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CHAP. V. Of the Faculties of the SOUL.

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Plato, Alcinous, and many other learned Men, do agree, that the heavenly Spirit’s Composition, mixing Fire, Air, Earth, and Water, made of them all, put together, one Body; which they subjected to the Service of the SOUL, assigning the several Provinces of the one, to the sundry Faculties of the other: To the meaner of them, mean and low Places; as to Anger, the Midriff; to Lust, the Womb, &c: but to the more noble Senses, the HEAD, as the Tower of the whole Body.

AS they divide these Senses into external and internal; so they subdivide the external Senses into five: To which are allotted as many proper Organs or Subjects, being so order’d, that they which are placed in the more eminent Parts of the Body, have the greater Degree of Purity.

FOR the Eyes, placed in the uppermost part, are the most pure, and have an Affinity with the Nature of Fire and Light. The Ears have the second Order of Place and Purity, and are compar’d to the Air. The Nostrils take the third Order, and have a middle Nature betwixt Air and Water. Then the Organ of Tasting, which is grosser, and most like to the Nature of Water. And, lastly, Touching being diffus’d through the whole Body, is compar’d to the Grossness of Earth.

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