The cure of old age and preservation of youth by Roger Bacon... ; translated out of Latin, with annotations and an account of his life and writings / by Richard Browne. Also, a physical account of the tree of life / by Edw. Madeira Arrais ; translated likewise out of Latin by the same hand.

NOTES on CHAP. XV.

^a In this Chapter here is a Cosmetica Ra∣tionalis, backt with true Philosophick Reason, not projected upon the Fucus of a barren No∣tion; where, as in a curious Picture, we may with Admiration view the Dashes of a Ma∣ster's Hand, and then sit down and consider, That only a good Philosopher can make a skil∣ful Physician.

^b This may be done two Ways according to Riverius. The first is this, Take your Meat, seasoned according to your Mind, and cut into long Slips, put it into a well glazed Earthen Pot, close covered and lu∣ted with Lutum Sapientiae; set it in an O∣ven, hot as it is when you draw your Bread, let it stand, and it will with the Heat dissolve into Liquor. But this some may esteem Baking.

The second Way is this, and it is properly Boiling: Take your Meat prepared as before, put it in a glazed Pot, in the middle where∣of let there stand a wooden Grate, or one of any other matter; lay your Meat upon

it, so that the Bottom of the Pot may be empty; close the Pot with its Cover, well luted with Paste of Meal and Water well kneaded. Set it in Balneo Mariae boyling for five Hours. You will have a limpid Li∣quor at the Bottom. Two or three Spoonfuls of such a Preparation taken twice or thrice a Day is reckoned a great Restorative.

^c We read in Daniel, how Pulse and Wa∣ter made the four Children fairer in Counte∣nance and fatter in Flesh than they that fa∣red on the Royal Provision. Now Daniel having so good skill in the Learning of the Chaldaeans, as to be set over all the Wise Men of Babylon, who were a sort of Men that by their Skill in natural things could do Won∣ders; I no more question that by the same Skill he knew, Pulse would nourish well, and give a good Colour, than that he understood by Books the number of the Years of the Ca∣ptivity of his People. My Reason is, He that would not eat the Kings Meat, nor drink of his Wine, lest he should be defiled by offering part thereof on an Altar, if by; or by cast∣ing a little into the Fire, where there was no Altar, which was a Propitiatory Grace to some Heathen Deity; this Man sure would never have allowed himself the Enquiry into the Wisdom and Learning of the Chaldees,

had such Learning been either sinful or useless: And it could never be more serviceable than in this Case. Neither do I think Pease-Pottage a contemptible Dish among the Iews, since it made their Father Jacob an Elder Brother. Besides, had not Pulse been a Dri∣ver out, that great Physician Avicenna would not have made so much Vse thereof in the Small Pox and Measles.

^d By Galen Garlick is called Plow-man's Treacle.

^e A merry Heart makes a chearful Counte∣nance, and the Circulation of the Blood is so Symmetrous to the Revolution of Man's Thoughts, that Men skill'd in Prudentials have reckoned Vultum esse animi Indicem, and ever took more notice of an accidental Glance in a Passion, than of the most perswa∣sive composed Eloquence. Anger glows as a red and lowring Aurora, Ioy bespreads the Scene with a serene Hesperial Crimson. So Cataline for all his fair shews in Words to the Senate, yet discovered that Treason in his very Face (as Historians describe him) which his Heart was then contriving.

^f Choler is by some reckoned the Salt of the Microcosm, which helps to keep the Flood of Humors from Putrefaction: And this as well as the Macrocosmick Ocean, unless sometimes

it have its aestus, will be liable to Putrefacti∣on. But this and all other Passions must be confin'd within their Banks, lest Men be transported to their Ruine: For though Grief once turn'd a Queen to Marble; yet sudden and excessive Ioy hath often inscribed an Epi∣taph upon it; Thus to some Men hath excess of Happiness prov'd as much of Misery.