The history of philosophy, in eight parts by Thomas Stanley.

CHAP. XIV.

Of Life and Death.

a 1.1 GEneration and dissolution are common to all living Crea∣tures, though all are not produced and dissolved in the same manner.

b 1.2 The generation of a living Creature is the first conjunction of the nutritive Soul with the naturall heat.

Life is the permanence of that Soul with the said heat.

Youth is the encrease of the first refrigerative part, age the decrease thereof, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the constant and perfect life which is be∣twixt both.

As long as an animate Creature liveth, it hath naturall heat within it self, and as soon as that faileth, dieth. The principle of this heat is in the heart. If it be extinguish'd in any other part, the Animal may live, but if in the heart, it cannot.

This heat is extinguish'd two waies; first by consumption, when it faileth of it self; secondly, by extinction, from some contrary, as in violent death; the cause is the same in both, defect of aliment, which in the living Creature is its vital moisture, as fire want∣ing refrigeration, groweth more violent, and soone consumeth the humidity, which being gone, it self must of necessity go out.

Refrigeration therefore is necessary to the conservation of the naturall heat. Plants are refrigerated by the ambient air, and by aliment: their naturall heat is extinguish'd by excessive cold, and dry'd up by excessive heat. Animals which live in the air, or in the water, are refrigerated by the air or water, some by breath∣ing, others without.

c 1.3 Death, according to the extinction of naturall heat, is two-fold, violent or naturall; violent, when the cause is extrinsecall; naturall, when the principle thereof is in the animate Creature. For that part wheron life dependeth (the Lungs) is so ordered by nature that its cannot perform its office for ever. Death there∣fore cometh from defect of heat, when through want of refrige∣ration the radicall humidity is consumed and dry'd up. Refri∣geration faileth naturally, when by progresse of time the lungs

in Creat••res that have breath, the gils in fishes grow so hard, that they are unapt for motion.

d 1.4 Old men die easily, as having but little naturall heat, and without pain, because his dissolution comes not from any violent affection.

e 1.5 The lives of living Creatures, as well of the same, as of divers species differ in length; the longest life, most commonly, is that of some Plants, as the Palm and Cypresse; that of Creatures which have blood rather then the bloodlesse; that of terrestriall creatures rather then the aquatile; that of those which have great bodies, as of Elephants, rather then those of little.

f 1.6 The causes of long life are first the quantity and quality of the vitall moisture, if it be much and fat, not easily dry'd up nor congealed. Secondly, natural hear, which suffereth not that hu∣mour to be congealed. Thirdly, a due proportion betwixt this heat and that moisture. Fourthly, fewnesse of excrements, for ex∣crements are contrary to Nature, and somtimes corrupt nature it self, somtimes a part.

Salacious creatures, or laborious grow soon old by reason of exiccation. For the same reason men are shorter liv'd then wo∣men, but more active.

In hot Countries, animate creatures are larger, and live longer then in cold. Those animals which have little or no blood, either are not at all produced in the Northern parts, or soon dye.

Both Plants and Animals, ••f they take not aliment, die, for the naturall heat, when the aliment faileth, consumeth the matter it self, wherein it is, the vitall moisture.

Aquatile creatures are shorter liv'd then the terrestriall, and the bloodlesse then those that have blood, because their hu∣midity is more waterish, and consequently more apt to be con∣gealed and corrupted.

g 1.7 Plants live long, as having lesse of waterish moisture, which therefore is not so apt to be congealed. The largenesse of the up∣per parts, as well in Plants as Animals, is a signe of long life, be∣cause it argues much naturall heat. The upper part of a Plant is the root, not the boughes.

Notes

• a 1.1

  De vit. & Mort. cap. 23.
• b 1.2

  Cap. 24.
• c 1.3

  Cap. 23, 24.
• d 1.4

  Cap. 23.
• e 1.5

  Lib. de l••n. & brerit. cap. 4
• f 1.6

  Cap. ••.
• g 1.7

  Cap. 6.