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Bluntness found in solid bodies； are percepts common to all the
senses； or if not to all； at least to Sight and Touch。 This explains
why it is that the senses are liable to err regarding them； while no
such error arises respecting their proper sensibles； e。g。 the sense of
Seeing is not deceived as to Colour； nor is that of Hearing as to
Sound。
On the other hand； they reduce the proper to common sensibles； as
Democritus does with White and Black； for he asserts that the latter
is ＇a mode of the＇ rough； and the former ＇a mode of the＇ smooth； while
he reduces Savours to the atomic figures。 Yet surely no one sense； or；
if any； the sense of Sight rather than any other； can discern the
common sensibles。 But if we suppose that the sense of Taste is
better able to do so； then… since to discern the smallest objects in
each kind is what marks the acutest sense…Taste should have been the
sense which best perceived the common sensibles generally； and
showed the most perfect power of discerning figures in general。
Again； all the sensibles involve contrariety； e。g。 in Colour White
is contrary to Black； and in Savours Bitter is contrary to Sweet；
but no one figure is reckoned as contrary to any other figure。 Else；
to which of the possible polygonal figures ＇to which Democritus
reduces Bitter＇ is the spherical figure ＇to which he reduces Sweet＇
contrary？
Again； since figures are infinite in number； savours also should
be infinite； ＇the possible rejoinder… 'that they are so； only that
some are not perceived'… cannot be sustained＇ for why should one
savour be perceived； and another not？
This completes our discussion of the object of Taste； i。e。 Savour；
for the other affections of Savours are examined in their proper place
in connection with the natural history of Plants。
5
Our conception of the nature of Odours must be analogous to that
of Savours； inasmuch as the Sapid Dry effects in air and water
alike； but in a different province of sense； precisely what the Dry
effects in the Moist of water only。 We customarily predicate
Translucency of both air and water in common； but it is not qua
translucent that either is a vehicle of odour； but qua possessed of
a power of washing or rinsing ＇and so imbibing＇ the Sapid Dryness。
For the object of Smell exists not in air only： it also exists in
water。 This is proved by the case of fishes and testacea； which are
seen to possess the faculty of smell； although water contains no air
（for whenever air is generated within water it rises to the
surface）； and these creatures do not respire。 Hence； if one were to
assume that air and water are both moist； it would follow that Odour
is the natural substance consisting of the Sapid Dry diffused in the
Moist； and whatever is of this kind would be an object of Smell。
That the property of odorousness is based upon the Sapid may be seen
by comparing the things which possess with those which do not
possess odour。 The elements； viz。 Fire； Air； Earth； Water； are
inodorous； because both the dry and the moist among them are without
sapidity； unless some added ingredient produces it。 This explains
why sea…water possesses odour； for ＇unlike 'elemental' water＇ it
contains savour and dryness。 Salt； too； is more odorous than natron；
as the oil which exudes from the former proves； for natron is allied
to ＇'elemental'＇ earth more nearly than salt。 Again； a stone is
inodorous； just because it is tasteless； while； on the contrary；
wood is odorous； because it is sapid。 The kinds of wood； too； which
contain more ＇'elemental'＇ water are less odorous than others。
Moreover； to take the case of metals； gold is inodorous because it
is without taste； but bronze and iron are odorous； and when the
＇sapid＇ moisture has been burnt out of them； their slag is； in all
cases； less odorous the metals ＇than the metals themselves＇。 Silver
and tin are more odorous than the one class of metals； less so than
the other； inasmuch as they are water ＇to a greater degree than the
former； to a less degree than the latter＇。
Some writers look upon Fumid exhalation； which is a compound of
Earth and Air； as the essence of Odour。 ＇Indeed all are inclined to
rush to this theory of Odour。＇ Heraclitus implied his adherence to
it when he declared that if all existing things were turned into
Smoke； the nose would be the organ to discern them with。 All writers
incline to refer odour to this cause ＇sc。 exhalation of some sort＇；
but some regard it as aqueous； others as fumid； exhalation； while
others； again； hold it to be either。 Aqueous exhalation is merely a
form of moisture； but fumid exhalation is； as already remarked；
composed of Air and Earth。 The former when condensed turns into water；
the latter； in a particular species of earth。 Now； it is unlikely that
odour is either of these。 For vaporous exhalation consists of mere
water ＇which； being tasteless； is inodorous＇； and fumid exhalation
cannot occur in water at all； though； as has been before stated；
aquatic creatures also have the sense of smell。
Again； the exhalation theory of odour is analogous to the theory
of emanations。 If； therefore； the latter is untenable； so； too； is the
former。
It is clearly conceivable that the Moist； whether in air （for air；
too； is essentially moist） or in water； should imbibe the influence
of； and have effects wrought in it by； the Sapid Dryness。 Moreover； if
the Dry produces in moist media； i。e。 water and air； an effect as of
something washed out in them； it is manifest that odours must be
something analogous to savours。 Nay； indeed； this analogy is； in
some instances； a fact ＇registered in language＇； for odours as well as
savours are spoken of as pungent； sweet； harsh； astringent rich
＇='savoury'＇； and one might regard fetid smells as analogous to bitter
tastes； which explains why the former are offensive to inhalation as
the latter are to deglutition。 It is clear； therefore； that Odour is
in both water and air what Savour is in water alone。 This explains why
coldness and freezing render Savours dull； and abolish odours
altogether； for cooling and freezing tend to annul the kinetic heat
which helps to fabricate sapidity。
There are two species of the Odorous。 For the statement of certain
writers that the odorous is not divisible into species is false； it is
so divisible。 We must here define the sense in which these species are
to be admitted or denied。
One class of odours； then； is that which runs parallel； as has
been observed； to savours： to odours of this class their
pleasantness or unpleasantness belongs incidentally。 For owing to
the fact that Savours are qualities of nutrient matter； the odours
connected with these ＇e。g。 those of a certain food＇ are agreeable as
long as animals have an appetite for the food； but they are not
agreeable to them when sated and no longer in want of it； nor are they
agreeable； either； to those animals that do not like the food itself
which yields the odours。 Hence； as we observed； these odours are
pleasant or unpleasant incidentally； and the same reasoning explains
why it is that they are perceptible to all animals in common。
The other class of odours consists of those agreeable in their
essential nature； e。g。 those of flowers。 For these do not in any
degree stimulate animals to food； nor do they contribute in any way to
appetite； their effect upon it； if any； is rather the opposite。 For
the verse of Strattis ridiculing Euripides…
Use not perfumery to flavour soup；
contains a truth。
Those who nowadays introduce such flavours into beverages deforce
our sense of pleasure by habituating us to them； until； from two
distinct kinds of sensations combined； pleasure arises as it might
from one simple kind。
Of this species of odour man alone is sensible； the other； viz。 that
correlated with Tastes； is； as has been said before； perceptible
also to the lower animals。 And odours of the latter sort； since
their pleasureableness depends upon taste； are divided into as many
species as there are different tastes； but we cannot go on to say this
of the former kind of odour； since its nature is agreeable or
disagreeable per se。 The reason why the perception of such odours is
peculiar to man is found in the characteristic state of man's brain。
For his brain is naturally cold； and the blood which it contains in
its vessels is thin and pure but easily cooled （whence it happens that
the exhalation arising from food； being cooled by the coldness of this
region； produces unhealthy rheums）； therefore it is that odours of
such a species have been generated for human beings； as a safegu