Which we have done the more accurately, for that there is, for the most part, amongst physicians and other authors, touching these operations, a deep silence; but especially, because the operation upon the spirits, and their waxing green again, is the most ready and compendious way to long life, and that for a two-fold compendiousness; one, because the spirits work compendiously upon the body; the other, because vapours and the affections work compendiously upon the spirits; so as these attain the end, as it were, in a right line; other things, rather in lines circilar. The Operation upon the Exclusion of the Air. The History. 1. THE exclusion of the air ambient tendeth to length of He two ways; first, for that the external air, next unto the ative spirit, (howsoever, the air may be said to animate the spirit of man, and conferreth not a little to health), doth zost of all prey upon the juices of the body, and hasten the Besiccation thereof; and therefore the exclusion of it is ef fectual to length of life. 2. Another effect which followeth the exclusion of air, is much more subtil and profound; namely, that the body, Losed up, and not perspiring by the pores, detaineth the git within, and turneth it upon the harder parts of the dy; whereby the spirit mollifies and intenerates them. 3. Of this thing, the reason is explained in the desiccaof inanimate bodies; and it is an axiom almost infalli ble, that the spirit, discharged and issuing forth, drieth bodies; detained, melteth and intenerateth them and it is further to be assumed, that all heat doth properly attenuate and moisten; and contracteth and drieth only by accident. 4. Leading the life in dens and caves where the air receives not the sun-beams, may be effectual to long life; for the air of itself doth not much towards the depredation of the body, unless it be stirred up by heat. Certainly, if a man shall recal things past to his memory, it will appear, that the statures of men have been anciently much greater than those that succeeded; as in Sicily, and some other places. But this kind of men led their lives, for the most part, in caves. Now, length of life and largeness of limbs have some affinity. The cave, also, of Epimenides, walks amongst the fables. I suppose, likewise, that the life of Columnar Anchorites was a thing resembling the life in caves; in respect the sun-beams could not much pierce thither, nor the air receive any great changes or inequalities. This is certain, both the Simeon Stylitas, as well Daniel as Saba, and other columnar anchorites, have been exceedingly long lived. Likewise the anchorites in our days, closed up and immured either within walls or pillars, are often found to be long lived. 5. Next unto the life in caves, is the life on mountains; for as the beams of the sun do not penetrate into caves, so, on the tops of mountains, being destitute of reflection, they are of small force. But this is to be understood of mountains where the air is clear and pure; namely, whither, by reason of the dryness of the valleys, clouds and vapours do not ascend, as it is in the mountains which encompass Barbary; where, even at this day, they live many times to an hundred and fifty years, as hath been noted before. 6. And this kind of air of caves and mountains, of his own proper nature, is little or nothing predatory; but air such as ours is, which is predatory through the heat of the sun sun, ought, as much as is possible, to be excluded from the body. 7. But the air is prohibited and excluded two ways; first, by closing the pores; secondly, by filling them up. s. To the closing of the pores help, coldness of the air, going naked, whereby the skin is made hard; washing in cold water, astringents applied to the skin, such as are mastick, myrrh, myrtle. 9. But much more may we satisfy this operation by baths, yet those rarely used, especially in summer, which are made of astringent mineral waters, such as may safely be used; as waters participating of steel and copperas; for these do potently contract the skin. 10. As for filling up the pores, paintings, and such like unctuous daubings; and (which may most commodiously be used) oil and fat things do no less conserve the substance of the body, than oil-colours and varnish do preserve wood. · 11. The ancient Britons painted their bodies with woad, and were exceeding long lived; the Picts also used paintings, and are thought by some to have derived their name from thence. 12. The Brasilians and Virginians paint themselves at this day; who are, especially the former, very long lived; insomuch that, five years ago, the French Jesuits had speech with some who remembered the building of Fernamburgh, which was done an hundred and twenty years since, and they were then at man's estate. 13. Joannes de Temporibus, who is reported to have extended his life to three hundred years, being asked, How he preserved himself so long, is said to have answered, 'By oil without, and by honey within.' 14. The Irish, especially the wild Irish, even at this day, live very long. Certainly, they report, that within these these few years the Countess of Desmond lived to an hundred and forty years of age, and bred teeth three times. Now the Irish have a fashion to chafe, and as it were to baste themselves with old salt butter against the fire. 15. The same Irish used to wear saffroned linen and shirts; which, though it were at first devised to prevent vermin, yet, howsoever, I take it to be very useful for lengthening of life; for saffron, of all things that I know, is the best thing for the skin, and the comforting of the flesh; seeing it is both notably astringent, and hath besides an oleosity and subtil heat without any acrimony. I remember a certain Englishman, who, when he went to sea, carried a bag of Saffron next his stomach, that he might conceal it, and so escape custom; and whereas he was wont to be always exceeding sea-sick, at that time he continued very well, and felt no provocation to vomit, 16. Hippocrates adviseth in winter to wear clean linen, and in summer, foul linen, and besmeared with oil: the reason may seem to be, because in summer the spirits exhale most; therefore, the pores of the skin would be filled up. 17. Hereupon we are of opinion, that the use of oil, either of olives or sweet almonds, to anoint the skin therewith, would principally conduce to long life; the anointing would be done every morning when we rise out of bed, with oil, in which a little bay-salt and saffron is mixed. But this anointing must be lightly done with wool, or some soft sponge, not laying it on thick, but gently touching and wetting the skin. 18. It is certain, that liquors, even the oily themselves, in great quantities, draw somewhat from the body; but contrarily, in small quantities, are drunk in by the body; therefore the anointing would Le but light, as we said; or rather the shirt itself would be besmeared with oil. 19. It may haply be objected, that this anointing with ail, which we commend, (though it were never in use with us, and amongst the Italians is cast off again), was anciently very familiar amongst the Grecians and Romans, and a part of their diet; and yet men were not longer lived in those days, than now. But it might rightly be answered, a was in use only after baths, unless it were perhaps amongst champions: now hot baths are as much contrary to our operation, as anointings are congruous; seeing the one opens the passages, the other stops them up. Therefore the bath, without the anointing following, is utterly bad, the anointing without the bath is best of all. Besides, the anointing amongst them was used only for delicacy; or, if you take it at the best, for health; but by no means in order to long life. And therefore they used then withal precious ointments, which were good for deliciousness, but hurtful to our intention in regard of their heat; so that Virgil seemeth not to have said amiss:— Nec caria quidi corrumpitur usus olivi. That odoriferous casia hath not supplanted the use of cea: oil-olive. 20. Anointing with oil conduceth to health, both in winter, by the exclusio. of the cold air, and in summer, by detaining the spirits withi, and prohibiting the resolution of them, and keeping off the force of the air, which is then most predatory. 21. Seeing the anointing with oil is one of the most potent operations to long life, we have thought good to add some cautions, lest the health should be endangered. They are four, according to the four inconveniences which may Slow thereupon. 22. The first inconvenience is, that by repressing sweats, i may engender diseases from those excrementitious hu mours. |