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good as a Denial to her Petition, Proferpina having already eaten three Grains of a Pomegranate: And yet for all this, Ceres gave not over her Suit, but fell to Prayers and Moans afresh: Wherefore, it was at laft granted, that (the Year being divided) Proferpina fhould by alternate Courses, remain one fix Months with her Hufband, and the other fix Months with her Mother. Not long after this, Thefeus, and Perithous, in an over-hardy Adventure, attempted to fetch her from Pluto's Bed; who, being weary with Travel, and fitting down upon a stone in Hell, to reft themselves, had not the power to rise again; but fat there for ever. Proferpina therefore remained Queen of Hell, in whofe Honour there was this great privilege granted, That although it were enacted, that none that went down to Hell, should have the power ever to return from thence; yet was this fingular exception annexed to this Law, That if any prefented Proferpina with a Golden Bough, it should be lawful for him to go and come at his Pleasure. Now there was but one only fuch a Bough in a spacious and fhady Grove, which was not a Plant neither of itself, but budded from a Tree of another kind, like a Rope of Gum, which being plucked off, another would instantly spring out.

This Fable seems to pertain to Nature, and to dive into that rich and plentiful efficacy and variety of fubalternal Creatures, from whom whatfoever we have is derived, and to them doth again

return.

By Proferpina, the Ancients meant that Ethe

real Spirit, (which being separated from the upper Globe) is fhut up and detained under the Earth (represented by Pluto) which the Poet well expreffed thus:

Sive recens Tellus, feductaque nuper ab alto
Ethere, cognati retinebat femina Cæli.

Whether the Youngling Tellus (that of late
Was from the high-reared Æther separate)
Did yet contain her Teeming Womb within
The living Seeds of Heaven her nearest kin.

This Spirit is feigned to be rapted by the Earth, because nothing can withhold it, when it hath time and leisure to escape. It is therefore caught and staid by a sudden Contraction, no otherwise than if a Man fhould go about to mix Air with Water, which can be done by no means, but by a fpeedy and rapid Agitation, as may be seen in Froth, wherein the Air is rapted by the Water.

Neither is it inelegantly added, that Proferpina was rapted as she was gathering Narciffus's Flowers in the Valleys, because Narciffus hath his Name from Slowness or Stupidity: For then indeed is this Spirit most prepared and fitted to be snatched by Terrestrial Matter, when it begins to be coagulated, and become as it were flown.

Rightly is Proferpina honoured more than any of the other Gods' Bedfellows, in being stiled the Lady of Dis, because this Spirit doth rule and sway all things in thofe lower Regions, Pluto abiding stupid and ignorant.

This Spirit the Power Celestial (fhadowed by Ceres) ftrives, with infinite Sedulity, to recover and get again: For that Brand or burning Torch of Ether (which Ceres carried in her Hand) doth doubtless fignify the Sun, which enlighteneth the whole Circuit of the Earth, and would be of greatest moment to recover Proferpina, if possible it might be.

But Proferpina abides still; the Reason of which is accurately, and excellently propounded in the Conditions between Jupiter and Ceres: For, first, it is most certain there are two ways to keep Spirit in folid and terreftrial Matter; the one by Conftipation, and Obstruction, which is mere Imprisonment and Constraint; the other, by Administration, or proportionable Nutriment, which it receives willingly, and of its own accord: For after that the included Spirit begins to feed and nourish itself, it makes no hafte to be gone; but is as it were, linked to its Earth: And this is pointed at by Prof erpina's eating of Pomegranate; which if she had not done, she had long fince been recovered by Ceres with her Torch, compaffing the Earth. Now as concerning that Spirit which is in Metals and Minerals, it is chiefly perchance restrained by the folidity of Mass: But that which is in Plants and Animals, inhabits a porous Body, and hath open Paffage to be gone, in a manner, as it lifts, were it not that it willingly abides of its own accord, by reafon of the Relish it finds in its Entertainment. The fecond Condition concerning the fix Months' Custom, it is no other than an elegant Description

of the Division of the Year; feeing this Spirit mixed with Earth, appears above ground in Vegetable Bodies during the Summer Months, and in the Winter finks down again.

Now as concerning Thefeus and Perithous, and their Attempt to bring Proferpina quite away, the meaning of it is, that it oftentimes comes to pass that some more fubtile Spirit descending with divers Bodies to the Earth, never come to fuck of any fubaltern Spirit, whereby to unite it unto them, and fo to bring it away. But on the contrary are coagulated themselves, and never rise more, that Proferpina fhould be by that means augmented with Inhabitants and Dominion.

All that we can say concerning that Sprig of Gold, is hardly able to defend us from the Violence of the Chymicks, if in this regard they set upon us, seeing they promise by that their Elixir to effect Golden Mountains, and the restoring of Natural Bodies, as it were, from the Portal of Hell. But concerning Chymistry, and thofe perpetual Suitors for that Philosophical Elixir, we know certainly that their Theory is without Grounds, and we fufpect that their Practice is alfo without certain Reward. And therefore (omitting thefe) of this last part of the Parable, this is my Opinion: I am induced to believe by many Figures of the Ancients, that the Confervation and Restoration of Natural Bodies, in some fort, was not esteemed by them as a thing impoffible to be attained, but as a thing abftrufe and full of Difficulties; and fo they seem to intimate in this place, when they re

port that this one only Sprig was found among infinite other Trees in a huge and thick Wood, which they feigned to be of Gold, because Gold is the Badge of Perpetuity, and to be artificially as it were inferted, because this Effect is to be rather hoped for from Art, than from any Medicine, or fimple or natural means.

xxx. Metis, or Counsel.

HE Ancient Poets report, that Jupiter took Metis to Wife, whofe Name doth plainly fignify Counsel, and that she

by him conceived. Which when he found, not tarrying the time of her Deliverance, devours both her and that which she went withal, by which means Jupiter himself became with Child, and was delivered of a wondrous Birth; for out of his Head or Brain came forth Pallas Armed.

The Senfe of this Fable (which at firft Apprehenfion may seem monftrous and abfurd) contains in it a Secret of State, to wit, with what Policy Kings are wont to carry themselves towards their Counsellors, whereby they may not only preserve their Authority and Majesty free and entire, but also that it may be the more extolled and dignified of the People: For Kings being as it were tied and coupled in a Nuptial Bond to their Counfellors, do truly conceive that communicating with them about the Affairs of greatest Importance do

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