366 HISTORY OF 



pated by the fire, therefore they are best taken either in 

 fused 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, fall 

 ing 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 bean- 

 flowers, or sweetbriar, or honeysuckles, taken as they grow, 

 in passing by them only, is of the same nature. 



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. 



59. There is no doubt but the cooling and tempering of 

 the blood by cool things, such as are endive, succory, lever- 

 wort, purslain, and the like, do also by consequent cool 

 the spirits. But this is about, whereas vapours cool imme 

 diately. 



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 them 

 selves 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 sub 

 stance, 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 dis- 



