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
The like deceit may be practised in the teeth of other Sea-animals; in
the teeth also of the _Hippopotamus_, or great Animal which frequenteth
the River _Nilus_: For we read that the same was anciently used instead
of Ivory or Elephants tooth. Nor is it to be omitted, what hath been
formerly suspected, but now confirmed by _Olaus Wormius_, and _Thomas
Bartholinus_ and others, that those long Horns preserved as pretious
rarities in many places, are but the teeth of Narhwales, to be found
about Island, Greenland and other Northern regions; of many feet long,
commonly wreathed, very deeply fastned in the upper jaw, and standing
directly forward, graphically described in _Bartholinus_[SN: De
Unicornu.], according unto one sent from a Bishop of Island, not
separated from the crany. Hereof _Mercator_ hath taken notice in his
description of Island: some relations hereof there seem to be in
_Purchas_, who also delivereth that the Horn at _Windsor_, was in his
second voyage brought hither by _Frobisher_. These before the Northern
discoveries, as unknown rarities, were carried by Merchants into all
parts of _Europe_; and though found on the Sea-shore, were sold at very
high rates; but are now become more common, and probably in time will
prove of little esteem; and the bargain of _Julius_ the third, be
accounted a very hard one, who stuck not to give many thousand crowns
for one.
Nor is it great wonder we may be so deceived in this, being daily gulled
in the brother Antidote Bezoar; whereof though many be false, yet one
there passeth amongst us of more intollerable delusion; somewhat paler
then the true stone, and given by women in the extremity of great
diseases, which notwithstanding is no stone, but seems to be the stony
seed of some Lithospermum or greater Grumwell; or the Lobus Echinatus of
_Clusius_, called also the Bezoar Nut; for being broken, it discovereth
a kernel of a leguminous smell and tast, bitter like a Lupine, and will
swell and sprout if set in the ground, and therefore more serviceable
for issues, then dangerous and virulent diseases.
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