Mikrokosmographia a description of the body of man. Together vvith the controuersies thereto belonging. Collected and translated out of all the best authors of anatomy, especially out of Gasper Bauhinus and Andreas Laurentius. By Helkiah Crooke Doctor of Physicke, physitian to His Maiestie, and his Highnesse professor in anatomy and chyrurgerie. Published by the Kings Maiesties especiall direction and warrant according to the first integrity, as it was originally written by the author.

QVEST. III. Of the end of Action.

THE last part of the definition was, for the obtayning of any thing, that the * 1.1 profit & end of the action might be intimated, which is the fruition of that where-vnto the action is directed. This is after the action in generation * 1.2 and constitution; but it is the first in dignity and excellencie, as Galen de∣clareth in the 13. Chap. of the 11. booke de vsu partium. And as the frui∣tion of any thing is the profit of the action, so the action is the profit of the vse: so that (as Galen saith in the 1. chap. of his 17. de vsu partium) Those things which haue an vse for acti∣on, haue a double profit propounded to themselues: that is, the action itselfe which is the profit of the vse, and the fruition which is the profit of the action.

Here doth arise a most intricate difficulty to be resolued, for because (saith Galen in the 8. and 16. Chapters of his first booke de vsu partium) * 1.3 There is required vnto the know∣ledge of the profit of the particulars, a procognition or fore-knowledge of the action, I thinke we must distinguish betwixt the action of the parts and the profit of them, and so it is false, that the action is the profit of the parts or of their aptitude.

The action of the organs may be knowne two wayes, either vniuersally and abstracted * 1.4 from their organ, so that the production of the action may be made manifest without any consideration of the organ: Or it may be knowne as it hath relation to the organ, that so it may be manifest by what meanes it proceeded from the organ, and what euery part did performe which is found in that organ. Now Galen affirming that the Profit of particu∣lar things cannot be vnderstoode vnlesse we accurately fore-know the action, doth vnder∣stand by the name of profit the Action, and so would signifie, that the particular action ought to be vniuersally & abstractedly fore-knowne, that it may appeare by what meanes it comes from his organ, and that the function of euery particle which is found in that or∣gan (though neuer so small) may be known. And so it is not absurd, that the action should minister knowledge to itselfe, and should be both more knowne and more obscure then it selfe.

The vse therefore of the parts and their profit, doe differ as the words of cause and ef∣fect, * 1.5 though Vse doe also signifie Profit, whereby it is manifest that the one is more large in his signification then the other.

Moreouer, that thing vnto the fruition of which the action doth ayme, is either sepera∣ted from the action so that the action ceasing it is abandoned; or else it doeth only consist

and hath his being in Fieri, that is, whilst it is in motion, & this is called in Latine opus, in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 actionis, the worke of the action. Galen therefore in the 1. de nat. fac. saith * 1.6 well, that the worke is distinguished from the action and is an effect thereof as blood, flesh, a nerue or such like are the effects of the action of the Liuer and of the Seed.

Sometimes by the name of worke we vnderstand the Action, for concoction, sanguifi∣cation and distribution, are certaine actions and yet the workes of Nature also; but wee must beware least we call all the workes of Nature Actions; for flesh, a nerue and bones are the workes of Nature, and yet no actions of Nature.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What is the end of Acti∣on.
• * 1.2

  The Action is lesse wor¦thy then his end.
• * 1.3

  Question.
• * 1.4

  Solution. To know the Action is two wayes vnder∣stoode.
• * 1.5

  The diffe∣rence betwixt vse & profit.
• * 1.6

  The diffe∣rence of the worke and action.