Untitled - University of Limerick Institutional Repository

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he proposed to himSelf in creating oS
the world.
Such T n 1 ao s as hurt and prolong
r. Lira.
| T is an inconteilible truth, that
P. health is the foundation of life, and
that it forms its principal pleasures.
It is in like manner true, that nothing
in the world is so frail and brittle
as this same health. and that the least
irregularity disorders the whole machine
of which man is composed Its mechanism
discovers inconceivable wonders.
as liltle as we make of those Serious
attentions it deserves.
This frailty demands our study, to
know the variety os humour., these
are the elements and principles of liSe ;
this knowledge would tame our impetuosity,
and maintain that peaceSul repose.
on which depends our good conflirtation.
This repoSe would easily he kept in
our bodies, if we could discover the
remedies which mav cute without hurting
it.
Experience shews that nothing is so
contrary to life. as Srequent letting
blood, and violent medicines, which
Sar from helping. only destroy us: if
any one find himself hereby, thro' the
pure effect of a good temperament and
constitution, any wife better 'd, it must
be allowed at the Same time, that an
infinite number have suffered ; and
what is worstos all. when we have often'
imagined we have expelled one
slight indifposuion, we unhappily find,
in lieu of it. another more considerable
grown upon us.
Trie true means to prevent this danger.
Weould be the art tO find tilings
lo bomergeneous to nature, that may
augment it without i flaming it, and
support it wthout dinlinishinglts forces;
the progress of our duration in this life
being to lest continually till we have /est
all f
It muff also be acknowledge^. that
all mixtures include so many disscretit
M A G A 2 1 N E of M A G A ^ 1 N E
Substances, as make it impossible bat
that their contrary qualities must prejudice
out bodies, instead os berng any ^
ways advantageous to them ; Some are
hot, others cold, Some are moist, others
dry, a ^reat many laxative, and
as many astringent t what mad effect,
must ot e not expect, when we malt.'
tise of them without due regard or at.l
tent ion ?
In order to core and prevent which, J
one must know how to extract frora i
every mixture it^ pure juice, andfeprrate
it philosophically by natural agent-, t
which are rain water. the air, and the
rays oS the sun ; this operation wonla
reduce it to a pure, incorruptible lishstance,
and so exceedingly bnght sioa
luminous. that being pot into a cry sta
phial with distilled water, and carried
into a dark place, it weuld cast ossl
ravs of light like glow worms.
Thes luminous Substance would bay: 1
qualities So vivifying, that it would
pen. unstop, and gently cut through the 1
obstructions which daily concur to de t
stroy us.
A destruction which would be et^ l
tirely evaded, if these extracts antl
quintessences of mixtures, were well
conditioned, and inclosed within them
nothing but their pure Spirits, Seperand f
Srom their fieces^ which corrupt then
goodness.
These quintessences are drawn front J
animals, minerals, and vegetables, 1
which have the greatest conform'^
and relation to the principle of eater life, I
as being perfectly analogous or uniform 1
to it.
The perfection of thefe quintessence 1
consists in their preparations ; it is Sol
different in the operation, that ver^l
often thoSe essences frem not the fan:: 1
thing drawn from the Sane principle.
There is essence, sor example. r.' 1
vipers, which would preserve health l 1
groat many years, if it w-as truly es'
tracted according to art ; this enenct 1
is more Salutary than the powders I
vipers, which carta: : it: t'.t^l a Is )
terrestrial matter.
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