30 NATURAL HISTORY. 



out the nourishment into the parts. Therefore in 

 aged men, and weak bodies, and such as abound not 

 with choler, a short sleep after dinner doth help to 

 nourish ; for in such bodies there is no fear of an 

 over-hasty digestion, which is the inconvenience of 

 postmeridian sleeps. Sleep also in the morning, 

 after the taking of somewhat of easy digestion, as 

 milk from the cow, nourishing broth, or the like, 

 doth further nourishment : but this would be done 

 sitting upright, that the milk or broth may pass the 

 more speedily to the bottom of the stomach. 



58. The fourth means is, to provide that the 

 parts themselves may draw to them the nourishment 

 strongly. There is an excellent observation of Ari 

 stotle ; that a great reason, why plants, some of 

 them, are of greater age than living creatures, is, for 

 that they yearly put forth new leaves and boughs : 

 whereas living creatures put forth, after their period 

 of growth, nothing that is young, but hair and nails, 

 which are excrements, and no parts. And it is most 

 certain, that whatsoever is young, doth draw nou 

 rishment better than that which is old ; and then, 

 that which is the mystery of that observation, young 

 boughs, and leaves, calling the sap up to them, the 

 same nourisheth the body in the passage. And this 

 we see notably proved also, in that the oft cutting, 

 or polling of hedges, trees, and herbs,, doth conduce 

 much to their lasting. Transfer therefore this ob 

 servation to the helping of nourishment in living 

 creatures : the noblest and principal use whereof is, 

 for the prolongation of life ; restoration of some 



