OF THE NATVRE THE FOURTH BOOK.

 Of the life of Naturall things.

What use the Aire is for as to the life of things.N

o man can deny that Aire gives life to all things, bodies, and substances, that are produced, and generated of the Earth. Now you must know what, and what manner of thing the life of every thing in particular is; What the life of things is.and it is nothing else then a spirituall essence, a thing that is invisible, impalpable, a spirit, and spirituall. What things have life.Wherefore there is no corporeall thing, which hath not a spirit lying hid in it, as also a life, which, as[Pg 30] I said before, is nothing but a spirituall thing. For not only that hath life which moves, and stirres, as Men, Animalls, Vermine of the earth, Birds in the Aire, Fish in the sea, but also all corporeall, and substantiall things. For here wee must know that God in the beginning of the Creation of all things, created no body at all without its spirit, which it secretly contains in it.

What is the difference betwixt the Spirit and the Body.

For what is the body without a spirit? Nothing at all. Wherefore the spirit contains in it secretly the vertue, and power of the thing, and not the body. For in the body there is death, and the body is the subject of death, neither is any else to be sought for in the body, but death.

The Spirit never dyes.

For that may severall wayes bee destroyed, and corrupted¹, but the spirit cannot. For the living spirit remains² for ever, and also is the subject of life: and preserves the body alive; but in the ruine of the body it is separated from it, and leaves behind it a dead body, and returnes to its place, from whence it came, viz. into the Chaos³, and the Aire of the upper and lower Firmament⁴. Hence it appears that there are divers⁵ spirits, as well as divers bodies.

The division of the Spirit according to the variety of bodies.

For there are spirits Celestiall, Infernall, Humane⁶, Metalline, Minerall, of Salts, of Gemmes, of Marcasites, of Arsenicks, of Potable things, of Rootes, of Juices, of Flesh, of Blood, of Bones, &c. The Spirit is the life of all Corporeall things.Wherefore also know that the spirit is most truly the life, and balsome of all Corporeall things. But now wee will proceed to the species, and briefly⁷ describe to you in this place the life of every naturall thing in particular.

[Pg 31]

What the life of man is.

The life therefore of all men is nothing else but an Astrall balsome, a Balsamick impression, and a celestiall invisible Fire, an included Aire, and a tinging⁸ spirit of Salt. I cannot name it more plainly, although it bee set out by many names. And seeing wee have declared the best, and chiefest, wee shall bee silent in these which are lesse materiall.

What the life of Metalls is.

The life of Metalls is a secret fatnesse, which they have received from Sulphur, which is manifest by their flowing, for every thing that flowes in the fire, flowes by reason of that secret fatnesse that is in it: unlesse that were in it, no Metall could flow, as wee see in Iron, and Steel, which have lesse Sulphur, and fatnesse then all the other Metalls, wherefore they are of a dryer⁹ Nature then all the rest.

What the life of Mercury is. Mercury is like to a garment of skins.

The life of Mercury is nothing else but the internall heat, and externall coldnesse, i.e. it makes the internall part of its body hot, and the outward part cold, and therefore might well bee compared to a garment made of skins, which doth even as Mercury make hot, and cold. For if a man wears such a garment it makes him warme, and keeps him from the cold: but if the smooth part of those skins bee put upon his naked body, it makes him cold, and is good against too much heat; wherefore it was a custome in ancient time, and still is in some places, to weare skins as well in Summer, as in Winter, as against cold in the one, so against heat in the other: in Summer they turn the smooth side inward, and the hairy side outward; and in Winter the hairy side inward, and[Pg 32] the smooth side outward. As therefore you have heard of the garment of skins, so also it may bee said of Mercury.

What the life of Sulphur is.

The life of Sulphur is a combustible¹⁰, stinking¹¹ fatnesse, for whilst it burns, and stinks¹², it may be said to be alive.

What the life of Salts is.

Now the life of all Salts is nothing else but the spirit of Aqu? fortis: for that water being drawne from them, that which remains in the bottome, is called Dead earth.

What the life of Gemmes and Coralls is.

The life of Gemmes, and Coralls is only their colour, which with spirit of Wine may be taken from them.

What the life of Pearls is.

The life of Pearls is nothing else but their splendor¹³, which they lose in calcination.

What the life of the Loadstone is.

The life of the Loadstone is the spirit of Iron, which may bee extracted, and taken away with spirit of Wine.

The life of Flints what.

The life of Flintes is a mucilaginous matter.

The life of Marcasites what.

The life of Marcasites, Cachymia, Talcum, Cobaltum, Zimri, Granata, Wismat, and of Antimony is a tinging Metalline spirit.

The life of Arsenicks.

life of Arsenickes, Auripigment, Operment, Realgar, and such like matters, is a Minerall, and coagulated poison.

The life of Excrements

The life of Excrements, i.e. of mans dung, or beast dung is their stinking smell, for this being lost they are dead.

The life of aromaticall things.

The life of Aromaticall things, viz. of Muske, Amber¹⁴ Gryse, Civet, and whatsoever¹⁵ yeelds a strong, good, and sweet smell is nothing else but that gratefull odour: for if they lose this they are dead and of no use.

[Pg 33]

The life of sweet things.

The life of sweet things, as of Sugar, Honey, Manna, Cassia, and such like is in their tinging, and subtile sweetnesse, for if that sweetnesse bee taken from them by distilling¹⁶, or subliming¹⁷ they are dead, unprofitable, and nothing worth.

The life of Rozzens.

The life of all Rozzens, as Amber, Turpentine, Gumme, is the muciliginous shining fatnesse, which gives that excellent vernish to them all: for when they will yeeld no more vernish, and lose their shining, they are dead.

The life of Plants.

The life of Hearbs, Roots, Apples, and other such like fruit, is nothing else but the liquor of the Earth, which they lose of their own accord, if they do but want water, and Earth.

The life of Wood.

The life of Wood is a certaine Rozzen, for any wood if it want Rozzen can live no longer.

The life of Bones.

The life of Bones is the liquor of Mummie.

The life of flesh.

The life of flesh, and blood is nothing else but the spirit of Salt, which preserves them from stinking, and putrefaction¹⁸, and is of it selfe as water separated from them.

The life of every Element.

Now concerning the life of Elements, you must know that the life of Water is its running. For when by the coldnesse of the Firmament it is congealed¹⁹ into ice, it is dead, and its mischievousnesse is taken from it, that nobody can bee drowned in it.

What the life of Fire is.

The life of Fire is Aire, for Aire makes fire burne with greater vehemency, and heate: Also there cometh forth²⁰ from all Fire a kind of Aire, which will blow out a candle, and drives up a feather, as you may dayly see before your eyes. Wherefore[Pg 34] the flame of Fire is choaked if it bee so stopt up, that it can neither receive in Aire, and let out its own Aire.

What the life of Aire is.

The Aire lives by, and of it selfe, and gives life to all other things.

What the life of Earth is.

The earth of it selfe is dead, but the Element of it is an invisible, and secret life.

1 corrupted   

（使）败坏( corrupt的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）腐化； 引起（计算机文件等的）错误； 破坏

参考例句：

• The body corrupted quite quickly. 尸体很快腐烂了。
• The text was corrupted by careless copyists. 原文因抄写员粗心而有讹误。

2 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

3 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

4 firmament   

n.苍穹；最高层

参考例句：

• There are no stars in the firmament.天空没有一颗星星。
• He was rich,and a rising star in the political firmament.他十分富有，并且是政治高层一颗冉冉升起的新星。

5 divers   

adj.不同的；种种的

参考例句：

• He chose divers of them,who were asked to accompany him.他选择他们当中的几个人，要他们和他作伴。
• Two divers work together while a standby diver remains on the surface.两名潜水员协同工作，同时有一名候补潜水员留在水面上。

6 humane   

adj.人道的，富有同情心的

参考例句：

• Is it humane to kill animals for food?宰杀牲畜来吃合乎人道吗？
• Their aim is for a more just and humane society.他们的目标是建立一个更加公正、博爱的社会。

7 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

8 tinging   

v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的现在分词 )

参考例句：

9 dryer   

n.干衣机，干燥剂

参考例句：

• He bought a dryer yesterday.他昨天买了一台干燥机。
• There is a washer and a dryer in the basement.地下室里有洗衣机和烘干机。

10 combustible   

a. 易燃的,可燃的; n. 易燃物,可燃物

参考例句：

• Don't smoke near combustible materials. 别在易燃的材料附近吸烟。
• We mustn't take combustible goods aboard. 我们不可带易燃品上车。

11 stinking   

adj.臭的，烂醉的，讨厌的v.散发出恶臭( stink的现在分词 )；发臭味；名声臭；糟透

参考例句：

• I was pushed into a filthy, stinking room. 我被推进一间又脏又臭的屋子里。
• Those lousy, stinking ships. It was them that destroyed us. 是的！就是那些该死的蠢猪似的臭飞船！是它们毁了我们。 来自英汉非文学 - 科幻

12 stinks   

v.散发出恶臭( stink的第三人称单数 )；发臭味；名声臭；糟透

参考例句：

• The whole scheme stinks to high heaven—don't get involved in it. 整件事十分卑鄙龌龊——可别陷了进去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soup stinks of garlic. 这汤有大蒜气味。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

13 splendor   

n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌

参考例句：

• Never in his life had he gazed on such splendor.他生平从没有见过如此辉煌壮丽的场面。
• All the splendor in the world is not worth a good friend.人世间所有的荣华富贵不如一个好朋友。

14 amber   

n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的

参考例句：

• Would you like an amber necklace for your birthday?你过生日想要一条琥珀项链吗？
• This is a piece of little amber stones.这是一块小小的琥珀化石。

15 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

16 distilling   

n.蒸馏（作用）v.蒸馏( distil的过去式和过去分词 )( distilled的过去分词 )；从…提取精华

参考例句：

• Water can be made pure by distilling it. 水经蒸馏可变得纯净。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• More ammonium sulphate solution is being recovered in the process of distilling oil shale. 在提炼油页岩的过程中回收的硫酸铵液比过去多了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 subliming   

伟大的( sublime的现在分词 )； 令人赞叹的； 极端的； 不顾后果的

参考例句：

18 putrefaction   

n.腐坏，腐败

参考例句：

• Putrefaction is the anaerobic degradation of proteinaceous materials.腐败作用是蛋白性物质的厌氧降解作用。
• There is a clear difference between fermentation and putrefaction.发酵与腐败有明显区别。

19 congealed   

v.使凝结，冻结( congeal的过去式和过去分词 )；（指血）凝结

参考例句：

• The cold remains of supper had congealed on the plate. 晚餐剩下的冷饭菜已经凝结在盘子上了。
• The oil at last is congealed into a white fat. 那油最终凝结成了一种白色的油脂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。