saying, That _secrets, as they are most difficultly prepared, so they ought to remain in secret forever in the possession of the Privy Councel_, what Privy Counsels he means, I know not; but certainly some are more difficult to be spoken to, or any thing to be obtained from, then the preparation of a Physical Arcanum. However, a general good or benefit ought not to be concealed or kept in privy Councels, but to be divulged and publickly made known, that all sorts of People, of what condition, degree, or Nation soever, might partake of the general blessing and bounty of God. But, _Madam_, you may be sure, that many, who pretend to know Physical secrets, most commonly know the least, as being for the most part of the rank of them that deceive the simple with strange tales which exceed truth; and to make themselves more authentical, they use to rail at others, and to condemn their skill, onely to magnifie their own: I say, many, _Madam_, as I have observed, are of that nature, especially those, that have but a superficial knowledg in the Art of Physick; for those that are thorowly learned, and sufficiently practised in it, scorn to do the like; which I wish may prosper and thrive by their skill. And so I rest, Madam, _Your Ladiships_ _humble Servant._ [1] In the _ch._ call'd _Butler_. XLIII. _MADAM,_ Your _Author_ is pleased to relate a story[1] of one that died suddenly, and being dissected, there was not the least sign of decay or disorder found in his body. But I cannot add to those that wonder, when no sign of distemper is found in a man's body after he is dead; because I do not believe, that the subtillest, learnedst, and most practised Anatomist, can exactly tell all the Interior Government or motions, or can find out all obscure and invisible passages in a mans body; for concerning the motions, they are all altered in death, or rather in the dissolution of the animal figure; and although the exterior animal figure or shape doth not alter so soon, yet the animal motions may alter in a moment of time; which sudden alteration may cause a sudden death, and so the motions being invisible, the cause of death cannot be perceived; for no body can find that which is not to be found, to wit, animal motions in a dead man; for Nature hath altered these motions from being animal motions to some other kind of motions, she being as various in dissolutions, as in productions, indeed so various, that her ways cannot be traced or known thorowly and perfectly, but onely by piece-meals, as the saying is, that is, but partly: Wherefore man can onely know that which is visible, or subject to his senses; and yet our senses do not always inform us truly, but the alterations of grosser parts are more easily known, then the alterations of subtil corporeal motions, either in general, or in particular; neither are the invisible passages to be known in a dead Carcass, much less in a living body. But, I pray, mistake me not, when