Chap.ao*. t^rretizfeofRODlES. 301 



body they happen to touch : and how a little part of moyfture 

 between two dry parts, joyneth them together. Upon which oc- 

 cafion, it is to be noted that parts of the fame kind "do joyn beft 

 together: and therefore the powder of glafle is u fed tocimenc 

 broken glafle withall (as we have touched fomewhere above: J 

 and the powder of marble to ciment marble with;andfo of other 

 bodies: in like manner, Alchymifts find no better expedient to 

 extract a fmall proportion of filver mixed with a great one of 

 gold, then to put more filver to it: nor any more cffec"tuall way 

 to get out the heart, or tincture, or fpirits of any thing they di- 

 itill or make an extra& of, then to infufe its own flegme upon 

 it, and to water it with that. Now whether the reafon of this 

 be, that continuity, bccau/e it is an unity, inuft be firmeft be- 

 tween parts that are moft conformable to one another, and con- 

 fequently are moft one among themfelves; or whether it be for 

 foine other hidden caufe,belongeth not to this place to difcourfe: 

 but in fine fb it is. And the adhefion is ftrongeft of fuch parts as 

 are moft conformable to that which needeth enereafe and nou- 

 rifhment; and that is made up by the other three actions. 



Of which, concoction is nothing elfe but athickning of that 

 juyce which already fticketh to any part of the animals body, 

 by the good digeftion.that heat maketh in ir. And aflimilation 

 is the effeft of concoction: for this juyce being ufed in the fame 

 manner > as the firft juyce was that made the part whercunto 

 this is to be joyned; it cannot choofe but become like unto ir in 

 fubftance. And then, there being no other fubftance between, ic 

 is of it felf united unto it without any further help. 



Hjcherto this action belongcth to nutrition. But if on the one 9. 

 fide, the heat and fpirituality ofthe blond; and on the other hde 9 f A 

 the due temper and difpofition ofthe part be fuch, as the blond 

 is greedily fucked into the part'.which thereby fwclleth to make 

 room for it, and will not let itgoaway, butturneth itinto a 

 like fubftance as it felf is; and in greater quantity then what is 

 eonfumed and decayeth continually by tranfpiration tthen this 

 action is called likewife augmemation. Which Galen explica- 

 teth by a fport the boyes of Ionia ufed; who were accuftomcd 

 to fill a bladder with wind; and when they could force no more 

 into it, they^would rub the bladder, ancj after rubbing of it.rhcy 



