66 NATURAL HISTORY. 



leave to breathe forth presently. But if dry weather 

 come again, then it fixeth and continueth the corrup 

 tion of the air, upon the first showers begun ; and 

 maketh it of ill influence, even to the next summer ; 

 except a very frosty winter discharge it ; which seldom 

 succeedetli such droughts. 



O 



804. The lesser infections, of the small-pox, purple 

 fevers, agues, in the summer precedent, and hovering 

 all Avinter, do portend a great pestilence in the summer 

 following ; for putrefaction doth not rise to his height 

 at once. 



805. It were good to lay a piece of raw flesh or fish 

 in the open air ; and if it putrefy quickly, it is a sign 

 of a disposition in the air to putrefaction. And be 

 cause you cannot be informed whether the putrefaction 

 be quick or late, except you compare this experiment 

 with the like experiment in another year, it were not 

 amiss in the same year, and at the same time, to lay 

 one piece of flesh or fish in the open air, and another 

 of the same kind and bigness within doors : for I judge, 

 that if a general disposition be in the air to putrefy, 

 the flesh or fish will sooner putrefy abroad, where the 

 air hath more power, than in the house, where it hath 

 less, being many ways corrected. And this experiment 

 would be made about the end of March : for that sea 

 son is likest to discover what the winter hath done, 

 and what the summer following will do, upon the air. 

 And because the air (no doubt) receiveth great tinct 

 ure and infusion from the earth ; it were good to try 

 that exposing of flesh or fish, both upon a stake of 

 wood some height above the earth, and upon the flat 

 of the earth. 



806. Take May-dew, and see whether it putrefy 



