CENTURY IX. 77 



have all some equality, and (as it were) order, in their 

 composition ; but where those are wanting, the ob 

 ject is ever ingrate. So mixture of manv disagreeing 



v O O 



colours is ever unpleasant to the eye : mixture of dis 

 cordant sounds is unpleasant to the ear : mixture or 

 hotch-potch of many tastes is unpleasant to the taste : 

 harshness and raggedness of bodies is unpleasant to 

 the touch : now it is certain that all putrefaction, be 

 ing a dissolution of the first form, is a mere confusion 

 and unformed mixture of the part. Nevertheless it is 

 strange, and seemeth to cross the former observation, 

 that some putrefactions and excrements do yield excel 

 lent odours ; as civet and musk ; and, as some think, 

 ambergrise : for divers take it, though unprobably, to 

 come from the sperm of fish : and the moss we spake 

 of from apple trees is little better than an excretion. 

 The reason may be, for that there passeth in the ex 

 crements, and remaineth in the putrefactions, some 

 good spirits ; especially where they proceed from creat 

 ures that are very hot. But it may be also joined 

 with a further cause, which is more subtile ; and it is, 

 that the senses love not to be over-pleased, but to have 

 a commixture of somewhat that is in itself inn-rate. 



t 



Certainly we see how discords in music, falling upon 

 concords, make the sweetest strains : and we see again 

 what strange tastes delight the taste ; as red herrings, 

 caviary, parmesan, &c. And it may be the same hold- 

 eth in smells : for those kind of smells that we have 

 mentioned are all strong, and do pull and vellicate the 

 sense. And we find also, that places where men urine, 

 commonly have some smell of violets : and urine, if 

 one hath eaten nutmeg, hath so too. 



