THE CONTENTS

• Of the First Letter.
  BEing a Commendation of Averroes his Learning. A modest Request to that Philosopher to give a full Satis∣faction concerning the Nature of the Men∣struum of the Stomach.
• Of the Second Letter.
  That the Prejudices of Education ought to be subdued. That Philosophy allows a greater Liberty for the Exercise of Rea∣son than the Mysteries of Faith. The Vulgar Notion of the Menstruum De∣scribed, and Disapproved, and the Rea∣sons of Disliking it assigned. The Incon∣sistency of the Common Opinion Demon∣strated Page  [unnumbered]〈◊〉 the Nature of the Men∣struum. That Egg-shells and Oyster∣shells are of the same V••tue in M••••inal Operations with Powder of Peart, 〈◊〉 often used by Apothecaries for the 〈◊〉 Purposes, and at the same Rates.
• Of. the Third Letter.
  Th••••e Nature, Quality and Oper•∣tion of the Menstruum Described. I• Resembl•〈◊〉 with the Ʋniversal Men∣str••• of the World. The principal seat of its generation. That a disordered Menstruum is an Argument of an In∣disposed Constitution: And how the dis∣order may be Remedied.
• Of the Fourth Letter.
  That Experience i• the truest Ground of Knowledge. The Reason why Physici∣ans commonly Mistake in the Notion of the Menstruum. The Office of the Men∣struum. Too much Nourishment preju∣dicial to the Menstruum. The manner Page  [unnumbered] of Concoction of Food in the Stomach, &c. The Benefits of the Menstruum in Application to external Wounds and ••res, &c. The proper Means of gene∣••ting the Menstruum; and what Meats and Drinks destroy it.
• Of the Fifth Letter.
  Whether there be any Fixed Salts in Vegetables or Animals, Determined Ne∣••tively; with the Reasons assigned. Bitter Herbs afford most Salt. No Chy∣mical Art can unfix Salt. The proper way of unfixing it. The Physical Ʋses of Fixed Salts. What sort of Salt is most Medicinal. All Spirits drawn from Ve∣getables, have the same, or very like Ope∣ration. From what Vegetable the best is Extracted.
• Of the Sixth Letter.
  Methods to be Observed by Consump∣tive People. The Nature and Ʋse of Milk discoursed of. The proper Season of Page  [unnumbered] the Year for •ating it. Methods to be ob∣served by each Constitution.
• Of the Seventh Letter,
  The Excellency of Herbs, and how pre∣pared. That Wind is an Epidemical Di∣stemper: The best way to prevent and re∣m•••〈◊〉. Th• Occasio• of 〈◊〉, and the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉•hem. Of Fasting a••〈…〉 the Ind••• Physici••• and Brachma•• us• with their 〈◊〉.
• Of the Ei••••••ter.
  Methods the Brachmans prescribe to be observed by their Women, during the time of their Impregnation, Lying-in, giving Suck, &c. in respect both to Mind and Body. Silence Recommended. Chear∣fulness Commended. The Brachmans Opinion of the Power of Musick. Their Receipt to Cure Swelled Breasts. Sugar a great Balsamick. Their manner of the Education of Youth. The great Influence Page  [unnumbered] and Power of the three grand Spirits of ••e World. Idleness Condemned. The Reason why their Children never depart from the Law of their Fathers. An In∣st•nce thereof produced.
• Of the Ninth Letter.
  The Brachmans Opinion of the Soul of Man. The Original of Man's Depravity. All Violence and Oppression of Inferior Creatures forbid. Their Notion of the proportion of Rewards and Punishments in •he other Life, An Account of their Belief of Transmigration, and the Mid∣dle State. The Power of Sympathetick Prayer.
• Of the Tenth Letter.
  The Indian King's Summons to Py∣thagoras to appear at Court.
• Page  [unnumbered]
  Of the Eleventh Letter.
  Pythagoras his Answer to the King of India. Abstinence from eating Fl••• proved as Ancient as the World. Vio∣lence to inferior Creatures forbidden upon account of Moral Justice and Goodness. Hunting Condemned. The Dignity of the Animal Nature asserted and proved. How the Knowledge of Divine Magick •s attainable.
• Of the Tw•l•th Letter.
  • Pythagoras his Account of the Powers, Vertues and Efficacy of Numbers: The Method of using them in the Cure of Dis∣eases.
  • Of the Discourse between Pythagoras, and the King of India.
  • Page  [unnumbered] Prejudice, Custom, and common Opi∣nion, Enemies to Knowledge and Vertue. The Original Composition of Man. The Occasions of his Degeneracy.
  • The true Reason of the Liberty of the Will assigned. That a Lawless Liberty to do what we will, is a mistaken Notion of the Power of Man. Wherein the Dignity •nd Power of Man does cousist. In what •ence Man is the Image of God, and how •he ought to Govern Inferior Creatures. Power to do any thing is no Argument for the Lawfulness of doing it. The Morta∣lity of Brutes no Reason for our Abusing them.
• Of the Thirteenth Letter.
  Of the Nature of true Religion. That it does not consist in the Observation of external Ceremonies. Wherein it does consist. That the Imposition of needless Things in Religion, gives Birth to most of the Confusions that happen in the World.
• Page  [unnumbered]
  Of the Fourteenth Letter.
  • Of the Power, Excellencies and Effects of Musick. The Subject of the Hymns and Songs of the Pythagoreans, the Re•∣son of their use of them annexed.
  • An Extract of Twenty Eight Precepts that Pythagoras left his Disciples.