A way to health, long life and happiness, or, A discourse of temperance and the particular nature of all things requisite for the life of man as all sorts of meats, drinks, air, exercise &c., with special directions how to use each of them to the best advantage of the body and mind : shewing from the true ground of nature whence most diseases proceed and how to prevent them : to which is added a treatise of most sorts of English herbs ... the whole treatise displaying the most hidden secrets of philosophy ... / communicated to the world for the general good by Thomas Tryon.

Of the Astringent or Saltish Quality.

1. When this Quality doth predominate in any Person, they are of a tall Stature, and for the most part slender, but of a swarthy, pale or muddy Com∣plexion, rather Lean than Fat, generally of hardy strong Constitutions, and also of good Apprehensi∣ons; when this sort of People do apply themselves to the learning of any Art, they attain to an ex∣cellent Understanding therein, being fixed in those things they resolve on.

2. But if the Bitter Quality doth equally govern in the Body and Senses, and the Sweet Quality weak, then such People are very sordid, Lyars, Swearers, Gluttons, Drunkards, inclined to all kind

of robustick Plays and Games, as Ringing, Bull∣baitings, Bear-baitings, to follow Drums and Fen∣cers, and the like evil Communications, having strong Bodies, and fierce savage bestial Spirits, and abusers of Women.

3. But if the Sweet Quality doth interpose, and the Bitter and Astringent weak, then such Persons are more moderate in Words and Works, ingeni∣ous, apt to learn, of good Understandings, and of handsom healthy Bodies.

4. But if the Sour be joyned in government with the Astringent, then such People are more gross and Phlegmatick, and not so quick of Apprehension, slow of Motion, and of sordid Dispositions.

5. Also, it is to be noted, when this Astringent quality doth predominate in any Beast, then they are large, big boned, strong and heady, but not free of motion, but cunning and sullen: When in Herbs and Fruit, they are tall, but not handsom; their taste is harsh, hard and unpleasing; they are good against the Diseases of the Phlegmatick and Sanguin Com∣plexions, if the Saturnine Venoms thereof be corrected.

This is a short Description of the four grand Qua∣lities, and their natural Operations: But this I would have every one consider, and be sensible that their In∣fluences are not compelling on Men as they are on Beasts, except Men live as Beasts, viz. in the power and operation of the bestial Nature, as many Thou∣sands do, and far worse, whence proceed those vio∣lent and cruel disorders in the World: But those who do turn the Eye of their Mind inward, and search and find themselves, and come to distinguish the secret workings of God and Nature, and hearken unto the Voice of the Divine Principle, which is the holy Oracle that will teach every one, (in all particu∣lars, what is right in the sight of the Lord, and the contrary) the fear of the Lord, and the true know∣ledg

of God in a mans self, and thereby furnish every one with virtue, strength and power to resist every evil Influence, though it proceed from the most harsh and worst of Complexions; it will also teach him to tune and bring all the four Qualities into an equal accord, even as a skilful Musicianer composeth a har∣monious consort in the variety of parts, or as he by skill tunes his Instrument; for the most skilful Musicianer in the World can make no harmony, if his Instrument be not in tune; all the various Notes and Tones of an Instrument most incorporate in each other, or else no Harmony can be made; even so it is with the Qualities in a Man, it is as possible for him that hath learned himself to tune himself, and compose all the properties of Nature, and to play on them as a Musicianer doth on his Instrument; so great is the power of Man, if he cast his Will and Desire into the divine Principle and Love of God, which is able to tincture and change the worst Com∣plexion and convert it into its own Nature; therefore let no man dare to say, and complain, that the Lord hath dealt hardly by him, that he hath made him of the harsh wild Nature: And though it be true, that many men, as their Natural Qualities, are sordid and wild; yet nevertheless they have the true Tincture that can transmute and change all sorts of Metals into the finest Gold, even that very Word of the Lord that made and formed all things, which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the World, and blessed are all those that are obedient, and follow its Counsel; of what Complexion soever they are, the Blessing of the Lord is with them.

Thus having treated of the four grand Qualilies, I shall now proceed to discover the four Complexions, which proceed there from, and to what Virtues, Vices and Diseases each of them are most subject.