Now we are prepared for all Dr. _Mead_’s _Absurdities_, _Wit_ and _Banter_, the first Thing he presents us with, _how long a Time Perfumes hold their Scent, if wrapt up in proper Coverings_; and we must remark, _That the strongest of those, like the Matter we are treating of (are mostly animal _Juices_)_ as Musk, Civet, _&c._ (if there be any more.) And the Substances that keep them the best, are those which receive and communicate the Plague, as _Furs_, _Feathers_, _Silk_, _Hair_, _Wool_, _Cotton_, _Flax_, &c. _the greatest part of which are likewise of the animal Kind_. If the _Pestilence_ is now a _Scent_, yet surely it is a Noisome one; and if it can be kept, like _Musk_, in its proper Covering, fourty Days will never deliver us from our fears of it. But all this is only to amuse us with another new Conceit the Doctor would entertain us with, that the Matter of the Plague is an _animal Juice_; but pray, good Doctor, of what Animal? This is not only ridiculous, but overthrows every Opinion of Physicians that ever was broached about it. But not to baulk his Wit, this Perfume of the Plague, like Musk, is best kept in animal Substances; (_Attraction_ would have preceded very decently, for a more proper Introduction) but is Musk, commonly kept in Furs or Cotton; if in the last, what Animal is it that yields us Cotton? As for _Civet_ it is no runaway Merchandize. It is therefore very obvious, that Men are now passing a Review of their Credulity before Dr. _Mead_ and the World. But there is another quaint Observation that must not be neglected, which is, That of all the mentioned Plague-Keepers, Three of them are animal Substances, and but Two of them of the vegetable Kind. Mighty fine! and well order’d: But if we turn to another Page of his [5]Book, we may find this useful Observation contradicted: _But the greatest Danger from Goods_, is from _Cotton_, _Hemp_, and _Flax_; _Paper_, or _Books_ (Paper Books surely, or else their covering will keep them upon an Equality in ballancing Accompts) _Silk_, _Linnen_, _Wool_, _Feathers_, _Hair_, and _Skins_. In this Account, the vegetable and animal Plague-Keepers are equal in Number. [Footnote 5: Page 24.]