Experience forfakes; and they all know (who have paid dear for serving and obeying their Lufts) that whether it be Honour, or Riches, or Delight, or Glory, or Knowledge, or any thing else which they seek after, yet are they but things caft off, and by divers Men, in all ages, after experience had, utterly rejected and loathed.

Neither is it without a Mystery, that the Ivy was facred to Bacchus ; for the Application holds, First, In that the Ivy remains green in Winter: Secondly, In that it fticks to, embraceth and overtoppeth fo many divers Bodies, as Trees, Walls and Edifices. Touching the firft, every paffion doth by refiftance and reluctation, and as it were by Antiperiftafis (like the Ivy of the cold Winter) grow fresh and lufty. And as for the other, every predominate Affection doth again (like the Ivy) embrace and limit all Human Actions and Determinations, adhering and cleaving faft unto them.

Neither is it a wonder, that fuperftitious Rites and Ceremonies were attributed unto Bacchus, feeing every giddy-headed humour keeps in a manner Revel-rout in false Religions; or that the cause of Madness should be ascribed unto him, seeing every affection is by Nature a fhort fury, which (if it grow vehement, and become habitual) concludes in Madness.

Concerning the rending and difmembering of Pentheus and Orpheus, the Parable is plain, for every prevalent affection is outrageous and fevere, and against curious inquiry, and wholesome and free admonition.

Laftly, That by confufion of Jupiter and Bacchus, their Perfons may be well transferred to a Parable, seeing noble and famous Acts, and remarkable and glorious Merits, do fometimes proceed from Virtue and well ordered Reafon and Magnanimity, and sometimes from a fecret Affection and hidden Paffion, which are so dignified with the celebrity of Fame and Glory, that a Man can hardly distinguish between the Acts of Bacchus, and the Gefts of Jupiter.3

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xxv. Atalanta, or Gain.

TALANTA, who was reputed to excel in fwiftnefs, would needs challenge Hippomenes at a match in Running. The conditions of the Prize were these That if Hippomenes won the Race, he fhould efpoufe Atalanta; if he were out-run, that then he should forfeit his Life. And in the Opinion of all, the victory was thought assured of Atalanta's fide, being famous, as fhe was, for her matchless and unconquerable speed, whereby she had been the bane of many. Hippomenes therefore bethinks him how to deceive her by a Trick, and in that regard provides three Golden Apples or Balls, which he purposely carried about him. The Race is begun, and Atalanta gets a good start before him. He seeing himself thus cast be

3 Here again the Montagu Edition in confummate ignorance prints "the Jefts of Jupiter!"

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hind, being mindful of his device, throws one of his Golden Balls before her, and yet not outright, but somewhat of the one fide, both to make her linger and also to draw her out of the right course : She, out of a Womanish desire, (being thus enticed by the Beauty of the Golden Apple) leaving her direct Race runs afide, and stoops to catch the Ball. Hippomenes the while holds on his course, getting thereby a great ftart, and leaves her behind him: But fhe by her own natural fwiftness, recovers her loft time, and gets before him again. But Hippomenes still continues his fleight, and both the second and third time cafts out his Balls, those enticing delays; and fo by craft, and not by his activity, he wins the Race and Victory.

This Fable seems Allegorically to demonstrate a notable conflict between Art and Nature; for Art fignified by Atalanta in its work (if it be not letted and hindered) is far more fwift than Nature, more speedy in pace, and fooner attains the end it aims at, which is manifeft almoft in every effect: As you may fee it in Fruit-trees, whereof those that grow of a Kernel are long ere they bear, but fuch as are grafted on a Stock a great deal fooner. You may see it in Clay, which in the generation of Stones, is long ere it become hard; but in the burning of Bricks is very quickly effected. Also in Moral Paffages you may observe, that it is a long time ere (by the benefit of Nature) forrow can be affuaged, and comfort attained; whereas, Philosophy (which is, as it were, Art of Living) tarries not the leisure of time, but doth it instantly and

out of hand; and yet this Prerogative and fingular agility of Art is hindered by certain Golden Apples to the infinite prejudice of Human proceedings: For there is not any one Art or Science which conftantly perfeveres in a true and lawful courfe till it comes to the proposed End or Mark; but ever and anon makes ftops after good beginnings, leaves the Race and turns afide to Profit and Commodity, like Atalanta.

Declinat curfus, aurumque volubile tollit.

Who doth her course forfake,

The Rolling Gold to take.

And therefore it is no wonder that Art hath not the Power to conquer Nature, and, by Pact or Law of Conqueft, to kill and deftroy her; but on the contrary it falls out, that Art becomes fubject to Nature, and yields the obedience as of a Wife to her Husband.

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xxvi. Prometheus, or the
Statue of Man.

HE Ancients deliver, that Prometheus made a Man of Clay, mixed with certain parcels taken from divers Animals, who studying to maintain this his Work by Art, (that he might not be accounted a founder only, but Propagator of Human kind) ftole up to Heaven with a bundle of Twigs, which

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he kindling at the Chariot of the Sun, came down again, and communicated it with Men: And yet they fay, (That notwithstanding this excellent work of his,) he was requited with Ingratitude, in a treacherous Conspiracy: For they accused both him and his Invention to Jupiter, which was not fo taken as was meet it should, for the Information was pleafing to Jupiter and all the Gods. And therefore in a merry Mood, granted unto Men, not only the use of Fire, but perpetual youth also, a Boon most acceptable and desirable. They being, as it were, over-joyed, did foolishly lay this Gift of the Gods upon the back of an Ass, who being wonderfully oppreffed with Thirst, and near a Fountain, was told by a Serpent (which had the cuftody thereof) that he fhould not drink, unless he would promise to give him the Burthen that was on his Back. The filly Afs accepted the condition, and fo the restoration of Youth (fold for a draught of Water) past from Men to Serpents. But Prometheus full of Malice, being reconciled unto Men after they were fruftrated of their Gift, but in a Chafe yet with Jupiter, feared not to use deceit in Sacrifice: For having killed two Bulls, and in one of their Hides wrapped up the Flesh and Fat of them both, and in the other only the Bones, with a great fhew of Religious Devotion, gave Jupiter his choice, who (detefting his Fraud and Hypocrify, but taking an occafion of Revenge) chofe that which was ftuffed with Bones, and fo turning to Revenge when he faw that the Infolency of Prometheus would not be repreffed but