LIFE AND DEATH. 315 



by age alone, without fire, it neither wasteth nor gathereth 

 rust. 



3. Stones, especially the harder sort of them, and many 

 other fossils, are of long lasting, and that though they be 

 exposed to the open air, much more if they be buried in the 

 earth. Notwithstanding stones gather a kind of nitre, 

 which is to them instead of rust. Precious stones and 

 crystals exceed metals in long lasting, but then they grow 

 dimmer and less orient if they be very old. 



4. It is observed that stones lying towards the north do 

 sooner decay with age than those that lie toward the south ; 

 and that appears manifestly in pyramids and churches, 

 and other ancient buildings ; contrariwise, in iron, that ex 

 posed to the south, gathers rust sooner, and that to the 

 north later; as may be seen in the iron bars of windows, 

 and no marvel, seeing in all putrefaction (as rust is) mois 

 ture hastens dissolutions ; in all simple arefaction, dryness. 



5. In vegetables (we speak of such as are felled, not 

 growing), the stocks or bodies of harder trees, and the 

 timber made of them, last divers ages. But then there is 

 difference in the bodies of trees : some trees are in a manner 

 spongy, as the elder, in which the pith in the midst is soft, 

 and the outward part harder; but in timber trees, as the 

 oak, the inner part (which they call heart of oak) lasteth 

 longer. 



6. The leaves, and flowers, and stalks of plants are but 

 of short lasting, but dissolve into dust, unless they putrefy; 

 the roots are more durable. 



7. The bones of living creatures last long, as we may see 

 it of men s bones in charnel-houses ; horns also last very 

 long ; so do teeth, as it is seen in ivory, and the seahorse 

 teeth. 



8. Hides also and skins endure very long, as is evident 

 in old parchment books; paper likewise will last many 

 ages, though not so long as parchment. 



9. Such things as have passed the fire last long, as glass 

 and bricks; likewise flesh and fruits that have passed the 

 fire last longer than raw, and that not only because the 

 baking of the fire forbids putrefaction, but also because the 

 watery humour being drawn forth, the oily humour sup 

 ports itself the longer. 



10. Water of all liquors is soonest drunk up by air, con 

 trariwise oil latest ; which we may see not only in the liquors 

 themselves, but in the liquors mixed with other bodies; for 

 paper wet with water, and so getting some degree of trans- 



