The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

CENT. IX. NATURAL HISTORY. 113
them; much more the spirits: and we see that to the more general axioms by scale. And of
those excrements that are of the first digestion, these kinds of processes of natures and charae
smell the worst; as the excrements from the ters of matter, we will novt set down some inbelly; those that are from the second digestion stances.
less ill: as urine; and those that are from the
third, yet less: for sweat is not so bad as the Experiment solitary touching the causesof putrefacother two; especially of some persons, that are tion.
full of heat. Likewise most putrefactions are 836. All putrefactions come chiefly from the
of an odious smell: for they smell either fetid or inward spirits of the body; and partly also from
mouldy. The cause may be, for that putrefaction the ambient body, be it air, liquor, or whatsoever
doth bring forth such a consistence, as is most else. And this last by two means: either by incontrary to the consistence of the body whilst it gress of the substance of the ambient body into
is sound: for it is a mere dissolution of that form. the body putrefied; or by excitation and solicitaBesides, there is another reason, which is pro- tion of the body putrefied, and the parts thereof,
found: and it is, that the objects that please any by the body ambient. As for the received opiof the senses have all some equality, and, as it nion, that putrefaction is caused, either by cold, or
were, order in their composition; but where those peregrine and preternatural heat, it is but nugaare wanting, the object is ever ingrate. So mix- tion: for cold, in things inanimate, is the greatest
ture of many disagreeing colours is ever unplea- enemy that is to putrefaction; though it extinsant to the eye: mixture of discordant sounds guisheth vivification, which ever consisteth in
is unpleasant to the ear: mixture, or hotchpotch spirits attenuate, which the cold doth congeal
of many tastes, is unpleasant to the taste; harsh- and coagulate. And as for the peregrine heat, it
ness and ruggedness of bodies is unpleasant to is thus far true, that if the proportion of the adthe touch; now it is certain, that all putrefaction, ventive heat be greatly predominant to the
being a dissolution of the first form, is a mere natural heat and spirits of the body, it tendeth to
confusion and unformed mixture of the part. Ne- dissolution, or notable alteration. But this is
vertheless it is strange, and seemeth to cross the wrought by emission, or suppression, or suffocaformer observation, that some putrefactions and tion, of the native spirits; and also by the disorexcrements do yield excellent odours, as civet and dination and discomposture of the tangible parts,
musk; and, as some think, ambergrease: for and other passages of nature, and not by a condivers take it, though improbably, to come from flict of heats.
the sperm of fish: and the moss we spake of from
apple-trees is little better than an excretion. The Experiment solitary touching bodies ulnpe2ifectly
reason may be, for that there passeth in the ex- mixed.
crements, and remaineth in the putrefactions, 837. In versions, or main alterations of bodies,
some good spirits; especially where they pro- there is a medium between the body, as it is at
ceed from creatures that are very hot. But it first, and the body resulting; which medium is
may be also joined with a further cause, which is corpus imperfecte mistum, and is transitory, and
more subtile; and it is, that the senses love not not durable; as mists, smokes, vapours, chylu
to be over-pleased, but to have a commixture of in the stomach, living creatures in the first vivifd
somewhat that is in itself ingrate. Certa.inly, cation; and the middle action, which produceti
we see how discords in music, falling upon con- such imperfect bodies, is fitly called, by some o
cords, make the sweetest strains: and we see the ancients, inquination, or inconcoction, whicl
again, what strange tastes delight the taste: as is a kind of putrefaction: for the parts are in con
red herrings, caviary, parmesan, &c. And it fusion, till they settle one way or other.
may be the same holdeth in smells: for those kind
of smells that we have mentioned, are all strong, Experiment solitary touching concoction and
and do pull and vellicate the sense. And we find crudity.
also, that places where men urine, commonly 838. The word concoction, or digestion, is
have some smells of violets: and urine, if one chiefly taken into use from living creatures and
hath eaten nutmeg, hath so too. their organs; and from thence extended to liquors
The slothful, general, and indefinite contem- and fruits, &c. Therefore they speak of meat
plations, and notions, of the elements and their concocted; urine and excrements concocted; and
conjurations; oftheinfluences of heaven; of heat, the four digestions, in the stomach, in the liver,
cold, moisture, drought, qualities active, passive, in the arteries and nerves, and in the several
and the like, have swallowed up the true pas- parts of the body, are likewise call concoctions:
sages, and processes, and affects, and consis- and they are all made to be the works of heat;
tences of matter and natural bodies. Therefore all which notions are but ignorant catches of a
they are to be set aside, being but notional and ill few things, which are most obvious to men's obhlimited; and definite axioms are to be drawn out servations. The constantest notion of concoction
of measured instances: and so assent to be made is, that it should signify the degrees of alteration,
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