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 Fryed Flesh.

The Frying of Flesh and other Food in Pans, is a Preparation much in use in England, but not so good or wholsom as either Boyling, Roasting or Broyling: The goodness of all Food does arise and proceed from the Essential Spirits and Balsamick Body, which is the true Life and Vertue of every thing; and if these es∣sential Vertues do not suffer violence in the Preparati∣on, then such Food will have a most pleasant Smell, a brisk lively Taste, very delightful to the Palate; also, it retaineth its natural Colour, according to that colour that was predominant in the Radix of that thing, be it either White, Green, or whatsoever else, which can no way be maintained in the Food, but by the benefit and help of the Water, and the pure influences of the Air: Where the operation and influences of these two Elements are hindered, the pure Spirits do suffer Vio∣lence,

which alters and changes both the colour, smell and taste, then it has a strong and odious scent, and its taste is also more unpleasing than the former, and the Stomach does not so eagerly desire it: Likewise, its true Colour is lost, or in some degree destroyed, as is most manifest by all Fry'd Flesh, it does send forth a strong fulsom smell in comparison of either Boyled or Roasted; its Taste is stronger, and its natural Colour is chang'd by reason the pure Spirits and sweet Body are (as it were) suffocated by that fiery harsh heat the Pan does contain; this Heat is more poysonous than the common heat of fire, which is caused by the Me∣tal, whether it be Brass or Iron; for the Fire does not only awaken the poysonous Nature that such Metal does contain, but the present Quality or oily Body in the Fire (whence it hath its bright shining friendly Quality) is suffocated; therefore all such Heat that proceeds from Pans is of a harsh fierce na∣ture and operation: The truth of this is further ma∣nifested by those that shall be Burned or scalded by such Pans, which is more poysonous, and the Flesh is harder to be Cured than what is burned by common Fire, and often proves more dangerous; the very same matter does cause any kind of Food to have such a strong smell; for in all Preparations that cause the smell to become strong, it is a sure sign that some Violence is done to the pure Spirits and Balsamick Body, which doth awaken the Center of the dark wrathful Nature: The very same is to be understood in all other things; and that is the reason why Fry∣ed, Baked and Stewed Food does send forth a stronger and fulsomer scent than other Preparations; and all such Food will sooner cloy and dull both Pallate and Stomach, except in some few, whose Natures and Stomachs have a Simile with such Food: It is also to be noted, that the Fat which is used in Frying, that lies or runs between the thing Fryed and the Pan, is

by this sulpherous Heat, and the want of the free In∣fluences of Air, and the benefit of a convenient quantity of Water, turn'd into a stinking Oyl, which does neither retain its Colour, Smell nor Taste, but is of a contrary Nature to what it was when it was put into the Pan. For these Reasons all Fryed Food is of a stronger fulsomer Nature than either Boyled, Roasted or Broyled Meat, harder of Concoction, and does cloy the Stomach: Therefore all House-Wives and others that do prepare Food, if they regard the Health of the Body, and true pleasure of the Pallate, ought to understand the possibility of Nature in all Preparati∣ons, that they may digest the raw gross Body of Food, without offering any violence to the pure Spirits and balsamick Body, and then all such Food would be of a most pleasant Smell, Colour, and Taste; for if the pure Spirits be kept free, and not suffocated in the Prepa∣ration, such Food becomes friendly to Nature, afford∣ing good firm and wholsom Nourishment, easie of Concoction; the frequent eating of such Food makes a man Airy, full of lively Spirits, and of a good Complexion: So on the contrary, if they be suffo∣cated, then presently the sweet Oyl is turned sower, or into a stinking Quality; then such Food so Pre∣pared will have (as is mentioned before) a strong Smell and Taste, not retaining its natural Colour; for in all sorts of Food, in which the Spirituous Parts and Balsamick Body is strong, their Smell, Colour and Taste is Pleasant and Friendly. Also, it is to be noted, that most Preparations of Food, the quicker they are performed (provided there be no violence done to the Spirit) the better and more friendly such Food will prove; for slow and intermitting Fires, in either Boyling or other Preparations, do flatten and dull the Spirituous Parts: Therefore no Baker can preserve the pure white Colour in his fine small Bread, if he be not quick about it; for if any Preparation be con∣tinued

too long the volatile Spirits become in a degree suffocated, then Venus, Sol and Iupiter grow weak, and according to the length of time and degrees of heat, so the natural Colours do alter and change; for the Colours of all sorts of Food (when Prepared) do arise by degrees one after another gradually, and when the gross Body is digested, then the inward virtue (which lay hid and captivated in the Body of Phlegm) appears in its own friendly Form, with a most lively and pleasant Colour, Smell and Taste; this is the point of Time all Preparers of Food ought to under∣stand; for if their Preparation be continued any lon∣ger, the operation of Nature goes backward towards the center of the Original Fire, then Saturn and Mars and their properties are presently awakened, which do cause the Colour, Smell and Taste of such Food to change: The first degree the Colour alters to, is a dusky Yellow, and if the Preparation be con∣tinued, by degrees it turns blackish, till at last it will become Black or deep Red, or of a mixed streaked Co∣lour, all according to the Property which does pre∣dominate in the Original or dark Fire; also, all such Food is of a gross and fulsom Smell and Taste, un∣pleasant both to the Pallate and Stomach.

Preparing of Food is a greater Art and Mystery than many House-wives and others do think; and if it be well and properly performed, it adds much to the preser∣vation of the Health both of Body and Mind; for every thing has Power to awaken its Simile in the Body. Therefore every one ought to use that care and un∣derstanding in the Preparations of all sorts of Food, that the meek and most friendly Life be preserved from suffering violence.