Martial mentions
a person, named Mamurra, who consulted only his nose, to ascertain whether
the copper that was brought him were true Corinthian. There have been
Indian merchants who, if a piece of money were given them, by applying
their nose to it, defined its quality to a nicety, without touchstone,
balance, or aqua-fortis. Europeans, also, are to be found whose sense of
smelling is equally delicate and perfect.
Marco-Marci speaks of a monk at Prague, who, when any thing was brought
him, distinguished, by its smell, with as much certainty as the best nosed
dog, to whom it belonged, or by whom it had been handled. It was also said
of him, that he could accurately distinguish, in this manner, the virtuous
from the vicious. He was much devoted to the study of natural philosophy;
and, among other things, had undertaken to oblige the world with precepts
on the sense of smelling, like those we have on optics and acoustics, by
distributing into certain classes a great number of smells, to all of which
he had given names; but an untimely death cut him off in the midst of these
curious researches.
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