For warming and invigorating, are recommended saffron, indian-leaf, lignum aloes, citron-peel, balm, hasil, avens, orange-flowers, rosemary, mint, betony, and carduus-benedictus.

For coolers are recommended nitre, roses, violets, strawberries, both leaves and fruit; the juices of sweet lemons, oranges, and apples; borage, bugloss, burnet, saunders, and camphire.

As we here mention such medicines only as may be introduced into diet, we omit all inflammable distilled waters and chemical oils; and all aromatic, acrimonious, and pungent remedies; only recommending it to mens' consideration, how waters and liquors may be prepared from the preceding ingredients; not in the way of the common phlegmy waters, by the still; nor, again, with ardent spirits; but of a more temperate nature, yet lively, and breathing a friendly

vapour.

We are in some doubt as to the frequent use of phlebotomy, whether it conduces to long life, or not; but rather incline to think it may, when grown into a habit; and other things are suited thereto; because it discharges the old juices of the body, and gives occasion to new.

We likewise judge, that a thorough cure of certain emaciating diseases conduces to longevity, as supplying new juices in the room of those consumed; and because, to recover from sickness is in a manner to grow young again, a kind of arti

ficial diseases might be procured by means of strict emaciating diets: but more of this hereafter.*

THE HISTORY OF INTENTIONS; WITH A VIEW TO THE FORMING OF PRACTICAL RULES FOR THE PROLONGATION OF LIFE; IN PURSUANCE OF THE TWELFTH, THIRTEENTH, AND FOUR

TEENTH ARTICLES OF THE

TABLE OF ENQUIRY.

HAVING now finished our enquiry, with regard to the objects; viz. inanimate, vegetable, animal and human bodies, we must come closer : and conduct the remainder by intentions, which, in our own judgment are just, proper, and, as it were, the real paths of mortal life. But nothing of moment, has hitherto been performed on this head; mens' thoughts about it having all along been trifling and unprofitable. Some talk of comforting the natural heat, and the radical moisture; of foods, that make a laudable blood, neither adust nor phlegmatic; of cooling and refreshing the spirits, &c. And we take them for well-meaning men that talk thus: but all this makes little to the purpose. Another party cries

See below Sect. VIII. ad finem.

up medicines prepared from gold, as from a body incorruptible; and from gems, for recreating the spirits by their heat and occult properties. They add, that if the balms and quintessences of animals could be received, and contained in vessels, there would be great hopes of immortality: that the flesh of vipers, and of deer, by a certain consent, have a power to renew life; because the one casts the skin, and the other the horns. They likewise abound in still stranger accounts, of an ointment found buried under ground, which a man by using to his whole body, except the soles of his feet, thence lived without any distemper, (except some swellings on the soles of his feet) to the age of three hundred and that Artefius growing old, transplanted the spirit of a young man into himself; and thus by the death of another, continued alive for many years. Others speak much of successful hours, according to the horoscope of the heavens, for collecting and preparing medicines destined to prolong life; they talk of planetary seals, whereby to bring down and derive celestial virtues for the same purpose; with numerous other the like fabulous and superstitious stories: insomuch that we stand amazed how men should be so infatuated as to believe such absurdities; and cannot help commiserating the hard fate of mankind, in being beset and pressed on all sides with things vain and useless. But for our own intentions, we have hopes that

any

they close in with things themselves, without tincture of fiction, vanity, or credulity; and take them to be such, that though numerous particulars may be found by posterity to answer them, yet no great additions can be made to the intentions themselves. But before we proceed, we must offer a few admonitions, of the utmost importance to mankind.

And first we judge, that the offices of life are preferable to life itself; and therefore, though there should be any thing that might better answer our intentions, but with injury to society, we absolutely reject it. Things of this kind we may perhaps mention; but never insist upon. Thus we have no serious and laboured discourse upon men's leading their lives in caves, free from the inclemencies of the air; upon perpetual bathing in prepared liquors; covering the body with adventitious skins, or oil-clothes; daubing it over with a thick coat of paint; the institution of a strict and exact regimen and diet, with no other design than to prolong life; or the like monstrous, nauseous, and incommodious methods: but produce only such remedies and rules as neither disturb the duties and affairs of life, nor clog them with delays and difficulties.

Secondly, we earnestly beseech mankind to trifle no longer, or imagine that so great a work as to stop and turn back the powerful course of nature, should be performed by a morning's

draught, or the use of a costly medicine; but to hold it for certain, that a work of this kind is a laborious undertaking, which requires a number of remedies, properly suited to each other; for no one surely can be so dull as to believe, that what was never yet done, should be effected but by means never tried before.

We expressly declare, that some of the things we shall propose were never experienced by us; nor would our course of life allow thereof; but that they are derived with great justness, as we judge, from our principles and positions, as parts dug and cut off from the rock or mine of nature: being extremely cautious to propose no remedies but what are at least safe, if not effectual.

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We desire men would observé and distinguish, that the same things do not always contribute both to a healthy and a long life; for there are some of service in procuring chearfulness of spirits, strength and vigour of the faculties, and yet shorten the course of life. There are also other things very conducive to long life, though with some danger to the health, unless prevented by suitable means: whereof we shall not omit to give our intimations and cautions occasionally.

We think proper to propose various remedies, suitable to each intention; leaving the choice thereof, and the order of their application, to discretion since it would be too tedious and im

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