Plinies Naturali Hiftorie, 335 



A wantcth all kind of fat. The learned AnatomiftsjWho have fearched dcepely into ihe nature of 

 tbingSjdoc teach us a difference betweene the braine and marow of bones ifor^brains in the boi- 

 ling and fecthingjwaxe hard. In the middeft of the braine of all creatures there becertaine little 

 "^bones. Man alone in his infancie hath his braine to pant and beat : and fully fettled it is not^nor iroijicda, fon^c 

 confirmed, before that he begins to fpeake.Of all parts necefTarie for iife^it is placed higheiljand read ofiaia, 

 next unto the cope of head and heaven both : without flefhjwithout bloud, without filth and or- ^^*^^^^* 

 dure. And in truthjit is the fort and cafilc of ail the fences: unto it all the veines from the heart 

 doe tend: in it they alldoelikewifeend.It istheveryhigheftkeepe, watch-tower^ and fentineli 

 of themihd:itis the helme ancTrudder of intelligence and underftandingMoreoverjin allcrea- 

 tures it lieth forward in the front of the head : and good teafon, becaufe all our fences bend that 



B wayjott before outfaces. From odr braine comes fleepe, from thence proceedeth our naps^ 

 our nods, our reeling, and itaggering. And looke what creature lb evervwantcth braine, the 

 fame fleepeth not. Stags (by report) have within their heads twentie little wormes, to wit;, in *- 

 the concavitie under their tongue, and about that jointure where the head is graffed to the 

 chin-bone. .1 



Man alone hath not the power to fhake his Eares. Of flaggiejlongjand hanging earcs^camq ^^^s. 

 the furnames firfl: of the /'to/(familics,and houfes in Rome.) There is no one part of the bodie 

 cofteth our dames more than thisjby reafon of their precious ftones and pendant pearles there- 

 at. In the Eaft coiintriesjmen alfo as well as wamen,thinke it a great grace and braverie to wcare 

 eatings of gold . As touching their proportion^ fome creatures naturally have bigger or leifeF 



G than others. Deere oneiy^thefallow as well as the redj have them flit and asit weredevided. In 

 Rats and Mice they be hairie.Toconcludcjno creature hath ears butthofe that bring forth their 

 young alive *. and none of them are without, favc onely SealesjDolphinSjVipers^and fuch fifhes 

 as wee called Cartilagineous and griftiy. Andthefcaliinfteadof eares^ have certaine holes or 

 conduits,except thetoiefaid griftiy finies,and the Dolphins : and yet manifcft it isjthat they do 

 heare well ynough. For delighted they be with muficke: and upon fbmc great noife andfuddain 

 cracke they are aftonifhed,and then eafily taken.But marvell it is how they fnould heare as they , 

 doe .- neither can I comprehend the reafon and meanes thereofjHO more than I am able to fhew 

 how they doe fmell ? for no Organes and Inflrumcnts have they thereof to be feenej^: yet there 

 isnot auhoundupon the land fenteth better, nor hath a finer nofe than they . Of allfouleSjthe 



D Like-owle and theOtus alone,have feathers like eares :thc rcfl have only holes to heare by. And 

 after the fame manner skaled fillies and ferpents. In Horfes, Mules, and Alies,and all Inch as 

 fcrve either packeorfadJIe, the eares are tokens of their courage more or IcfTe, and will fhcw 

 what llomacke is within them. If they be tired and wearie, they hang downs f^aggie : bee they 

 afraid , you rnaii perceive them to wag too and fro : in heat of furic, they fland packing up : in 

 fickncfle they lie downc. 



Man only of all creatures hath a Face and Vifage ; the reft have either muiles and fnoitts, or ^accfft VfigS' 

 clie bils and beakes. 



Other creatures have Foreheads alfo as well as men : b ut in mans alone we may fee and read Forehedcl. 

 forrow and heavinefrc,mirth and joy,clemencie and mildnef[c,cruekie and feventie3and in one 

 E word,gue{fe by ir^whether one be of a good nature or no ? 



In the afcent or rifing of the foreheadjman hath Eie-brows fet^like unto the eaves of an houfe*, ^ic-hrowes. 

 which he can moove asheelitt, either both at ones, or one after another: and in thcmisfhewed 

 part ofthe mind within. By them we deniCjby them wcgraunt, Thelefliewmoftof all others, 

 pride and arrogancie. Well may it be that pride doth appcare and fettle in fome other part^, yet . 

 here is the feat & place of refidence. True it is.that in the heart it beginneth^but hither it moun- ^ 

 teth and afcendethjhere it refleth and remaineth. No part can it find in the whole bodie more 

 eminent and hautie,and withall more fleepc than thebrowes,wherein it might rule and raigne 

 alone without controulment* 



Next under the browes is the Eie, the moft precious member of the whole bodie, which by xheStel 

 F theufeof lightraakethdifferencebetwecnelifeanddeath.YethathnotNature giveneiestoall 

 creatures : Oifters have none ; and for fome other fhcU-fifhes, it is hard to fay whether they have 

 any or none. As for Scallops,if a man Ihr his fingers againft them as they lie gaping open^thcy 

 will fhut,as if they faw. And the fhell-fifhes called Solenes, give backe if any edge-toole come 

 neare unto them i Of foiire-footed creatures, Moidwarpes fee not at all : a certaine thew and 



forme 



