440 NATURAL HISTORY. 



thrive best, if their houses and stables be kept sweet, 

 and so of cage birds : and the cat burieth that which 

 she voideth: and it holdeth chiefly in those beasts 

 which feed upon flesh. Dogs almost only of beasts 

 delight in fetid odours, which sheweth there is some 

 what in their sense of smell differing from the smells 

 of other beasts. But the cause why excrements 

 smell ill, is manifest ; for that the body itself re- 

 jecteth them ; much more the spirits : and we see 

 that those excrements that are of the first digestion, 

 smell the worst ; as the excrements from the belly ; 

 those that are from the second digestion less ill : as 

 urine ; and those that are from the third, yet less ; 

 for sweat is not so bad as the other two ; especially 

 of some persons, that are full of heat. Likewise 

 most putrefactions are of an odious smell : for they 

 smell either fetid or mouldy. The cause may be, 

 for that putrefaction doth bring forth such a con 

 sistence, as is most contrary to the consistence of the 

 body whilst it is sound : for it is a mere dissolution 

 of that form. Besides, there is another reason, 

 which is profound : and it is, that the objects that 

 please any of the senses have all some equality, and, 

 as it were, order in their composition ; but where 

 those are wanting, the object is ever ingrate. So 

 mixture of many disagreeing colours is ever un 

 pleasant to the eye: mixture of discordant sounds 

 is unpleasant to the ear: mixture, or hotch 

 potch of many tastes, is unpleasant to the taste : 

 harshness and ruggedness of bodies is unpleasant to 

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



