And thereto agreeth Auſten ſuper Geneſis, lib. pri. & VI. muſice, wher he ſaith, that nought commeth from the thing that is ſeene, but the likeneſſe thereof, nor from the ſight to the thing that is ſeene, but the lykeneſſe of the ſight. For nothing of the ſubſtance of the eye commeth out, but out of the eye commeth a ſmall appearaunce, that is ſhapen as a ſtéeple or a top, and the broad end thereof is ſpread vpon all the vtter parte of the thing ſéene. Alſo the Author of Perſpectiue, li. i.proueth, That nothing is ſéene, but by ſight that ariſeth vpon the thing that is ſéene, & is multiplyed ſpéedelye from the wide thing to the eye. Therefore néedes is required the thirde ſtéeple of the ſame light. And of all theſe thrée ſtéeples, the poynts are in the eyen, and the broad endes in the things that be ſéene. Therefore when the lykeneſſe of the thing commeth to the ſight vpon theſe thrée ſtéeples, then the likeneſſe of lyght and colour, paſſe by the ſmall tortells and humors of the eye, euen to the humor that is called Chriſtallinus, like Chriſtall, and there the ſoule beginneth to giue iudgement of the thing that is ſéene by that lykenes, but there it is not fulfilled and complete, but the lykeneſſe is multiplied forth, euen to the ſinewe, that is called Obticus,[1] an hollow ſinew, that is hid in the vtter part of ye braine: and ther is the vertue of ſight in maure and roote in the firſt and principalll ſubiects, and is one: for els euery thing that is ſeene ſhould ſéeme two things, becauſe of the two eyen, if they continued not to one lymme, in the which is the onely well of the vertue of ſight, and ſpringeth to the blackneſſe of the eye. The Author of Perſpectiue ſheweth all this. Hée ſheweth & expreſſeth another reſon of the ſight. li. 3. ca. 11. He ſaith, that ye ſpirit viſible, ye eye & the aire, be cléere bodies, the whith lyghten euery other, & make euery like to other. For the aire, that is next the thing that ſhall be ſéene, taketh a likeneſſe of the propertie of that thing: and in that lykeneſſe the aire proſereth it ſelfe to the eye, whereof the ſpirit viſible taketh a lykeneſſe. For this vertue of ſight, ſhewing it ſelfe to the vttermoſt part of the black of the eye, is ioyned to the aire, and is likened and made as it were one therewith: & by meane of the aire, the color is brought and preſented to the iudgement of the ſoule. For the aire is lightly chaunged and likened by diuerſitie of ſhapes, that are therein. As we ſée, that the aire that is nigh the Sunne beame, is coloured and dyed, by red cloath ſet betwéene. And therefore it is no wonder, though ye eye take likeneſſe and ſhape of a cléere thing that is next thereto. Then touching this worke it is now to gather ſhortly, that the ſight or vertue viſible is more ſubtill and more liuely than the other wits, and Viſus, the ſight, hath the name of Viuacitas, that is, liuelineſſe, as ſaith Iſidore. Alſo it is more worthie than the other wits, and therefore it is ſet aboue the other. Alſo in effect, as it were a vertue of fire, it is more mightie than the other wits: For the other wits knowe things that be néerer, but this wit by his vertue comprehendeth things fartheſt of, vnder a right corner and ſtéeple ſight, iudgeth and diſcerneth after the nobler kinde and diſpoſition of the organe, and diſcerneth in an eaſie manner betwéene things to be ſéene. Wherefore Ariſtotle lib. 12, ſaith, that good ſight and ſharp, is of temperate humour. And therefore Fowles (as the Eagles) with crooked clawes, be ſharpe of ſight. And that is through the pure and ſubtill humour, and temperate being, and purifieth that that is in the organe of the ſight. And ſuch Fowles ſée their pray out of farre and more high places. And ſuch Fowles flye higher in ye aire than other fowles. But Fowles that remaine on ye ground, be not ſharpe of ſight: therefore they ſée their meate nigh and not farre. Alſo, Lib. 19. he ſaith, that yeolow eyen be not ſharpe of ſight by daye, nor blacke by night, for ſcarſitie of humors. The yeolow eye moueth greatlye, and therefore the vertue of ſight is féebled. Blacke eyen moue leſſe, for multitude and plentie of humors, and the ſight of the night is feeble, and the humour by night moueth heauely. Therefore the ſpirite viſible is cloſed in, and by humor letted. Alſo the
- ↑ Nerus Obticus
