_
Q. Why have you one nose and two eyes? A. Because light is more
necessary to us than smelling; and therefore it doth proceed from the
goodness of Nature, that if we receive any hurt or loss of one eye, the
other should remain.
Q. Why have children great eyes in their youth, which become small as
they grow up? A. It proceeds from the want of fire, and from the
assemblage and meeting together of the light and humour; the eyes, being
lightened by the sun, which doth lighten the easy humour thereof and
purge them: and, in the absence of the sun, those humours become dark
and black, and the sight not so good.
Q. Why does the blueish grey eye see badly in the day-time and well in
the night? A. Because greyness is light and shining in itself, and the
spirits with which we see are weakened in the day-time and strengthened
in the night.
Q. Why are men's eyes of diverse colours? A. By reason of diversity of
humours. The eye hath four coverings and three humours. The first
covering is called consolidative, which is the outermost, strong and
fat. The second is called a horny skin or covering, of the likeness of
a horn; which is a clear covering. The third, uvea, of the likeness of a
black grape. The fourth is called a cobweb. The first humour is called
_albuginous_, from its likeness unto the white of an egg.
Pages:
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325