The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 2Browne, Thomas, Sir
Religion
The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 2
Browne, Thomas, Sir
Christianity; Ethics; Religion and medicine
For first, They might be out in the commencement or beginning of their
account; for every man is many months elder then he computeth. For
although we begin the same from our nativity, and conceive that no
arbitrary, but natural term of compute, yet for the duration of life or
existence, we are liable in the Womb unto the usual distinctions of
time; and are not to be exempted from the account of age and life, where
we are subject to diseases, and often suffer death. And therefore
_Pythagoras_, _Hippocrates_, _Diocles_, _Avicenna_ and others, have set
upon us numeral relations and temporal considerations in the womb; not
only affirming the birth of the seventh month to be vital, that of the
eighth mortal, but the progression thereto to be measured by rule, and
to hold a proportion unto motion and formation. As what receiveth motion
in the seventh, to be perfected in the Triplicities; that is, the time
of conformation unto motion is double, and that from motion unto the
birth, treble; So what is formed the 35 day, is moved the seventy, and
born the 210 day. And therefore if any invisible causality there be,
that after so many years doth evidence it self as Sixty three, it will
be questionable whether its activity only set out at our nativity, and
begin not rather in the womb, wherein we place the like considerations.
Which doth not only entangle this assertion, but hath already embroiled
the endeavours of Astrology in the erection of Schemes, and the judgment
of death or diseases; for being not incontroulably determined, at what
time to begin, whether at conception, animation or exclusion (it being
indifferent unto the influence of Heaven to begin at either) they have
invented another way, that is, to begin _ab Hora quæstionis_, as _Haly_,
_Messahallach_, _Ganivetus_, and _Guido Bonatus_ have delivered.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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