Chap. 1 5. A Trcai'tjcof BODIES. 157 



Yet I intend not to fay that there are not originally in tbe 

 body before its difTolution,fbme loofe parts which have chc pro- 

 perties of thefe bodies that arc made by the fire in the difloivin< 

 of it: for feeing that nature workech by the like infrrumcnts as 

 art ufeth, flic muft needs in her exceffes and defers produce like 

 bodies to what art doth in diflolution; which operation of art is 

 but a kind of cxceffe in the progrdle of nature: but my mean- 

 ing is, that in fuch diffolution there are more of thefe parts made 

 by the working of fire then were in the body before. 



Now becautethis is the naturall and moil ordinary diffolu- 

 tion of things;let us fee in particular how it is done.-fuppo/e then 

 that fire were in a convenient manner applyed to a body that 

 hath all forts of parts in it ; and our own difcourfe will tell us, 

 that the firft eflfeft it \vorketh will be, that as the fubcile pares 

 of fire do divide and pafle through that body, they -will adhere 

 to the moft fubdle parti in it; which being moft agile and leaft 

 bound and incorporated to theijewels of the body, and lying 

 (as it were) loofely fcattered in itjthe fire will carry them a-.vay 

 with it. Thefe will be the firft that arefepamed from the main 

 body; which being retained in a fit receiver, will by thecold- 

 nefle of the circumdant aire grow outwardly cool themselves , 

 and become firft a dew upon the fides ofthegIaiTe,and t'icn ftill 

 as they grow cooler, condcnfe more and more; till at the length 

 they fall down congealed into a palpable liquour; which is com- 

 pofed (as you (eejo*-"the hottcft parts ofthe body., mingled with 

 the fire that carried them out: and therefore this liquour is very 

 inflammable, and eafily turned into aftuall fire; as you fee all 

 /pirits and Afjft*. trdeHtcs of vegetables are. 



The hot and loofe parts being extracted, and the fire conti- 

 nuing and encreafing, thofe that will follow next are fuch ai 

 though they be not of thcmfelycs loofc.yet areeafielt to be made 

 fb; and are therefore moft fcparable. Thefe muft bchumid,and 

 thofc little dry parts which are incorporated with the overflow- 

 ing humide ones in them (Tor no parts that we cm arrive wnto 

 are of one pure fimple nature; bnc all are mixed and compo:ed 

 ofthe foure elements in fbme proportion) muft be held together 

 with fuch grofle glew as the fire may eafily penetrate and iepa- 

 rate them. And then the humide parts divided into little atomes 

 do Hick to the lefler one? ofthe fire: which by their multitude 



T (. 



