NATURE OF THE ELEMENTS. 97 



cold so bitter, as the grasse is all withered, so as the men LlB&amp;gt; &quot; 

 and beasts which passe that way are benummed with colde. 

 This, as I have saide, is in the burning Zone ; and it hap 

 pens most commonly when they have the sunne for zenith. 

 Tt is therefore most certaine and conformable vnto reason, 

 that the mountaines are colder than the vallies and plaines, 

 for that they participate more of the middle region of the 

 aire, which is very colde. The cause why the middle region 

 of the ayre is more colde, hath bin shewed before ; for that 

 the region of the aire next to the fiery exhalation, the which 

 (according to Aristotle) is vpon the spheare of the aire, 

 repells and thrustes backe all the colde, the which retires 

 itself into the middle region of the aire, by Antiparistasis, 

 as the Philosophers speake. Now if any one should question 

 with me in this manner if it be so, that the ayre is hot and 

 moist, as Aristotle holdes, and as we commonly say, whence 

 then proceeds the cold which is congealed in the middle 

 region of the ayre, seeing it cannot come from the fierie 

 spheare ? For if it come from the water or the earth, by Anst. Me. 

 this reason the lower region of the aire should be colder 

 than the middle. 



To answer truely what I thinke, I will confesse that this 

 Argument and Obiection is so difficult as I am almost ready 

 to follow the opinion of such as reproove the qualities, agree 

 ments, and disagreements which Aristotle gives vnto the 

 Elements, saying they are but imaginations, who for this 

 occasion hold the aire to be colde by nature. And to this 

 end they vse many arguments and reasons, whereof we will 

 propound one very familiar and well knowne, leaving the 

 rest aparte. In the canicular dayes we are accustomed to 

 beate the ayre with a fanne, and we finde that it doth refresh 

 us; so as these Authors affirnie that heate is no private 

 property of any other Element but of fire only, which is dis 

 persed and mingled with all things (as the great Dionysius cionys. c. 

 doth teach us). But whether it be so or otherwise (for I 



