LIFE AND DEATH. 423 



and again, all destruction of the organs which is deadly 

 brings the matter to this point, that one or more of these 

 three fail. Therefore all other things are the divers ways 

 to death, but they end in these three. Now the whole 

 fabric of the parts is the organ of the spirit, as the spirit is 

 the organ of the reasonable soul, which is incorporeous and 

 divine. 



CANON XXXII. 



Flame is a momentary substance , air a fixed ; the living 

 spirit in creatures is of a middle nature. 



THE EXPLICATION. 



This matter stands in need both of a higher indagation, 

 and of a longer explication than is pertinent to the present 

 inquisition. Meanwhile we must know this, that flame is 

 almost every moment generated and extinguished ; so that 

 it is continued only by succession ; but air is a fixed body, 

 and is not dissolved ; for though air begets new air out of 

 watery moisture, yet notwithstanding the old air still re 

 mains; whence cometh that superoneration of the air 

 whereof we have spoken in the title De Vends. But spirit 

 is participant of both natures, both of flame and air, even 

 as the nourishments thereof are, as well oil, which is homo 

 geneous to flame, as water, which is homogeneous to air; 

 for the spirit is not nourished either of oily alone, or of 

 watery alone, but of both together ; and though air doth 

 not agree well with flame, nor oil with water, yet in a mixed 

 body they agree well enough. Also the spirit hath from the 

 air his easy and delicate impressions and yieldings, and from 

 the flame his noble and potent motions and activities. In 

 like manner the duration of spirit is a mixed thing, being 

 neither so momentary as that of flame, nor so fixed as that 

 of air. And so much the rather it followeth not the con 

 dition of flame, for that flame itself is extinguished by acci 

 dent, namely, by contraries, and enemies environing it ; but 

 spirit is not subject to the like conditions and necessities. 

 Now the spirit is repaired from the lively and florid blood 

 of the small arteries which are inserted into the brain ; but 

 this reparation is done by a peculiar manner, of which we 

 speak not now. 



END OF THIRD PART OF THE INSTAURATIO. 



