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THE SECOND BOOKE 183
the astonishment is sensibly felt to gaine upward,
untill it come to the hands, and even through the
water it astonisheth the feeling-sence. Is not this a
wonderfull power? Yet is it not altogether unprofitable
for the Cramp-fish, she both knowes and makes
use of it: for to catch prey she pursucth, she is seene
to hide herselfe under the mud, that, other fishes
swimming over her, strucken and benummed with her
exceeding coldnesse, may fall into her clawes. The
Cranes, Swallowes, and other wandering birds, changing
their abode according to the seasons of the yeare,
shew evidently the knowledge they have of their foredivining
faculty, and often put the same in use. Hunters
assure us that to chuse the best dog, and which they
purpose to kcepe from out a litter of other young
whelps, there is no better meane than the damme herselfe:
for, if they be removed from out their kennell,
him that she first brings thither againe shall alwaies
prove the best; or if one but encompasse her kennell
with fire, looke which of her whelps she first seeketh
to save, is undoubtedly the best; whereby it appeareth
they have a certaino use of prognosticating that we
have not; or else some hidden vertue to judge of their
young ones, different and more lively than ours. The
manner of all beast9 breeding, engendering, nourishing,
working, moving, living, and dying, being so neere to
ours, what ever we abridge from their moving causes,
and adde to our condition above theirs, can no way
depart from our reasons discourse. For a regiment
of our health, Physitians propose the example of beasts
manner of life and proceeding unto us: for this common
saying is alwaies in the people's mouth :
Tenez chauds les pieds et la teste,
Au demeurant vivos en beste. 1
Keepe warme ('tis meete) the head and feete:
ln all the rest, live like a beast.
Generation is the chiefest naturall action: we have
¹ JOUB, Err Pop. ii. 140.