An entire body of philosophy according to the principles of the famous Renate Des Cartes in three books, (I) the institution ... (II) the history of nature ... (III) a dissertation of the want of sense and knowledge in brute animals ... / written originally in Latin by the learned Anthony Le Grand ; now carefully translated from the last corrections, alterations, and large additions of the author, never yet published ... by Richard Blome.

CHAP. XXIII. Of the Death and Destruction of Ani∣mals.

I. Of t••••ee kinds of Death. AS in the First Chapter of this Part we re∣duc'd the Notion of Life to 3 Heads; so here, that we may understand how Animals may be said either to dye or perish, 3 sorts of death or dying are to be distinguish'd. First, There is a Death of Simple Annihilation, which is oppos'd to the LIfe of Simple Existence: Secondly, Cessa∣tion from Operation, which is the Death that is oppos'd to the Life of Actuous Existence: And, Lastly, the Separation, or Dissolution of one part from the other, which is oppos'd to the Life of Existence with another. By the first manner of Death, those things dye, which by ceasing to exist altogether, fall into nothing: Things dye the second kind of Death, when they cease to act: And the third way, when their Parts are separated, and exist distinctly from one another. But forasmuch as no Substance can be annihilated, it remains only for us to enquire, how Animals come to cease from all Operation, and how the connection of their Parts comes to be dissolved.

II. The Death and Perish∣ing of Ani∣mals is designed by Nature as well as their Gene∣ration. But before I come to Treat of these, I shall first lay down this Truth, That Death is as much the intention and design of Nature, as Life is. For who will say, that Corruption is less Natural, than Generation? For tho' nothing seems to dye without reluctance, and some force put upon it; yet is not Corruption therefore to be accounted less Natural or disagreeing with the Laws of Na∣ture. For tho' Corruption be contrary to parti∣cular Nature, as procuring its Destruction; yet is it very consentaneous to Universal Nature, which never undertakes the Generation of any thing, without the fore-going Corruption of another, as not being able to create, or to produce a thing out of Nothing. Wherefore seeing, that the Beauty and Perfection of the World consists in Variety; and that it is much more for the Dignity of the World, that many things in process of time should appear and act their Parts on this great Theatre, than to represent always one and the same Face of things: The Divine Wisdom hath so order'd it, that Old things should make way for New ones; and that those things, which for some time have acted their Parts on the Stage of the World, should withdraw to make room for others. But if any one shall think it a hard case for him to leave this World, let him consider, that he himself could never have enter'd this World, but by others making room for him: For if all our Ancestors had been Immortal, they would have been increased to that number, that there would have been no place left for their Posterity.

III. When and how Death happens to Animals. Having said thus much to comfort us, and make the state of our Mortality more tolerable, we now assert that Death happens to Animals by the extinguishing of the Fire, that is in their Hearts. For in the Hearts of all Animals, as long as they are alive, there is a kind of Continual Heat, which we before call'd a kind of Fire that is hot without shining, and which Physicians do own to be the Bodily Principle of all motion in the Members of Animals. And therefore no wonder, if this being once extinct, Life, Sense and Motion be likewise destroyed.

IV. How this Heat comes to be weak∣ned in the Body of Animals. For tho' this Native Heat be strong and effi∣cacious at the beginning, yet in the process of Age it loseth strength, and grows weaker and weaker; so that Animals, after they are come to their full growth, are at a stand, and soon after their strength decays; and at last, by the defect of this Heat they dye; as the flame of a Wick, for want of Oil is extinguish'd. But yet there is a difference betwixt the flame of a Lamp, and the Life of Ani∣mals; because the former is continued, as long as it is supplied with Oil: But the Life of Animals cannot be maintained by perpetual Aliment, because Animals dye not for want of Aliment; but because their Heat grows so weak, that it can no longer change the Food into the Substance of the Body. And therefore Physicians tell us, that the Heat which Nature hath afforded us, for the Mainte∣nance and Support of our Bodies, doth conspire their destruction. For tho' it preserves us, foras∣much as by feeding upon Moisture, it affords strength and vigour to our Members; yet at the same time it also lays the foundation of our De∣struction, whilst by continual consuming of our Moisture it self becomes debilitated, without re∣storing, as much as it doth consume: And accord∣ingly it follows, that when the Moisture is con∣sumed, the Body must consume and waste like∣wise, and the Heat it self be extinguish'd.

V. Why the utmost parts of the Body first grow cold in those that are ready to dye. Now that Death proceeds from the decay of Heat, daily Experience teacheth us in Dying per∣sons: For we find that the Extream parts of their Body first begins to grow cold, till at last their Breast and Heart it self be deprived of it. For since the Heat which is disperst through the whole Body, proceeds from the Arteries, inasmuch as by thinning the Blood that is in them, it generates those Spirits which communicate Motion to all the Parts of Man's Body; it must of necessity follow, that when the motion of the Arteries and Heart grows weak and languishing, this Weakness must first affect the Capillary Veins, as being both small and weak, and at the greatest distance from the Heart, the Fountain of Heat.

VI. An Obje∣ction from the motion of Animals, after their Heart is taken out their Bo∣dies. It may be you will Object here, That some Ani∣mals, after that their Heart hath been taken out of their Bodies, have notwithstanding performed the functions of Life. ARISTOTLE al∣ledgeth the Example of a Tortoise, which when his Heart is taken out, doth nevertheless walk about, though be be but small, and of a weak and slow Body. Some Historians also make mention of some per∣sons, who have spoke after that their Heart hath been pluck'd out of ther Bodies. Now, whence could these Actions or Words proceed, if the Heart, by its heat, were the sole Principle of all Bodily motion, and if it were the first thing living, and the last that dies?

VII. The Cause of this Motion. To which I Answer, That the Actions per∣formed by Animals, after they are deprived of their Heart, are to be attributed to an Influence derived from thence; inasmuch as by the Arterial Blood convey'd to the Brain, the Spirits for a short time continue their begun motion, and by entring the Nerves, produce a motion in the Tongue, or other Parts of the Body. Thus we find that Insects, after they have been cut to pieces, do for a long while continue their motion, by reason of the strength and vigour of their Animals Spirits, which cannot so soon exhale out of the Joynts of that Expansion, which is in them instead of a Back-bone, and wherein the said Spi∣rits are contained. And as to that which was added, that the Heart is the first thing that lives, it is to be noted, that this is not to be understood of the time in which the Birth lives, shut up in the Mothers Womb; but after it is come forth from the same. For it is manifest, that the Birth in the Womb, doth not so much live by a Life of its own, as by that of its Mother; and that its Arte∣ries do not beat from the motion of its own Heart, but by that of its Mother. Wherefore tho' the Heart be not the Principle of all motions, that are performed in the Body before the Birth; yet is it the Principle of all those that are exerted after∣wards.

VIII. By what means Men that have been drown∣ed, are re∣stored to Life. The Natural Heat therefore last forsakes the Heart, whether in a Natural or Violent Death: For being the chief Principle of all Corporal motions, it is more strong and vigorous there, as in its Fountain, and makes the greatest Resistance against any Force put upon it. Thus one that hath been Drowned, if he be timely taken out of the Water, and laid with his Head hanging down∣wards, that by the voiding of the Water out of his Mouth, his Midriff may no longer be clogg'd by the distension of his Stomack from the great quantity of Water he hath taken down, and that by this means his Breast and VVind-pipe, being freed from that which stopt and opprest them, be restor'd to their former freedom, the Person re∣turns to life again; because there was still some Force remaining in the Heart, whereby it was able to recommence its former pulsation. In like manner, a Person that is starved with Cold, being timely restor'd to warmth, Recovers again; be∣cause the Vapours, that were congealed in his Breast, begin to be dissolved and discust by the inward Heat, which was not yet wholly extinct, being assisted by the outward.

IX. The diffe∣rence be∣tween a Natural and a vio∣lent Death. Wherefore this is the only difference that is between a Natural and a Violent Death; as by Hanging, Beheading, &c. that a Violent Death is performed in a moment, or a very short time: Whereas a Natural Death comes on by degrees, and by slow advances, dissolves the Tye that is between the Parts: But in both of them, the Heat and Fire in the Heart is alike extinguish'd, and takes its flight into the Aethereal Air, as the An∣cients were wont to express it. Accordingly SENECA, in his 66th Epistle, saith; The Death of all Persons is alike; tho' the ways by which it makes its approaches be different, yet it ends and terminates in one and the same thing. No Death is more or less than other; for it hath one and the same measure and manner in all, that is, the termination or putting an end to Life.