zenith; and this position is answerable unto longitude. Those parts are anterior and measure profundity, where the senses, especially the eyes, are placed, and those posterior which are opposite hereunto. The dextrous and sinistrous parts of the body make up the latitude, and are not certain and inalterable like the other; for that, saith he, is the right side, from whence the motion of the body beginneth, that is the active or moving side; but that the sinister which is the weaker or more quiescent part. Of the same determination were the Platonicks and Pythagoreans before him; who, conceiving the heavens an animated body, named the east the right or dextrous part, from whence began their motion; and thus the Greeks, from whence the Latins have borrowed their appellations, have named this hand déia, denominating it not from the site, but office, from déxoua capio, that is, the hand which receiveth, or is usually employed in that action.

Now upon these grounds we are most commonly mistaken, defining that by situation which they determined by motion; and giving the term of right hand to that which doth not properly admit it. For first, many in their infancy are sinistrously disposed, and divers continue all their life. 'Apiorepoì, that is, left-handed, and have but weak and imperfect use of the right: now unto these, that hand is properly the right, and not the other esteemed so by situation. Thus may Aristotle be made out, when he affirmeth the right claw of crabs and lobsters is biggest, if we take the right for the most vigorous side, and not regard the relative situation for the one is generally bigger than the other, yet

:

not always upon the same side. So may it be verified, what is delivered by Scaliger in his Comment, that palsies do oftenest happen upon the left side, if understood in this sense; the most vigorous part protecting itself, and protruding the matter upon the weaker and less resistive side. And

that hand is properly, &c.] This exception is soe far from destroying the generall rule, that itt rather confirms itt. For the most parte of all men in all nations of the world are right-handed, and in those that use the lefte hand, the righte hand keepes the name; how should hee else bee distinguished from all men that are right-handed. And thoughe the left hand bee as useful to some as the right to all others, yet itt is still their left hand; and by that name they are distinguisht, and cald lefthanded men.

-Wr.

thus the law of commonwealths, that cut off the right hand of malefactors, if philosophically executed, is impartial; otherwise the amputation not equally punisheth all.

Some are 'Aupicéto, that is, ambidextrous or right-handed on both sides; which happeneth only unto strong and athletical bodies, whose heat and spirits are able to afford an ability unto both. And therefore Hippocrates saith, that women are not ambidextrous, that is, not so often as men ; for some are found which indifferently make use of both. And so may Aristotle say, that only men are ambidextrous; of this constitution was Asteropæus in Homer, and Parthenopeus, the Theban captain, in Statius: and of the same do some conceive our father Adam to have been, as being perfectly framed, and in a constitution admitting least defect. Now in these men the right hand is on both sides, and that is not the left which is opposite unto the right, according to common acception.

9

Again, some are 'Aupapiorepoì, as Galen hath expressed it; that is, ambilevous or left-handed on both sides; such as with agility and vigour have not the use of either; who are not gymnastically composed, nor actively use those parts. Now in these there is no right hand of this constitution are many women, and some men, who, though they accustom themselves unto either hand, do dextrously make use of neither. And therefore, although the political advice of Aristotle be very good, that men should accustom themselves to the command of either hand; yet cannot the execution or performance thereof be general: for though there be many found that can use both, yet will there divers remain that can strenuously make use of neither.

Lastly, these lateralities in man are not only fallible, if relatively determined unto each other, but made in reference unto the heavens and quarters of the globe: for those parts

9 Again, &c.] In the use of string instruments both hands are dextrously used, yet the easiest and slowest parte is alwayes put on the lefte side; bycause all men use it soe: and excepting the harpe, there is scarce any string instrument to fit both hands, or the virginals, harpsicords, organs, which have all their ground from the harpe, layd along as it were in those instruments and supplied with keys (as that by the fingers) by which they are mediately made to speake as the harpe by the fingers immediately.—Wr.

are not capable of these conditions in themselves, nor with any certainty respectively derived from us, nor from them to us again. And first, in regard of their proper nature, the heavens admit not these sinister and dexter respects, there being in them no diversity or difference, but a simplicity of parts and equiformity in motion continually succeeding each other; so that from what point soever we compute, the account will be common unto the whole circularity. And therefore though it be plausible, it is not of consequence hereto what is delivered by Solinus; that man was therefore a microcosm or little world, because the dimensions of his positions were answerable unto the greater. For as in the heavens the distance of the north and southern pole, which are esteemed the superior and inferior points, is equal unto the space between the east and west, accounted the dextrous and sinistrous parts thereof, so is it also in man; for the extent of his fathom or distance betwixt the extremity of the fingers of either hand upon expansion, is equal unto the space between the sole of the foot and the crown. But this doth but petitionarily infer a dextrality in the heavens, and we may as reasonably conclude a right and left laterality in the ark or naval edifice of Noah. For the length thereof was thirty cubits, the breadth fifty, and the height or profundity thirty: which well agreeth unto the proportion of man; whose length, that is, a perpendicular from the vertex unto the sole of the foot, is sextuple unto his breadth, or a right line drawn from the ribs of one side to another, and decuple unto his profundity, that is, a direct line between the breast-bone and the spine.

Again, they receive not these conditions with any assurance or stability from ourselves. For the relative foundations, and points of denomination, are not fixed and certain, but variously designed according to imagination. The philosopher accounts that east from whence the heavens begin their motion. The astronomer, regarding the south and meridian sun, calls that the dextrous part of heaven which respecteth his right hand; and that is the west. Poets, respecting the west, assign the name of right unto the north which regardeth their right hand; and so must that of Ovid be explained, utque, duæ dextrá zone, totidémque sinistra.

But augurs, or soothsayers, turning their face to the east, did make the right in the south; which was also observed by the Hebrews and Chaldeans.* Now if we name the

quarters of heaven respectively unto our sides, it will be no certain or invariable denomination. For, if we call that the right side of heaven which is seated easterly unto us when we regard the meridian sun, the inhabitants beyond the equator and southern tropick, when they face us, regarding the meridian, will contrarily define it; for unto them, the opposite part of heaven will respect the left, and the sun arise to their right.

And thus have we at large declared, that although the right be most commonly used, yet hath it no regular or certain root in nature. Since it is not confirmable from other animals: since in children it seems either indifferent or more favourable in the other; but more reasonable for uniformity in action, that men accustom unto one: since the grounds and reasons urged for it do not sufficiently support it; since, if there be a right and stronger side in nature, yet may we mistake in its denomination; calling that the right which is the left, and the left which is the right. Since some have one right, some both, some neither. And lastly, since these affections in man are not only fallible in relation unto one another, but made also in reference unto the heavens, they being not capable of these conditions in them

* Psalm lxxxix. 13.

1 But augurs, &c.] But Pomponius Lætus (in De Auguribus) sayes, if the augur versus orientem sedebat, tenens dextrâ lituum, i. e., curvum baculum, quo in cœlo regiones dividit et quæ auguria conveniunt prædicit: si læva fuerint, fœlicia pronunciat; not bycause what comes to our left hand comes from the right hand of the gods, as some would say, but, sayes he, quia a læva parte septentrio est; pars n. illa orbis, quia altior est prospera putatur; et a dextrâ parte meridies, quia depressior infelix. And this reason is not particular, but generall, and such as prevailes all the other of philosophers, astronomers, or poets which respect their owne artes more then the nobler scite of the world. Whose longitude, that is the greatest distance, is accounted from east to west, which are every where round the world. But the latitude, which is the least distance, is counted from the æquator to each pole. And bycause the northerne in all respects of habitation, religion, learning, artes, government, wealth, honor, and all relations to heaven is infinitely more noble, and withall the higher parte of the world: therefore, 'tis justly cald the right side of the world.- Wr.

selves, nor with any certainty from us, nor we from them again.

And therefore what admission we owe unto many conceptions concerning right and left, requireth circumspection. That is, how far we ought to rely upon the remedy in Kiranides, that is, the left eye of an hedgehog fried in oil to procure sleep, and the right foot of a frog in a deer's skin for the gout; or, that to dream of the loss of right or left tooth presageth the death of male or female kindred, according to the doctrine of Artemidorus. What verity there is in that numéral conceit in the lateral division of man by even and odd, ascribing the odd unto the right side, and even unto the left; and so, by parity or imparity of letters in men's names to determine misfortunes on either side of their bodies; by which account in Greek numeration, Hephaestus or Vulcan was lame in the right foot, and Annibal lost his right eye. And lastly, what substance there is in that auspicial principle, and fundamental doctrine of ariolation, that the left hand is ominous, and that good things do pass sinistrously upon us, because the left hand of man respected the right hand of the gods, which handed their favours unto us.2

2 unto us.] This chapter is very characteristic of our author. It displays remarkably the great pains he frequently bestows on the elucidation of lesser points, and the quaint and varied illustration which his extensive and curious reading enabled him to supply. The closing paragraph may serve to exemplify this latter remark; while the former is justified, not only by individual passages in the chapter, but by its great length, and by the care and argumentative precision with which he successively examines the various opinions, more or less absurd, which have been expressed on this most momentous topic, summing up at the close, by a detail of the several reasons for his conclusion thereon.

Brande's Journal notices (vol. ii. page 423) a discourse by Signor Zecchinelli, on the reason of the prevalent custom of using the right in preference to the left hand. His theory is, first, that it was obviously necessary, in order to avoid (what our author more felicitously terms) "anomalous discordances in manual actions, that one hand should obtain a general preference to the other. The next question was,which to prefer? The Signor decides that mankind must have discovered that the left hand, from its anatomical connection with the most vital and important parts of the animal economy, could not be the one preferred. "For it must have been observed, that when the left arm is long used, or violently exercised, the left side also of the chest is put more or less in motion, and a consequent and corresponding obstacle produced not only to the free emission of the blood from the heart, but