XOVUM ORGANUM. 179 



than if they were steeped for a quarter of an hour only, 

 and then taken out ; and since the odoriferous spirit in the 

 violet is not abundant, let other and fresh violets be steeped 

 in the vinegar every quarter of an hour, as many as six 

 times, when the infusion becomes so strengthened, that 

 although the violets have not altogether remained there 

 for more than one hour and a half, there remains a most 

 pleasing perfume, not inferior to the flower itself, for a 

 whole year. It must be observed, however, that the per 

 fume does not acquire its full strength, till about a month 

 after the infusion. In the distillation of aromatic plants 

 macerated in spirits of wine, it is well known that an 

 aqueous and useless phlegm rises first, then water contain 

 ing more of the spirit, and lastly water containing more of 

 the aroma; and many observations of the like kind, well 

 worthy of notice, are to be made in distillations. But let 

 these suffice as examples. 



47. In the twenty-third rank of prerogative instances we 

 will place instances of quantity , which we are also wont 

 to call the doses of nature (borrowing a word from medi 

 cine). They are such as measure the powers by the quan 

 tity of bodies, and point out the effect of the quantity in 

 the degree of power. And in the first place, some powers- 

 only subsist in the universal quantity, or such as bears a 

 relation to the conformation and fabric of the universe. 

 Thus the earth is fixed, its parts fall. The waters in the 

 sea flow and ebb, but not in the rivers, except by the admis 

 sion of the sea. Then, again, almost all particular powers 

 act according to the greater or less quantity of the body. 

 Large masses of water are not easily rendered foul, small 

 are. New wine and beer become ripe and drinkable in 

 small skins much more readily than in large casks. If an 

 herb be placed in a considerable quantity of liquid, infusion 

 takes place rather than impregnation, if in less the reverse. 

 A bath therefore and a light sprinkling produce different 

 effects on the human body. Light dew again never falls, but 

 is dissipated and incorporated with the air ; thus we see that 

 in breathing on gems the slight quantity of moisture, like a 

 small cloud in the air, is immediately dissolved. Again, a 

 piece of the same magnet does not attract so much iron as 

 the whole magnet did. There are some powers where the 

 smallness of the quantity is of more avail; as in boring, a 

 sharp point pierces more readily than a blunt one ; the dia 

 mond, when pointed, makes an impression on glass, and the 

 like. 



