other
Ingredients, which are hot in the second and third degree, being the
predominant quality, it must needs be brought to a mediocrity. Like as
two men, who shake hands, the one being hot, and the other cold, the
one hand borrows heat, and the other is made colder; and in
conclusion, neither hand retaines the cold, or heat it had before, but
both of them remain more temperate. So like-wise two men, who go to
wrestle, at the first they are in their full vigour and strength; but
after they have strugled a while, their force lessens by degrees, till
at last they are both much weaker, than when they began to wrestle.
And _Aristotle_ was also of this opinion in his fourth Booke of the
Nature of Beasts, _cap. 3._ Where he sayes, that every Agent suffers
with the patient; as that which cuts, is made dul by the thing it
cuts; that which warmes, cooles it selfe; and that which thrusts, or
forceth forward, is in some sort driven bake it selfe.

From whence I gather, that it is better to use _Chocolate_, after it
hath beene made some time, a Moneth at the least. I believe this time
to be necessary, for breaking the contrary qualities of the severall
Ingredients, and to bring the Drinke to a moderate temper. For, as it
alwayes falls out at the first, that every contrary will have its
predominancy, and will worke his owne effects, Nature not liking well
to be heated and cooled, at the same time. And this is the cause why
_Gallen_ in his twelfth Booke of _Method_, doth advise not to use
_Philonium_, till after a yeare, or, at the least, six moneths;
because it is a composition made of _Opium_ (which is cold in the
fourth degree) and of Pepper, and other Ingredients, which are hot in
the third degree. This Theorum, and Doctrine, is made good by the
practise, which some have made, of whom I have asked, what _Chocolate_
did best agree with them? and they have affirmed, that the best is
that which hath beene made some moneths: and that the new doth hurt by
loosening the Stomack; And, in my opinion, the reason of it is, that
the unctuous or fat parts, are not altogether corrected, by the earthy
parts of the _Cacao_. And this I shall thus prove; for, as I shall
declare hereafter, if you make the _Chocolate_ boyle, when you drinke
it, the boyling of it divides that fat and oyly part; and that makes a
relaxation in the Stomacke in the old _Chocolate_, as well as if it
were new.

So that I conclude in this second point, that the _Chocola