IZ 



1 he Hifiory of Life and Death. 



Mother , than of the Father ^hereby their Spirits is not fo eager and hot. 



It may be apofition ; that Creatures , -which partake more of the fubflance of their 

 yiothcVfthan of their Father, are longer -liv 'd ; As Birds are; which was faid before. 

 Alfo that thofe which have a lohger time of Bearing in the womb , doe partake more of 

 the fubflance of the Mother, leffe of the Father : And fo are longer-liv'd : Infomuch 

 that I am of opinio 4, that even among fi Men, {which I have noted in fome,) thofe that 

 refemble their Mothers mofi , arelongefi liv'd : And fo are the children of old Men 

 begotten upon young wives ; If the Fathers be found, sot Difeafed. 



The Firlt Breeding of Creatures, is ever mofi Material , either to their Hart , or 

 Benefit. And therefore it ftands with Reafon j That the lefler Compreffion , and the 

 more liberal Alimentation of the young one, in the womb, fhould conferre much to 

 Long Life; Now this happens, when either the young ones, are brought forth fucceffively 

 an in Birds ; Or when they are Jingle Births ; z/isin Creatures bearing but one at a 

 Burthen. 



But Long Bearing, in the wombe, makes for Length of Life three wayes. Firft, for 

 that the young one partakes more of the fubflance of the (JAluther ; As hath beenfatd. 

 Secondly, that it comes forth more firong, and able, Thirdly, that it undergoes the pre- 

 datorie Force of the Aire, later. Be fides it (hewes , that Nature intendeth to finijh her 

 periods, by larger Circles- Now though Oxen <*W$heep, which are borne in the womb, 

 about fix Aloneths, are but jhort liv'd .- That happens for other C^ufes. 



Feeders upon Grafte, and mcer Herbs , are but jhort Livers ; And Creatures feeding 

 upon Flejh,or Seeds, or Fruits, long Livers ; As fome Birds are. As for Harts, which 

 are long liv'd , They take the one halfe of their meat , (As men ufe to fay) from above 

 their heads. And the Goofe befides Graffe , findeth fomcthmg in the water, and fittb- 

 blc to feed upon. 



We fhppofe that a good Clothing of the Body , maketh much to long Life: For it 

 Fenceth, and Armeth againfi the Intemperances of the Aire ■> which doe wonderfully 

 Aff til , and D ecay the Body : which Benefit B irds efpecially have. Now that Sheep, 

 which have fo good Fleeces , fhould be fo Jhort liv'd ; That is to be imputed to Difeafes, 

 whereof that Creature is full ; and to the bare eating of Graffe. 



The feat of the Spirits, without doubt, is principally the Head : Which though tt be 

 ufually underjlood , of the Animal Spirits onely , yet this is all in all. Again, it is not 

 to be doubted , but the Spirits doe, mofi of all, wafie , and prey upon the Body ; fo that 

 when they are either in greater plenty;Or in greater Inftamation,and hcrimonie, There 

 the life is much (hortned. fan I therefore I conceive, a great caufe of long life, in Birds, 

 to be ; The Smalneffe of their Heads, in compart fon of their Bodies : For even Men, 

 which have very great Heads I fuppofc to be the fhorter Livers. 



I am of opinion . That Carnage , is of all other Motions , the mofi helpful to long 

 life ; which I alfo noted before. Now there are carried ; Water-FowJes, upon the wa- 

 ter ; As Swans : Birds m their fying,but with a firong Endeavour of their Limbs; 

 And E lilies, of the length of whofe life we have no certaintie. 



Thofe Creatures which are long, before they come to their perfection : (Not f peaking 

 of Growth m filature one Ly Jam of other fieps to Mdtuntie ; As Man puts forth, Firfi, 

 his Teeth; Next the Signes of Pubertie ; Then his Beard; And fo forward :) are 

 Long- liv'd. For it (hews, chat Nature fimfoeth her Periods, by larger Circles. 



Milder Creatures, are mt l.ng-liv'd : As the Sheep, and Dove*. For Choler is as the 

 Whetfione and Spur-to many Functions in the Body. 



Creatures, whofe Flefh is more Duskifh, are longer liv'd than thofe that have white 

 Fief}) F or it fbeweth that the Juice of the Body is more firm,and leffe apt to dtfifipate. 



In every corruptible Body, Quantity maketh much to the Confervation of the whole: 

 For a great fire is longer in quenching : A fimall portion of water is fooner evaporated : 

 The Body of a Tree wither eth not fo fafi as a Twg : And therefor? generally ; J fpeak^ 

 it of Species. not of Individuals : ) Creatures that are large in Body , are longer liv'd 

 than thofe that aye fmall,unle ffe there be fome other potent Caufe to hinder it. 



Alimen- 



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