Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/45

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In
Scythia horrid Boreas holds his rain,
Beneath
Boites, and the frozen Wain :
The land to this oppos'd doth Auſter ſteep
With fruitfull ſhowres, and clouds which ever weep.


CHAP. VII.

Of the kinds of Compounds, what relation they ſtand in to the Elements, and what relation there is betwixt the Elements themſelves, and the ſoul, ſenſes, and diſpoſitions of men.

NExt after the four ſimple Elements follow the four kinds of perfect Bodies compounded of them, and they are Stones, Metals, Plants, and Animals : and although unto the generation of each of theſe all the Elements meet together in the compoſition, yet every one of them follows, and reſembles one of the Elements, which is moſt predominant. For all Stones are earthy, for they are naturally heavy, and deſcend, and ſo hardened with dryneſs, that they cannot be melted. But Metals are wateriſh, and may be melted, which Naturaliſts confeſs, and Chymiſts finde to be true, viz. that they are generated of a viſcous Water, or wateriſh argent vive. Plants have ſuch an affinity with the Aire, that unleſs they be abroad in the open Aire, they do neither bud, nor increaſe. So alſo all Animals

Have in their Natures a moſt fiery force,
And alſo ſpring from a Celeſtiall ſource.

And Fire is ſo naturall to them, that that being extinguiſhed they preſently dye. And again every one of thoſe kinds is diſtinguiſhed within it ſelf by reaſon of degrees of the Elements. For amongſt the Stones they eſpecially are called earthy that are dark, and more heavy; and thoſe wateriſh, which are tranſparent, and are compacted of water, as Cry-

ſtall,