Read The Major Works (English Library) Online
Authors: Sir Thomas Browne
The first shall be of the Elephant; whereof there generally passeth an opinion it hath no joints; and this absurdity is seconded with another, that being unable to lie down, it sleep-eth against a tree; which the Hunters observing doe saw almost asunder; whereon the beast relying, by the fall of the tree falls also down it self, and is able to rise no more. Which conceit is not the daughter of later times, but an old and gray-headed error, even in the daies of Aristotle, as he delivereth in his book,
de incessu animalium
; and stand successively related by severall other Authors; by Diodorus Siculus, Strabo, Ambrose, Cassiodore, Solinus and many more. Now herein me thinks men much forget themselves, not well considering the absurdity of such assertions.
For first, they affirm it hath no joints, and yet concede it walks and moves about; whereby they conceive there may be a progression or advancement made in motion without inflexion of parts. Now all progression or animall locomotion being (as Aristotle teacheth) performed
tractu & pulsu
; that is, by drawing on, or impelling forward some part which was before in station, or at quiet; where there are no joints or flexures, neither can there be these actions; and this is true, not only in Quadrupedes, Volatils and Fishes, which have distinct and prominent organs of motion, legs, wings and fins; but in such also as perform their progression by the trunck, as Serpents, Wormes and Leeches; whereof though some want bones, and all extended articulations, yet have they arthriticall analogies;
1
and by the motion of fibrous and musculous parts, are able to make progression. Which to conceive in bodies inflexible, and
without all protrusion of parts, were to expect a race from Hercules his pillars; or hope to behold the effects of Orpheus his harp; when Trees found joints, and danced after his musick.
Again, While men conceive they never lie down, and enjoy not the position of rest, ordained unto all pedestrious animals, hereby they imagin (what reason cannot conceive) that an animall of the vastest dimension and longest duration, should live in a continuall motion, without that alternity and vicissitude of rest whereby all others continue; and yet must thus much come to passe, if we opinion they lie not down and enjoy no decumbence
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at all. For station is properly no rest, but one kinde of motion, relating unto that which Physitians (from Galen) doe name extensive or tonicall; that is, an extension of the muscles and organs of motion maintaining the body at length or in its proper figure; wherein although it seem to be unmoved, it is neverthelesse not without all motion; for in this position the muscles are sensibly extended, and labour to support the body; which permitted unto its proper gravity, would suddenly subside and fall unto the earth, as it happeneth in sleep, diseases
and death. From which occult action and invisible motion of the muscles in station (as Galen declareth) proceed more offensive lassitudes then from ambulation.
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And therefore the Tyranny of some have tormented men, with long and enforced station; and though Ixion and Sisiphus which alwaies moved, doe seem to have the hardest measure; yet was not Titius favoured, that lay extended upon Caucasus; and Tantalus suffered somewhat more then thirst, that stood perpetually in hell. Thus Mercurialis in his Gymnasticks justly makes standing one kinde of exercise; and Galen when we lye down, commends unto us middle figures; that is, not to lye directly, or at length, but somewhat inflected, that the muscles may be at rest; for such as he termeth Hypobolemaioi or figures of excesse, either shrinking up or stretching out, are wearisome positions, and such as perturb the quiet of those parts. Now various parts doe variously discover these indolent and quiet positions; some in right lines, as the wrists; some at right
angles, as the cubit; others at oblique angles, as the fingers and the knees: all resting satisfied in postures of moderation, and none enduring the extremity of flexure or extension.
Moreover men herein doe strangely forget the obvious relations of history, affirming they have no joints, whereas they daily reade of severall actions which are not performable without them. They forget what is delivered by Xiphilinus, and also by Suetonius in the lives of Nero and Galba, that Elephants have been instructed to walk on ropes, in publike shews before the people; which is not easily performed by man, and requireth not only a broad foot, but a pliable flexure of joints, and commandible disposure of all parts of progression. They passe by that memorable place in Curtius, concerning the Elephant of King Porus,
Indus qui Elephantem regebat, descendere eum ratus, more solito procumbere jussit in genua, cæteri quoque
(
ita enim instituti erant
)
demisere corpora in terram.
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They remember not the expression of
Osorius de rebus gestis Emanuelis
, when he speaks of the Elephant presented to Leo the tenth,
Pontificem ter genibus flexis, & demisso corporis habitu venerabundus salutavit.
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But above all, they call not to minde that memorable shew of Germanicus, wherein twelve Elephants danced unto the sound of musick, and after laid them down in the Tricliniums, or places of festivall Recumbency.
They forget the Etymologie of the Knee, approved by some Grammarians.
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They disturb the position of the young ones in the wombe: which upon extension of leggs is not easily conceiveable; and contrary unto the generall contrivance of nature. Nor doe they consider the impossible exclusion thereof, upon extension and rigour of the leggs.
Lastly, They forget or consult not experience; whereof not many years past, we have had the advantage in England, by an Elephant shewn in many parts thereof; not only in the posture of standing, but kneeling and lying down. Whereby although
the opinion at present be well suppressed, yet from some strings of tradition, and fruitfull recurrence of error, it is not improbable, it may revive in the next generation again; this being not the first that hath been seen in England; for (besides some other since) as Polydore Virgil relateth, Lewis the French King sent one to Henry the third; and Emanuel of Portugall another to Leo the tenth into Italy; where notwithstanding the error is still alive and epidemicall, as with us.
The hint and ground of this opinion might be the grosse and somewhat Cylindricall
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composure of the legs, the equality and lesse perceptible disposure of the joints, especially in the four legs of this Animall; they appearing when he standeth, like pillars of flesh, without any evidence of articulation. The different flexure and order of the joints might also countenance the same; being not disposed in the Elephant, as they are in other quandrupedes, but carry a nearer conformity into those of man; that is; the bought of the fore-legs not directly backward, but laterally and somewhat inward; but the hough or suffraginous
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flexure behinde rather outward. Contrary unto many other quadrupedes, and such as can scratch the ear with the hinder foot, as Horses, Camels, Deer, Sheep and Dogges; for their fore legs bend like our legs, and their hinder legs like our arms, when we move them to our shoulders. But quadrupedes oviparous, as Frogs, Lizards, Crocadiles, have their joints and motive flexures more analogously framed unto ours; and some among viviparous; that is, such thereof as can bring their fore-feet and meat therein into their mouthes, as most can doe that have the clavicles or coller-bones; whereby their breasts are broader, and their shoulders more asunder, as the Ape, the Monkey, the Squirrell and some others. If therefore any shall affirm the joints of Elephants are differently framed from most of other quadrupedes, and more obscurely and grossely almost then any; he doth herein no injury unto truth. But if
à dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter
,
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he affirmeth also they have no articulations at all; he incurs the controllment
of reason, and cannot avoid the contradiction also of sense.
As for the manner of their venation,
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if we consult historicall experience, we shall finde it to be otherwise then as is commonly presumed, by sawing away of trees. The accounts whereof are to be seen at large in
Johannes Hugo, Edwardus Lopez, Garcias ab Horto, Cadamustus
and many more.
Other concernments there are of the Elephant, which might admit of discourse; and if we should question the teeth of Elephants, that is, whether they be properly so termed, or might not rather be called horns; it were no new enquiry of mine, but a paradox as old as Oppianus. Whether as Pliny and divers since affirm, that Elephants are terrefied, and make away upon the grunting of Swine,
Garcias ab Horto
may decide, who affirmeth upon experience they enter their stalls, and live promiscuously in the woods of Malavar. That the situation of the genitalls is averse,
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and their copulation like that of Camels, as Pliny hath also delivered, is not to be received; for we have beheld that part in a different position; and their coition is made by supersaliency
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like that of Horses, as we are informed by some who have beheld them in that act. That some Elephants have not only written whole sentences, as Ælian ocularly testifieth, but have also spoken, as Oppianus delivereth, and Christophorus a Costa particularly relateth; although it sound like that of Achilles Horse in Homer, we doe not conceive impossible: nor beside the affinity of reason in this Animall any such intollerable incapacity in the organs of divers quadrupedes, whereby they might not be taught to speak, or become imitators of speech like birds. Strange it is how the curiosity of men that have been active in the instruction of beasts, have never fallen upon this artifice; and among those many paradoxicall and unheard of imitations, should not attempt to make one speak. The Serpent that spake unto Eve, the Dogs and Cats, that usually speak unto Witches, might afford some encouragement. And since broad and thick chops are required in birds that speak, since lips and teeth are also organs of speech; from
these there is also an advantage in quadrupedes; and a proximity of reason in Elephants and Apes above them all. Since also an Echo will speak without any mouth at all, articulately returning the voice of man, by only ordering the vocall spirit in concave and hollow places; whether the musculous and motive parts about the hollow mouthes of beasts, may not dispose the passing spirit into some articulate notes, seems a querie of no great doubt.
That a Bever to escape the Hunter, bites off his testicles or stones, is a tenent very ancient; and hath had thereby advantage of propagation. For the same we finde in the Hieroglyphicks of the Ægyptians; in the Apologue of Æsope, an Author of great antiquity, who lived in the beginning of the Persian Monarchy, and in the time of Cyrus; the same is touched by Aristotle in his Ethicks, but seriously delivered by Ælian, Pliny and Solinus; with the same we meet with in Juvenall, who by an handsome and metricall expression more welcomely engrafts it in our junior memories
——imitaus Castora, qui se
Eunuchum ipse facit, cupiens evadere damno
Testiculorum, adeo medicatum intelligit inguen,
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it hath been propagated by Emblems; and some have been so bad Grammarians, as to be deceived by the name, deriving
Castor à castrando
; whereas, the proper Latine word is
Fiber
; and
Castor
, but borrowed from the Greek, so called
quasi γάστωρ
, that is,
Animal ventricosum
, from his swaggy and prominent belly.
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Herein therefore to speak compendiously, we first presume to affirm, that from a strict enquiry, we cannot maintain the evulsion or biting off any parts; and this is declarable from the best and most professed Writers; for though some have made use hereof in a Morall or Tropicall way, yet have the professed discoursers by silence deserted, or by experience rejected this assertion. Thus was it in ancient times discovered, and experimentally refuted by one Sestius a Physitian, as it stands related by Pliny; by Dioscorides, who plainly affirms that this tradition is false; by the discoveries of modern Authors, who have expressly discoursed hereon, as Aldrovandus, Mathiolus, Gelnerus, Bellonius; by Olaus
Magnus
, Peter Martyr and divers others; who have described the manner of their venations in America; they generally omitting this way of their escape, and have delivered severall other, by which they are daily taken.
The originall of the conceit was probably Hieroglyphicall; which after became Mythologicall unto the Greeks, and so set down by Æsop; and by processe of tradition, stole into a totall verity, which was but partially true, that is in its covert sense and morality. Now why they placed this invention upon the Bever (beside the Medicall and Merchantable commodity of
castoreum
or parts conceived to be bitten away) might be the sagacity and wisdome of that animall; which indeed from the works it performes, and especially its artifice in building, is very strange, and surely not to be matched by any other….