448 NATURAL HISTORY. 



perfect concoction ; which is the ultimity of that 

 action or process ; and while the body to be con 

 verted and altered is too strong for the efficient that 

 should convert or alter it, whereby it resisteth and 

 holdeth fast in some degree the first form or con 

 sistence, it is all that while crude and inconcoct ; and 

 the process is to be called crudity and inconcoction. 

 It is true, that concoction is in great part the work 

 of heat, but not the work of heat alone : for all 

 &amp;gt; things that further the conversion, or alteration as 

 rest, mixture of a body already concocted, &c. are 

 also means to concoction. And there are of concoc 

 tion two periods ; the one assimilation, or absolute 

 conversion and subaction ; the other maturation ; 

 whereof the former is most conspicuous in the bo 

 dies of living creatures : in which there is an abso 

 lute conversion and assimilation of the nourishment 

 into the body : and likewise in the bodies of plants : 

 and again in metals, where there is a full transmuta 

 tion. The other, which is maturation, is seen in 

 liquors and fruits ; wherein there is not desired, nor 

 pretended, an utter conversion, but only an altera 

 tion to that form which is most sought for man s 

 use ; as in clarifying of drinks, ripening of fruits, 

 &c. But note, that there be two kinds of absolute 

 conversions ; the one is, when a body is converted 

 into another body, which was before ; as when nou 

 rishment is turned into flesh ; that is it which we 

 call assimilation. The other is, when the conversion 

 is into a body merely new, and which was not be- 



