The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

CENT. VII. NATURAL HISTORY. 85
it is so old as to have milk; spurge is a kind of that the former kind have much and subtle heat,
poison in itself, and as for sow-thistles, though which causeth early sweetness; the latter have
coneys eat them, yet sheep and cattle will not a cold and acid juice, which no heat of the sun
touch them: and besides, the milk of them rub- can sweeten. But as for the myrobalane, it hath
bed upon warts, in short time weareth them away; parts of contrary natures; for it is sweet and yet
which showeth the milk of them to be corrosive. astringent.
We see also that wheat and other corn, sown, if 645. There be few herbs that have a salt taste;
you take them forth of the ground before they and contrariwise all blood of living creatures
sprout, are full of milk, and the beginning of ger- hath a saltness. The cause may be, for that
mination is ever akind of putrefaction oftheseed. salt, though it be the rudiment of life, yet in
Euphorbium also hath a milk, though not very plants the original taste remaineth not; for you
white, which is of a great acrimony: and salla- shall have them bitter, sour, sweet, biting, but
dine hath a yellow milk, which hath likewise seldom salt; but in living creatures, all those
much acrimony; for it cleanseth the eyes. It is high tastes may happen to be sometimes in the
good also for cataracts. humours, but are seldom in the flesh or substance,
640. Mushrooms are reported to grow, as well because it is of a more oily nature; which is not
upon the bodies of trees, as upon their roots, or very susceptible of those tastes, and the saltness
upon the earth; and especially upon the oak. itself of blood is but a light and secret saltness:
The cause is, for that strong trees are towards and even among plants, some do participate of
such excrescences in the nature of earth; and saltness, as alga marina, samphire, scurvy grass,
therefore put forth moss, mushrooms, and the &c. And the report, there is in some of the Indian
like. seas a swimming plant, which they call salgazus,
641. There is hardly found a plant that yield- spreading over the sea in such sort as one would
eth a red juice in the blade or ear; exceptit be the think it were a meadow. It is certain, that out
tree that beareth draconis sanguis; which grow- of the ashes of all plants they extract a salt which
eth chiefly in the island Socotra: the herb ama- they use in medicines.
ranthus, indeed, is red all over; and brazil is red 646. It is reported by one of the ancients, that
in the wood: and so is red sanders. The tree of there is an herb growing in the water, called linthe sanguis draconis groweth in the form of a costis, which is full of prickles:this herb putteth
sugar-loaf. It is like that the sap of that plant forth another small herb out of the leaf; which is
concocteth in the body of the tree. For we see imputed to some moisture that is gathered between
that grapes and pomegranates are red in the the prickles, which putrefied by the sun germijuice, but are green in the tear: and this maketh nateth. But I remember also I have seen, for a
the tree of sanguis draconis lesser towards the great rarity, one rose grow out of another like
top; because the juice hasteneth not up: and honeysuckles, that they call top and top-gallants.
besides, it is very astringent; and therefore of 647. Barley, as appeareth in the malting, beslow motion. ing steeped in water three days, and afterwards
642. It is reported that sweet moss, besides the water drained from it, and the barley turned
that upon the apple trees, groweth likewise some- upon a dry floor, will sprout half an inch long at
times upon poplars; and yet generally the poplar least: and if it be let alone, and not turned, much
is a smooth tree of bark, and hath little moss. more; until the heart be out. Wheat will do the
The moss of the larix-tree burneth also sweet, same. Try it also with peas and beans. This
and sparkleth in the burning. Qutery of the experiment is not like that of the orpine and
mosses of odorate trees, as cedar, cypress, lig- semper-vive, for there it is of the old store, for
num aloes, &c. no water is added, but here it is nourished from the
643. The death that is most without pain, hath water. The experiment would be farther driven:
been noted to be upon the taking of the potion of for it appeareth already, by that which hath been
hemlock; which in humanity was the form of said, that earth is not necessary to the first sproutexecution of capital offenders in Athens. The ing of plants, and we see that rose-buds set in
poison of the asp, that Cleopatraused, hath some water will blow: therefore try whether the
affinity with it. The cause is, for that the tor- sprouts of such grains may not be raised to a farments of death are chiefly raised by the strife of ther degree, as to an herb, or flower, with water
the spirits; and these vapours quench the spirits only, or some small commixture of earth: for if
by degrees; like to the death of an extreme old they will, it should seem by the experiments beman. I conceive it is less painful than opium, fore, both of the malt and of the roses, that they
because opium hath parts of heat mixed. will come far faster on in water than in earth; for
644. There be fruits that are sweet before they the nourishment is easilier drawn out of water
be ripe, as myrobalanes; so fennel seeds are than out of earth. It may give some light also,
sweet before they ripen, and after grow spicy. that drink infused with flesh, as that with the
And some never ripen to be sweet; as tamarinds, capon, &c., will nourish faster and easilier than
berberries, crabs, sloes, &c. The cause is, for meat and drink together. Try the same experi
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