no representation, do evidently accuse the practice of those pencils that will describe invisibles. And he that challenged the boldest hand unto the picture of an echo, must laugh at this attempt, not only in the description of invisibility, but circumscription of ubiquity, and fetching under lines incomprehensible circularity.

The pictures of the Egyptians were more tolerable, and in their sacred letters more veniably expressed the apprehension of Divinity. For though they implied the same by an eye upon a sceptre, by an eagle's head, a crocodile, and the like, yet did these manual descriptions pretend no corporal representations; nor could the people misconceive the same unto real correspondencies. So though the Cherub carried some apprehension of Divinity, yet was it not conceived to be the shape thereof; and so perhaps, because it is metaphorically predicated of God that he is a consuming fire, he may be harmlessly described by a flaming representation, Yet if, as some will have it, all mediocrity of folly is foolish, and because an unrequitable evil may ensue, an indifferent convenience must be omitted, we shall not urge such representments; we could spare the holy lamb for the picture of our Saviour, and the dove or fiery tongues to represent the Holy Ghost.

OF THE SUN, MOON, AND WINDS.

THE sun and moon are usually described

with human faces. Whether herein there be not a Pagan imitation, and those visages at first implied Apollo and Diana, we may make some doubt; and we find the statue of the sun was framed with rays about the head, which were the indeciduous and unshaven locks of Apollo. We should be too iconomachal* to question the pictures of the winds, as commonly drawn in human heads, and with their cheeks distended; which notwithstanding we find condemned by Minucius, as answering poetical fancies, and the gentile description of Eolus, Boreas, and the feigned deities of the winds.

OF THE SUN DANCING.

WE shall not, I hope, disparage the resurrection of our Redeemer, if we say the sun doth not dance on Easter day. And though we would willingly assent unto any sympathetical exultation, yet cannot conceive therein any more than a tropical expression. Whether any such motion there were in that day wherein Christ arose, Scripture hath not revealed, which

hath been punctual in other records concerning solary miracles; and the Areopagite that was amazed at the eclipse, took no notice of this. And if metaphorical expressions go so far, we may be bold to affirm, not only that one sun danced, but two arose that day; that light appeared at his nativity, and darkness at his death, and yet a light at both; for even that darkness was a light unto the Gentiles, illuminated by that obscurity; that 't was the first time the sun set above the horizon; that although there were darkness above the earth, there was light beneath it; nor dare we say that hell was dark if he were in it.

OF THE DEVIL.

A CONCEIT there is, that the devil commonly appeareth with a cloven hoof; wherein although it seem excessively ridiculous, there may be somewhat of truth; and the ground thereof at first might be his frequent appearing in the shape of a goat, which answers that description. This was the opinion of ancient Christians concerning the apparition of Panites, Fauns, and Satyrs; and in this form we read of one that appeared unto Antony in the wil

derness. The same is also confirmed from expositions of Holy Scripture; for whereas it is said, "Thou shalt not offer unto devils," the #original word is "seghnirim," that is, rough and hairy goats, because in that shape the devil most often appeared; as is expounded by the rabbins, as Tremellius hath also explained, and as the word Ascimah, the god of Emath, is by some conceived. Nor did he only assume this shape in elder times, but commonly in later days, especially in the place of his worship, if there be any truth in the confession of witches, and as in many stories it stands confirmed by Bodinus. And therefore a goat is not improperly made the hieroglyphic of the devil, as Pierius hath expressed it. So might it be the emblem of sin, as it was in the sinoffering; and so likewise of wicked and sinful men, according to the expression of Scripture in the method of the last distribution, when our Saviour shall separate the sheep from the goats, that is, the sons of the Lamb from the children of the devil.

1

OF SPOTS ON THE NAILS.

THAT temperamental dignotions and conjecture of prevalent humors may be collected from

spots in our nails, we are not averse to concede, but yet not ready to admit sundry divinations vulgarly raised upon them. Nor do we observe it verified in others, what Cardan discovered as a property in himself, to have found therein some signs of most events that ever happened unto him; or that there is much considerable in that doctrine of chiromancy, that spots in the top of the nails do signify things past, in the middle, things present, and at the bottom, events to come; that white specks presage our felicity, blue ones our misfortunes; that those in the nail of the thumb have significations of honor, those in the forefinger of riches, and so respectively in other fingers, (according to planetical relations, from whence they receive their names,) as Tricassus hath taken up, and Picciolus well rejecteth.

We shall not proceed to query, what truth there is in palmistry, or divination from those lines in our hands of high denomination. Although if any thing be therein, it seems not confinable unto man; but other creatures are also considerable; as is the forefoot of the mole, and especially of the monkey; wherein we have observed the table line, that of life, and of the liver.