master-piece of Christendome; and though I have met sometimes with some omnes sic ego vero non sic men, prejudicating pates, who bogled at shadowes in't, and carpt at atoms, and have soe strappadoed mee into impatience with their senselesse censures, yet this still satisfied my zeale toward it, when I found non intelligunt was the nurse of theire vituperant, and they onely stumbled for want of a lanthorne. That Scarabæus Aquilam and Jockey R.6 should rush in with his ob. and publish sae muckle impudense and ignorance at once, I doe not wonder; its the nature of the beast and the countrie that bred him. Alas, how hee hath toyld himselfe for a victory, yet foyles himselfe by so foolish engagements; indeed all he hath done is but a foyle to sett of and illustrate your gallant thoughts. But it troubles mee like the fall of Phaeton, that Monsieur le Chevalier, who passes both for a wit and a judgment, should attempt to reyne the horses of the sunne, and Schioppir on Religio Medici; I wish hee had thought on the motto of that noble family,9 whence hee tooke that employment, aut nunquam tentes aut perfice, or that hee had animadverted better, or had beene aliud agendo, then soe nihil agendo on that piece, sure then he would have crost himselfe, blest him for that undertaking, and gone to bed rather then to have sitt up soe late to soe little purpose, and lose his sleepe, unles hee intended to make an opiate for his readers. I must confesse, sir, I was once taking that piece in hand myselfe, but soe, as with your good grace to reach it into other nations, to stop theire leualtoes and brauadoes over our northerne clime, and let them know, that et hic habitant musa; but before I got to the middle, I found another at the latter end; for coming to Leyden, I saw opus operatum, and the busines by a friend of mine done to my hand.

8

At my returne into England, each poast presented mee with the frontispiece of your enquiries, and I was readie to present an hecatomb in thankfulnes, and did acknowledge it the greatest entertainement the kingdome could affoord mee; nothing could bee more satisfactorious to mee who had been long in quest after most of those particulars, and lamented

the confident mistakes and worm-eaten errours of the age. To correct which I have beene long collecting from my studies, trauells, and discourse with forraigners, whatsoever would tend toward resolution in those queries, and I have been proud in that I attained to soe much satisfaction by myselfe; but when you, sir, lent mee your hand I was ravishd with ioy, and could have wisht I had been happy in the parents acquaintance before the child was borne. For my owne observations and collections in those particulars, as I thought it pitty to let them returne to their confusion and dust, soe I knew not well how to preserve them; but now, sir, I thank you, you have showd mee a way, by laying them up in your urne, which doubtlesse will see the last fire. And might I, sir, avoid the name of an intruder, I would tell you how; I made bold to interleafe your enquiries, and soe insert my blank and empty phansies, under the protection of your blanch and clearer judgment; soe hope to preserve my litle bird in the lap of Jupiter, which else would undoubtedly have perisht with the sheets she was first lapt in. And now, sir, having so faire an occasion to salute you, were this book ad manum, I would beg leave to present it too, that you might see how much your child is growne in a yeare, and perhaps what a thankless office I have undertaken; yet, sir, had you intent of another edition, of which some probabilitie I see, the turning over of those thoughts of mine, and adiutant collections, probably aut prodesse volunt aut delectare, and if either, they shall be at your command. I know how many answers, and the worst, a solitary or crosse polumathist might returne mee; but, sir, for yourselfe, your second part told mee seaven years agoe, you was endowd with soe much charitie and polished civilitie, that I might goe on and say any thing, since I had to deale with Dr. Browne. And I was a litle confident on my owne part too, as being conscious of the candour and ingenuitie of my thoughts in all aimes at nothing but the advancement of le gallant respects to a gentleman, and a sen . . . you are both, soe much, and soe refin'd. . . . . . . in spight of distance and disacquaintance... must bee all yours; all in all, morrall and . . . . . . . . observance, and would blesse

тапит

... which

and all

and I see

Till

God for an opportunitie to tell you soe in your armes. I bee so happy, sir, give me leave to embrace and entertaine you in the highest mansion of my thoughts, and to serve you in any thing within my circumference and reach; cast mee into what mould you please, I will endeauour to fitt it, and every way to approve myselfe, sir,

Your faithfull friend, servant, honourer,

Ex B/Cxíou xulegra [i. e. statesman from the book] is grown into a proverb; and no less ridiculous are they who think out of book to become physicians. I shall therefore mention such as tend less to ostentation than use, for the directing a novice to observation and experience, without which you cannot expect to be other than in B xuCegvárns. Galen and Hippocrates must be had as fathers and fountains of the faculty, And, indeed, Hippocrates's Aphorisms should be conned for the frequent use which may be made of them. Lay your foundation in anatomy, wherein auroía must be your fidus Achates. The help that books can afford you may expect, besides what is delivered sparsim from Galen and Hippocrates, Vesalius, Spigelius, and Bartholinus. And be sure you make yourself master of Dr. Harvey's piece De Circul. Sang.; which discovery I prefer to that of Columbus. The knowledge of plants, animals, and minerals, (whence are fetched the Materia Medicamentorum) may be your Taggyov; and, so far as concerns physic, is attainable in gardens, fields, apothecaries' and druggists' shops.

* From a reference in Mr. Smith's letter, p. 360, there seems little doubt that the present, (which appears to have been communicated to the world by Dr. Richard Middleton Massey, F. R. S.,) was addressed to Dr. Henry Power, of New-Hall, near Ealand, Yorkshire; author of Experimental Philosophy, in Three Books, containing new Experiments, Microscopical, Mercurial, and Magnetical, 4to. 1664.

Read Theophrastus, Dioscorides, Matthiolus, Dodonæus, and our English herbalists: Spigelius's Isagoge in rem herbariam will be of use. Wecker's Antidotarium speciale, Renodæus for composition and preparation of medicaments. See what apothecaries do. Read Morelli Formulas medicas, Bauderoni Pharmacopæa, Pharmacopæa Augustana. See chymical operations in hospitals, private houses. Read Fallopius, Aquapendente, Paræus, Vigo, &c. Be not a stranger to the useful part of chymistry. See what chymistators do in their officines. Begin with Tirocinium Chymicum, Crollius, Hartmannus, and so by degrees march on. Materia Medicamentorum, surgery, and chymistry, may be your diversions and recreations; physic is your business. Having, therefore, gained perfection in anatomy, betake yourself to Sennertus's Institutions, which read with care and diligence two or three times over, and assure yourself that when you are a perfect master of these institutes you will seldom meet with any point in physic to which you will not be able to speak like a man. This done, see how institutes are applicable to practice, by reading upon diseases in Sennertus, Fernelius, Mercatus, Hollerius, Riverius, in particular treatises, in counsels, and consultations, all which are of singular benefit. But in reading upon diseases satisfy yourself not so much with the remedies set down (although I would not have these altogether neglected) as with the true understanding the nature of the disease, its causes, and proper indications for cure. For by this knowledge, and that of the instruments you are to work by, the Materia Medicamentorum, you will often conquer with ease those difficulties, through which books will not be able to bring you; secretum medicorum est judicium. Thus have I briefly pointed out the way which, closely pursued, will lead to the highest pitch of the art you aim at. Although I mention but few books (which, well digested, will be instar omnium) yet it is not my intent to confine you. If at one view you would see who hath written, and upon what diseases, by way of counsel and observation, look upon Moronus's Directorium Medico-practicum. You may look upon all, but dwell upon few. I need not tell you the great use of the Greek tongue in physic; without it nothing can be

done to perfection. The words of art you may learn from Gorreus's Definitiones Medica. This, and many good From your loving friend,

wishes,

THOMAS BROWNE.

Dr. Henry Power to Dr. Browne.

[MS. SLOAN. 3418.]

Ch. Coll. Cambridge, Feb. 10, 1647-8.

RIGHT WORSHIPFULL,

The subject of my last letter being so high and noble a peece of chymistry, viz., the reindividualling of an incinerated plant, invites mee once more to request an experimentall eviction of it from yourselfe,1 and I hope you will not chide my importunity in this petition, or be angry at my so frequent knockings at your doore to obtaine a grant of so great and admirable a mystery? Tis only an ocular demonstration of our resurrection, but a notable illustration of that phychopannchy wch antiquity so generally received, how these formes of ours may be lulled, and ly asleepe after the separation (closed up in their ubis by a surer then Hermes his seale) untill that great and generall day when, by the helpe of that gentle heat wch in six dayes hatched the world, by a higher chymistry it shall be resuscitated into its former selfe; suamque arborem inversam, in continuo esse, et operari, iterata præservabit.

The secret is so noble and admirable, that it has invited my enquiries into divers authors and chymicall tractates, amongst wch Quercitan and Angelus Sala give some little hint thereof, but so obscurely and imperfectly, that I have no more hopes to be ocularly convinced through their præscriptions, then to be experimentally confirm'd that the species of an incinerated animal may be encask'd in a piece of winter chrystall, as some other mineralists confidently affirme. Alsted, I confesse, in his Pyrotechnia, more cleerely describes

1 See Religio Medici, vol. ii. p. 70, note.