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 CXVI. Which Climate is most proper for Long-life? (The second Question is remitted to the next Conference; and 'tis Resolved for divers Reasons, that hereafter but one be handled at a time.) (Book 116)

BEcause amongst all Phaenomena or Apparences caus'd by the Celestial Bodies, the diversity of artificial Days is most sensible and known to the most ignorant; therefore Astronomers make use thereof to distinguish the several habitations of Man∣kind. This diversity of Days depends upon two Causes; the obliquity of the Ecliptick to the Equator, and the inclination of the Horizon or the Sphere to the same Equator. For the ob∣liquity of the Ecliptick makes the diurnal Parallels, which are Circles parallel to the Equinoctial, describ'd by the Sun as he is carri'd about the Earth by the motion of the First Mover; the number of which is equal to that of the Days comprehended in half a year. And the obliquity of the Horizon is the cause that these parallels are cut by it unequally. Otherwise if these parallels were not different from the Equator, or (although different) if they were cut equally by the Horizon (as it happens in a Right Sphere) the Horizon which is a great Circle passing by the Poles of these parallels, (which are the same with those of the World) both the Days and Nights would be equal: so that where the Sphere is not inclin'd, as in the Right and Parallel Spheres, there is no inequality of Days, nor consequently of Climate (so call'd from its Inclination) but only in the oblique Sphere. 'Tis defin'd, a Region of Earth comprehended between two circles parallel to the Equator; in which there is the difference of half

an hour in the longest days of the year. It encompasses the Ter∣restrial Globe from East to West, as a Zone doth, which differs from it only as the Zone is broader; whence there are many Cli∣mats in the same Zone. The Ancients having regard only to so much of the Earth as they believ'd inhabited, made but seven Climats, which they extended not beyond the places where the longest days are 16 hours, and denominated from the most re∣markable places by which they made them pass; as, the first Northern Climat was call'd Dia Meroes, hy Meroe, which they began at 12 deg. 43 min. from the Aequinoctial, where the longest day hath 12 hours three quarters, and which at present is the end of our first Climat and beginning of the second. This first Climat passes by Malaca a City of the East-Indies, and be∣gins at 4 deg. 18 min. Its middle, from which all Climats are reckon'd, hath 8 deg. 34 min. and its end, 12 deg. 43 min. The other six Climats of the Ancients pass'd by Siene, Alexandria, Rhodes, Rome, Pontus Euxinus, and the River Boristhenes. Ptolo∣my reckons twenty one, as far as the Island Thule which lies in 63 deg. of Northern Latitude. Our modern Astronomers make twenty four, from the Aequinoctial to the Polar Circles; in each of which Climats the longest day of Summer encreases half an hour above twelve, according as they approach nearer those Circles: beyond which to the Poles of the World they place six more, not distinguish'd by the variation of half an hour but of 30 days. So that there is in all, sixty Climats, 30 Northern and as many Southern, each comprehended by two Parallels: which Climats are easily found by doubling the excess whereby the longest day surpasses twelve hours; the Product being the Climat of the place. As if you know the longest Summer day at Paris to be 16 hours, double 4, the excess above 12, and you will have 8, which is the Climat of Paris; and so of others. And though there be the same reason of Seasons and other vari∣ations in the Southern and Northern Climats, yet since experi∣ence shews us that those of the South are not inhabited beyond the 8th, which is about the Cape of Good Hope, at the farthest point of Africa, (beyond which no Inhabitants are as yet disco∣ver'd, it may seem that the diversity of Climats is not alone suf∣ficient for long or short life, but there are other causes concur∣ring thereunto.

The Second said, That since a thing is preserv'd by that which produces it, the Sun and Stars, which concur to the generation of all living Creatures, must also contribute to their preservati∣on and continuance in life; which being maintain'd by use of the same things (variety and change, though delightful, yet be∣ing the most manifest cause of brevity of life) that Climat which is most constant and least variable will be the properest for longaevity, and so much the more if it suits with our nature; such is the first Climat next the Aequinoctial, where things being al∣most always alike, bodies accustom'd thereunto receive less in∣convenience

thereby then under others, whose inequalities and irregularities produce most diseases. The natural purity of the Air, promoted by the breath of a gentle East Wind there reign∣ing continually; and the want of vapours and humidities, which commonly infect our Air, conduce greatly to the health of the Inhabitants; also when the dryness and coldness of their temper makes longer-liv'd, as appears by Ravens and Elephants, the most melancholy of all Animals, which are common in these parts where they live above 300 years. Moreover, Homer testi∣fies that Memnon King of Aethiopia liv'd 500 years; which (by the report of Xenophon) was the common age of most men of the same Country, where Francis Alvarez affirms in our time that he saw lusty men at 150 years of age; and that in Aegypt which lies near it, there are more old men then in any place of the World; and that women are so fruitful there that they bring forth three or four children at a time, rather through the goodness of the Climat then any nitrous vertue that is in the wa∣ters of Nilus. Hence possibly most Doctors place the Terresti∣al Paradise under the Aequinoctial, and the cause of our first Fa∣thers longaevity, who having been created under this Climat seem to have lost of its duration proportionably as they remov'd from the same Northwards (whence all evil comes) and towards the Zones wrongfully call'd Temperate, since more subject to alte∣ration then that call'd Torrid by the Ancients, who thought it unhabitable by reason of extream heat; although the continual Flowers and Fruits wherewith the always verdant Trees are la∣den testifie the contrary.

The Third said, Since Heaven is immutable and always like to it self, the Earth and Elements alone subject to change; the length and shortness of Life seems not to depend on Heaven but on Earth and the several dispositions of our Bodies: and the whole World being Man's Country, there is no place in it but is equally proper for his habitation, provided he be born there; because the Air he breathes and the Food he eats from his Nati∣vity, altering his Body, at length make his temper suitable to that of the place of his Education; which therefore he loves above any other.

The Fourth said, That Heaven remaining it self immutable, is nevertheless the cause of motions and mutations here below; its light producing different effects in the Earth according as it is re∣ceiv'd, the most sensible whereof are heat, dryness, and other qualities which diversifie the Seasons and Zones; of which the two temperate, especially the Northern seems most habitable and proper for longaevity. 'Tis also the most populous, and its Natives are not only the most healthy and lusty, but also the most refin'd and civiliz'd of all others. Now of the Climats of this Zone, the eighth, wherein Paris lyes, seems to me the healthiest of all, as well for pureness of Air as all other Causes.

The Fifth said, That the goodness of Climats depends not so much upon Heaven as the situation of each place in reference to the Winds, of which the Southern being the most unhealthy, therefore Towns defended by Mountains on the South are very healthy, especially if they lye towards the East, the Winds whereof are most healthy. And this is the cause of the diver∣sity observ'd in Countries lying in the same Climat, which ex∣perience not the same changes: as the Isle of France is very tem∣perate, and yet lyes in the same Climat with Podolia (a part of Poland) where the cold is extreamly rigorous: and in the Islands Bornaio and Sumatra men live commonly 130 years and are not black, as the Africans, whose life is very short, and yet they lye in the same Climat, namely, under the Aequinoctial Line.

The Sixth said, That Life being the continuance of the radi∣cal heat in Humidity, that Climat must be properest for Longaevi∣ty which will longest preserve that conjunction. The violent heat of the Climats near the Equator consumes the radical moi∣sture and makes the natural heat languish; although under the Line the coolness of the nights twelve hours long, renders it more supportable: whereas in our longest Summer-days when the Sun is in Cancer, he is no more then 18 degrees from the Horizon and so diffuses his rays upon the vapours hovering about the Earth, which reflecting the same after a refraction make the nights almost always light, and consequently hot; there being no light without heat. On the contrary, the Northern parts towards the Pole, receiving the Suns rays only obliquely are very cold and unfit for long-life, combating the heat and desic∣cating the radical moisture. But the temperately hot are the most healthy, especially if the air (of greatest necessity to Life) be pure and not corrupted by vapours.