BOOK V 1 1 .] History of Nature, 1 83 



Touch for them that had Diseased Spleens. And they say, that 

 when the rest of his Body was Burned that Great Toe could 

 not be consumed : so that it was preserved in a little Case in 

 the Temple. But principally India and the whole Tract of 

 Ethiopia is full of these wonderful Things. The greatest Ani- 

 mals are bred in India, as will appear by their Dogs, 1 which 

 are much greater than those of other Parts. And there are 

 Trees growing in that Country to such a Height, that a 

 Man cannot shoot an Arrow over them. The reason of this 

 is the Goodness of the Soil, the Temperature of the Air, and 

 the Abundance of Water: which is the cause also that under 

 a single Fig-tree, 2 if it can be believed, Squadrons of Horse- 

 men may stand. There are Reeds also of such Length 3 that 

 between every Joint they will yield sufficient to make Boats 

 able to receive three Men. There are many Men there who 

 are above five Cubits in Height : never do they Spit : they 

 are not troubled with Pain in the Head, Toothache, or any 

 Disease of the Eyes, and seldom of any other Parts of the 

 Body; so hardy are they through the Moderate Heat of the 

 Sun. There are certain Philosophers, whom they call Gym- 

 nosophistae, 4 who from Sunrising to its setting persevere in 

 standing and looking full against the Sun without once 



of teeth. It was believed that he cured the swelling of the spleen, by 

 sacrificing a white cock, and with his right foot gently pressing the part 

 affected, the patients lying on their backs for that purpose. There was 

 no person, however poor or mean, to whom he refused this relief, if 

 requested. He received no reward, except the cock for sacrifice ; and this 

 present was very agreeable to him. It is also said that the great toe of 

 that foot had a divine virtue in it ; for, after his death, when the rest of 

 his body was consumed, that toe was found entire and untouched by the 

 flames." LANGHORNE. The reader will here be reminded of the royal 

 touch for the cure of scrofulous diseases once exercised by our own kings. 

 Wern. Club. 



1 Pliny (lib. viii. 40) tells us of one of these Indian dogs that con- 

 quered a lion. Wern. Club. 



3 The Ficus Religiosa, well known to modern travellers. Wern. Club. 



3 Lib. xvi. 36. 



4 It is remarkable to observe how exactly the austerities of these 

 ancient gymnosophists are still practised by the Fakirs of India. Wern. 

 Club. 



