The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

112 NATURAL HISTORY. CENT. IX.
hard; though the former be but from an outward Certain it is, that bay-salt, which is but a kind
cause; for that the stone, or wainscot, turneth of water congealed, will sometimes smell like
and beateth back the air against itself; and the violets.
latter is an inward swelling of the body of the
wood itself. Experiment solitary touching sweet smells.
833. To sweet smells heat is requisite to conExperiment solitary touching the nature of appetite coct the matter; and some moisture to spread the
in the stomach. breath of them. For heat, we see that woods
831. Appetite is moved chiefly by things that and spices are more odorate in the hot countries
are cold and dry; the cause is, for that cold is a than in the cold: for moisture, we see that things
kind of indigence of nature, and calleth upon too much dried lose their sweetness: and flowers
supply; and so is dryness: and therefore all sour growing, smell better in a morning or evening
things, as vinegar, juice of lemons, oil of vitriol, than at noon. Some sweet smells are destroyed
&c., provoke appetite. And the disease which by approach to the fire; as violets, wallflowers,
they call appetitus caninus, consisteth in the gillyflowers, pinks; and generally all flowers
matter of an acid and glassy phlegm in the mouth that have cool and delicate spirits. Some conof the stomach. Appetite is also moved by sour tinue both on the fire, and from the fire; as rosethings; for that sour things induce a contraction water, &c. Some do scarce come forth, or at
in the nerves placed in the mouth of the stomach, least not so pleasantly, as by means of the fire;
which is a great cause of appetite. As for the as juniper, sweet gums, &c., and all smells that
cause why onions, and salt, and pepper in baked are enclosed in a fast body: but generally those
meats, move appetite, it is by vellication of those smells are the most grateful, where the degree
nerves; for motionwhetteth. Asforwormwood, of heat is small; or where the strength of the
olives, capers, and others of that kind, which par- smell is allayed; for these things do rather woo
ticipate of bitterness, they move appetite by ab- the sense, than satiate it. And therefore the
stersion. So as there be four principal causes of smell of violets and roses exceedeth in sweetness
appetite; the refrigeration of the stomach joined that of spices and gums; and the strongest sort
with some dryness, contraction, vellication, and of smells are best in a weft afar off.
abstersion; besides hunger; which is an emptiness; and yet over-fasting doth, many times, Experiment solitary touching the corporeal subcause the appetite to cease; for that want of meat stance of smells.
maketh the stomach draw humours, and such 834. It is certain, that no smell issueth but
humours as are light and choleric, which quench with emission of some corporeal substance; not
appetite most. as it is in light, and colours, and in sounds.
For we see plainly, that smell doth spread noExperiment solitary touching sweetness of odour thing that distance that the other do. It is true,
from the rainbow, that some woods of oranges, and heaths of rose832. It bath been observed by the ancients, mary, will smell a great way into the sea, perthat where a rainbow seemeth to hang over or haps twenty miles; but what is that, since a peal
to touch, there breatheth forth a sweet smell. of ordnance will do as much, which moveth in a
The cause is, for that this happeneth but in cer- small compass? Whereas those woods and
tain matters, which have in themselves some heaths are of vast spaces; besides, we see that
sweetness; which the gentle dew of the rainbow smells do adhere to hard bodies; as in perfumdoth draw forth: and the like do soft showers; ing of gloves, &c., which showeth them corporeal;
for they also make the ground sweet: but none and do last a great while, which sounds and light
are so delicate as the dew of the rainbow where do not.
it falleth. It may be also that the water itself
hath some sweetness; for the rainbow consisteth Experiment solitary touching fetid and fragrant
of a glomeration of small drops, which cannot odours.
possibly fall but from the air that is very low; 835. The excrements of most creatures smell
and therefore may hold the very sweetness ill; chiefly to the same creature that voideth
of the herbs and flowers, as a distilled water; them: for we see, besides that of man, that
for rain, and other dew that fall from high, can- pigeons and horses thrive best, if their houses
not preserve the smell, being dissipated in the and stables be kept sweet, and so of cage birds:
drawing up: neither do we know, whether some and the cat burieth that which she voideth: and it
water itself may not have some degree of sweet- holdeth chiefly in those beast.s which feed upon
ness. It is true, that we find it sensibly in no flesh. Dogs almost only of beasts delight in fetid
pool, river, nor fountain; but good earth, newly odours, which showeth there is somewhat in their
turned up, hath a freshness and good scent; sense of smell differing from the smells of other
which water, if it be not too equal, for equal ob- beasts. But the cause why excrements smell ill
lects never move the sense, may also have. is manifest; for that the body itself rejecteth