THE PREFACE. 311 



Therefore the inquisition ought to be twofold ; the one 

 touching the consumption or depredation of the body of 

 man, the other touching the reparation and renovation of 

 the same : to the end, that the former may, as much as is 

 possible, be forbidden and restrained, and the latter com 

 forted. The former of these pertains, especially, to the 

 spirits and outward air, by which the depredation and 

 waste is committed ; the latter to the whole race of alimen 

 tation or nourishment, whereby the renovation or restitu 

 tion is made. And as for the former part touching con 

 sumption, this hath many things common with bodies in- 

 ani mate, or without life. For such things as the native spiri t 

 (which is in all tangible bodies, whether living or without 

 life) and the ambient or external air worketh upon bodies 

 inanimate, the same it attempteth upon animate or living 

 bodies; although the vital spirit superadded, doth partly 

 break and bridle those operations, partly exalt, and advance 

 them wonderfully. For it is most manifest that inanimate 

 bodies (most of them) will endure a long time without any 

 reparation ; but bodies animate, without food and repara 

 tion, suddenly fall and are extinguished, as the fire is. So, 

 then, our inquisition shall be double. First, we will con 

 sider the body of man as inanimate, and not repaired by 

 nourishment. Secondly, as animate and repaired by nou 

 rishment. Thus, having prefaced these things, we come 

 now to the topic places of inquisition. 



