Chapter IX: Part 9

It hath pleased me in some sort to runne through the foresaid experiments of water as well for the importance and rarity which they have, as for that it depends upon salt whereof water makes the principall part: and likewise of the sea, from whence separating the sweet substance the salt remains solid congealed; and of this salt resolved by it selfe, to moisture, they extract by distillation the greatest part of sweet water; by meanes whereof, without departure from this subject of salt, it will not be amisse, to touch here something of the Sea, whose water is as a body, the salt enclosed not perceiveable to the sight, but well to the tast, are the vitall spirits, and the oleaginous inflamable substance envelopped within the salt; the soule and the life of the nature of aire, or of wind; remember because wind is my life. There are then two substances in the Sea, and by consequent in salt; the one liquid, and volatile, which ascends upward, and is double, water namely and oile; the one and the other sweet and fresh: And the other fix, and solid, which is bitter and salt; wherefore it was that _Homer_ called the _Ocean_ the father of Gods and of men, for by stretching out of all side crossewise, the Conduits and spongiosities of the earth which hee holds encompassed round about; as a dry hanging on to some rock there within by a providence of nature is made a separation of substances of the fresh, namely, and of the salt: for the Marine water, passeth through these Conduits, they unsalt it, even as they should distill it by an _Alembic_ or _Cornue_, or as one should passe it through sand many times, part whereof should remaine baked in the earth for the production and nouriture of vegetables: part passeth through springs, wells, and fountaines, whence all flouds and rivers are formed, _Eccles._ 1.7. _All rivers runne into the Sea, yet the Sea is not full, unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they returne againe._ And part elevates it selfe aloft, by meanes of the Sun and starres, which draw and suck them, as well for their nouriture, as for the formation of raines, snowes, hailes, and other aqueous expressions in the aire. The salt which is more grosse, heavy and terrestriall remains invisqued in the veines, and conduits of the earth, where heat inclosed bakes it, digests, alters, and changes it into another nature for the production of all sorts of Minerals, by meanes of the portion of fresh water mingled therewith, which dissolves and washeth off these salts, so that finally, having been brought to their last perfection according to natures intention, shee enformes that which shee hath determined. The Sea then is not so barren and unfruitfull as some poets and Philosophers have made it; _Plato_ himselfe, in his _Phedon_, where he saith, that nothing could be there procreated worthy of _Jupiter_: because all the Animals procreated therein are wild, untameable and indocill, and in which there is neither amity nor sweetnesse. But what shall we say of the _Dolphin_ that saved _Arion_, and of many others, alledged by _Plutarch_ in his treaty: What animalls are the wisest, those on land, or those in the water? of fishes likewise wherewith the _Indians_ are served, as with a chained Grayhound? But it is very smal, to take fish, never letting go what he hath once fastned on. Truely a Brach nor couching spaniell, cannot bee more spirituall, or docible than this fish, at least if it be true what is related to have often times been seen by the eye, in the thirteenth booke of _Gonzalo d’Ovidiedo_ of his naturall history of the _Indies_. _Chap_ 10. _And of Peter Martyr, of another sort of fish called Manati, which being taken at Sea very little, and from thence put into a standing lake, became tame, and privately would come, and take bread from mens hands: and would not faile to come a good way off, when hee was called, leaving himselfe to be handled at their pleasure, and carried them upon his back, as on a bridge crosse the lake, from one side to the other_: But fresh water fishes, are they more docile then those of the Sea? The _Ægyptian_ Preists, above all others abhorred the Sea, calling it the finall end, the death, and destruction of all things: because the water thereof, killeth all Animalls that drink thereof: and is as the sepulcher of all rivers, that goe lose themselves and die therein; and the earth is the same for all bodies, from whence none are spewed out. To this purpose _Chiia_ in the _Zohar_ deploring ‘the death of _Rabbi Simeon_ author thereof, after he had cast himselfe on the earth and embraced him, used such a language, _O earth, earth, dust, dust_, how hard and unpitifull art thou? For whatsoever is most desireable to the sight, thou makest old and deformed, thou breakest in peices the shining Columnes of the world. How doest thou quench the cleare resplendent lights which received theirs from the eternall living spring, wherewith the whole world was illustrated! The Princes and Potentates given to the people to governe them, and to administer Justice unto them, by which they are maintained, and subsist, waxe old and end in thee: and thou remainest alwayes persistent in thy selfe, not being able to satisfie or satiate thy selfe with so many bodyes, that returne thither: so that the world is therein confounded and lost, and afterwards renewes it self of a suddaine.’ But for the regard of the Sea, the _Ægyptian_ Priests had it in such detestation, that they could not endure to see the very Mariners, nor the Islanders as people which on all parts were cut off from humane commerce. And the _Britains_, (separated from the world by an element which they say is the fifth,) so austere, outrageous, and unpittiable: and for that cause they abstained from salt, because that among other things it provoked to lasciviousnesse. The occasion also for which they so much rejected the Sea, was something mysticall and allegoricall: because it doth not wash spots or uncleannesse. So that _Homer_ made, and not without reason, that _Nausicaa Alcinous_ daughter, washed her linnen and clothes in a fountaine of fresh water on the Sea shore, for the truth is that Sea-water doth not wash. That which _Aristotle_, (as _Plutarch_ puts it) in the first of the _Symposiaques_ 9. question, referre to the pickle wherewith the Sea-water is alwayes filled, so that there being nothing empty therein it could receive no filthiness. And lee, is it not the same; yea more full of salt; yea more unctuous and fat then that of the sea? so that according to _Aristotles_ testimony, men put sea-water in their lamps, to make them shine clearer, and cast upon the flame, it becomes lighted; in which there may be also mystery contained, concerning fire and salt, and their affinity together.

Join hereunto that wee may see that salt is an enemy to all filthinesse and uncleannesse; and will not thereto adjoin or associate; no more then fire, which will nothing but pure things, said good _Raimund Lullius_. Yet to the aforesaid purpose, _Plutarch_ in his naturall causes, sets down that the sea-water, doth neither nourish nor feed, trees, or plants; because being grosse and heavy it cannot mount into their stalks, which thicknesse and grosness is seen, for that carryeth greater burthens then the fresh water: and this comes from the salt therein dissolved, and it is earthly and consequently more uneasy to sinke. Moreover trees being (according to the opinion of _Plato_, _Democritus_, _Anaxagoras_, and others,) a terrestriall Animall, it cannot give it nourishment; for bitter doth not nourish, but sweet only. But what shall wee say of so many fishes that are procreated and nourished in the sea, of herbs also, and of trees? _Francisco de Oviedo_ _lib._ 2. _ch._ 5. sets down that in the first discoverie of _Christopher Columbus_, they found as of great green and yellow medowes in the main sea, more then two hundred leagues from land, of certain herbes called _Salgazzi_, which go floting on the top of the waters, as the winds carry them from one side to another. In the relation of _Francis Vlloa_, he sets down that the root of the herbs, whereof he gives the description and figure, do not sink more then 12 or 15 fadome in the water, yellow yet, as wax.

But wee sufficiently see trees and bushes growing along the sea-shore, and even in the very sea: yet _Plutarch_ insisteth that those that grow along the shore of the Red-sea, are there procreated & nourished with the slime which the flouds carry thither, and fall therein; which he might have spoken more properly of the greater sea, otherwise called _Pontus Euxinus_. And _Plinie_ _lib._ 18. _cha._ 22. that the herbs which grow within the water are nourished with rains: but it would follow, that if so, they should procreate in all other places where it rains indifferently.

_Aristotle_ with better reason refers it to the grosse and unctuous saltnesse which is therewith mingled. Salt being fat and unctuous, which is the cause that salt water doth not so easily quench fire, as fresh water. But this saltnesse is equall throughout all the sea. _Plinie_ himself _lib._ 19. _ch._ 11. specifies, Certain herbes which salt waters do much profit. These are secrets of Nature to which mans discourse can hardly arrive. For herbs by a providence thereof may well suck and draw from salt water, a fresh or sweet substance wherewith they are procreated and nourished as the fishes.

But this is not our principall drift: we have here endeavoured to shew that Salt is not unfruitfull, but the cause of fertility provoking venereall appetite, whence _Venus_ is said to be begotten of the sea; if men give salt unto animalls to heat them the more, and make them eat salt as _Plutarch_ puts it in his 3. queston of Naturall causes. And wee see by experience, that in ships laden with salt, rats and mice, are sooner engendred then in others; this which must so much the more cry down salt in regard of holy things, from whence all mutability and lubricity must be bannished; but salt is in the number of things that are applyed to the good, and to the bad part. Of the good we have heretofore alledged many places. Of the bad for the sterility, _Gen._ 14. 3. All shall assemble themselves in the wild valley which is now the sea of salt. And in the 19. chap. 26. as also in the 10. of _Wisdome_, v. 7. of _Lots_ wife, who for her incredulity and disobeying the Angels voice, she was turned into a pillar of salt: And _Judges_ 9. 45. the habitations of Rebells and Traitors were razed and sowed with salt. And in the 2 of _Zephaniah_ v. 9. _Moab_ shall be as _Sodome_, a desolation of nettles, and thistles and heaps of salt.

But we see upon the ebbing and flowing of the salt pits in the Marshes of _Zaintonge_, where they empty the durt, which are as salt as the sea it self, where it produceth the best wheat, that possibly can be, and in great quantity, and very excellent wines also: But there is another consideration in that, as in Marle, and in the dry places of _Ardonne_, where they burne the cuttings of trees, of 7 or 8 years, as also quick chalk which supplies the place of dung in their grounds: for those ashes would produce nothing of themselves, no more then Marle or salt, but they are the cause of production because they warm and fatten the land. There is yet another reason, that _Plutarch_ alledgeth, That throughout where there is Salt nothing can grow thick, or be close together; which constipation would hinder herbs to thrust out: Moreover many medicaments and remedies do come from salt: whereupon I will not here lose time, on that which _Plinie_, _Dioscorides_ and others, have set down and treated of cursorily and in hast, with closed eyes one after another, not having made proof thereof; add to this, it is so triviall and beaten as nothing more, but will touch here, in passing the Countrey, an experiment, whereof I have seen very admirable effects in burning feavers and unquietnesse, where they could not take rest. It is a frontall made in this manner.

Take the yolk of a fresh Eg, and as much gross salt, beat them together in shape of an ointment, which you shall apply to your forehead, between two folded linnen clothes: It doth not coole the brain, nor cause such accidents; as conserve of Roses do, _Oxyrhodinon_ likewise, and brings much more comfort.

FINIS.

Transcriber’s Note:
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This e-text is based on the 1649 edition. Obvious punctuation errors and doubled words have been tacitly removed. Obsolete, inconsistent, and alternative spellings have been left unchanged unless the sense of the respective phrase would be incomprehensible.

Infrequently, the original print image is faded; therefore, single letters had to be restored to match the meaning of the respective words. The following typographical errors have been corrected:

#p. 5: ‘dreame; But’ → ‘dreame. But’
#p. 10: ‘But what it this fire?’ → ‘But what is this fire?’
#p. 12: ‘it takes it nourishment’ → ‘it takes its nourishment’
#p. 23: ‘earth, aud produced’ → ‘earth, and produced’
#p. 35: ‘things that are’: letter ‘e’ had been printed upside down
#p. 39: ‘Sith other thingt’ → ‘Sith other things’
#p. 44: ‘Astologers’ → ‘Astrologers’
#p. 46 (sidenote): ‘P. 73’ → ‘P. 72’
#p. 50: ‘accordng’ → ‘according’
#p. 51: ‘the water whch is thereupon’ → ‘the water which is
thereupon’
#p. 52: ‘Heavnn’ → ‘Heaven’
#p. 55: ‘afterwatds’ → ‘afterwards’
#p. 57: ‘throughly’ → ‘thoroughly’
#p. 59: ‘enbarked’ → ‘embarked’; ‘besige’ → ‘besiege’
#p. 60: ‘violl’ → ‘viall’
#p. 71: ‘tkerein’ → ‘therein’
#p. 60: ‘violl’ → ‘viall’
#p. 82: ‘adultererer’ → ‘adulterer’
#p. 88: ‘patience tpatience experience’ → ‘patience, patience
experience’ ‘preverse opinions’ should possibly read: ‘perverse
opinions’
#p. 95: ‘retun to God’ → ‘return to God’
#p. 96: ‘St. Auguistine’ → ‘St. Augustine’
#p. 100: ‘it is said in the of Deut.’: missing chapter number (4)
has been inserted
#p. 103: ‘extends it light’ → ‘extends its light’
#p. 123: ‘Is is written’ → ‘It is written’
#p. 142: ‘forbiddding’ → ‘forbidding’
#p. 146: ‘are as it it were’ → ‘are as if it were’
#p. 154: ‘& scret considerations’ → ‘& secret considerations’

Italic passages have been symbolised by underscores (_italic_); forward slashes represent small caps (/small caps/).

End of Project Gutenberg's A Discovrse of Fire and Salt, by Blaise de Vigenère