← Back to the beginning of Essay 1. Of Its Usefulness in Reference to the Mind of Man
Yes, Pyrophilus, as the Understanding is the highest faculty in Man, so its Pleasures are the highest he can naturally receive. And therefore I cannot much wonder that the famous Archimedes lighting in a Bath upon an Expedient to resolve a perplexing difficultie in Naturall Philosophy, should leap out of the Bath, and run unclothed like a mad-man, crying nothing but Εὕρηκα, Εὕρηκα, I have found it, I have found it. Nor do I so much admire as deplore the fatally venturous Curiosity of the Elder Pliny, who, as the Younger relates, could not be deterr’d by the formidablenesse of the destructive flames vomited by Vesuvius, from indevoring by their Light to read the Nature of such Vulcanian Hils; but in spight of all the disswasions of his Friends, and the affrighting eruptions of that hideous Place, he resolved that Flaming Wonder should rather kill him, then escape him; and thereupon approch’d so neer that he lost his Life to satisfie his Curiosity, and fell (if I may so speak) a Martyr to Physiologie. For we daily see Alchymists hazard their Lives on Minerall Experiments in Furnaces, where though the fires are not so vast and fierce, as those that Pliny went to consider; yet the (dangerous when not pernicious) Fumes do sometimes prove as fatall.
One would think, Pyrophilus, that the conversing with dead and stinking Carkases (that are not onely hideous objects in themselves, but made more ghastly by the puting us in mind that our selves must be such) should be not onely a very melancholy, but a very hated imployment. And yet, Pyrophilus, there are Anatomists who dote upon it; and I confess its Instructiveness has not onely so reconciled me to it, but so enamor’d me of it, that I have often spent hours much less delightfully, not onely in Courts, but even in Libraries, then in tracing in those forsaken Mansions, the inimitable Workmanship of the Omniscient Architect.
The curious Works of famous Artificers, are wont to invite the Visits, and excite the wonder of the generality of inquisitive Persons. And I remember, that in my Travels, I have often taken no small pains to obtain the pleasure of gazing upon some Masterpiece of Art: But now, I confess, I could with more delight look upon a skilful Dissection, then the famous Clock at Strasburg. And, methinks, Aristotle discourses very Philosophically in that place, where passing from the consideration of the sublimist productions of Nature, to justifie his diligence in recording the more homely Circumstances of the History of Animals, he thus discourses: Restat (saith he) ut de animanti natura disseramus,1 nihil pro viribus omittentes vel vilius vel nobilius. Nam & in iis quae hoc in genere minùs grata nostro occurrunt sensui, Natura parens & author omnium miras excitat voluptates hominibus, qui intelligunt causas & ingenuè Philosophantur. Absurdum enim nulla ratione probandum est, si imagines quidem rerum naturalium non sine delectatione proptereà inspectamus, quòd ingenium contemplatur quod illas condiderit, id est, artem pingendi aut fingendi; rerum autem ipsarum naturae ingenio miráque solertia constitutam contemplationem non magis prosequamur atque exosculemur, modo causas perspicere valeamus: It remains (saith he) that we discourse of the natures of Animals, being circumspect to omit none, either of the nobler or inferior sort: For even from those Creatures which less please our sense, does the universal Parent, Nature, afford incredible contentments to such Persons, as understand their causes, and Philophize ingenuously. Since it were absurd and inconsistent to reason, if we should behold the Portraitures of Natural things with delectation, because we observe the accuratness wherewith they are designed, namely, the skil of Painture or Sculpture; and not much more affect and pursue the contemplation of things themselves, contrived by the exquisite Artifice and Sagacity of Nature, provided we be able to understand their causes. And the better to make out to you, Pyrophilus, the delightfulness of the study of Natural Philosophy, let me observe to you, That those pleasing Truths it teacheth us, do highly gratifie our intellectual Faculties, without displeasing any of them: for they are none of those Criminal Pleasures, which injur’d and incensed Conscience does very much allay, even in the Fruition, and turns into Torments after it. Nor are the Enquiries I am recommending of that trifling and unserviceable sort of Imployments, which though Conscience condemns not as unlawful for a Christian, Reason disapproves as not worthy of a Philosopher; and wherewith to be much delighted, argues a weakness; as to be pleased with Babies and Whistles, supposes unripe and weak Intellectuals: But the contemplation of Nature, is an Imployment, which both the Possessors of the sublimest Reason, and those of the severest Virtue, have not onely allowed, but cultivated. The Learned Author of the Book De Mundo, ascrib’d to Aristotle, begins it with this Elogium of Natural Philosophy: Mihi quidem saepe (says he) divina quaedem res, Alexander, admirationeque digna visa est Philosophia; praecipuè vero in ea parte in qua sola ipsa sublime sese tollens ad contemplandas rerum naturas, magno illic studio contendit existentem in his veritatem pernoscere. Philosophy (saith he) O Alexander, hath oftentimes seem’d to me a Divine and Admirable Thing; but chiefly, that part of it, which aspires to contemplate the Natures of things, imploying its utmost power in searching out the truth contained in them. The reasonableness of which Commendation, he handsomly enough prosecutes in the subsequent Discourse: To which I shall refer you, that I may proceed to minde you, that Pythagoras, Democritus, Plato, and divers others of those whose Wisdom made after-ages reverence Antiquity, did not onely esteem the Truths of Nature worth studying for, but thought them too worth Travelling for as far as those Eastern Regions, whose Wise-men were then cry’d up for the best Expositors of the obscure Book of Nature. And that severe Teacher, and perswasive Recommender of the strictest Virtue, Seneca (whose eminent Wisdom made him invited to govern Him that was to govern the World, and who so often and so excellently presses the husbanding of our time) does not onely in several Passages of his Writings praise a contemplation of Nature, but Writes himself seven Books of Natural Questions, and addresses them to that very Lucilius, whom in his Epistles he takes such pains to make compleatly Virtuous; and in his Preface, after he had said according to his manner, loftily, Equidem tunc Naturae rerum gratias ago, cum illam non ab hac parte video, quae publica est,2 sed cum secretiora ejus intravi, cum disco quae Universi Materia sit, quis Author, aut Custos, &c. Then do I pay my acknowledgements to Nature, when I behold her not on the out-side, which is obvious to publick view, but am enter’d into her more secret Recesses; when I understand what the Matter of the Universe is, who its Author, and Preserver, &c. He concludes in the same strain, Nisi ad haec admitterer, non fuerat operae pretium nasci: Had I been debarr’d from these things, it would not have been worth coming into the World. And to adde what he excellently says in another Treatise, Ad haec quaerenda natus (says he, having spoken of Enquiries concerning the Universe) aestima quàm non multùm acceperit temporis, etiam si illud totum sibi vindicet, cui licet nihil facilitate eripi, nihil negligentia patiatur excidere; licet horas suas avarissime servet, & usque in ultimae aetatis humanae terminos procedat, nec quicquid illi ex eo quod Natura constituit fortuna concutiat; tamen homo ad immortalium cognitionem nimis mortalis est. Ergo secundum Naturam vivo, si totum me illi dedi, si illius Admirator Cultorque sum. Natura autem utrumque facere me voluit & agere, & contemplationi vacare. Being born designedly for searching out these things,3 consider that the portion of time allotted to Man, is not great, if this study should ingross it all; since though he should preserve his hours with the greatest frugality all his life-time, not suffering any to be stolen from him, or slide away negligently, and never be disturbed by Accidents of Fortune in the Imployment Nature has appointed him, yet is he too Mortal to attain the knowledge of Immortal Things. Wherefore, I live agreeably to Nature, when I give up my self wholly to Her, and am Her Admirer and Adorer. Moreover, Nature hath designed me to act, and imploy my self in Contemplation. How far Religion is from dis-approving the Study of Physiology, I shall have occasion to manifest ere long, when we shall come to shew, That it is an act of Piety to offer up for the Creatures the Sacrifice of Praise to the Creator; For, as anciently among the Jews, by virtue of an Aaronical Extraction, Men were born with a Right to Priesthood; so Reason is a Natural Dignity, and Knowledge a Prerogative, that can confer a Priesthood without Unction or Imposition of Hands. And as for Reason, that is so far from making us judge that Imployment unworthy of Rational Creatures, that those Philosophers (as Aristotle, Epicurus, Democritus, &c.) that have improv’d Reason to the greatest height, have the most seriously and industriously imploy’d it to investigate the Truths, and promote the study of Natural Philosophy.
And indeed, that noble Faculty call’d Reason, being conscious of the great progress it may enable us to make in the knowledge of Natures Mysteries, if it were industriously imploy’d in the study of them, cannot, but like a great Commander, think it self disobliged by not being considerably employ’d. And certainly we are wanting to our selves, and are guilty of little less then our own Degradation, that being by Gods peculiar vouchsafement, endowed with those noble Faculties of Understanding, and Discoursing, and plac’d amidst a numberless variety of Objects, that incessantly invite our Contemplations, can content our selves to behold so many Instructive Creatures which make up this vast Universe, whose noblest Part we are design’d to be, with no more, or but little more discerning Eyes then those less favored Animals, to whom Nature hath denyed the Prerogative of Reason, as we deny our selves the use of it. Aristotle well observes, that among Animals, Man alone is of an erected Stature; and adds, That it is because his Nature hath something in it of Divine: Officium autem Divini (infers he) est intelligere atque Sapere:4 The Qualifications of a Divine Being, are Understanding and Wisdom. And it cannot but mis-become the dignity of such a Creature to live Ignorant or Unstudious of the Laws and Constitutions of that great Commonwealth (as divers of the Antients have not improperly stiled the World) whereof he is the eminentest part: And were we not lulled asleep by Custom or Sensuality, it could not but Trouble, as well as it Injures a reasonable Soul to Ignore the Structure and Contrivance of that admirably Organiz’d Body in which she lives, and to whose intervention she owes the Knowledge she hath of other Creatures.
‘Tis true indeed, that even the generality of Men, without making it their design, know somewhat more of the Works of Nature, then Creatures destitute of Reason can, by the advantage of that Superior Faculty, which cannot but even unurg’d, and of its own accord make some, though but slight, reflections on the Information of the Senses: But if those Impressions be onely receiv’d and not improv’d, but rather neglected; and if we (contenting our selves with the superficial account given us of things by their obvious Appearances and Qualities) are beholding for that we know, to our Nature, not our Industry, we faultily loose both one of the noblest Imployments, and one of the highest Satisfactions of our rational Faculty: And he that is this way wanting to himself, seems to live in this magnificent Structure, call’d the Universe, not unlike a Spider in a Palace; who taking notice onely of those Objects that obtrude themselves upon her Senses, lives ignorant of all the other Rooms of the House, save that wherein she lurks, and discerning nothing either of the Architecture of the stately Building, or of the Proportion of the Parts of it in relation to each other, and to the intire Structure, makes it her whole business, by intrapping of Flies to continue an useless Life; or exercise her self to spin Cob-webs, which though consisting of very subtle Threds, are unserviceable for any other then her own trifling uses. And that the contemplation of the World, especially the higher Region of it, was design’d for Mans Imployment by Natures Self, even the Heathen Poet (perhaps instructed by Aristotle) could observe, who Sings, Pronaque cum spectent Animalia caetera terram, Os homini sublime dedit, coelumque tueri Jussit, & erectos ad sidera tollere vultus. Wise Nature, framing Brutes with downward looks, Man with a lofty Aspect did indue, And bad him Heaven with its bright Glories view. I might annex, Pyrophilus, the Story Josephus tells us in the beginning of his Jewish Antiquities, that ‘twas the holy Seth and his Posterity (who are in Genesis stil’d the Sons of God) that were the Inventers of Astronomy, whose more Fundamental Observations (to perpetuate them to Man-kinde, and sever them from the foretold destructions by Fire and Water) they engraved upon two Pillars, the one of Brick, the other of Stone; the latter of which our Historian reports to have been extant in Syria in his time. And it is an almost uncontroll’d tradition, that the Patriarch, whom God vouchsafes to stile his Friend,5 was the first Teacher of Astronomy and Philosophy to the Egyptians, from whom, long afterwards, the Grecians learn’d them. Berosus himself records him to have been skill’d in the Science of the Stars, as he is cited by Josephus, (Ant. lib. 1. c. 8.) who a little after speaking of Abraham and the Egyptians, expresly affirms, that Numerorum scientiam & siderum benignè illis communicavit: Nam ante Abrahami ad se adventum, Aegyptii rudes erant hujusmodi disciplinarum; quae à Chaldeis ad Aegyptios profectae, hinc ad Graecos tandem pervenerunt.
But, Pyrophilus, to put it out of question that the sublimest reason needs not make the Possessor of it think the studie of Physiologie an Imployment below him, that Unequall’d Solomon, who was pronounced the Wisest of men by their omniscient Author, did not onely Justifie the Study of Naturall Philosophy by addicting himselfe to it, but ennobled it by teaching it, and purposely composing of it those matchlesse Records of Nature, from which I remember some Jewish Authors relate Aristotle to have borrowed diverse; which (if it be true) may well be supposed to be the choicest pieces that adorn’d his Philosophie, and which Providence perhaps depriv’d the World of, upon such a score as it did the Jewes of the Body of Moses, lest men should Idolize it; or as some Rabbies are pleased to informe us, lest vicious men should venture upon all kinds of Intemperance, out of Confidence of finding out by the help of those excellent Writings the Cure of all the Distempers their dissolutenesse should produce.
And, Pyrophilus, yet a little further to discover to you, the Delightfulnesse of the Contemplations of Natures works, Give me leave to mind you of their almost unimaginable Variety, as of a Propertie, that should methinks not faintly recommend Naturall Philosophy, to curious and active Intellectuals.
For most other Sciences, at least as they are wont to be taught, are so narrow and so circumscrib’d, that he who has read one of the best and recentest Systems of them, shall find little in the other Books publisht on those subjects, but disguis’d repetitions; and a diligent Scholar may in no long time learn as much as the Professors themselves can teach him. But the objects of Naturall Philosophy, being as many as the Laws and Works of Nature are, so various and so numberlesse, that if a Man had the Age of Methuselah to spend, he might sooner want time then matter, for his Contemplations: And so pregnant is each of that vast multitude of Creatures, that make up the Naturalists Theme, with usefull matter to employ Mens studie, that I dare say, that the whole life of a Philosopher spent in that alone, would be too short to give a full and perfect account of the Natural Properties and Uses of any one of several Minerals, Plants, or Animals, that I could name. ‘Tis an almost incredible variety of Vegetables, that the teeming Earth, impregnated by Gods Producat Terra, does in several Regions produce. Botanists have a pretty while since, reckon’d up near 6000 Subjects of the Vegetable Kingdom; since when, divers other not-described Plants have been observed by Herbarists; the chief of which will, I hope, be shortly communicated to the World, by that Curious and Diligent Botanist my Industrious Acquaintance, Dr. How, to whom I not long since presented a peculiar and excellent kinde of Pepper, whose Shell tastes not unlike Cinnamon, and smells so like Cloves, that with the Odor I have deceived many, which he confest to be new even to him; it having been lately gathered in Jamaica (where it abounds) and presented me by the inquisitive Commander of the English Forces there. And yet, Pyrophilus, this great variety of Simples could not deter either Ancient or Modern Inquirers from Writing entire Treatises of some particular Ones. So Pliny tells us,6 That Themison the Physitian publisht a Volume (for so he call’d it) of that vulgar and despised Herb called Plantain: So the same7 Author tells us, That Amphilochus · writ a Volume De Medica Herba, & Cytisa; and King8 Juba another, of a sort of Nymphaea by him found on Mount Atlas. And in our Times, not to mention those many Books that have been written by Physitians, Of the Structure of Mans Body, and De Usu Partium: Carolus Rosenbergius writ some Years since an entire Book of Roses, which he calls his Rhodologia: Martinus Blochwitius since published another Book of Elder, under the Title of Anatomia Sambuci. Among the Chymists, Angelus Sala publisht in distinct Treatises, his Vitriologia, Tartarologia, Saccharologia: Untzerus also writ peculiar Tracts, De Mercurio, De Sulphure, De Sale. And Paracelsus himself vouchsafed distinct Treatises to Hypericon, Persicaria, Helleborus, and some other particular Plants. Basilius Valentinus (one of the most Knowing and Candid Chymical Writers) publisht long since an excellent Treatise of Antimony, inscrib’d Currus Triumphalis Antimonii; but though in his other he hath also taught us divers other things concerning it, yet he left so much undiscovered in Antimony, that Angelus Sala was thereby emboldned to publish his Anatomia Antimonii. And Hamerus Poppius (if that be his true name) Johannis Tholdius, and the experienced Alexander van Suchten, thought fit to write entire Treatises of that same Mineral; by which if they seem to Eclipse the diligence of Basilius, at least they bore witness to his Judgement: for modestly inviting his Readers to make further enquiries into the Nature and Preparations of that abstruse Mineral, He gives this account of his leaving many things unmention’d, That the shortness of Life makes it impossible for one man throughly to learn Antimony, in which every day something of new is discovered. And I remember, that having lately given a Chymist, upon his request, some Directions for drawing, not an imaginary Mercury of Antimony, as those which are wont to be taught by Chymists, but a real fluid Quick-silver; he some days since brought me about an Ounce of it (which you may command when you please) as the first Fruits of Directions, differing enough from those which I have hitherto met with in Authors A peculiar way likewise of separating from Antimony, not such a Substance as those which are as improperly as vulgarly call’d Antimonial Sulphurs, but a really combustible Body, which looks and burns so like common Brimstone, that it is not easily distinguishable from it, we shall elsewhere, God willing, Pyrophilus, teach you. And I remember, that whereas according to the way mentioned by Basilius in his Currus Triumphalis, and both generally transcrib’d by Authors, and formerly practis’d by our selves, the Tincture of the Glass of Antimony is very tedious to make, being to be drawn with Spirit of Vinegar, I once made a Menstruum to draw it more expeditiously, which having not hither to met with in any of the Authors I have read, I shall not conceal from you: Taking then an arbitrary quantity of the best French Verdegreece, and distilling it orderly in a strong naked Fire, I found the extorted Liquor to extract (even in an ordinary digesting heat) from powdred Antimonial Glass, a Blood-red Tincture in three or four hours; and my curiosity leading me to abstract the Menstruum from the tinging Powder, and put it again upon pulveris’d Glass, I found it again highly Tincted in a very few hours. And prosecuting the Experiment, I found that by drawing off the Menstruum, and digesting Spirit of Wine upon the remaining Calx, I could soon obtain a red Tincture, or Solution, From which some Chymists, if I should tell them what I have now told you, would perhaps expect no ordinary Medicine. But this, I suppose, you will think less strange, then that with a Liquor easily separated, by a way which I may elsewhere teach you, from an obvious Vegetable, of which you may safely eat a whole Pound at a time, I have drawn a deep red Tincture, even from crude Antimony, and that in not many hours, and without heat.
And to these Experiments of Antimony, I might (partly from the communication of my Friends, and partly from some tryals of my own) adde divers other undivulg’d Experiments relating to that Mineral; if it were not now more seasonable, reserving them for other Papers, to minde you, That the Learned Kircherus hath inrich’d us with a great Volume in Folio, of Light and Shadows; and another in Quarto, of the Load stone: and yet none of these have so exhausted the Subjects they have treated of, but that an after-Enquirer may be able to recruit their Observations with many new ones, perhaps more numerous or more considerable then the former: As after our Learned Country-man Gilbertus had written a Volume of the Load-stone, the Jesuit Cabeus was not by that deterr’d from writing another of the same Subject: And though since Cabeus, the Ingenious Kircherus have so largely prosecuted it in his Voluminous Ars Magnetica, yet he has not reap’d his Field so clean, but that a careful Gleaner may still finde Ears enough to make some Sheaves. And what I have lately try’d or seen, makes me think it very possible to recruit those many of Kircherus, with some further Magnetical Experiments unmention’d in his Book. And I have, the very day I writ this, made in that admirable Stone a not-inconsiderable Experiment, not extant (that I remember) there: For taking an oblong Load-stone, and heating it red-hot, I found the attractive Facultie in not many minutes, either altogether abolish’d, or at least so impaired and weakned, that I was scarce, if at all, able to discern it. But this hath been observed, though not so faithfully related, by more then one; wherefore I shall adde, That by refrigerating this red-hot Load-stone either North or South, I found that I could give its Extreams a Polarity (if I may so speak) which they would readily display upon an excited Needle freely plac’d in Aequilibrium: And not onely so, but I could by refrigerating the same and sometime North & sometime South, in a very short time change the Poles of the Load-stone at pleasure, making that which was a quarter of an hour before the North-pole, become the South; and on the contrary, the formerly Southern Pole become the Northern: And this change was wrought on the Load-stone, not onely by cooling it directly North and South, but by cooling it perpendicularly; that end of it which was contiguous to the Ground, growing the Northern Pole, and so (according to the Laws Magnetical) drawing to it the South end of the Needle; and that which was remotest from it, the contrary one: As if indeed the Terrestrial Globe, were, as some Magnetick Philosophers have suppos’d it, but a Great Magnes, since its Effluviums are able, in some Cases, to impart a Magnetick Faculty to the Load-stone it self. Some other Experiments of this nature, not extant in Kircherus, we may have elsewhere fit opportunity to mention. And indeed, that Enigmatical Mineral (if I may so call it) the Load-stone, is a subject so fertile in Rarities, that I hear, he himself is Reprinting that accurate Treatise, with new and large Additions.
Nor are the smallest and most despicable productions of Nature so barren, but that they are capable both to invite our Speculations, and to recompense them. Pliny in the eleventh Book of his Natural History, where he treats of Insects, is a little after the entrance, transported with an unwonted admiration of the Workmanship of Nature in them: Nusquam alibi (says he) spectatiore Naturae rerum artificio: In nothing elswhere (saith he) is the workmanship of Nature more remarkable then in the contexture of these little Creatures. And after a Wonder, not unworthy a Philosopher, he concludes, Rerum Natura nusquam magis quam in minimis tota est: Nature in her whole Power is never more wholly seen then in her smallest Works. To which Epiphonema he adds this Sober and Philosophical Admonition, Quapropter, quaeso ne haec legentes, quoniam ex his spernunt multa, etiam relata fastidio damnent, cum in contemplatione Naturae nihil possit videri supervacaneum: Wherefore I would request the Perusers of these Discourses, that although the subjects we treat of are contemptible in their eyes, they would not therefore disdain the relations we shall make of them; since nothing ought to seem superfluous in the contemplation of Nature. I remember that it is from the consideration of so despicable a part as the skin of the Sole of the Foot, that Galen takes occasion to magnifie the Wisdom of God in those excellent terms that we shall have occasion to mention hereafter. And, as he says rarely well, though some Creatures seem made of much courser Stuff then others, yet even in the vilest the Makers Art Shines through the despicableness of the Matter. For Idiots admire in things the Beauty of their Materials, but Artists that of the Workmanship: To which, after a great deal of Philosophical Discourse, he adds, Neque oculo nec cerebro deterius est pes constructus, si utraque pass ad actiones, cujus gratia fuit facta, se habeat optimè; neque cerebrum sine pede se probe haberet, neque pes sine cerebro: Eget enim, opinor, illud vehiculo, hic autem sensu: Nor is the Foot worse contriv’d then the Brain or Eye, provided each part be duly dispos’d for performance of the actions to which it was design’d: Since the Brain could not conveniently want the Foot, nor the Foot the Brain: For, I conceive, that one stands in need of a support for local motion, and the other of a source from whence to derive the faculties of Feeling. To which we may annex that Judicious reasoning of Aristotle, who descending from the Contemplation of the sublimer Works of Nature, to treat of the Parts of Animals, thus endeavors to keep his Readers from thinking that the Object of it must render that Enquiry despicable: Restat (says he) ut de animante Natura disseramus: And having set down those Words which you have not long since read in connection to these, he thus prosecutes his Discourse: Quamobrem, viliorum animalium disputationem perpensionemque fastidio quod am puerili sprevisse, molesteque tulisse dignum nequaquam est: Cum nullares sit Naturae, inqua non mirandum aliquod habeatur. Et quod Heraclitum ferunt dixisse ad eos, quicum alloqui eum vellent, quòd fortè in Casa furnaria quadam caloris gratia sedentem vidissent, accedere temperarunt, ingredi enim eos fidenter jussit, Quoniam, inquit, ne huic quidem loco Dit desunt immortales; Hoc idem in indaganda quoque natura animantium faciendum est. Aggredi enim quaeque sine ullo pudore debemus; cum in omnibus Naturae numen, & honestum pulchrúmque insit Ingenium; Wherefore it is altogether unseemly to reject with a kind of Childish nicetie, or be offended at the Discourse and Speculation of inferior Animals; Since there is nothing in all Nature, but containes in it somewhat worthy of Admiration. And as it is recorded of Heraclitus, that seeing some persons desirous to speak with him, refuse to approach towards him, because they beheld him warming himselfe in a miserable Cottage, he bad them come in without scruple, since here also (said he) are the Immortall Gods present: So in like manner ought we to be highly perswaded of the Dignity of Animals, when we make Enquirtes into their Natures. Which we ought in no wise to be asham’d of; since the mighty Power and laudable Wisdome of Nature is conspicuous in all things. Nay Paracelsus himselfe, as haughty as he was, was Philosopher enough not to disdain to write a Book De Mysteriis Vermium; wherein, though according to His manner he have set down many extravagances, he is more Candid in the Delivery of severall Remedies (which Experience hath recently taught us to be more effectuall then probable) then in most other of his Writings: And in that Treatise he justly reprehends the Lazinesse and Pride of those Physitians, who not only neglect and scorn Enquiries of Nature themselves: but when the fruits of such Enquiries are presented them by others, instead of a gratefull acceptance, receive them with contempt and derision. To which a while after he adds, what is most true, That God hath Created nothing so Vile, Despicable, Abject, or Filthy in the World, that may not make for the Health and Use of Man. And certainly what ever God himselfe has been pleased to think worthy his Making, its Fellow-creature, Man, should not think unworthy of his Knowing. Nor is it a disparagement to a Humane Notion, to represent a Creature, which has the Honour to have been framed according to a Divine Idea: and therefore the Wisest of Men in His Naturall History, scruples not to write as well of abject Reptil’s, as of Lions, Eagles, Elephants, and other Noble Animals: and did not only Treate of the tall Cedars of Lebanon, but that despicable Plant (whatever it be that is designed by the Hebrew Ezob) which growes out of the Wall. For my part, If I durst think my Actions fit to be Examples, I should tell you, that I have been so farre from that effeminate squeamishnesse, that one of the Philosophicall Treatises, for which I have been gathering Experiments, is of the Nature and Use of Dungs. And though my condition does (God be praised) ennable me to make Experiments by others Hands; Yet have I not been so nice as to decline dissecting Dogs, Wolves, Fishes, and even Rats and Mice, with my own Hands. Nor when I am in my Laboratory do I scruple with them naked to handle Lute and Charcoale.
I should here, Pyrophilus, cease to entertain you with Discourses of the pleasantness of Natural Philosophy, but that I remember I have not yet told you, that the Study of Physiologie is not only Delightful, as it teaches us to Know Nature, but also as it teaches us in many Cases to Master and Command her. For the true Naturalist (as we shall see hereafter) does not only Know many things, which other men Ignore, but can Performe many things that other men cannot Doe; being ennabled by his skill not barely to understand several Wonders of Nature, but also partly to imitate, and partly to multiply and improve them. And how Naturally we affect the Exercise of this Power over the Creatures may appear in the Delight Children take to do many things (which we may have occasion to mention elsewhere) that seem to proceed from an Innate Propensity to please themselves in imitating or changing the Productions of Nature.
And sure ‘tis a great Honour that the Indulgent Creator vouchsafes to Naturalists, that though he gives them not the power to produce one Atome of Matter, yet he allowes them the power to introduce so many Formes (which Philosophers teach to be nobler then Matter) and work such changes among the Creatures, that if Adam were now alive, and should Survey that great Variety of Man’s Productions, that is to be found in the shops of Artificers, the Laboratories of Chymists, and other well-furnished Magazines of Art, he would admire to see what a new world, as it were, or set of Things has been added to the Primitive Creatures by the Industry of His Posterity.
And though it be very true, that Man is but the Minister of Nature, and can but duely apply Agents to Patients (The rest of the Work being done by the applied Bodies themselves) yet by His skill in making those Applications, he is able to performe such things as do not only give him a Power to Master Creatures otherwise much stronger then himselfe; but may ennable one man to do such wonders, as another man shall think he cannot sufficiently admire. As the poor Indians lookt upon the Spaniards as more then Men, because the knowledg they had of the Properties of Nitre, Sulphur and Charcoale duely mixt, ennabled them to Thunder and Lighten so fatally, when they pleased. And this Empire of Man, as a Naturalist, over the Creatures, may perchance be to a Philosophical Soul preserved by reason untainted with Vulgar Opinions, of a much more satisfactory kind of Power or Soveraignty then that for which ambitious Mortals are wont so bloodily to contend. For oftentimes this Latter, being commonly but the Gift of Nature or Present of Fortune, and but too often the Acquist of Crimes, does no more argue any true worth or noble superiority in the possessor of it, then it argues one Brasse Counter to be of a better Mettal then its Fellowes, in that it is chosen out to stand in the Account for many Thousand Pounds more then any of them. Whereas the Dominion that Physiologie gives the Prosperous Studier of it (besides that it is wont to be innocently acquired, by being the Effect of his Knowledg) is a Power that becomes Man as Man. And to an ingenious spirit, the Wonders he performes bring perchance a higher satisfaction, as they are Proofes of his Knowledg, then as they are Productions of his Power, or even bring Accessions to his Store.
← The Author’s Advertisement About the Following Essays · Contents · Essay 2. Of the Same →
Footnotes
← Back to the beginning of Essay 1. Of Its Usefulness in Reference to the Mind of Man