404 HISTORY OF 



have some been found who sustained themselves (almost to 

 a miracle in nature) a very long time without meat or drink. 



24. Dead bodies, if they be not intercepted by putrefac 

 tion, will subsist a long time without any notable absump- 

 tion ; but living bodies, not above three days (as we said), 

 unless they be repaired by nourishment ; which showeth 

 that quick absumption to be the work of the living spirit, 

 which either repairs itself, or puts the parts into a necessity 

 of being repaired, or both. This is testified by that also 

 which was noted a little before, namely, that living crea 

 tures may subsist somewhat the longer without aliment if 

 they sleep : now sleep is nothing else but a reception and 

 retirement of the living spirit into itself. 



25. An abundant and continual effluxion of blood, which 

 sometimes happeneth in the hsemorrhoides, sometimes in 

 vomiting of blood, the inward veins being unlocked or 

 broken, sometimes by wounds, causeth sudden death, in 

 regard that the blood of the veins ministereth to the arteries, 

 and the blood of the arteries to the spirit. 



26. The quantity of meat and drink which a man, eating 

 two meals a day, receiveth into his body, is not small; 

 much more than he voideth again either by stool, or by 

 urine, or by sweating. You will say, no marvel, seeing the 

 remainder goeth into the juices and substance of the body. 

 It is true ; but consider then, that this addition is made 

 twice a day, and yet the body aboundeth not much. In 

 like manner, though the spirit be repaired, yet it grows not 

 excessively in the quantity. 



27. It doth no good to have the aliment ready, in a 

 degree removed, but to have it of that kind, and so pre 

 pared and supplied, that the spirit may work upon it ; for 

 the staff of a torch alone will not maintain the flame, unless 

 it be fed with wax, neither can men live upon herbs alone. 

 And from thence comes the inconcoction of old age, that 

 though there be flesh and blood, yet the spirit is become so 

 penurious and thin, and the juices and blood so heartless 

 and obstinate, that they hold no proportion to alimentation. 



28. Let us now cast up the accounts of the needs and 

 indigences according to the ordinary and usual course of 

 nature. The spirit hath need of opening and moving itself 

 in the ventricles of the brain and nerves even continually, 

 of the motion of the heart every third part of a moment, 

 of breathing every moment, of sleep and nourishment once 

 within three days, of the power of nourishment commonly 

 till eighty years be past ; and if any of these indigences be 



