Crooke, Helkiah (1576-1648)

ΜΙΚΡΟΚΟΣΜΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ: A Description of the Body of Man [Mikrokosmographia, Microcosmographia]

London

Printed by William Iaggard

1615

"Go too then, is not he said to know himself, who can tell how to temper and order the state and condition of his mind, how to appease those civil tumults within himself, by the storms and waves whereof he is pitifully tossed, and how to suppress and appease those varieties of passions wherewith as it were with so many furies he is vexed and tormented?"

After this manner, Democritus of Abdera, that he might finde out the seate of anger and melancholy, cut in peeces the bodies of beasts, and when he was taxed of the Citizens for madnesse in so doing, he was by the censure and determination of Hippocrates, adiudged to be very wise and prudent. Go too then, is not he saide to know himselfe, who can tell how to temper and order the state and condition of his minde, howe to appease those ciuill tumults within himselfe, by the stormes and waues whereof he is pittifully tossed, and how to suppresse and appease those varieties of passions wherewith as it were with so manie furies he is vexed and tormented? But all this Anatomy doth verie plainly teach vs. For he that seeth and obserueth the whole body, which by the structure and putting together of sundry parts of diuers sorts and kinds, is (as it were) manifold & full of variety, to be made one by the continuation and ioyning of those parts; he that considereth the admirable simpathy of the parts, their mutuall consent and agreement, their common offices, or officiall administrations one for the helpe of another, how they make not any couetous reseruation to themselues, but do freely communicate each with other; such a man no doubt will so moderate and order the conditions and affections of his minde, as all things shal accord and ioyne in a mutuall agreement, and the inferiors shall obey the superiors, the passions obey the rule of right reason. He that shall diligently weigh and consider the vse of euery part, the fashion, scituation, and admirable workemanship of them all, as also, the Organs and Instruments of the outward sences, he shall easily perceiue how and after what manner he is to make vse of euery part; then which thing, what can be more excellent, what more profitable?
(I.v, pp. 12-13)

War::Civil War Weather::Storms Liquid::Ocean::Waves Population::Furies

Reading in EEBO

Helkiah Crooke, ΜΙΚΡΟΚΟΣΜΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ: A Description of the Body of Man (London: Printed by William Iaggard, 1615). <Link to EEBO>

09/28/2011