Pseudodoxia epidemica, or, Enquiries into very many received tenents and commonly presumed truths by Thomas Browne.

CHAP. III.

Of the Dove.

THe third Assertion is somewhat like the second, That a Dove or Pigeon hath no gall, which is affirmed from very great Antiquity; for as Pierius observeth, from this consideration the Aegyptians did make it the Hieroglyphick of meekenesse; it hath beene averred by many holy Writers, commonly delivered by Postillers and Commen∣tators, who from the frequent mention of the Dove in the Canticles, the precept of our Saviour to bee wise as Serpents, and innocent as Doves, and especially the appearance of the holy Ghost in the simi∣litude of this animall, have taken occasion to set downe many affecti∣ons of the Dove, and what doth most commend it, is that it hath no Gall; and hereof have made use not onely inferiour and minor Di∣vines, but Cyprian, Austin, Isidore, Beda, Rupertus, Jansenius, and many more.

Whereto notwithstanding we know not how to assent, it being re∣pugnant unto the Authority and positive determination of ancient Phi∣losophy; the affirmative of Aristotle in his history of Animals is very plai••e, Felaliis ventri, aliis intestino jungitur; Some have the Gall ad∣joyned to the guts, as the Crow, the Swallow, Sparrow, and the Dove, the same is also attested by Pliny, and not without some passion by Galen, who in his booke de Atra bile, accounts him ridiculous that denyes it.

It is not agreeable to the constitution of this Animall, nor can we so reasonably conceive there wants a gall; that is, the hot and ••iery hu∣mour in a body so hot of temper, which phlegme or melancholy could not effect: Now of what complexion it is, Julius Alexandrinus decla∣reth, when he affirmeth, that some upon the use thereof, have fallen into Feavers and Quinsies; the temper also of their dung and intestinall excretions do also confirme the same, which Topically applyed be∣come a Phaenigmus or Rubifying medicine, and are of such fiery parts, that as we reade in Galen, they have of themselves conceived fire, and burnt a house about them, and therefore when in the famine of Sama∣ria, (wherein the fourth part of a cab of Pigeons dung was sold for five

pieces of silver) it is delivered by Josephus, that men made use here∣of instead of common slat, although the exposition seeme strange, it is more probable then many other, for that it containeth very much salt; beside the effects before expressed, it is discernable by taste, and the earth of Columbaries or Dovehouses, so much desired in the artifice of Salt-peter; and to speake generally, the excrements of birds which want both bladder and kidneys, hath more of salt and acrimony, then that of other animals, who beside the guts have also those conveyan∣ces; for whereas in these, the salt and lixiviated serosity with some por∣tion of choler, is divided betweene the guts and bladder, it remaines und••vided in birds, and hath but a single descent, by the guts, with the exclusions of the belly. Now if because the Dove is of a milde and gentle nature, wee cannot conceive it should be of an hot temper, our apprehensions are not distinct in the measure of constitutions, and the several parts which evidence such conditions: for the Irascible passions doe follow the temper of the heart, but the concupiscible distractions the crasis of the liver; now many have not livers, which have but coole and temperate hearts, and this was probably the temper of Paris, a contrary constitution to that of Aiax, and in both but short of Medea, who seemed to exceed in either.

Lastly, it is repugnant to experience, for Anatomicall enquirie dis∣covereth in them a gall, and that according to the determination of Aristotle, not annexed unto the Liver, but adhering unto the guts; nor is the humour contained in smaller veines, or obscure capillations, but in a vesicle or little bladder, though some affirme it hath no cystis or bag at all, and therefore the Hieroglyphick of the Aegyptians, though allowable in the sence, is weake in the foundation, who expressing meeknesse and lenity by the portract of a Dove with the taile erected, affirmed it had no gall in the inward parts, but onely in the rumpe, and as it were out of the body, and therefore if they conceived their gods were pleased with the sacrifice of this Animall, as being without gall, the ancient Heathen were surely mistaken in the reason, and in the very oblation, whereas in the holocaust or burnt offerings of Moses the gall was cast away; for as Ben Maimon instructeth, the inwards whereto the gall adhereth were taken out with the crop, according unto the Law, Levit. 1. which the Priest did not burne, but cast unto the E••st, that is, behinde his back, and readiest place to be carried out of the Sanctuary. And if they also conceived that for this reason, they were the birds of Venus, and wanting the furious and discording part, were more acceptable unto the Deity of Love; they surely added unto the conceit, which was at first venereall, and in this animall may be suffi∣ciently made out from that conception.

The ground of this conceit is partly like the former, that is, the ob∣scure situation of the gall, and out of the Liver, wherein it is common∣ly

enquired, but this is a very injust illation, not well considering with what variety this part is seated in birds; in some both at the stomack and the liver, as in the Cap••iceps, in some at the liver only, as in Cocks, Turkeys, and Phasiants, in others at the guts and Liver, as in Hawkes and Kites; in some at the guts alone, as Crowes, Doves, and many more, and these perhaps may take up all the wayes of situation, not onely in birds, but also other animals, for what is said of the Ancho∣ny or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that answerable unto its name, it carrieth the gall in the head, is further to be enquired; and though the discoloured par∣ticles in the skin of an Heron, be commonly termed Galls, yet is not this animall deficient in that part; and thus when it is conceived that the eyes of Tobias were cured by the gall of the fish Callyonimus or Scorpius marinus, commended to that effect by Dioscorides, although that part were not in the liver, were there reason to doubt that proba∣bility, and whatsoever animall it was, it may be received without ex∣ception when tis delivered, the married couple as a testimony of future concord, did cast the gall of the sacrifice behinde the Altar?

A strict and literall acception of a loose and tropicall expression was a second ground hereof; for while some affirmed it had no gall, intending onely thereby no evidence of anger or fury, others have construed it anatomically, and denied that part at all; by which illati∣on we may inferre, and that from sacred Text, a Pigeon hath no heart, according to that expression, Hosea 7. Factus est Ephraim sicut Colum ba seducta non habens cor; and so from the letter of Scripture wee may conclude it is no milde, but a fiery and furious animall, according to that of Jeremy, chap. 25. Facta est terra in desolationem à facie irae Co∣lumbae: and againe, chap. 46. Revertamur ad terram nativitatis nostrae à facie gladii columbae, where notwithstanding the Dove is not literally intended, but thereby are implyed the Babylonians whose Queene Se∣miramis was called by that name, and whose successors did beare the Dove in their standard: so is it proverbially said, Formicae sua bilis inest, habet & musca splenem, whereas wee all know Philosophy denyeth these parts, nor hath Anatomy discovered them in insects.

If therefore any shall affirme a Pigeon hath no gall, implying no more thereby then the lenity of this animall, wee shall not controvert his affirmation; and thus may wee make out the assertions of ancient Writers, and safely receive the expressions of those great Divines and worthy Fathers; but if by a transition from Rhetorick to Logick, hee shall contend, it hath no such part, or humour, he committeth an open fallacy, and such as was probably first committed concerning Spanish Mares, whose swiftnesse tropically expressed from their generation by the wind, might after be grosly taken, and a reall truth conceived in that conception.