Another collection of philosophical conferences of the French virtuosi upon questions of all sorts for the improving of natural knowledg made in the assembly of the Beaux Esprits at Paris by the most ingenious persons of that nation / render'd into English by G. Havers, Gent. & J. Davies ..., Gent.

CONFERENCE CXV. I. Of the cause of Vapours. II. Which is less culpa∣ble, Rashness or Cowardice? (Book 115)

THe First said, The material cause of Vapours is aqueous [ I] humidity; the efficient, external heat; the formal,* 1.1 rare∣faction; the final, is various, according to nature's different in∣tentions: but commonly, the elevation of an aqueous body, which remaining in its first consistence would weigh more then air, and consequently could not be carried to those higher places where 'tis needful for the generation of Mixts, which cannot be done without transmutation of the Elements into the places, yea, and natures also, one of another. So Roses in an Alem∣bick would evaporate nothing, if they were depriv'd of all hu∣midity, as appears in their dry'd Cakes; nor what humidity may be in them, without heat; which humidity is rarifi'd and carri'd upwards before it descends, being again condens'd into the water which resided in the Cake before its separation by heat; which consequently is the most evident cause of Vapours.

The Second said, There are some vapours that are hot and dry, as appears not only by the smoak exhaling from boiling Pitch and other unctuous bodies; but also by the vapours that issue out of the earth, which would never be inflam'd some in the surface of the earth, others in the middle of the air, and others beyond the highest region, and even in the heavens, if they were only of the nature of water which quencheth instead of conceiving fire: as, on the other side, Rain, Hail, Snow, Dew, and other aqueous and incombustible Meteors argue that all Vapours (of which they must be produc'd) are not hot and dry. Whence I conclude that as the matter of vapours is vari∣ous, so their other causes are all different, especially the effici∣ent. For the degree of heat that evaporates water will not make Oyl exhale; as we see a great glass will be sooner evapo∣rated then a spoonful of the latter; and the Chymists make use of a small fire or even of the Sun to distill their waters, but aug∣ment their fire, to extract Oyls. Moreover (as to the material causes) the vapours of hot and dry bodies are more gross and earthy; those of pure water more subtle; and (as to the final) aqueons vapours serve to irrigate, unctuous to impinguate the earth.

The Third said, 'Tis not credible that heat is the efficient cause of vapours, since they abound more in Winter then Sum∣mer, and in less hot Climats then in such where heat predominates, which have none at all; as Egypt and other places, where it ne∣ver

rains. If you say that there are no vapours there, because the Suns heat dssipates as fast as it raises them, you imply heat contrary to vapours since it dissolves them and suffers them not to gather into one body.

The Fourth said, Copiousness of vapours in cold Seasons and Regions makes not against their production by heat; since the heat which mounts them upwards is not that of the Suns rays, but from within the earth, which every one acknowledges so much hotter during Winter in its centre as its surface is colder; where the matter of vapours coming to be repercuss'd by the coldness of the air, is thereby condens'd and receives its form. On the contrary, in Summer the earth being cold within exhales nothing; and if ought issue forth, it is not compacted but dissi∣pated by the heat of the outward air.

The Fifth said, That the thorough inquisition of the cause of vapours raises no fewer clouds and obscurities in the wits of men, then their true cause produces in the air: For if we attribute them to the Sun, whose heat penetrating the earth or outward∣ly calefying it, attracts the thinner parts of the earth and water; this is contradicted by experience which shews us more Rain, Storms and violent Winds in the Winter when the Suns heat is weakest, then in the Shmmer when his rays are more perpendi∣cular, and as such ought to penetrate deeper into the earth, and from its centre or surface attract greater plenty of vapours: the contrary whereof falls out. It follows therefore that the Sun hath no such attractive faculty. Nor is the coldness and dryness of the earth any way proper for the production of such humid substances as Vapours and Exhalations; the latter whereof being more subtle, and consequently more moveable (as appears by Earth-quakes, Winds and Tempests, which are made with greater violence then Rain, Showers, or Dew) cannot be engen∣dred of earth, much grosser then water, which is held the ma∣terial cause of vapour; otherwise, an exhalation being earthy should be more gross then a vapour extracted out of water; which it is not. It remains then that the cause of vapours is the internal heat of the earth which being encreas'd from without by the cold of the ambient air, or exhaling all its pores open'd by the heat of the Sun, produces the diversity of Meteors. And this internal heat of the earth appears in Winter by the reak∣ing of Springs, and the warmth of Caves and subterraneous places; yea the Sea it self, said to supply the principle matter to these vapours, is affirm'd hotter at the bottom, whither therefore the Fishes retire; and indeed it is so in its substance, as appears by its salt, bitterness and motion, whence 'tis call'd by the Latines Aestus. And as in the bodies of Animals, va∣pours issuing by the pores open'd by heat cause sweat, and when those passages are stopt by the coldness of the outward air, their subtler parts are resolv'd into flatuosities, and the more gross and humid are carried up to the Brain, by whose coldness

being condens'd they fall down upon other parts, and produce defluxions: so in the world, which, like us, consists of solid parts (earth and stones) of fluid (the waters) and of rapid (which are the most subtle and tenuious parts of the Mass) when these last happen to be associated with others more gross they carry them up on high with themselves, where they meet with other natural causes of Cold and Heat which rarefies or condenses, and redouble their impetuosity by the occurrence of some ob∣stacle in their way: these Spirits being incapable of confine∣ment, because 'tis proper to them to wander freely through the World. Elementary qualities are indeed found joyn'd with these vapours and exhalations; but are no more the causes of them then of our animal vital or natural spirits, which are like∣wise imbu'd with the same.

The Sixth said, That the general cause of vapours is Heaven; which by its motion, light, and influences, heating and penetra∣ting the Elements, subtilises them and extracts their purest parts: as appears by the Sea whose saltness proceeds from the Suns having drawn away the lighter and fresher parts, and left the grosser and bitter in the surface, cold and heat condense and rarefie other, and by this Reciprocation the harmonious pro∣portion of the four Elements is continu'd; sometimes temper∣ing the Earths excessive dryness by gentle Dews or fruitful Rains, and sometimes correcting the too great humidity and im∣purity of the air by winds and igneous impressions, some of which serve also to adorn the World and instruct Men. And as these vapours are for the common good of the Universe, in which they maintain Generations, and for preservation of the Elements, who by this means purge their impurities; so they all contribute to the matter of them. Fire forms most igneous and luminous impressions; Air rarefi'd supplies matter for winds, as is seen in the Aeolipila; and condens'd is turn'd into rain. But especially water and earth (the grossest Elements, and conse∣quently, most subject to the impressions of outward agents) continually emit fumes or steams out of their bosom, which are always observ'd in the surface of the Terraqueous Globe, even in the clearest days of the year, and form the diversity of paral∣laxes. These fumes are either dry or moist; the dry arise out of the earth, and are call'd Exhalations; the moist are Vapours and issue from the water: yet both are endu'd with an adventi∣tious heat either from subterranean fires or the heat of Heaven, or the mixture of fire. A Vapour is less hot then an Exhalati∣on, because its aqueous humidity abates its heat; whereas that of the latter is promoted by its dryness; which yet must be a little season'd with humidity, the sole aliment and mansion of heat, which hath no operation upon bodies totally dry; whence ashes remain incorruptible in the midst of flames and evaporate nothing. But whatever be the cause of these vapours, they are not only more tenuious under that form, but also after the re∣assumption

of their own. So Dew is a more potent dissolver and penetrates more then common water; which some attribute to the Nitre wherewith the earth abounds.

[ II] Upon the Second Point it was said, Valour is a Virtue so high above the pitch of others,* 1.2 and so admir'd by all men, that 'twas it alone that deifi'd the Heroes of Antiquity: For Nature having given Man a desire of Self-preservation, the Virtue which makes him despise the apprehension of such dangers as may destroy him, is undoubtedly the most eminent of all other moral vertues, which serve only as ornaments to his Being. But as every virtue consists in a mediocrity, and so hath two vicious extremities, Ex∣cess and Defect; so this is plac'd between two vices which may be said equally blamable, since between the two extremities and the middle the distance is equal (otherwise it were not the mid∣dle, that is, not a vertue) and a point in which this vertue consists hath no latitude. And, though rashness, which oftimes bor∣rows the mask of generosity and valour, seems to approach neerer it then Cowardice; since being only an excess of Valour, it may be more easily reduc'd to mediocrity then the other which partakes not thereof at all; as diseases arising from reple∣tion are easier to be cur'd then those which proceed from inaniti∣on. Nevertheless to speak absolutely, Cowardice is not so vici∣ous as Temerity; for if the one hath a false appearance of Va∣lour, the other hath a semblance of prudence and wisdom which is the rule and measure of all virtues. And indeed, we see most wise men are a little cowardly; either their knowledg of things rendring them circumspect:, or experience of Fortune's blindness and inconstancy making them more distrustful of her dealing, which they know is commonly unkindest to persons of merit; or else the value they put upon Being encreasing their fear of An∣nihilation; although this fear is common to all Animals, and hath its foundation in Nature, and so is more excusable then the madness of Temerity, the usual vice of fools and lunaticks, di∣rectly repugnant to our natural sentiments. In a political consi∣deration though both are punishable, yet Cowardice least of the two, and is most commonly excus'd, as in Demosthenes; yea sometimes recompensed, as in that Roman Consul to whom the Senate gave publick thanks for having fled at the defeat of Cannae: Where the temerity of young Manlius, though suc∣cessful, cost him his head by the sentence of his own Father.

The Second said, That Cowardice and Temerity must not be compar'd together if we would judge which is worse; for on the one side the rash person compar'd to the poltron seems cou∣rageous, and on the other the poltron appears prudent and well advis'd. But they must be compar'd with Valour, of which that of the two which partakes least is the most vicious. Now, Valour consists in two points, to attempt and endure. The rash person is bold in the onset, but gives ground at the brunt. The

poltron do's neither. He dares neither attempt nor bear up, and so is further from true fortitude then the Rash; and though they seem totally opposite, yet the rash is oftentimes timerous, and Necessity or Despair sometimes renders the veryest coward bold.

The Third said, If the Stoicks say true, that Nature is the surest guide we can follow in all our actions, and that to live well and vertuously is to live conformably to Nature; then Temerity which subverts the sentiments of Nature, by whom nothing is sought so much as self-preservation, seems much more vicious then Cowardice, whose fault is only too much indulgence and inclining to natural sentiments, in preference of self-preservation above all honours invented by men as incitements to contempt of death, and the means leading thereunto.

The Fourth said. As right Reason is the square of Prudence, Equity of Justice, and Moderation of Temperance; so firmness and constancy of mind in attempting and enduring, is the sign of Fortitude and Courage, which is a vertue residing in the Irascible appetite, moderating fear and rashness, and consisting chiefly in not fearing dangers more then is fit, especially those of War or which happen unexpectedly. For two kinds of things cause fear: some are above us and inevitable; as Tempests, Thun∣ders, Earth-quakes which a man may and ought to fear some∣times, unless we be insensible or senseless; others are ordinary, vincible, and not to be fear'd by the courageous. To whom three sorts of people are contrary; namely, the furious, who fear nothing at all; the rash who venture at all, casting them∣selves inconsiderately into all dangers; and the poltrons who never venture upon any. These tremble before and in the dan∣ger; those seem at first to have a good heart, but when the dan∣ger appears begin to tremble and bleed at the nose: whereas he who is truly courageous attempts no danger inconsiderately, but avoids it as much as he can handsomely; but once engag'd, loses his life therein if he cannot come out of it with his ho∣nour. And though this vertue be generally esteem'd by all men, because most serviceable for defence of States, and hath more splendor and shew then any other; yet 'tis less known and the rarest of all; not many possessing it free from the interest of gain or vanity, anger, fear of infamy, constraint and other con∣siderations besides that of honesty, which alone gives name and value to all vertuous actions. Rashness passes among the vulgar for true Valour, though 'tis further from it then Cowardice; which being the daughter of knowledg and prudence, (as rash∣ness is of ignorance and brutality, and oftentimes of vanity) seems to come neerer that virtue then Temerity, which otherwise is incompatible with all other virtues, as being destitute of Pru∣dence, which alone makes them what they are.

The Fifth said, 'Tis impossible to determine of these two Vices; which are equally opposite to their middle vertue,

whatever false appearance Temerity may have of the contrary. But the praise and blame of men proceeding commonly, though unjustly, from Success; 'tis that also which makes our actions approv'd and discommended. So that the same action will be accounted courageous, and as such applauded in a young stout Captain who gets the better of his enemies, (prosperous Rash∣ness being rarely punish'd); and again term'd temerarious in the same person, if he happens to be worsted. Yea men esteem and admire that most which they least expected, as most remote from reason without which the Vertuous acts nothing. Which teaches him to be contented with himself, and not to make much ac∣count of blame and praise, which are not integral parts of ver∣tue, but only serve to its ornament, as our Hair and Nails do to our persons.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of the cause of Vapours.
• * 1.2

  Which is less culpable, Rashness or Cowardice?