and power of the
sight should thereby be purged, and the brain also from superfluities;
because, as the lungs are purged by coughing, so is the sight and brain
by sneezing; and therefore physicians give sneezing medicaments to purge
the brain; and thus it is, such sick persons as cannot sneeze, die
quickly, because it is a sign their brain is wholly stuffed with evil
humours, which cannot be purged.

Q. Why do such as are apoplectic sneeze, that is, such as are subject
easily to bleed? A. Because the passages, or ventricles of the brain are
stopped, and if they could sneeze, their apoplexy would be loosed.

Q. Why does the heat of the sun provoke sneezing, and not the heat of
the fire? A. Because the heat of the sun doth dissolve, but not consume,
and therefore the vapour dissolved is expelled by sneezing; but the heat
of the fire doth dissolve and consume, and therefore doth rather hinder
sneezing than provoke it.

_Of the Ears._

Q. Why do beasts move their ears, and not men? A. Because there is a
certain muscle near the under jaw which doth cause motion in the ear;
and therefore, that muscle being extended and stretched, men do not move
their ears, as it hath been seen in divers men; but all beasts do use
that muscle or fleshy sinew, and therefore do move their ears.

Q. Why is rain prognosticated by the pricking up of asses' ears? A.
Because the ass is of a melancholic constitution, and the approach of
rain produceth that effect on such a constitution. In the time of rain
all beasts prick up their ears, but the ass before it comes.

Q. Why have some animals no ears? A. Nature giveth unto everything that
which is fit for it, but if she had given birds ears, their flying would
have been hindered by them. Likewise fish want ears, because they would
hinder their swimming, and have only certain little holes through which
they hear.

Q. Why have bats ears, although of the bird kind? A. Because they are
partly birds in nature, in that they fly, by reason whereof they have
wings; and partly they are hairy and seem to be of the nature of mice,
therefore nature hath given them ears.

Q. Why have men only round ears? A. Because the shape of the whole and
of the parts should be proportionable, and especially in all things of
one nature; for as a drop of water is round, so the whole water: and so,
because a man's head is round, the ears incline towards the same figure;
but the heads of beasts are somewhat long, and