Chap. 168. Of the four natural Humours of the Body, and those that are inbred.
AS there is natural Fire, Aire, Water, and Earth, that is made by an intire creation derived from their own pro∣per principles.
As likewise a metamorphosed Fire, Aire, Water, and Earth.
So there are humours in Animal bodies, and in other bo∣dies; for all I can perceive, and though the bodies cannot be metamorphosed, yet the humours may.
But in every Animal body there is natural Melancholy, Choler, Flegme, and blood; the natural blood is the vital vapor; the natural Flegme is the radical moisture; the natural Choler is the radical heat, the natural Melancholly is the a∣nimal spirits, being the highest extract.
And if we do but observe those that be naturally melan∣cholly, have the soundest judgements, the clearest understand∣ing, the subtilest observation, and curiousest inventions, the most conceptions, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fancies, and the readiest wits; like∣wise the strongest passions, and most constant resolution. but humours which are inbred as flegme, choler, and Melan∣choly are made as Metamorphosed fire, aire, water, slime mud, and earth, as for example, the chylus is the matter that is me∣tamorphosed.
The dilating motions transform it from chylus to slime, from slime to water, from water to blood, from blood to vapor, from vapor to comfortable and lively heat, from comfortable and lively heat, to burning fevers and hectick fevers, and the like.
Likewise the chylus by contracting motions, turns from chylus to slime.
If they be cold contractions, it turns from slime to flegme, from flegme to heavy melancholly.
If hot contractions, it turns from chylus to temperat choler;