PART XIII. E T I C U RU S. 60^

CHAP. XV.
of the RatH'boiVj tn/id Hahi.
‘XTift muft not here pafs by two remarkable W things, which appear in the Clouds or above ; the Rain-bow, an Arch of various^co- tonrs ivec aaainll the Sun and Halos, which Ibmtimes like a White Crown compalTeth the
^The Rain-bow is made either, for that the moiit Air Ihineth by the oppofitefplendor ot the Son, or for that it is the particular nature of light, and of the Air, to ptefcnt fuch kind of colours either all of thein, or one only, from which ( mining
ine parts of the Air are fo coloured; in like manlier, as we obferve to be don,when the parts of any thing, which is enligntned, make the parts of other things next to it fhine alio.
As to the routidnefs of its figure, this is cauf- cd by reafon, that it is only convey d to the beholders eye, from a diftance every way ey al ; or for thatthe Atoms, which arc carried out of the Air into the Cloud, are fo compelled that every concretion made of them is formed into this roundnefs. * . t.
A Halos is made about the Moort, either by the carrying, up of a fomewhat grofs or lightly- cloudy Air towards the Moon, whilft in the mean time^fomc effluxions derived from her do as it were fift it, ( for they do not abfolutely difperfe it,)in fuch manner 5 that they are form¬ ed into a circle about her in this cloudy figure.
Or by the Air, compelled about the Moon, after fuch a manner, as to make this round and grolfer figure about her ; which *fome conceive to happen according to fome of her parts, or by fome effluxion driving together from with¬ out, or, by infinuation of heat from beneath, fit to effed this.
CHAP. XVI.
- Of Avernal places.
IT refts, that wefpeak fome things of Aver¬ nal places, fo termed, for that they are per¬ nicious to Birds ^ for when Birds attempt to flye over them, they inftantly fall down and dye : As alfo concerning the caufes of Peftilence, as
far as theyiiepend-tMrthe' Air. -
I muft here only repeat, that the Earth con- taineth all kinds of little Bodies fo diverfly figur- cd that fame are fuitable to the natures of A- nimals, others hurtful ^ and by reafon that the contextures of Animals are fo unlike to one a- nothcr,fome of thefe are convenient and whol- fome to fome Animals, which to others ^te in¬ convenient and pernicious. And why note when the contexture and temper of the fame perfon being changed by a Feaver,the fame wme,which before did him much good, is now as deadly to him as to be ftabb’d to the heart.
! It is manifeft, that many things unpleafant, troublefome, and pernicious ordinarily come into the tafte, the fmell, the touch, and all the fenfes, not to mention fome Trees which either
caufe a heavinefs to thofe who fleep in their fhade or by an ill feent kill them ; nor ftrongWine,or the fume of coles and the like. How many places are thefe, which exhale ftrong and hurtful * feentsof Brimftone and fulphur ? They who dig in Mines, who look fo whan, and dye fo foon, how many noifome vapours do they find to breath otit of the inmofl: parts of the Earth ?
Thus there are fome placb out of which thele vapours breathe, which bein^ carried up into the Air^ difl'ufed round over it, in fome manner poyfon it, and infed it with a deadly quality; fo as that, when Birds come to pafs over it, Eeluti ft Mulier mnftunt tempore Cajio- rcum olfackt, they become ftupefy’d, and imme¬ diately fail down dead.
It may alfo be, that the Air which lies be¬ tween the Birds and the Earth, being cleft a- funder by the force of a vapour breaking forth. and the place becoming almofl: Vacuous j the Birds may not have a fupport, upon which t6 reft their fpreading wings, and centinue their flight, fo that they fink and fall, over-burthen’d by the weight of their own Body. Thus much for Avernal places.
G H A P. XVII.
Of Pejlilence.
T Hough Peftilence,or a mortal affedion of the Air may come from above, like a Cloud or dew, yet it is moft commonly caufed, when the Earth is putrify’d by unfeafonable rains and heats, and fuch a vapour arifeth out of it, as infeds the Air,and killeth far and neer, not only men but other living Creatures.
That the* Air eafily entertains the affedion X or quality, ) of the vapour breathed immedi¬ ately out of the Earth into it, is riianifeft, from the difeafes that are particular to Coutries, as here with us, the Gout is frequent •, among the Achxans^iovQTiQk of Eyes^ among thct/Egyptians^ the Leprofie • As alfo for that Travellers find it by experience, acknowledging that the Air in feveral places is very different.
That this affedion is fomtimes propagated by the Air, the nature of the Peftilence declaretb, as That efpecially, which, in the memory of our Anceftors beginning in JEthiopia^ rari on into Libia aadeySgypt^ and almoft over all the Domi¬ nions of the King of Perfiafo as it came into our City and Country alfoj'and-qtrrteialtTit'waffer This propagation is made, when the poifonous vapour intermingling its little Bodies with the Air, doth fo diforder, and pervert the feituati- on of the little Bodies thereof,that whatfoever of them are like its own,itformetH into the fame contexture : As when fire infinu^ting wiih its little Bodies into wood, fo altereth its conapofi- tion, that it ftriks forth all the fiery little Bo¬ dies that are in it ^ and, out of it, maketh a new fire like to itfelf. Moreover ,as fire running aloiig in its fwift motion, is able to fpread it felf tho¬ rough a wholeWood-, fo tbisPeftilent affedion, by reafon of the little Bodies, of which it con- fiftsjcreepeth forward by Degrees,and changeth the Air a great way, until it be reprefs’d by an affedion quite different,in like manner.as when H h K h i a'