194 ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



any great or useful discovery therein. Aristotle, 1 * indeed, 

 has left us a short memoir, wherein there are some admoni 

 tions after his manner, which he supposes to be all that 

 can be said of the matter; but the moderns have here 

 written so weakly and superstitiously, that the subject 

 itself, through their vanity, is reputed vain and senseless. 

 2. The very intentions of physicians upon this head are of 

 no validity, but rather lead from the point than direct to 

 it. For they talk as if death consisted in a destitution 

 of heat and moisture, and therefore that natural heat should 

 be comforted, and radical moisture cherished; as if the work 

 were to be effected by broths, lettuce, and mallows; or 

 again, by spices, generous wines, spirits, or chemical oils; 

 all which rather do hurt than good. 3. We admonish man 

 kind to cease their trifling, and not weakly imagine that 

 such a great work as retarding the course of nature can be 

 effected by a morning s draught, the use of any costly 

 medicines, pearls, or aurum potabile itself; but be assured, 

 that the prolongation of life is a laborious work, that re 

 quires many kinds of remedies, and a proper continuation 

 and intermixture thereof; for it were stupidity to expect, 

 that what was never yet done, should be effected, otherwise 

 than by means hitherto unattempted. 4. Lastly, we admon 

 ish them rightly to observe and distinguish between what 

 conduces to health, and what to a long life; for some things, 

 though they exhilarate the spirits, strengthen the faculties, 

 and prevent diseases, are yet destructive to life, and, with 

 out sickness, bring on a wasting old age; while there are 

 others which prolong life and prevent decay, though not to 

 be used without danger to health; so that when employed 

 for the prolongation of life, such inconveniences must be 

 guarded against, as might otherwise happen upon using 

 them. 



Things seem to us preservable either in their own sub 

 stance or by repair; in their own substance, as a fly, or an 



19 De Longitudino el Novitate Yitae. 



