Digital Donne: the Online Variorum
The 1654 Prose Letters Letter 6, cont. (p.14) |
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and that but by example and precedent, the world at last longed for some certain Canons and Rules, how these cures might be accomplished; And when men are inflamed with this desire, and that such a fire breaks out that rages and consumes in- finitly by heat of argument, except some of authority interpose. This produced Hippo- crates his Aphorismes; and the world slumbred or took breath, in his resolution divers hundreds of years: And then in Galens time, which was not satisfied with the effect of curing, not with the know- ledge how to cure, broke out another de- sire of finding out the causes why those simples wrought those effects. Then Galen rather to stay their stomachs then that he gave them enough, taught them the quali- ties of the four Elements, and arrested them upon this, that all differences of qualities proceeded from them. And after, (not much before our time) men perceiving that all effects in Physick could not be derived form these beggerly and impotent proper- [CW: ties] |
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