thoughwecannotgetveryclearideasonthishead，orrespectingthemannerinwhichtheywerecaught——“MedicinaDiatastica；or，SympatheticalMummie，abstractedfromtheWorksofParacelsus，andtranslatedoutoftheLatin，byFernandoParkhurst，Gent。“London，1653。pp。2。7。Quotedbythe“ForeignQuarterlyReview，“vol。xii。p。
　　415。]andmixedwithrichearth。Inthisearthsowsomeseedsthathaveacongruityorhomogeneitywiththedisease:thenletthisearth，wellsiftedandmixedwithmummy，belaidinanearthenvessel；andlettheseedscommittedtoitbewatereddailywithalotioninwhichthediseasedlimborbodyhasbeenwashed。Thuswillthediseasebetransplantedfromthehumanbodytotheseedswhichareintheearth。
　　Havingdonethis，transplanttheseedsfromtheearthenvesseltotheground，andwaittilltheybegintosproutintoherbs:astheyincrease，thediseasewilldiminish；andwhentheyhavearrivedattheirfullgrowth，itwilldisappearaltogether。“
　　KirchertheJesuit，whosequarrelwiththealchymistswasthemeansofexposingmanyoftheirimpostures，wasafirmbelieverintheefficacyofthemagnet。Havingbeenappliedtobyapatientafflictedwithhernia，hedirectedthemantoswallowasmallmagnetreducedtopowder，whileheapplied，atthesametime，totheexternalswellingapoultice，madeoffilingsofiron。Heexpectedthatbythismeansthemagnet，whenitgottothecorrespondingplaceinside，woulddrawintheiron，andwithitthetumour；whichwouldthus，hesaid，besafelyandexpeditiouslyreduced。
　　Asthisnewdoctrineofmagnetismspread，itwasfoundthatwoundsinflictedwithanymetallicsubstancecouldbecuredbythemagnet。Inprocessoftimethedelusionsoincreased，thatitwasdeemedsufficienttomagnetiseasword，tocureanyhurtwhichthatswordmighthaveinflicted！Thiswastheoriginofthecelebrated“weapon-salve，“whichexcitedsomuchattentionaboutthemiddleoftheseventeenthcentury。ThefollowingwastherecipegivenbyParacelsusforthecureofanywoundsinflictedbyasharpweapon，exceptsuchashadpenetratedtheheart，thebrain，orthearteries。
　　“Takeofmossgrowingontheheadofathiefwhohasbeenhangedandleftintheair；ofrealmummy；ofhumanblood，stillwarm——ofeach，oneounce；ofhumansuet，twoounces；oflinseedoil，turpentine，andArmenianbole——ofeach，twodrachms。Mixallwellinamortar，andkeepthesalveinanoblong，narrowurn。“Withthissalvetheweapon，afterbeingdippedinthebloodfromthewound，wastobecarefullyanointed，andthenlaidbyinacoolplace。Inthemeantime，thewoundwastobedulywashedwithfaircleanwater，coveredwithaclean，soft，linenrag，andopenedonceadaytocleanseoffpurulentorothermatter。Ofthesuccessofthistreatment，saysthewriteroftheablearticleonAnimalMagnetism，inthetwelfthvolumeofthe“ForeignQuarterlyReview，“therecannotbetheleastdoubt；“forsurgeonsatthismomentfollowexactlythesamemethod，exceptanointingtheweapon！
　　TheweaponsalvecontinuedtobemuchspokenofontheContinent，andmanyeagerclaimantsappearedforthehonouroftheinvention。Dr。
　　Fludd，orAFluctibus，theRosicrucian，whohasbeenalreadymentionedinapreviouspartofthisvolume，wasveryzealousinintroducingitintoEngland。Hetrieditwithgreatsuccessinseveralcases；andnowonder；for，whilehekeptupthespiritsofhispatientsbyboastingofthegreatefficacyofthesalve，heneverneglectedthosecommon，butmuchmoreimportantremedies，ofwashing，bandaging，&c。whichtheexperienceofallageshaddeclaredsufficientforthepurpose。Fludd，moreover，declared，thatthemagnetwasaremedyforalldiseases，ifproperlyapplied；butthatmanhaving，liketheearth，anorthandasouthpole，magnetismcouldonlytakeplacewhenhisbodywasinaborealposition！Inthemidstofhispopularity，anattackwasmadeuponhimandhisfavouriteremedy，thesalve；which，however，didlittleornothingtodiminishthebeliefinitsefficacy。One“ParsonFoster“wroteapamphlet，entitled“HyplocrismaSpongus；or，aSpungetowipeawaytheWeapon-Salve；“inwhichhedeclared，thatitwasasbadaswitchcrafttouseorrecommendsuchanunguent；thatitwasinventedbythedevil，who，atthelastday，wouldseizeuponeverypersonwhohadgivenittheslightestencouragement。“Infact，“saidParsonFoster，“thedevilhimselfgaveittoParacelsus；ParacelsustotheEmperor；theEmperortothecourtier；thecourtiertoBaptistaPorta；andBaptistaPortatoDr。Fludd，adoctorofphysic，yetlivingandpractisinginthefamouscityofLondon，whonowstandstoothandnailforit。“Dr。Fludd，thusassailed，tookupthepenindefenceofhisunguent，inareplycalled“TheSqueezingofParsonFoster’sSpunge；whereintheSpunge-Bearer’simmodestCarriageandBehaviourtowardshisBrethrenisdetected；thebitterFlamesofhisslanderousReportsare，bythesharpVinegarofTruth，correctedandquiteextinguished；and，lastly，thevirtuousValidityofhisSpungeinwipingawaytheWeapon-Salve，iscrushedoutandcleanabolished。“
　　Shortlyafterthisdisputeamoredistinguishedbelieverintheweapon-salvemadehisappearance，inthepersonofSirKenelmDigby，thesonofSirEverardDigby，whowasexecutedforhisparticipationintheGunpowderPlot。Thisgentleman，who，inotherrespects，wasanaccomplishedscholarandanableman，wasimbuedwithalltheextravagantnotionsofthealchymists。Hebelievedinthephilosopher’sstone，andwishedtoengageDescartestodevotehisenergiestothediscoveryoftheelixiroflife，orsomeothermeansbywhichtheexistenceofmanmightbeprolongedtoanindefiniteperiod。Hegavehiswife，thebeautifulVenetiaAnastasiaStanley，adishofcapons，feduponvipers，accordingtotheplansupposedtohavebeenlaiddownbyArnoldofVilleneuve，inthehopethatshemighttherebypreserveherlovelinessforacentury。Ifsuchamanoncetookuptheideaoftheweapon-salve，itwastobeexpectedthathewouldmakethemostofit。Inhishands，however，itwaschangedfromanunguentintoapowder，andwascalledthepowderofsympathy。
　　HepretendedthathehadacquiredtheknowledgeofitfromaCarmelitefriar，whohadlearneditinPersiaorArmenia，fromanorientalphilosopherofgreatrenown。KingJames，thePrinceofWales，theDukeofBuckingham，andmanyothernoblepersonages，believedinitsefficacy。ThefollowingremarkableinstanceofhismodeofcurewasreadbySirKenelmtoasocietyoflearnedmenatMontpellier。Mr。
　　JamesHowell，thewell-knownauthorofthe“Dendrologia，“andofvariousletters，comingbychanceastwoofhisbestfriendswerefightingaduel，rushedbetweenthem，andendeavouredtopartthem。Heseizedtheswordofoneofthecombatantsbythehilt，while，atthesametime，hegraspedtheotherbytheblade。Beingtransportedwithfuryoneagainsttheother，theystruggledtoridthemselvesofthehindrancecausedbytheirfriend；andinsodoing，theonewhoseswordwasheldbythebladebyMr。Howell，drewitawayroughly，andnearlycuthishandoff，severingthenervesandmuscles，andpenetratingtothebone。Theother，almostatthesameinstant，disengagedhissword，andaimedablowattheheadofhisantagonist，whichMr。Howellobserving，raisedhiswoundedhandwiththerapidityofthought，topreventtheblow。Theswordfellonthebackofhisalreadywoundedhand，andcutitseverely。“Itseemed，“saidSirKenelmDigby，“asifsomeunluckystarragedoverthem，thattheyshouldhavebothshedthebloodofthatdearfriend，forwhoselifetheywouldhavegiventheirown，iftheyhadbeenintheirpropermindatthetime。“SeeingMr。
　　Howell’sfaceallbesmearedwithbloodfromhiswoundedhand，theyboththrewdowntheirswordsandembracedhim，andbounduphishandwithagarter，toclosetheveins，whichwerecut，andbledprofusely。
　　Theythenconveyedhimhome，andsentforasurgeon。KingJames，whowasmuchattachedtoMr。Howell，afterwardssenthisownsurgeontoattendhim。WemustcontinuethenarrativeinthewordsofSirKenelmDigby:-“Itwasmychance，“sayshe，“tobelodgedhardbyhim:and，fourorfivedaysafter，asIwasmakingmyselfready，hecametomyhouse，andprayedmetoviewhiswounds；’forIunderstand，’saidhe，’thatyouhaveextraordinaryremediesonsuchoccasions；andmysurgeonsapprehendsomefear，thatitmaygrowtoagangrene，andsothehandmustbecutoff。’Ineffect，hiscountenancediscoveredthathewasinmuchpain，which，hesaid，wasinsupportable，inregardoftheextremeinflammation。ItoldhimIwouldwillinglyservehim；butif，haply，heknewthemannerhowIcouldcurehim，withouttouchingorseeinghim，itmightbethathewouldnotexposehimselftomymannerofcuring；becausehewouldthinkit，peradventure，eitherineffectualorsuperstitious。Hereplied，’Themanywonderfulthingswhichpeoplehaverelateduntomeofyourwayofmedicinement，makesmenothingdoubtatallofitsefficacy；andallthatIhavetosayuntoyouiscomprehendedintheSpanishproverb，HagaseelmilagroyhagaloMahoma——Letthemiraclebedone，thoughMahometdoit。’
　　“Iaskedhimthenforanythingthathadtheblooduponit:sohepresentlysentforhisgarter，wherewithhishandwasfirstbound；
　　and，asIcalledforabasinofwater，asifIwouldwashmyhands，I
　　tookahandfulofpowderofvitriol，whichIhadinmystudy，andpresentlydissolvedit。Assoonasthebloodygarterwasbroughtme，I
　　putitinthebasin，observing，intheinterim，whatMr。Howelldid，whostoodtalkingwithagentlemaninacornerofmychamber，notregardingatallwhatIwasdoing。Hestartedsuddenly，asifhehadfoundsomestrangealterationinhimself。Iaskedhimwhatheailed？
　　’Iknownotwhatailsme；butIfindthatIfeelnomorepain。
　　Methinksthatapleasingkindoffreshness，asitwereawetcoldnapkin，didspreadovermyhand，whichhathtakenawaytheinflammationthattormentedmebefore。’Ireplied，’Since，then，youfeelalreadysomuchgoodofmymedicament，Iadviseyoutocastawayallyourplasters；onlykeepthewoundclean，andinamoderatetemper，betwixtheatandcold。’ThiswaspresentlyreportedtotheDukeofBuckingham，andalittleafter，totheKing，whowerebothverycurioustoknowthecircumstancesofthebusiness；whichwas，thatafterdinner，Itookthegarteroutofthewater，andputittodrybeforeagreatfire。ItwasscarcedrybeforeMr。Howell’sservantcamerunning，andsayingthathismasterfeltasmuchburningaseverhehaddone，ifnotmore；fortheheatwassuchasifhishandwerebetwixtcoalsoffire。Ianswered，thatalthoughthathadhappenedatpresent，yetheshouldfindeaseinashorttime；forIknewthereasonofthisnewaccident，andwouldprovideaccordingly；forhismastershouldbefreefromthatinflammation，itmightbe，beforehecouldpossiblyreturntohim:but，incasehefoundnoease，I
　　wishedhimtocomepresentlybackagain；ifnot，hemightforbearcoming。Thereuponhewent；and，attheinstant，Ididputthegarteragainintothewater；thereuponhefoundhismasterwithoutanypainatall。Tobebrief，therewasnosenseofpainafterwards；butwithinfiveorsixdays，thewoundswerecicatrisedandentirelyhealed。“
　　SuchisthemarvellousstoryofSirKenelmDigby。Otherpractitionersofthatagewerenotbehindhiminabsurdity。Itwasnotalwaysnecessarytouseeitherthepowderofsympathy，ortheweapon-salve，toeffectacure。Itwassufficienttomagnetisetheswordwiththehandthefirstfaintdawnoftheanimaltheory，torelieveanypainthesameweaponhadcaused。Theypretended，thatiftheystrokedtheswordupwardswiththeirfingers，thewoundedpersonwouldfeelimmediaterelief；butiftheystrokeditdownwards，hewouldfeelintolerablepain。[ReginaldScott，quotedbySirWalterScott，inthenotestothe“LayoftheLastMinstrel，“c。iii。v。