LIFE AND DEATH. 413 



wind or breath compounded of flame and air, as the juices 

 of living creatures have both oil and water. And this in- 

 kindling ministereth peculiar motions and faculties ; for 

 the smoke which is inflammable, even before the flame 

 conceived, is hot, thin, and moveable, and yet it is quite 

 another thing after it is become flame ; but the inkindling 

 of the vital spirits is by many degrees gentler than the softest 

 flame, as of spirit of wine, or otherwise ; and besides, it is 

 in great part mixed with an aerial substance, that it should 

 be a mystery or miracle, both of a flammeous and aereous 

 nature. 



CANON v. 



The natural actions are proper to the several parts, but it 

 is the vital spirit that excites and sharpens them. 



THE EXPLICATION. 



The actions or functions which are in the several mem 

 bers, follow the nature of the members themselves (attrac 

 tion, retention, digestion, assimilation, separation, excretion, 

 perspiration, even sense itself), according to the propriety 

 of the several organs (the stomach, liver, heart, spleen, gall, 

 brain, eye, ear, and the rest), yet none of these actions 

 would ever have been actuated but by the vigour and pre 

 sence of the vital spirit, and heat thereof; as one iron 

 would not have drawn another iron, unless it had been ex 

 cited by the loadstone ; nor an egg would ever have brought 

 forth a bird, unless the substance of the hen had been 

 actuated by the treading of the cock. 



CANON VI. 



The. liveless spirits are next consubstantial to air ; the vital 

 spirits approach more to the substance of flame. 



THE EXPLICATION. 



The explication of the precedent fourth canon is also a 

 declaration of this present canon. But yet further, from 

 hence it is, that all fat and oily things continue long in 

 their being. For neither doth the air much pluck them, 

 neither do they much desire to join themselves with air. 

 As for that conceit, it is altogether vain, that flame should 

 be air set on fire, seeing flame and air are no less hetero- 

 geneal, than oil and water. But whereas it is said in the 

 canon, that the vital spirits approach more to the substance 

 of flame ; it must be understood, that they do this more 

 than the liveless spirits, not that they are more flamy than 

 air. 



