FOOTNOTES:
[a] If the Reader hath a Mind to see Examples of Men’s Likeness, he may consult Valer. Maximus, (L. 9. c. 14.) concerning the Likeness of Pompey the Great, and Vibius and Publicius Libertinus; as also of Pompey the Father, who got the Name of Coquus, he being like Menogenes the Cook; with divers others.
[] As the Difference of Tone makes a Difference between every Man’s Voice, of the same Country, yea, Family; so a different Dialect and Pronunciation, differs Persons of divers Countries; yea, Persons of one and the same Country, speaking the same Language: Thus in Greece, there were the Ionick, Dorick, Attick, and Æolick Dialects. So in Great-Britain, besides the grand Diversity of English, and Scotch, the different Counties vary very much in their Pronunciation, Accent and Tone, although all one and the same Language. And the Way of the Gileadites proving the Ephraimites, Judg. xii. 6. by the Pronunciation of Shibboleth, with a Schin, or Sibboleth with a Samech, is well known. So à Lapide saith, the Flemings prove whether a Man be a Frenchman or not, by bidding him pronounce, Act en tachtentich; which they pronounce, Acht en tactentic, by Reason they can’t pronounce the Aspirate h.
[c] Regi Antiocho unus ex æqualibus——nomine Artemon, perquam similis fuisse traditur. Quem Laodice, uxor Antiochi, interfecto viro, dissimulandi sceleris gratiâ, in lectulo perinde quasi ipsum Regem ægrum collocavit. Admissumq; universum populum, & sermone ejus & vultu consimili fefellit: credideruntque homines ab Antiocho moriente Laodicen & natos ejus sibi commendari. Valer. Max. ib.
[d] Quid Trebellius Calca! quàm asseveranter se Clodium tulit! & quidem dum de bonis ejus contendit, in centumvirale judicium adeò favorabilis descendit, ut vix justis & æquis sententiis consternatio populi ullum relinqueret locum. In illâ tamen quæstione neque calumniæ petitoris, neque violentiæ plebis judicantium religio cessit. Val. Max. ib. c. 15.
[e] To the foregoing Instances of divine Management, with relation to the political State of Man, I shall add another Thing, that I confess hath always seem’d to me somewhat odd, but very providential; and that is, the Value that Mankind, at least the civiliz’d Part of them, have in all Ages put upon Gems, and the purer finer Metals, Gold and Silver; so as to think them equivalent unto, and exchange them for Things of the greatest Use for Food, Cloathing, and all other Necessaries and Conveniences of Life. Whereas those Things themselves are of very little, if any Use in Physick, Food, Building or Cloathing, otherwise than for Ornament, or to minister to Luxury; as Suetonius tells us of Nero, who fish’d with a Net gilt with Gold, and shod his Mules with Silver; but his Wife Poppæa, shod her Horses with Gold. Vit. Ner. c. 30. Plin. N. H. L. 33. c. 11. So the same Suetonius tells us, Jul. Cæsar lay in a Bed of Gold, and rode in a silver Chariot. But Heliogabalus rode in one of Gold, and had his Close-stool Pans of the same Metal. And Pliny saith, Vasa Coquinaria ex argento Calvus Orator fieri queritur. Ibid. Neither are those precious Things of greater Use to the making of Vessels, and Utensils, (unless some little Niceties and Curiosities,) by Means of their Beauty, Imperdibility, and Ductility. Of which last, the great Mr. Boyle hath among others, there two Instances, in his Essay about are Subtilty of Effluviums. Chap. 2. Silver, whose Ductility, and Tractility, are very much inferior to those of Gold, was, by my procuring, drawn out to so slender a Wire, that——a single Grain of it amounted to twenty seven Feet. As to Gold, he demonstrates it possible to extend an Ounce thereof, to reach to 777600 Feet, or 155 Miles and an half, yea, to an incredibly greater Length.
And as to Gems, the very Stories that are told of their prodigious Virtues, are an Argument, that they have very little, or none more than other hard Stones. That a Diamond should discover whether a Woman be true or false to her Husband’s Bed; cause Love between Man and Wife; secure against Witchcraft, Plague and Poisons; that the Ruby should dispose to Cheerfulness, cause pleasant Dreams, change its Colour against a Misfortune befalling, &c. that the Sapphire should grow foul, and lose its Beauty, when worn by one that is Leacherous; that the Emerald should fly to pieces, if it touch the Skin of any unchaste Person in the Act of Uncleanness: That the Chrysolite should lose its Colour, if Poyson be on the Table, and recover it again when the Poyson is off: And to name no more, that the Turcoise, (and the same is said of a gold Ring,) should strike the Hour when hung over a drinking Glass, and much more the same Purpose: All these, and many other such fabulous Stories, I say, of Gems, are no great Arguments, that their Virtue is equivalent to their Value. Of these, and other Virtues, consult Worm in his Museum, L. 1. §. 2. c. 17, &c.
But as to Gems changing their Colour, there may be somewhat of Truth in that, particularly in the Turcoise last mention’d. Mr. Boyle observ’d the Spots in a Turcoise, to shift their Place from one Part to another, by gentle Degrees. So did the Cloud in an Agate-handle of a Knife. A Diamond he wore on his Finger, he observ’d to be more illustrious at some Times than others: Which a curious Lady told him she had also observ’d in hers. So likewise a rich Ruby did the same. Boyle of Absol. Rest in Bodies.
CHAP. X.
The Conclusion of the Survey of Man.
And now having taken a View of Man, and finding every Part of him, every Thing relating to him contriv’d, and made in the very best Manner; his Body fitted up with the utmost Foresight, Art and Care; and this Body, (to the great Honour, Privilege, and Benefit of Man,) possess’d by a divine Part, the Soul, a Substance made as ’twere on Purpose to contemplate the Works of God, and glorify the great Creator; and since this Soul can discern, think, reason, and speak; What can we conclude upon the whole Matter, but that we lie under all the Obligations of Duty and Gratitude, to be thankful and obedient to, and to set forth the Glories of our great Creator, and noble Benefactor? And what ungrateful Wretches are we, how much worse than the poor Irrationals, if we do not employ the utmost Power of our Tongue, and all our Members, and all the Faculties of our Souls in the Praises of God! But above all, should we, who have the Benefit of those glorious Acts and Contrivances of the Creator, be such wicked, such base, such worse than brutal Fools, to deny the Creator[a], in some of his noblest Works? Should we so abuse our Reason, yea, our very Senses; should we be so besotted by the Devil, and blinded by our Lusts, as to attribute one of the best contriv’d Pieces of Workmanship to blind Chance, or unguided Matter and Motion, or any other such sottish, wretched, atheistical Stuff; which we never saw, nor ever heard made any one Being[] in any Age since the Creation? No, No! But like wise and unprejudic’d Men, let us with David say, Psalm cxxxix. 14. (with which I conclude,) I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are thy Works, and that my Soul knoweth right well.
Having thus made what (considering the Copiousness and Excellence of the Subject,) may be called a very brief Survey of Man, and seen such admirable Marks of the divine Design and Art; let us next take a transient View of the other inferiour Creatures; and begin with Quadrupeds.
