Section II, Book 3, member 1, chapter 6: The admirable effects of sympathy (part 4 of 4)

Application.

So the Northern blood or the spirits in the transported blood, that are congealed, and have assumed a Northern property, will easily concur with spirits of a Southern or aequinoctial nature, namely with the spirits of the lively fountain, from whence they come, being that like doth naturally covet his like; especially when it is compassed about by the cold and crude aire, and so constrained to contract it self with its airy vehicle from his cold adversary: for spirits that are derived from the aequinoctial, do eschew by a naturall instinct, even as the airy nature doth, the chill disposition of the earth; and therefore being fled or contracted into the Center, it draws unto it the lively beams of the Southern blood. This is the reason in the Macrocosm, that when the North-wind bloweth strongly, and the South wind not so strongly, the aire is often times condensed into a cloud, by the contraction of the fiery, formal, and aequinoctial or astrall beams in the aire so condensed; which, by reason of the outward cold, do fly from the air's Circumference unto the Center: Insomuch, that for this reason often times it is seen, that it breaketh out into Lightnings and Coruscations. This contraction also in the included aire, when the externall aire is cold, is easily discerned in effect, by the Wether-glass, namely when the water is drawn up, and the included aire contracted or coarcted into a narrow room.

The ninth Member of the Proposition, with his Proofs.

The ninth member of the Proposition is, that the strong attractive faculties of every Magnet is of a Northern condition, or Boreal property, and consequently hath his chief attractive faculty from the pole-star. And therefore after the manner of the Load-stone, it draweth from the Circumference unto the Center. Again, all things coveted or beloved; forasmuch as they are formal, do participare of the aequinoctiall faculty, which emitteth beams by dilatation from the Center; and therefore their union by application, maketh a mixtion of temper, which is between the Northern-pole, and the aequinoctial, that is partly attractive, and partly dilative, as is mans vitall spirit, which acteth in Systole and Diastole, or contraction and dilatation, even such is the Act of Magneticall coition.

Certain Problematical Demonstrations to confirm this Member.

First, I will prove unto you demonstratively, and that by a relation made unto the Load-stone, that the most vigorous Magneticall attraction is from the North-pole and consequently that by the blood's induing of a Northern and congelative faculty, it must needs become most attractive and contractive of his like, as we see that the movable and thin expansed aire becometh thick Snow, when the North wind doth blow, or ice, or frost, or hail.

1. Problem.

The North-pole is alwaies the most vigorous and strong pole, to all Magneticall purposes, if he have the quantiry the South hath.

Application.

Therefore the bloody spirit induing the natute of the North, is most efficacious to operate upon the Southern nature Magnetically or attractively.

2 Problem.

The Loadstone draweth the Iron more strongly from the North-pole, than any point else of the said Stone.

Application.

This confirmeth the fore-said Problem. To conclude, the Magneticall attraction of the Northern blood, is the cause of planting the light of more spirits in the unctuous Magnet; whereby it is made stronger in his operation.

3. Problem.

The Loadstone hath his points, that is to say, his true poles, in the which do abide his greatest virtue. And for this cause it doth not attract the Iron with equal force, from every part; and also the Magneticall Subject doth not move or flow unto every part of the Magnet.

4 Problem.

The parts that are nearest the North-pole, are the strongest in attraction, and the parts that are remote, are observed to be the weaker and more infirm in their drawing virtue.

Demonstration.

Now that the greatest attractive virtue is from the North, I demonstrate it many waies. And first, If we shall hang up a long piece of Iron, by a threed (as is said before) the Northen part of the world will attract unto it, the end of it; So that it will stand directly North and South.

Secondly, if a wier of four or five inches in length, be thrust through a cork, and touched by the Load-stone, and the cork be put into the water, the Northern-Star will suck the end of the Iron unto it.

Thirdly, if a long Iron be forged North and South, and so be laid to cool in the same situation, it will be animated and indued with the virtue of the Pole, and move in the aire, being hung up by a threed, or put into a boat on the water, and it will be drawn by the North, and have as it were a coition with the North-star.

Fourthly, if a long piece of clay newly burnt, doth cool North and South, it will then receive a Magneticall power from the earth, and pole.

Fiftly, set two Load-stones with their poles of one denomination, namely the North-pole or South-pole of each, at each end of a piece of clay, while it cooleth, and both ends will be of one nature.

Sixtly, put a piece of clay of a long form into the fire, and afterwards let it cool North and South, and it will receive a polar virtue: After that burn it again, in the fire, and let that end which cooled first North, cool now South, and it will be changed into the nature of the South, and the other into the nature of the North.

Application.

By the first therefore of these Problems and experiments, it is apparent, that the fountain of vigorous attraction is from the pole; because that the property of Northern cold is to attract, and therefore the bloody Spirit induing the nature of the North becommeth Magneticall, as well as that of clay or Iron.

I will come now therefore to demonstrate the effect, that this Northern spirit, and the Southern, do make by their mutuall concourse and union, as we see that the Northern and Southern-pole by their intermediate concourse, do produce an aequinoctial nature, which is vernall, and temperate; that is to say, hot and moist, as is the living blood; So that a Media natura, or mean nature, which participates of both extreams, is produced between the confluence of their aspect or application, which receiveth from the one, and communicateth with the other. My magneticall proofs are these.

5 Problem.

Two magneticall bodies being joyned together at their poles, those two poles that touch together, have the nature of the Aequator or equinoctiall, and will not excite or hold a needle thus touching.

Application.

The northern or contracted bloody spirit, joyning by application with the southern equinoctiall, or lively or dilated one, will endue by this conjunction an equinoctiall nature, which will have relation unto each extremity, namely, by receiving from the oyntments spirits, and giving or imparting them sympathetically unto the wound.

The tenth Member of the Proposition, with his Proofs.

The tenth Member of the Proposition is, that by a lively southern spirit, a portion of his like being made, by effusion of it into the open and cold air, weak, drooping, northern, or congealed, may, after transplantation, be revived, quickened, and corroborated; and so by returning again unto his southern or equinoctiall nature, may, by a sympatheticall union, be made all one homogeneall nature with the lively bloody spirit, conferring along with it by little and little the nature of the plant or animal mass in which he is grafted, and so may cause each extream nature to participate with the symptoms of one another, be they good and salutary, or bad and dolorous.

Certain Problematicall Demonstrations to confirm this Member. 1 Problem.

If a Magnet of no force or strength, that can easily be discerned, be set on the pole of a Load-stone that is strong, he will shew a vigour, as if he were as strong as the Load-stone is, whereunto he is united; but after he is taken away, he will be as weak as before, unless it be often done.

Application.

The Southern blood penetrating through the unctuous Magnet, doth animate it, and by animation doth revive it, and as well preserving the transplanted spirit from the externall aire's inclemency, as calefacting or heating of it by his attracted southern nature, it doth revive again the dead spirits of the fainting blood so transported, even as we see the spirits in the dead grain of Wheat buried in the earth, is by the earth animated with the Sun-beams, being revived, as it were, from death to life. But if that a part of the oyntment be taken away from the place of the weapon, where the blood doth stick, or the bloody spirits did penetrate, then will the revived spirits faint again, and the wound will be dolorous as it was before the blood was buried in the oyntment; even as also, if the earth be removed from the vigorous spirits in the dead grain, they will fade, and the plant will not grow and multiply. But if the oyntment, animated as before, be re-applyed, the wound will prosper, and heal without pain; no otherwise also then if the earth, that was removed from the revived spirit in the grain, be re-applyed unto it, suddainly it will prosper again.

2 Problem.

If a weak Magnet be rubbed at one of his poles with a stronger Magnet, it wil be bettered by it in vigour and vertue, if not augmented therein.

Application.

This typicall proof doth confirm also exactly the same member, namely, the lively spirits will vigorate fainting-ones.

3 Problem.

The Magnet will lose some of his attractive vertue, and will, as it were, languish with old age, if it be long exposed unto the open aire, and be not put again, and reserved or buried in the filings of Iron.

Application.

So also mans blood effused out of his Mine, and exposed into the open air, doth languish, and becommeth weak, if it be not preserved in the weapon-salve, which is of his nature.

4 Problem.

One Iron being touched doth recreate another, and instruct it unto magneticall motions.

Application.

So the Mummiall unguent, animated by the emitted beams of the lively blood, doth recreate, incite, and corroborate the spirits in the transported blood.

The eleventh Member of this Proposition, with his Proofs.

The eleventh Member is, That the alteration of the aire doth operate equally upon either extream, which is an evident argument of a continued unity in spirit, between the transplanted blood in the oyntment, and the wound; so that what passion the distempered or unclement aire operateth in the one, is felt by the other, no otherwise, than if a thread be tyed at both ends of a Gallem, the one end being touched, the other end doth sympathize, or act likewise by consent, which is an evident argument, that the aire is the medium or vehicle, in which the spirituall influence doth pass; and that the said formall, celestiall, or influentiall spirit which is carried in it, doth, by an immediate contact, communicate with the distempers of its airy vehicle, and, by consequence, it is by that means changed by turns and by portions, into a northern or southern disposition. And therefore by the externall air's cold, it sucketh spirits from the wound, and leaveth it distempered and dolorous, it being by that kind of attraction deprived of some naturall heat. So that sympathy is turned into antipathy, as it appeareth, when the oyntment is taken off from the wounding place of the weapon, either totally, or in part, as is said before.

Certain Problematicall Demonstrations, to confirm this Member. 1 Problem.

In the Weather-glass, so often mentioned before, you shall find between the bolts-head or mattras above, and the water below, a continued aire in the neck of the glass; and you must imagine, that such included aire is not without his sulphureous spirits, which by dilatation of themselves, do also dilate the airy vehicle they are in, and with the dilated vehicle the water is stricken down; and by contraction of themselves, the airy vehicle is also contracted, and the water is sucked up. And yet we see, that the aire which is between both extreams, is all one continued aire from the one extream unto the other, and therefore much more the occult and celestiall sulphureous spirit, which dwelleth and acteth within it, and is as the soul in a body, in toto & in qualibet parte, and that indivisibly, or not separated into parts. And because this included acting spirit being but one in number, is derived from the soul of the world, Look as the generall worketh in the great world, namely, from the north or from the south; even so also doth this member of the generall operate in his included aire: For if the catholick spirit of the world acteth or breatheth from the north, and bringeth forth in the air, congealative and contractive effects, then the centrall spirit in the glass doth operate likewise after the same manner, for it contracteth his vehicle, and sucketh up the water: But if the world's catholick spirit bloweth from the south, then is the aire, before contracted, now again dilated; and then also will the included formall spirits in the glass operate after the same fashion, and dissipate or extend out their airy vehicle in a larger proportion or manner, as by ocular observation you may discern in the said Instrument.

2 Problem.

The north wind blowing in the great world, continueth the essence of his blast from north to south, but the nearer that it approacheth the equinoctiall line, the more weak is his effect in contraction and congelation, agreeing in this with the Magnet or Load-stone, whose parts the nearer they are unto the pole, the more potent are they in their operative or attractive power; and the farther they are off, the more infirm and debil they are. But this emanating spirit from the north to the equinoctiall, is one and the same spirit in essence, although in property it varieth in his parts. Likewise the south wind having dominion, doth send out from the equinoctiall unto the north his blast, without any discontinuance of his essence; and yet the nearer it approcheth unto the north, the weaker is his force in dilatation and dissolution, and yet the spirit is one and the same in essence with that of the north; for it is but one anima mundi, or vivifying spirit of the world, which the Platonist esteem, to have his dwelling in the Sun. And David saith, He put his tabernacle in the Sun. And therefore the winds are called by some Titanei filiI, the sons of Titan or the Sun. And the Prophet argueth aswell the Unity as the Omnipotency, of this vivifying Spirit, where he saith, Veni, Spiritus, a quatuor ventis, & insuffla interfectos istos, ut reviviscant: Come, Spirit, from the four winds, and breathe upon these slain persons, that they may live. Where he argueth, that it is but one essentiall Spirit, which (as Solomon saith) filleth the world, and is in every thing of the world; but after a manifold property.

The conclusive Application.

We conclude therefore, that the spirit in the wounded man's blood, not exhausted, and that in the blood exhausted, is all one spirit in essence, howsoever it vary in property; and therefore being continuate and indivisible in essence, it is no marvell though it acteth from one extreame unto another diversly, namely Magnetically and attractively from the Oyntment: for there by reason of its absence from the Southern or lively blood in the body, it indueth a Northern nature, and sucketh or attracteth his like, being emanated in the aire, and the Southern-pole or aequinoctial point by dilatation, sendeth out his spirit to be attracted; and so there is made a communication betwixt the Balsamick nature, and the wounded, the self-same spirit operating diversly. And I will express unto you a notable example in the great world. When the Sun is beyond the aequinoctial Southward, (which happeneth in the winter) then is the Northern nature most powerfull in attraction, congelation, and inspissation on this side the aequinoctial. As contrariwise, the Southern nature is most vigorous, and efficacious in dilatation, dissolution, and subtiliation; and yet you shall plainly discern, how one and the same Spirit in the world, doth operate from the one extream unto the other: For when the Sun in the South, doth dilate the aire and the waters there, which the precedent winter had thickened and incrassated by attraction of cold, and by dilatation doth dissipate it, then that aire and water so dissipated, requireth a larger place, and flieth from the aspect of the Sun Northward. And again, the Northern propertie of the same spirit, being now in the winter time most potent, doth by attraction suck and direct Magnetically, those spirits, which are chased from the South; and the nearer it draweth them unto the pole, the more suddenly it condenseth them into clouds; which by reason of the Sulphureous nature, which it bringeth from the Summer or aequinoctial, do immediatly dissolve themselves into rains. And this is the reason that the Southern winds are so rife among us in the winter, and consequently, that we have so much rain in that season; So that we may see how the double property of one and the same spirit, doth operate at one and the same time, about the effecting of one and the same thing, in one and the same catholick aire of the world: as I have told you before in my foregoing Discourse, As also, in the ascending or descending of fountains in each Hemisphere, the like is effected. All which is most lively demonstrated and performed in the Weather-glass; as I have expressed before. Whereby it is confirmed, that being the Microcosmicall spirit is all one in condition, with the Macrocosmicall. It followeth, th[…]t though the body of it be divided, yet the spirit remains indivisible, and can dilate and contract it self at any extention; as is proved by the properties of the two contrary winds, whose spirit is continued from both extremities; and by the small pieces in the Load-stone, which have their compleat poles as well as the whole. Also by this, a man way see, that this spirit's operation, is not to be limited by any of the Peripateticks imaginary Sphere of activity, and consequently that it may work at any distance, being directed and guided by a right and homogeniall Magnet; that is to say, agreeing at the least-wise in speciality, if not in individuality or both; as the blood of the wounded, which is transplanted, and that in the body, both which are identity in nature; and also as is the Uznea, and Mummy in the Oyntment, which is of the same Specifick, though not of the Individuall.

You see therefore (Learned Reader) how plainly this business, or the fore-said Proposition, hath been demonstrated, as well by the Load-stone, as the naturall practise in the great world, and in practise of the Weather-glass; which I term my Demonstrative Instrument. But because there are some strange accidents, which happen in this cure, by chance and unlooked for; a reason whereof, could never hitheto be expressed: I will speak a word or two of them in a second Proposition; and so I will end this Chapter.

The second Proposition.

It hath been observed, in the cure of wounds, by the Weapon-salve, that if there happen in the time of the cure, any issue of blood from some other part of the wounded man, as bleeding at the nose, pissing of blood, or by some other wound; or else if he have to do with any menstruous woman in the mean time, the force of the Ointment will be diverted, and the efficacy of it will stand but in little stead, and the reason that I can give, is, because the Southern bloody spirit, which, raigning in the veins, did emit and direct his beams unto the Oyntment, was easily attracted, and imbibed by the Oyntment: but when that spirit is diverted and turned another way, and is attracted by a contrary Magneticall Subject; then will a divorce, as it were, be made by the second Magnet, betwixt the emanating Spirit and the attractive in the Oyntment. And I will maintain and demonstrate this to be true, by this Magneticall experiment.

A Problem to confirm the Proposition out of Gilb. lib. 2. de Mag cap. 31.

Two Load-stones or Irons excited, rightly cohaering by the comming of another fresher and stronger Load-stone or Iron excited, do make an abort; and the new commer will easily drive away the other, with a contrary face, and will command him; and so the endeavour or the desire of the other two, which were first joyned, will end.

Application.

Thus you see, how fitly these two do concur, namely the fore-recited animal act, with these of the mineral. I end this Chapter with this Assertion. Spirits that have their subtiliation and action from natural heat, do act livelily; so long as they abide within the sensible Orbe of Light's calefacting beams, being stirred up a centro ad circumferentiam. But if the said Spirits depart or wander out of the Orbe of Light, and are environed by the cold act of darknes, then they contract themselves from the Circumference unto the Center, and so resting in the Center, do cease to act except they be incited or provoked by the virtue of heat, which doth subtiliate, and by subtiliation make both extreames alike. As is proved by the Weather-glass, and by blood issuing out of the wound, &c. as is said before. Wherefore I will boldly conclude, that the spirits of the blood, conveyed either in the body of the blood, or sucked up into the wounding weapon, or in a stick, knitting-needle, probe, or such-like; may be evoked, extracted, or revived, and united unto his fountain; partly by preserving it from the externall aire's inclemency, till it be dissevered by comfortable warm heat of his kind; and partly by the lively coition, or concurrence, and conjunction of his like, by a favourable and salutary aspect. I have been (I fear me) too tedious in this Chapter; and yet not longer than the business doth rightly deserve; considering how the world hath been puzzelled, and all Philosophers put to their wits end, about the due search and enquiry of this curing exploit: Forasmuch as they in the concluson, were able to say so little, and to demonstrate less to prove this manner of cure to be naturall; that they gave way without controlement, unto the rash and temerarious censures of such self-conceited persons, as would (forsooth) have this kind of cure, to be onely Cacomagicall, and Diabolicall; which they insultingly go about therefore to maintain; because great appearing Philosophers, which did write in the defence of this Subject, could say so little, and to so small purpose unto the contrary. I will speak a few words concerning some other Histories, which are, and may be referred unto the selfsame manner of cure.