The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

496 HISTORY OF LIFE AND DEATH.
disposed, then to apply themselves to feastings, greater dominion over the affections, especially
Venus, labours, endeavours, business, whereas, if the daily affections, than either the heart or brain,
they have a regard to long life, (which may seem only those things excepted which are wrought by
strange,) they should rather practise the contrary. potent vapours, as in drunkenness and melanFor we ought to cherish and preserve good spirits; choly.
and for the evil disposed spirits to discharge and 99. Touching the operation upon the spirits,
alter them. that they may remain youthful, and renew their
95. Ficinus saith not unwisely, that old men, vigour thus much, which we have done more accufor the comforting of their spirits, ought often to rately, for that there is for the most part amongst
remember and ruminate upon the acts of their physicians, and other authors, touching these
childhood and youth; certainly such a remem- operations, a deep silence; but especially, because
brance is a kind of peculiar recreation to every old the operation upon the spirits, and their waxing
man: and, therefore, it is a delight to men to green again, is the most ready and compendious
enjoy the society of them which have been brought way to long life, and that for a twofold compenup together with them, and to visit the places of diousness; one, because the spirits work compentheir education. Vespasian did attribute so much diously upon the body; the other, because vapours
to this matter, that when he was emperor, he would and the affections work compendiously upon the
by no means be persuaded to leave his father's spirits, so as these attain the end, as it were, in a
house, though but mean, lest he should lose the right line, other things rather in lines circular.
wonted object of his eyes, and the memory of his
childhood. And besides, he would drink in a II. The Operation upon the Exclusion ~f the /ir.
wooden cup tipped with silver, which was his The History.
grandmother's, upon festival days. 1. The exclusion of the air ambient tendeth to
96. One thing above all is grateful to the spi- length of life two ways; first, for that the external
rits, that there be a continual progress to the more air, next unto the native spirits, howsoever the air
benign; therefore we should lead such a youth may be said to animate the spirit of man, and conand manhood, that our old age should find new ferreth not a little to health, doth most of all prey
solaces, whereof the chief is moderate ease: and, upon the juices of the body, and hasten the desictherefore, old men in honourable places lay vio- cation thereof; and therefore the exclusion of it
lent hands upon themselves, who retire not to their is effectual to length of life.
ease; whereof may be found an eminent example 2. Another effect which followeth the exclusion
in Cassiodorus, who was of that reputation of air is much more subtile and profound: namely,
amongst the gothish Kings of Italy, that he was that the body closed up, and not perspiring by
as the soul of their affairs; afterwards, being near the pores, detaineth the spirits within, and turneth
eighty years of age, he betook himself to a mo- it upon the harder parts of the body, whereby the
nastery, where he ended not his days before he spirit mollifies and intenerates them.
was a hundred years old. But this thing doth 3. Of this thing, the reason is explained in the
require two cautions: one, that they drive not off desiccation of inanimate bodies, and it is an axiom
till their bodies be utterly worn out and diseased; almost infallible, that the spirit discharged and
for in such bodies all mutation, though to the more issuing forth, drieth bodies; detained, melteth and
benign, hasteneth death; the other, that they sur- intenerateth them. And it is further to be assumed,
render not themselves to a sluggish ease, butthat that all heat doth properly attenuate and moisten,
they embrace something which may entertain their and contracteth and drieth only by accident.
thoughts and mind with contentation; in which 4. Leading the life in dens and caves, where
kind, the chief delights are reading and contenm- the air receives not the sunbeams, may be effectual
plation, and then the desires of building and to long life. For the air of itself doth not much
planting. towards the depredation of the body, unless it be
97. Lastly: the same action, endeavour, and stirred up by heat. Certainly, if a man shall
labour, undertaken cheerfully and with a good recall things past to his memory, it will appear
will, doth refresh the spirits, but with an aversa- that the statures of men have been anciently much
tion and unwillingness, doth fret and deject them; greater than those that succeeded, as in Sicily,
and therefore it conferreth to long life, either that and some other places: but this kind of men led
a man hath the art to institute his life so as it may their lives, for the most part, in caves. Now,
be free and suitable to his own humour, or else to length of life, and largeness of limbs, have some
lay such a command upon his mind, that whatso- affinity; the cave also of Epimenides walks among
ever is imposed by fortune, it may rather lead him the fables. I suppose likewise, that the life of
than drag him. columnar anchorites was a thingl resembling the
98. Neither is that to be omitted towards the life in caves, in respect the sunbeams could not
government of the affections, that especial care be much pierce thither, nor the air receive any great
taken of the month of the stomach, especially that changes or inequalities. This is certain, both the
it be not too much relaxed; for that part hath a Simeon Stelitas, as well Daniel as Saba, and