The Works of Sir Thomas Browne Volume III Part 5

6. It much disadvantageth the Panegyrick of _Synesius_ [SN: _Who writ in the praise of baldness._], and is no small disparagement unto baldness, if it be true what is related by _aelian_ concerning _aeschilus_, whose bald-pate was mistaken for a rock, and so was brained by a Tortoise which an _aeagle_ let fall upon it. Certainly it was a very great mistake in the perspicacy of that Animal. [SN: _An argument or instance against the motion of the earth._] Some men critically disposed, would from hence confute the opinion of _Copernicus_, never conceiving how the motion of the earth below should not wave him from a knock perpendicularly directed from a body in the air above.

7. It crosseth the Proverb, and _Rome_ might well be built in a day; if that were true which is traditionally related by _Strabo_; that the great Cities _Anchiale_ and _Tarsus_, were built by _Sardanapalus_ both in one day, according to the inscription of his monument, _Sardanapalus Anacyndaraxis filius, Anchialem et Tarsum una die edificavi, Tu autem hospes Ede, Lude, Bibe_, etc. Which if strictly taken, that is, for the finishing thereof, and not only for the beginning; for an artificial or natural day, and not one of _Daniels_ weeks, that is, seven whole years; surely their hands were very heavy that wasted thirteen years in the private house of _Solomon_: It may be wondred how forty years were spent in the erection of the Temple of _Jerusalem_, and no less than an hundred in that famous one of _Ephesus_. Certainly it was the greatest Architecture of one day, since that great one of six; an Art quite lost with our Mechanicks, a work not to be made out, but like the wals of _Thebes_, and such an Artificer as _Amphion_.

[Sidenote: _The Syracusia or King_ Hiero's _Galleon, of what Bulk_.]

8. It had been a sight only second unto the Ark to have beheld the great _Syracusia_, or mighty ship of _Hiero_, described in _Athenaeus_; and some have thought it a very large one, wherein were to be found ten stables for horses, eight Towers, besides Fish-ponds, Gardens, Tricliniums, and many fair rooms paved with Agath, and precious Stones.

But nothing was impossible unto _Archimedes_, the learned Contriver thereof; nor shall we question his removing the earth, when he finds an immoveable base to place his Engine upon it.

9. That the _Pamphilian_ Sea gave way unto _Alexander_ in his intended March toward _Persia_, many have been apt to credit, and _Josephus_ is willing to believe, to countenance the pa.s.sage of the _Israelites_ through the Red Sea. But _Strabo_ who writ before him delivereth another account; that the Mountain _Climax_ adjoyning to the _Pamphilian_ Sea, leaves a narrow pa.s.sage between the Sea and it, which pa.s.sage at an ebb and quiet Sea all men take; but _Alexander_ coming in the Winter, and eagerly pursuing his affairs, would not wait for the reflux or return of the Sea; and so was fain to pa.s.s with his Army in the water, and march up to the navel in it.

[Sidenote: _A List of some historical Errata's in this and the following Sections._]

10. The relation of _Plutarch_ of a youth of _Sparta_, that suffered a Fox concealed under his robe to tear out his bowels, before he would either by voice or countenance betray his theft; and the other of the Spartan Lad, that with the same resolution suffered a coal from the Altar to burn his arm, although defended by the Author that writes his life, is I perceive mistrusted by men of Judgment, and the Author with an _aiunt_, is made to salve himself. a.s.suredly it was a n.o.ble Nation that could afford an hint to such inventions of patience, and upon whom, if not such verities, at least such verisimilities of fort.i.tude were placed. Were the story true, they would have made the only Disciples for _Zeno_ and the _Stoicks_, and might perhaps have been perswaded to laugh in _Phaleris_ his Bull.

11. If any man shall content his belief with the speech of _Balaams_ a.s.s, without a belief of that of _Mahomets_ Camel, or _Livies_ Ox: If any man make a doubt of _Giges_ ring in _Justinus_, or conceives he must be a _Jew_ that believes the Sabbatical river in _Josephus._ If any man will say he doth not apprehend how the tayl of an _African_ Weather out-weigheth the body of a good Calf, that is, an hundred pound, according unto _Leo Africa.n.u.s_, or desires before belief, to behold such a creature as is the Ruck in _Paulus Venetus_, for my part I shall not be angry with his incredulity.

12. If any one shall receive as stretcht or fabulous accounts what is delivered of _Cocles_, _Scaevola_ and _Curtius_, the sphere of _Archimedes_, the story of the _Amazons_, the taking of the City of _Babylon_, not known to some therein three days after; that the nation was deaf which dwelt at the fall of _Nilus_, the laughing and weeping humour of _Herac.l.i.tus_ and _Democritus_, with many more, he shall not want some reason and the authority of _Lancelotti_. [SN: Farsalloni Historici.]

13. If any man doubt of the strange Antiquities delivered by Historians, as of the wonderful corps of _Antaeus_ untombed a thousand years after his death by _Sertorius_. Whether there were no deceit in those fragments of the Ark so common to be seen in the days of _Berosus_; whether the Pillar which _Josephus_ beheld long ago, _Tertullian_ long after, and _Bartholomeus de Saligniaco_, and _Borchardus_ long since, be the same with that of _Lots_ wife; whether this were the hand of _Paul_, or that which is commonly shewn the head of _Peter_, if any doubt, I shall not much dispute with their suspicions. If any man shall not believe the Turpentine Tree, betwixt _Jerusalem_ and _Bethlem_, under which the Virgin suckled our Saviour, as she pa.s.sed between those Cities; or the fig-tree of _Bethany_ shewed to this day, whereon _Zacheus_ ascended to behold our Saviour; I cannot tell how to enforce his belief, nor do I think it requisite to attempt it. [SN: _To compel Religion, somewhat contrary to Reason._] For, as it is no reasonable proceeding to compel a religion, or think to enforce our own belief upon another, who cannot without the concurrence of G.o.ds spirit have any indubitable evidence of things that are obtruded: So is it also in matters of common belief; whereunto neither can we indubitably a.s.sent, without the co-operation of our sense or reason, wherein consists the principles of perswasion. For, as the habit of Faith in Divinity is an Argument of things unseen, and a stable a.s.sent unto things inevident, upon authority of the Divine Revealer: So the belief of man which depends upon humane testimony is but a staggering a.s.sent unto the affirmative, not without some fear of the negative. And as there is required the Word of G.o.d, or infused inclination unto the one, so must the actual sensation of our senses, at least the non-opposition of our reasons procure our a.s.sent and acquiescence in the other. So when _Eusebius_ an holy Writer affirmeth, there grew a strange and unknown plant near the statue of Christ, erected by his Haemorrhoidal patient in the Gospel, which attaining unto the hem of his vesture, acquired a sudden faculty to cure all diseases. Although he saith he saw the statue in his days, yet hath it not found in many men so much as humane belief? Some believing, others opinioning, a third suspective it might be otherwise. For indeed, in matters of belief the understanding a.s.senting unto the relation, either for the authority of the person, or the probability of the object, although there may be a confidence of the one, yet if there be not a satisfaction in the other, there will arise suspensions; nor can we properly believe until some argument of reason, or of our proper sense convince or determine our dubitations.

And thus it is also in matters of certain and experimented truth: for if unto one that never heard thereof, a man should undertake to perswade the affections of the Load-stone, or that Jet and Amber attracteth straws and light bodies, there would be little Rhetorick in the authority of _Aristotle_, _Pliny_, or any other. Thus although it be true that the string of a Lute or Viol will stir upon the stroak of an Unison or Diapazon in another of the same kind; that Alcanna being green, will suddenly infect the nails and other parts with a durable red; that a Candle out of a Musket will pierce through an Inch-board, or an urinal force a nail through a Plank; yet can few or none believe thus much without a visible experiment. Which notwithstanding fals out more happily for knowledge; for these relations leaving unsatisfaction in the Hearers, do stir up ingenuous dubiosities unto experiment, and by an exploration of all, prevent delusion in any.

CHAPTER XIX

Of some Relations whose truth we fear.

Lastly, As there are many Relations whereto we cannot a.s.sent, and make some doubt thereof, so there are divers others whose verities we fear, and heartily wish there were no truth therein.

1. It is an unsufferable affront unto filiall piety, and a deep discouragement unto the expectation of all aged Parents, who shall but read the story of that barbarous Queen, who after she had beheld her royall Parents ruin, lay yet in the arms of his a.s.sa.s.sine, and carowsed with him in the skull of her father. For my part, I should have doubted the operation of antimony, where such a potion would not work; 'twas an act me thinks beyond Anthropophagy, and a cup fit to be served up only at the table of _Atreus_.

2. While we laugh at the story of _Pygmaleon_, and receive as a fable that he fell in love with a statue; we cannot but fear it may be true, what is delivered by _Herodotus_ concerning _Egyptian_ Pollinctors, or such as annointed the dead; that some thereof were found in the act of carnality with them. From wits that say 'tis more then incontinency for _Hylas_ to sport with _Hecuba_, and youth to flame in the frozen embraces of age, we require a name for this: wherein _Petronius_ or _Martial_ cannot relieve us. [SN: _Who tied dead and living bodies together._] The tyrannie of _Mezentius_ did never equall the vitiosity of this _Incubus_, that could embrace corruption, and make a Mistress of the grave; that could not resist the dead provocations of beauty, whose quick invitements scarce excuse submission. Surely, if such depravities there be yet alive, deformity need not despair; nor will the eldest hopes be ever superannuated, since death hath spurs, and carca.s.ses have been courted.

3. I am heartily sorry, and wish it were not true, what to the dishonour of Christianity is affirmed of the _Italian_, who after he had inveigled his enemy to disclaim his faith for the redemption of his life, did presently poyniard him, to prevent repentance, and a.s.sure his eternal death. The villany of this Christian exceedeth the persecution of Heathens, whose malice was never so Longimanous [SN: _Long-handed._] as to reach the soul of their enemies; or to extend unto the exile of their _Elysiums._ And though the blindness of some ferities have savaged on the bodies of the dead, and been so injurious unto worms, as to disinter the bodies of the deceased; yet had they therein no design upon the soul: and have been so far from the destruction of that, or desires of a perpetual death, that for the satisfaction of their revenge they wisht them many souls, and were it in their power would have reduced them unto life again. It is a great depravity in our natures, and surely an affection that somewhat savoureth of h.e.l.l, to desire the society, or comfort our selves in the fellowship of others that suffer with us; but to procure the miseries of others in those extremities, wherein we hold an hope to have no society our selves, is me thinks a strain above _Lucifer_, and a project beyond the primary seduction of h.e.l.l.

4. I hope it is not true, and some indeed have probably denied, what is recorded of the Monk that poysoned _Henry_ the Emperour, in a draught of the holy Eucharist. 'Twas a scandalous wound unto Christian Religion, and I hope all Pagans will forgive it, when they shall read that a Christian was poysoned in a cup of Christ, and received his bane in a draught of his salvation. Had he believed Transubstantiation, he would have doubted the effect; and surely the sin it self received an aggravation in that opinion. It much commendeth the innocency of our forefathers, and the simplicity of those times, whose Laws could never dream so high a crime as parricide: whereas this at the least may seem to out-reach that fact, and to exceed the regular distinctions of murder. I will not say what sin it was to act it; yet may it seem a kind of martyrdom to suffer by it. For, although unknowingly, he died for Christ his sake, and lost his life in the ordained testimony of his death. Certainly, had they known it, some n.o.ble zeales would scarcely have refused it; rather adventuring their own death, then refusing the memorial of his.

Many other accounts like these we meet sometimes in history [SN: Hujus farinae multa in historia horribili.], scandalous unto Christianity, and even unto humanity; whose verities not only, but whose relations honest minds do deprecate. For of sins heteroc.l.i.tal, and such as want either name or president, there is oft times a sin even in their histories. We desire no records of such enormities; sins should be accounted new, that so they may be esteemed monstrous. They omit of monstrosity as they fall from their rarity; for men count it veniall to err with their forefathers, and foolishly conceive they divide a sin in its society.

The pens of men may sufficiently expatiate without these singularities of villany; For, as they encrease the hatred of vice in some, so do they enlarge the theory of wickedness in all. And this is one thing that may make latter ages worse then were the former; For, the vicious examples of Ages past, poyson the curiosity of these present, affording a hint of sin unto seduceable spirits, and soliciting those unto the imitation of them, whose heads were never so perversly principled as to invent them.

In this kind we commend the wisdom and goodness of _Galen_, who would not leave unto the world too subtile a Theory of poisons; unarming thereby the malice of venemous spirits, whose ignorance must be contented with Sublimate and a.r.s.enick. For, surely there are subtiler venenations, such as will invisibly destroy, and like the Basilisks of heaven. In things of this nature silence commendeth history: 'tis the veniable part of things lost; wherein there must never rise a Pancirollus [SN: _Who writ_ De Antiquis deperditis, _or of inventions lost_.], nor remain any Register but that of h.e.l.l.

And yet, if as some Stoicks opinion, and _Seneca_ himself disputeth, these unruly affections that make us sin such prodigies, and even sins themselves be animals; there is an history of _Africa_ and story of Snakes in these. And if the transanimation of _Pythagoras_ or method thereof were true, that the souls of men transmigrated into species answering their former natures; some men must surely live over many Serpents, and cannot escape that very brood whose sire Satan entered.

And though the objection of _Plato_ should take place, that bodies subjected unto corruption, must fail at last before the period of all things, and growing fewer in number, must leave some souls apart unto themselves; the spirits of many long before that time will find but naked habitations: and meeting no a.s.similables wherein to react their natures, must certainly antic.i.p.ate such natural desolations.

Lactant.

_Primus sapientiae gradus est, falsa intelligere._

=_FINIS._=

HYDRIOTAPHIA

URNE-BURIALL

OR A DISCOURSE OF THE

SEPULCHRALL URNES

LATELY FOUND

IN NORFOLK

_TOGETHER WITH_

THE GARDEN OF CYRUS

TO MY WORTHY AND HONOURED FRIEND

THOMAS LE GROS

Of _Crostwick_ Esquire.

When the Funerall pyre was out, and the last valediction over, men took a lasting adieu of their interred Friends, little expecting the curiosity of future ages should comment upon their ashes, and having no old experience of the duration of their Reliques, held no opinion of such after-considerations.

But who knows the fate of his bones, or how often he is to be buried?

who hath the Oracle of his ashes, or whether they are to be scattered?

The Reliques of many lie like the ruines of [A]_Pompeys_, in all parts of the earth; And when they arrive at your hands, these may seem to have wandred farre, who in a [B]direct and _Meridian_ Travell, have but few miles of known Earth between your selfe and the Pole.

[A] Pompeios juvenes Asia, atque Europa, sed ipsum terra tegit _Lybies_.

[B] _Little directly, but Sea between your house and_ Greenland.

That the bones of _Theseus_ should be seen again [C]in _Athens_, was not beyond conjecture, and hopeful expectation; but that these should arise so opportunely to serve your self, was an hit of fate and honour beyond prediction.

[C] _Brought back by _Cimon. _Plutarch._

We cannot but wish these Urnes might have the effect of Theatrical vessels, and great [D]_Hippodrome_ Urnes in _Rome_; to resound the acclamations and honour due unto you. But these are sad and sepulchral Pitchers, which have no joyfull voices; silently expressing old mortality, the ruines of forgotten times, and can only speak with life, how long in this corruptible frame, some parts may be uncorrupted; yet able to out-last bones long unborn, and n.o.blest [E]pyle among us.

[D] _The great Urnes in the_ Hippodrome _at_ Rome _conceived to resound the voices of people at their shows._