/t may be a Pofition, that Creatures which partake more of the fubftance of cheir Mother ; 
than of their Father are longer-liv’d, as Birds are ; which was laid before Alfo that thofe 
which have a longer time of bearing in the womb, do partake more of the fubftance of their 
Mother, le/sof the Father, and foare longer-liv’d: Infomuch that | am of opimon,that divest 
| amongfteMen, (which have noted in fome ) thole that refemble their Mothets moft are | 
longeft-ls vd; andfoare the Children of Oldmen begotten of young Vives, if the Fathers be 
found, not difeafed. On Sibk Saae | 
| The firft breeding of Creatures 7s ever material, either to their burt or benefit: And) 
therefore it ftands with reafon, that the \eflet Compreffion, and the more liberal Alimenta-. 
tion of the Young one sn the womb, fhould confer much to Long Life. Now this happens 
when either the young ones are brought forth [ucce/fively,as in Birds ; or when they are agle 
Births,asin Creatures bearing but cneat a Burthen. — apes 
But long Bearing zn the Womb makes for Length of Life chree ways. F irft, for that the 
young one partakes more of the fubftance of the Mother, as hath beenfaid, secondly, that 
at comes forth more ftrong and able. Thirdl, that it undergoes the predatory ‘force of the eAfir \ 
later, Refides, it fhews that Nature intendeth to fini[> her periods by larger Circles. “Now 
though Oxen and Sheep, which are borain the womb about fix months, are but fbort-liv'd, that | 
happens for other canfes. % "Be | 
Feeders upon Grafs and mere Herbs are but fuort livers ; and Creatures feeding upon 
Fleth, or Seeds, or Fruits, long liversyas fome Birds ave. 4s for Harts, which are lonce liv’d, | 
they take the one half of their meat (as men ufe to fay) from above their heads , Vad the} 
Goole, befides Grafs, find-th fomething in the water, and stubble to feed upon. sin. 
v € [uppofethat a good Cloathing of the Body maketh much to long life ; for at fenceth | 
and armeth againft rhe intemperances of the Air, whithdo wonderfully affailand decay the 
body : which benefit Birds efpeccally have. Now that Sheep, which have fo good Fleeces, } 
Jhould be fo fbort-liv’d, that isto beimputed to Difeafes, whereof that Créature is full, andto \ 
the bare eating of Graf. : hall ‘abebd 
. The feat of theSpivits, without doubt, is princspally the Head; whith though wi Bela 
ly underftood of the Animal Spirits onely, yet this is alin all. aLyain,tt 1s not to be doubted | 
but the Spirits do moffof all wafte and prey upon the Body, fo that when they are either in | 
greater plenty, or im greater Inflamation and Acrimony, there the life is much (hortned. | 
And therefore I conceive a great canfe of long life in Birds to be the fmalnefs of their 
Headsin comparsfon of their Bodtes; foreveneMenwhich have very great Heads | fuppofe | 
to bethe fhorter livers. ; a ITS F 
1 ans of opinion that Carriage 1s of all other motions the moff helpfuttolong life; which 1 |: 
alfo noted before. Now there are carried Water-fowls upon the water,as Swans all Birds |; 
in their flying, but with a ftrong endeavour of their limbs; and Fifhes, of the length of 
wl ofe live we have no certataty. - 
Thofe Creatures which are long.before they come to their perfection (not {peaking of \ 
growth in ftature onely, but of other flepsto maturity; as Man puts forth, firft, bis Teeth, |i 
next the figns of Puberty, then bis beard, andfo forward) arelong liv'd, forzt hems that \ 
Nature finifhed her Periods by larger Circles, is otis 
Milder Creatures are not long-liv'd, as tkeSheep and Dove ; for Choler is as the whet- | 
frone and Spur to many F unttions in the Body. ae 
‘Creatures whofe Fleth #s more duskith are longer-Lv'd than thofe that have white Flefh; } 
for it foeweth that the jusce of the body 1s morefirm, andlefs apt to diffipate. aed 
In‘ every corruptible Body Quantity maketh much to the conférvarion of the whole: for 
a great Fare is longer in quenching, a {mall portion of Water ts fooner evaporated, the Body | 
of a Treewithereth not fo faftasaTwie, <Anudtherefore generally (Ifpeak st of Species, not | 
of Individuals) Creatures that arelarge in body are longer-liv’dthan thofe that are {mall, ; 
vinle{s there be fome other potent canfe to binder st. ives 
or, 
“b, 
