Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/425

 THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. bodies, were so quieted, that the state of the world should be conserved; and afterward, in inferior bodies, by the suppressing and dissipating of in undations, tempests, winds, and general earth quakes, a more peaceful, durable agreement and tranquillity of things followed. But of this fable .t may convertibly be said, that the fable contains philosophy, and philosophy again the fable: for we know by faith, that all these things are no thing else but the long-since ceasing and failing oracles of sense, seeing that both the matter and &quot;abric of the world are most truly referred to a Creator. PROTEUS, OR MATTER. THE poets say that Proteus was Neptune s herdsman; a grave sire, and so excellent a pro phet, that he might well be termed thrice excel lent : for he knew not only things to come, but even things past as well as present: so that be sides his skill in divination, he was the messen ger and interpreter of all antiquities and hidden mysteries. The place of his abode was a huge vast cave, where his custom was every day at noon to count his flock of sea-calves, and then to go to sleep. Moreover, he that desired his advice in any thing could by no other means obtain it, but by catching him in manacles, and holding him fast therewith : who, nevertheless, to be at liberty, would turn himself into all manner of forms and wonders of nature : sometimes into fire, sometimes into water, sometimes into the shape of beasts, and the like, till at length he was restored to his own form again. This fable may seem to unfold the secrets of na ture and the properties of matter. For under the person of Proteus, the first matter, which, next to God, is the ancientest thing, may be represented ; for matter dwells in the concavity of heaven as in a cave. He is Neptune s bond-man, because the opera tions and dispensations of matter are chiefly exer cised in liquid bodies. His flock or herd seems to be nothing but the ordinary species of sensible creatures, plants, and metals, in which matter seems to diffuse, and, as it were, spend itself; so that after the forming and perfecting of these kinds, having ended as it were her task, she seems to sleep and take her rest, not attempting the composition of any more species. And this may be the moral of Proteus counting of his flock, and of his sleeping. Now this is said to be done, not in the morning nor in the evening, but at noon : to wit, at such time as is most fit and convenient for the perfect ing and bringing forth of species out of matter duly prepared and predisposed ; and in the middle, as it were, between their beginnings and declina tions, which we know sufficiently, out of the holy history, to be done about the time of the creation ; VOL. I 33 for then by the power of that divine word, pro- ducat, matter at the Creator s command did con gregate itself, not by ambages or turnings, but instantly, to the production of its work into an act and constitution of species: and thus far have we the narration of Proteus, free and unrestrained, to gether with his flock complete; for the universality of things, with their ordinary structures and com positions of species, bears the face of matter not limited and constrained, and of the flock also of material beings. Nevertheless, if any expert mini ster of nature shall encounter matter by main force, vexing and urging her with intent and purpose to reduce her to nothing, she contrariwise, seeing an nihilation and absolute destruction cannotbe effect ed by the omnipotency of God, being thus caught in the straits of necessity, doth change and turn herself into divers strange forms and shapes of things, so that at length, by fetching a circuit as it were, she comes to a period, and, if the force con tinue, betakes herself to her former being. The reason of which constraint or binding will be more facile and expedite, if matter be laid on by mana cles, that is, by extremities. Now whereas it is feigned that Proteus was a prophet, well skilled in three differences of times, it hath an excellent agreement with the nature of matter : for it is necessary that he that will know the properties and proceedings of matter, should comprehend in his understanding the sum of all things which have been, which are, or shall be, al though no knowledge can extend so far as to sin gular and individual beings. MEMNON, OR A YOUTH TOO FOR WARD. THE poets say that Memnon was the son of Aurora, who, adorned with beautiful armour, and animated with popular applause, came to the Tro jan war: where, in rash boldness, hasting into, and thirsting after glory, he enters into single com bat with Achilles, the valiantest of all the Grecians, by whose powerful hand he was there slain. But Jupiter, pitying his destruction, sent birds to mo dulate certain lamentable and doleful notes at the solemnization of his funeral obsequies. Whose statue also, the sun reflecting on it with his morn ing beams, did usually, as is reported, send forth a mournful sound. This fable may be applied to the unfortunate destinies of hopeful young men, who, like the sons of Aurora, puffed up with the glittering show of vanity and ostentation, attempt actions above their strength, and provoke and press the most valiant heroes to combat with them, so that meet ing with their overmatch, are vanquished and de stroyed, whose untimely death is oft accompanied with much pity and commiseration. For among all the disasters that can happen to mortals there is none so lamentable and so powerful to vnn*