Lord Verulam on Fire. A note to Pseudodoxia Epidemica, Book III, chapter 21

From Francis Bacon, Lord Verulam (1638) History of Life and Death, "Canons of the Continuation and Forme of Death", Canon 6, pp. 293-294. The specifically relevant passage is marked in red:

Can. 6.

Mortuall dead spirits are consubstantiall, or like in substance to Ayre, but the vital spirits are more like a flame.

The Explication.

The explication of the former fourth Canon declares the meaning of this present Canon, which sheweth also that fat oyly substances do long p294 retaine their essence, being neither consumed much by the Ayre, nor very desirous to resolve into Ayre. Therefore Flame is not enflamed Ayre; for Flame and Ayre differ as Oyle and Water doe, and by the Canon that saith, the vitall spirits are like the substance, is to be understood that they are more enflaming than the mortuall dead spirits, not more flame-like, or ayrie.


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