Page:Mathematical collections and translations, in two tomes - Salusbury (1661).djvu/116

 I not onely smile, but to tell you true, am ready to burst with holding in my self from laughing outright, for you have put me in mind of a very pretty passage, that I was a witnesse of, not many years since, together with some others of my worthy friends, which I could yet name unto you.

It would be well that you told us what it was, that so Simplicius may not still think that he gave you the occasion of laughter.

I am content. I found one day, at home in his house, at Venice, a famous Phisician, to whom some flockt for their studies, and others out of curiosity, sometimes came thither to see certain Anatomies diffected by the hand of a no lesse learned, than careful and experienced Anatomist. It chanced upon that day, when I was there, that he was in search of the original and rise of the Nerves, about which there is a famous controversie between the Galenists and Peripateticks; and the Anatomist shewing, how that the great number of Nerves departing from the Brain, as their root, and passing by the nape of the Neck, distend themselves afterwards along by the Back-bone, and branch themselves thorow all the Body; and that a very small filament, as fine as a thred went to the Heart; he turned to a Gentleman whom he knew to be a Peripatetick Philosopher, and for whose sake he had with extraordinary exactnesse, discovered and proved every thing, and demanded of him, if he was at length satisfied and perswaded that the original of the Nerves proceeded from the Brain, and not from the Heart? To which the Philosopher, after he had stood musing a while, answered; you have made me to see this businesse so plainly and sensibly, that did not the Text of Aristotle assert the contrary, which positively affirmeth the Nerves to proceed from the Heart, I should be constrained to confesse your opinion to be true.

I would have you know my Masters, that this controversie about the original of the Nerves is not yet so proved and decided, as some may perhaps perswade themselves.

Nor questionlesse ever shall it be, if it find such like contradictors; but that which you say, doth not at all lessen the extravagance of the answer of that Peripatetick, who against such sensible experience produced not other experiments, or reasons of Aristotle, but his bare authority and pure ipse dixit.

Aristotle had not gained so great authority, but for the force of his Demonstrations, and the profoundnesse of his arguments; but it is requisite that we understand him, and not onely understand him, but have so great familiarity with his Books, that we form a perfect Idea thereof in our minds, so as that every saying of his may be alwayes as it were, present in our