The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

DE CALORE ET FRIGORE. 103
Cold maketh the pilage of beasts more thick other countries, all being within three months or
and long, as foxes of Muscovy, sables, &c. thereabouts.
Cold maketh the pilage of most beasts incline Qu. It is said, that compositions of honey, as
to grayness or whiteness, as foxes, bears, and mead, do ripen, and are most pleasant in the great
so the plumage of fowls; and maketh also the colds.
crests of cocks and their feet white, as is re- The frosts with us are casual, and not tied to
ported. any months, so as they are not merely caused by
Extreme cold will make nails leap out of the the recess of the sun, but mixed with some inferior
walls, and out of locks, and the like. causes. In the inland of the northern countries,
Extreme cold maketh leather to be stiff like as in Russia, the weather for the three or four
horn. months of November, December, January, FebIn frosty weather the stars appear clearest and ruary, is constant, viz. clear and perpetual frost,
most sparkling. without snows or rains.
In the change from frost to open weathers or There is nothing in our region, which, by apfrom open weather to frosts, commonly great proach of a matter hot, will not take heat by transimists. tion or excitation.
In extreme colds any thing never so little There is nothing hot here with us but is in a
which arresteth the air maketh it to congeal; as kind of consumption, if it carry heat in itself; for
we see in cobwebs in windows, which is one of all fired things are ready to consume; chafed
the least and weakest threads that is, and yet things are ready to fire; and the heat of men's
drops gather about it like chains of pearl. bodies needeth aliment to restore.
So in frosts, the inside of glass windows ga- The transition of heat is without any imparting
thereth a dew; Qu. if not more without. of substance, and yet remaineth after the body
Qut. Whether the sweating of marble and stones heated is withdrawn; for it is not like smells,
be in frost, or towards rain. for they leave some airs or parts; not like light,
Oil in time of frost gathereth to a substance, as for that abideth not when the first body is reof tallow; and it is said to sparkle some time, so moved; not unlike to the motion of the loadstone,
as it giveth a light in the dark. which is lent without adhesion of substance, for
The countries which lie covered with snow if the iron be filed where it was rubbed, yet it
have a hastier maturation of all grain than in will draw or turn.