The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

HISTORY OF LTFE AND DEATH. 479
under ground. Again, it hath been found out or some other way than by the stomach, then the
lately, that a slip of a wild tree, as of an elm, weakness of concoction, which is incident to old
oak, ash, or such like, grafted into a stock of the men, might be recompensed by these helps, and
same kind, will bring forth larger leaves than concoction restored to them entire.
those that grow without grafting. Also men are
not nourished so well with raw flesh as with that Length and Shortness of Life in cIJan.
which hath passed the fire. To the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, nintlh, and eleventh ar4. Living creatures are nourished by the mouth, ticles The History.
plants by the root, young ones in the womb by the 1. Before the flood, as the sacred Scriptures
navel. Birds for a while are nourished with the relate, men lived many hundred years; yet
yolk in the egg, whereof some is found in their none of the fathers attained to a full thousand.
crops after they are hatched. Neither was this length of life peculiar only to
5. All nourishment moveth from the centre grace or the holy line; for there are reckoned of
to the circumference, or from the inward to the the fathers, until the flood, eleven generations;
outward; yet it is to be noted, that in trees and but of the sons of Adam, by Cain, only eight
plants the nourishment passeth rather by the generations; so as the posterity of Cain may
bark and outward parts, than by the pith and seem the longer lived. But this length of life,
inward parts; for if the bark be pulled off, though immediately after the flood, was reduced to a
but for a small breadth round, they live no more; moiety, but in the postnati; for Noah, who was
and the blood in the veins of living creatures born before, equalled the age of his ancestors,
doth no less nourish the flesh beneath than the and Sem saw the six hundredth year of his life.
flesh above it. Afterwards, three generations being run from the
6. In all alimentation or nourishment there is flood, the life of man was brought down to a
a twofold action, extusion, and attraction; where- fourth part of the primitive age, that was, to
of the former proceeds from the inward function, about two hundred years.
the latter from the outward. 2. Abraham lived a hundred and seventy and
7. Vegetables assimilatetheir nourishment sim- five years; a man of a high courage, and prosperply, without excerning; for gums and tears of ous in all things. Isaac came to a hundred and
trees are rather exuberances than excrements, and eighty years of age; a chaste man, and enjoying
knots or knobs are nothing but diseases. But more quietness than his father. But Jacob, after
the substance of living creatures is more percep- many crosses, and a numerous progeny, lasted to
tible of the like; and, therefore, it is conjoined the one hundred and forty-seventh year of his life;
with a kind of disdain, whereby it rejecteth the a patient, gentle, and wise man. Ismael, a milibad and assimilateth the good. tary man, lived a hundred and thirty and seven
8. It is a strange thing of the stalks of fruits, years. Sarah (whose years only amongst women
that all the nourishment which produceth some- are recorded) died in the hundred and twentytimes such great fruits, should be forced to pass seventh year of her age; a beautiful and magthrough so narrow necks; for the fruit is never nanimous woman, a singular good mother and
joined to the stocks without some stalk. wife, and yet no less famous for her liberty than
9. It is to be noted, that the seeds of living obsequiousness towards her husband. Joseph,
creatures will not be fruitful but when they new also, a prudent and politic man, passing his
shed, but the seeds of plants will be fruitful a youth in affliction, afterwards advanced to the
long time after they are gathered; yet the slips or height of honour and prosperity, lived a hundred
cions of trees will not grow unless they be graft- and ten years. But his brother Levi, older than
ed green, neither will the roots keep long fresh himself, attained to a hundred and thirty-seven
unless they be covered with earth. years; a man impatient of contumely and re10. In living creatures there are degrees of vengeful. Near unto the same age attained the
nourishment according to their age; in the womb, son of Levi; also his grandchild, the father of
the young one is nourished with the mother's Aaron and Moses.
blood; when it is new-born, with milk; after- 3. Moses lived a hundred and twenty years; a
wards with meats and drinks: and in old age the stout man, and yet the meekest upon the earth,
most nourishing and savoury meats please best. and of a very slow tongue. Howsoever, Moses,
Above all, it maketh to the present inquisition, in his psalm, pronounceth that the life of man is
to inquire diligently and attentively whether a but seventy years, and if a man have strength,
man may not receive nourishment from without, then eighty; which term of man's life standeth
at least some other way besides the mouth. We firm in many particulars even at this day. Aaron,
know that baths of milk are used in some hectic who was three years the older, died the same
fevers, and when the body is brought extreme year with his brother; a man of a readier speech,
low, and physicians do provide nourishing glis- of a more facile disposition, and less constant,
ters. This matter would be well studied; for if But Phineas, grandchild of Aaron, (perhaps oint
nourishment may be made either from without, of extraordinary grace,) may be collected to have.