life two ways; first, for that the external rits, that there be a continual progress to the more air, next unto the native spirits, howsoever the air benign; therefore we should lead such a youth may be said to animate the spirit of man, and conand manhood, that our old age should find new ferreth not a little to health, doth most of all prey solaces, whereof the chief is moderate ease: and, upon the juices of the body, and hasten the desictherefore, old men in honourable places lay vio-cation thereof; and therefore the exclusion of it lent hands upon themselves, who retire not to their is effectual to length of life. ease; whereof may be found an eminent example in Cassiodorus, who was of that reputation amongst the gothish Kings of Italy, that he was as the soul of their affairs; afterwards, being near eighty years of age, he betook himself to a monastery, where he ended not his days before he was a hundred years old. But this thing doth require two cautions: one, that they drive not off till their bodies be utterly worn out and diseased; for in such bodies all mutation, though to the more benign, hasteneth death; the other, that they surrender not themselves to a sluggish ease, but that they embrace something which may entertain their thoughts and mind with contentation; in which kind, the chief delights are reading and contemplation, and then the desires of building and planting. 3. Of this thing, the reason is explained in the desiccation of inanimate bodies, and it is an axiom almost infallible, that the spirit discharged and issuing forth, drieth bodies; detained, melteth and intenerateth them. And it is further to be assumed, that all heat doth properly attenuate and moisten, and contracteth and drieth only by accident. 4. Leading the life in dens and caves, where the air receives not the sunbeams, may be effectual to long life. For the air of itself doth not much towards the depredation of the body, unless it be 97. Lastly: the same action, endeavour, and stirred up by heat. Certainly, if a man shall labour, undertaken cheerfully and with a good recall things past to his memory, it will appear will, doth refresh the spirits, but with an aversa- that the statures of men have been anciently much tion and unwillingness, doth fret and deject them; greater than those that succeeded, as in Sicily, and therefore it conferreth to long life, either that and some other places: but this kind of men led a man hath the art to institute his life so as it may their lives, for the most part, in caves. Now, be free and suitable to his own humour, or else to length of life, and largeness of limbs, have some lay such a command upon his mind, that whatso-affinity; the cave also of Epimenides walks among ever is imposed by fortune, it may rather lead him the fables. I suppose likewise, that the life of than drag him. 98. Neither is that to be omitted towards the government of the affections, that especial care be taken of the mouth of the stomach, especially that it be not too much relaxed; for that part hath a columnar anchorites was a thing resembling the life in caves, in respect the sunbeams could not much pierce thither, nor the air receive any great changes or inequalities. This is certain, both the Simeon Stelitas, as well Daniel as Saba, and |
