A general collection of discourses of the virtuosi of France, upon questions of all sorts of philosophy, and other 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.

II. Whether Wine is most to be temper'd in Winter or in Summer.

Upon the Second Poynt 'twas said, They who impute most diseases to the use of Wine, because the Eastern people who use it not are, free or less troubled with maladies, will conclude (as he did who marri'd a very little Woman, as the least Evil) that Wine most qualifid is best, in case it cannot be wholly let alone. But the Question will still remain, in which season, Winter or Summer, it is most to be mix'd. Now there being less heat, and more humidity in the body during Winter, by reason of the outward cold, and closing of the pores, it seems that Wine should be taken unmixt in this season. For being heat consists in a proportion of the qualities, that which exceds must be cor∣rected by its contrary, and the weak strengthened; as they that would walk upright on a rope, must turn their counterpoize to the side opposite to that whereunto they incline.

The Second said, That in Summer the Wine should be more temper'd, because then the natural heat is least, as Caves are cold in Summer and hot in Winter. Whence Hippocrates said, that the bowels are hotter in Winter and Spring, whence people have then better stomacks; the capacities being enlarged by the dila∣tation of heat, and sleep likewise longer, through the abun∣dance of vapours rising from the blood, which is made in greater quantity when the natural is strong then when it is weak. More∣over, bodies are more healthy in cold weather then in hot, which causing great dissipation of heat and spirits, the losse cannot be better repair'd then by unmixt Wine, whose actual coldness be∣ing overcome by our Nature, its potential heat is reduc'd into act, and fortifies ours, adding also its volatile spirits to our spirits, as old regiments are recruited by new levies.

The Third said, That the best food being assimilated and least excrementitious, as Wine is in all seasons, it ought not to be mix'd either in Summer or Winter, aqueous Wine making ma∣ny serous excrements which cause obstructions; whereas pure Wine is good in Winter to assist the natural heat, assaulted by the outward cold, and to digest the crudities commonly gene∣rated during this season; and in Summer to support the lan∣guishing spirits by supplying new matter. But if the necessity of a hot distemper require mixture of water, I would have it pour'd into the wine two hours before it be drunk, that so fer∣mentation may in some measure turn the water into the nature of the wine, and the encounter of these two enemies may be rather in a strange Country then in ours.

The Fourth said, 'Twas not without mystery that the Poets feign'd Bacchus new come forth out of Jupiter's thigh with an inflam'd countenance, to have been deliver'd to the Nymphs to wash him, and that the seven Pleiades, whose rising denounces rain, had the principal charge of him; and that the Mytholo∣gists represent this God of Wine follow'd by a company of mis∣chievous demons call'd Cabals, the chief of which they name Acrat, which signifies pure wine; hereby intimating the disor∣ders it causes when its fumes are not abated with water. More∣over, when Amplychion, King of Athens, had first put water into his wine, and every one by his example, a Temple was built in the City to Bacchus erect or standing; intimating that as mere wine causes reeling, so temper'd makes one walk upright. The truth is, unmix'd wine is always dangerous, filling the brain with hot and pungent vapours, which water allays and gives a temper to, sutable to our natural heat, which is mild and gen∣tle; whereas these spirits are of themselves igneous, as the burn∣ing of Aqua-vitae testifies. But 'tis less hurtful to drink pure wine in Winter then in Summer, when the natural heat be∣ing igneous and encreas'd by the outward would turn into a distemper by the adventitious heat of wine, which, on the contrary, in Winter counter-checks the outward coldness of the air.

The Fifth said, If we believe the Poet Orpheus, who advises to drink unmix'd wine twenty days before the rising of the Dog∣star, and as many after, then wine must not be temper'd in Sum∣mer; a custom practis'd still in Italy, where in the heats of Sum∣mers they drink the strongest and most delicious wines without water. Moreover, people eating less in this hot season should therefore drink the more pure wine, as more nourishing. Be∣sides that the aqueous crudities of fruits eaten in Summer is corrected by the heat of wine.

The Sixth said, That regard is herein to be had to every one's constitution; phlegmatick, old men, and such as have cold sto∣macks, may drink wine without water, as also those that have Fames Canina: but the cholerick and young must temper it if they

do not wholly abstain, yet always having regard to custom, and the nature of wines; amongst which, if we believe the Germans, their wine cannot endure water, no more then the water of the Island of Tenos can endure wine.