phyficks, and Things in Nature Eternal, and Immoveable, that has never fo little withdrawn his Mind from the Flux of Things, but he inftantly falls upon Natural Theology; fo ready and fhort is the Paffage from the Top of the Pyramid to Matters Divine.

THE Body of Pan is moft elegantly and truly drawn Hairy, because of the Rays or Beams of Things. For Rays are as it were the Hairs or Shag of Nature; and all Things in a manner are more or lefs Beamy: Which is most apparent in the Faculty of Sight; and no lefs in every magnetick Virtue, and Operation at a Diftance. For whatsoever ope rates at a Distance, may rightly be faid to dart forth Rays.

MOREOVER, Pan's Beard is faid to be exceeding long, because the Rays of Heavenly Bodies, and especially the Sun, operate and pierce fartheft of all; fo that. they have perfectly turn'd, and fubdued, and fill'd with their Spirit, not only the Surface of the Earth, but the inner Parts alfo, to fome Diftance. And this of the Beard is the more elegant, because the Sun himself, when his higher half is fhadowed with a Cloud, and his Beams break out in the lower, looks as if he were Bearded.

NATURE

NATURE alfo is excellently describ'd Riform, because of the Difference of Superior and Inferior Bodies. For Thofe, because of their Beauty, and Equality and Conftancy of Motion, and their Dominion alfo over the Earth, and earthly Things; are defervedly reprefented under a Human Figure; Human Nature participating of Order and Dominion: But Thefe, because of their Disorder, and irregular Motions; as also because they are mostly governed by the Heavenly Bodies; may well be contented with the Figure of a Brute Creature. Again, this fame Defcription of the Biform Body relates to the Participation of Species: For no Species of Nature feems to be fimple, but participating as it were, and compounded of Two. For a Man hath fomething of a Brute, a Brute fomething of a Plant, a Plant fomething of an inanimate Body, and all Things indeed are Biform, and compounded of a Superior and Inferior Spe

cies.

IT is a witty Allegory, that of the Goat's Feet, by Reafon of the afcending of earthly Bodies towards the Regions of the Air and the Heaven, where they become penfile, and from thence are rather caft down, than de-. fcend. For the Goat is a nounting Animal, and loves to be hanging upon Rocks and Precipices: And this is done alfo, and in a won

derful

derful manner, even by thofe Things which are destin'd to this Inferior Globe; as manifeftly appears in Clouds and Meteors.

THE two Enfigns, which Pan bears in his Hands, point, the one at Harmony, the other at Empire. For the Pipe confifting of feven Reeds, evidently fhews the Concert and Harmony, and difcordant Concord of Things, which is caufed by the Motion of the feven Planets. The Staff of Empire is a noble Allufion, by Reason of the Ways of Nature, which are partly ftrait, and partly oblique. It is efpecially crooked at the upper End, because all the Works of Divine Providence in the World are commonly fetcht about by Circuits and Windings; fo that one Thing may seem to be aimed at, and the contrary done as the Selling of Jofeph into Egypt. Befides, in all wife Human Governments, thofe that fit at the Helm, do more happily bring their Purposes about, and infinuate more eafily Things fit for the People, by Pretexts, and oblique Courses, than by direct Methods.

PAN's Cloak or Mantle is ingeniously feign'd to be made of the Skin of a Leopard, because of the Spots every where interfpers'd. For the Heavens are powder'd with Stars, the Sea fprinkled with Iflands, The Land with Flowers, and all particular Things are commonly diverfify'd with various

Colours

Colours about the Superficies, which is as it were the Mantle of a Thing.

THE Office of Pan can be by nothing fo livelily fet forth and reprefented, as by his being the God of Hunters. For every Natural Action, nay even Motion and Progreffion, is nothing elfe but Hunting. For Arts and Sciences have their Works, and Human Counfels their Ends, which they bunt after; and all Natural Things hunt either their Food, in order to preferve; or their Delight and Pleasure, in order to perfect their Nature; and this in a moft difcerning and fagacious manner.

Virg. Ecl. 2. 63.

Torva leana lupum fequitur, lupus ipfe capellam,
Florentem Cytifum fequitur lafciva capella.

The greedy Lyonefs the Wolf purfues,
The Wolf the Kid, the wanton Kid the Browze,
Dryden.

PAN is alfo faid to be the God of all Country Inhabitants in general, becaufe Men of this Condition live more agreeably to Na+ ture; whereas in Cities and Courts, Nature is corrupted by too much Art and Drefs, infomuch as that of the Poet about Love matters; VOL. II

is verified, upon the Account of those Delicacies, as to Nature also.

Pars minima eft ipfa puella fui.

The Maid fo tricks her self with Art,
That of her self she is least part.

HE is held to be the Prefident of Mountains; because in Mountains and high Places, Nature lays her felf most open to the Eye of Contemplation. In that Pan is Meffenger of the Gods, next to Mercury; that is a moft Divine Allegory; fince next to the Word of God, the very Image of the World, proclaims the Divine Power and Wisdom. As fings the facred Poet, Pf. xix. 1. The Heavens declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament shews bis Handy-Work.

PAN is delighted with the Nymphs, that is, Souls: For the Darlings of the Universe, are the Souls of Living Creatures. He is well called their Leader or Commander, fince 'they all follow Nature as their Guide; and with infinite Variety, every one of them, after the Fashion of his Country, doth leap and dance with inceffant Motion about her.

THE Satyrs and Sileni are perpetually of his Train; that is Youth, and Old Age; for of all natural Things, there is a merry, and

as