82 History of Nature. [BooK II. 



standing that the Fruit of Learning be as great as ever it 

 was, yet Men are become idle in this behalf. The Seas are 

 open to all, an infinite Multitude of Sailors have discovered 

 all Coasts whatsoever ; they sail through and arrive fami- 

 liarly at every Shore ; but all is for Gain, nothing for the 

 Sake of Knowledge. Their Minds altogether blinded, and 

 bent upon nothing but Covetousness, never consider that the 

 same might with more Safety be performed by Science. And 

 therefore, seeing there be so many thousand Sailors that 

 hazard themselves on the Seas, I will treat of the Winds more 

 curiously than, perhaps, would otherwise be necessary to the 

 present Work. 



CHAPTER XLVII. 

 Many Sorts of Winds. 



THE Ancients observed four Winds 1 only, according 

 to so many Quarters of the World (and therefore Homer 

 nameth no more) : a feeble Reason this, as soon after it was 

 judged. The Age ensuing added eight more, and they were 

 on the other Side in their Conceit, too subtle and concise. 

 The modern Sailors have found a Mean between both : and 

 they put unto that short Number of the first, four Winds 

 and no more ; which they took out of the latter. Therefore 

 every Quarter of the Heaven hath two Winds to itself. 

 From the equinoctial Sun-rising bloweth the East Wind, Sub- 

 solanus: from the Rising thereof in Midwinter the South-east, 

 Vulturnus. The former of these two the Greeks call Apeliotes, 

 and the latter Eurus. From the Midday riseth the South 

 Wind : and from the Sun-setting in Midwinter the South-west, 

 Africus. They also name these two, Notus and Libs. From 

 the equinoctial going down of the Sun, the West Wind, 



1 The impression of this precise number of winds appears to have been 

 popular ; and is referred to in the Book of Revelation by St. John, vii. 1 : 

 " I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the 

 four winds of the earth." Pliny evidently supposes that the winds were 

 not simply determined according to the quarter from which they blew, 

 but by separate and inherent qualities of heat, moisture, violence, health, 

 or sickness. Wern. Club. 



