TIGERS alfo ftable by Affections, and are sometimes put to their Chariot. For when once a Paffion is from going a-foot advanced to ride in a Chariot, and has captivated Reason, and leads her as it were in Triumph, it grows cruel, unmanageable, and fierce against all that withstand or oppose it.

AND it is a pretty Fiction, The Dancing of those deform'd ridiculous Demons about Bacchus his Chariot. For every vehement Paflion causes in the Eyes, and in the very Face, and Gesture, certain indecent, diforderly, capering, and deform'd Motions; fo that they who in any Paffion, (as Anger, Arrogance, Love,) may perhaps feem glorious and brave in their own Eyes, do yet appear to others ugly and ridiculous.

THE Mufes alfo are feen in the Train of Defire. For there is hardly any Paffion to be found fo deprav'd and vile, which is not foothed by fome Kind of Learning. For in this Particular, the Indulgence, and Immodefty of Wits hath hugely derogated from the Majefty of the Mufes; that whereas they ought to be the Guides and Standard-Bearers of Life, they many Times become the Handmaids and Procurers to Luft,

BUT that is a most noble Allegory, Bacchus's letting loofe his Affections upon her that had been abandon'd and naufeated by another. For it is a most certain Truth, that Paffions covet and court that which Experience hath long fince rejected. And let all thofe know who being Slaves to, and indulging their Paffions, fet an immenfe Value upon gaining their Point, (whether they court Honours, or Miftreffes, or Glory, or Science, or whatever elfe) that they feek after Things abandon'd, and by divers Men, in all Ages almoft, after Experience, difmifs'd and caft off.

NEITHER is it without Myftery, that the Ivy was facred to Bacchus, for this holds two Ways; Firft, In that the Ivy is green in Winter Secondly; In that it creeps about, and overfpreads, aand mounts upon fo many Things, Trees, Walls, Edifices. Touching the first, every Defire by Refiftance, and Forbiddance, and by a Kind of Antiperiftafis, (like the Ivy by the Winters Colds) grows fresh and lively, and gathers Vigor: Secondly, every predominant Affection in the Soul of Man, inclofes and hedges in, like the Ivy, all his Actions and Refolves; neither can you find any Thing almoft untainted, and which That does not clinch as it were with its Ten drels.

NEITHER is it any Wonder, that Su-perftitious Rites fhould be attributed to Bacchus fince every mad Affection in falfe Religions, keeps in a manner Revel rout; fo that the vile Rabble of Hereticks hath out-done the Bacchanals of the Heathen; and their Superftitions also have been no lefs bloody than filthy. Nor is it a Wonder again, that Bacchus fhould be thought to fend Madness, feeing every Af fection in the Excefs thereof, is a Kind of fhort-liv'd Diftraction, and if it continue long, and with any Thing of Violence, concludes many Times in Madness.

AS to the rending and difmembring of Pentheus and Orpheus, in the Celebration of the Orgies of Bacchus, the Parable is plain; fince every prevalent Affection is very outrageous against, and a moft deadly Enemy to two Things; one whereof is, a curious Enquiry into it; the other, free and wholesome Admonition. Nor will it avail, that the Enquiry is made, only to contemplate and behold, like climbing a Tree, without any Malignity of Mind: Nor again, that the Admonition be given with a great deal of Sweetnefs and Dexterity; but be that as it will, the Orgies cannot bear either a Pentheus, or an Orpheus.

LASTLY; That Confufion of the Perfons of Jupiter and Bacckus may be well transferr'd to a Parable; feeing noble and famous Atchievements, and remarkable and glorious Merits, proceed fometimes from Virtue, and right Reason and Magnanimity; and sometimes again from a latent Affection, and a hidden Defire, (both equally affecting Glory and Renown ;) fo that it is not easy to diftinguish the Acts of Dionyfus from thofe of Jupiter.

CHAP.

CHAP. XIX.

Of the Triumphs of Man.

De Augmentis Scientiarum.
Lib. 4. Cap. 1.

T

HE Knowledge concerning the Perfon of Man comprehends two Things efpecially, namely, The Contemplation of the Miferies of Mankind; and of the Prerogatives, or Excellencies of the fame. But the Bewailing of Man's Miferies hath been elegantly and copioufly fet forth by feveral, in the Writings, as well of Philofophers, as Divines. And it is both a pleasant and a wholesome Contemplation.

BUT that other touching Man's Prerogatives, hath feem'd to me a Point that may well be fet down among the Deficients of Learning.