FABLE OF CUPID. 55 



remain, as is clear in the so great variety of fusibles, juices, 

 distilled bodies, and the like. But in aerial and pneumatic 

 bodies a much greater variety is enclosed, and there seems 

 drawn over them a somewhat promiscuous similitude of 

 things. That influence indeed of colours and tastes, by 

 which liquids are in some instances distinguished, ceases 

 indeed altogether here ; but that of scents and of some other 

 properties remains yet, so as that they pass through, are 

 confused, and do not inhere ; so that on the whole variety 

 disappears in proportion as we approach the nature of 

 tire. But after we are come to the nature of fire, and that 

 rectified and purer, every organ, every peculiar property, 

 every dissimilarity is put off, and nature seems to coalesce 

 as it were in a pyramidal point, and to have reached the 

 limit of its own proper action. Heraclitus called therefore 

 the kindling of fire peace, because it made nature one ; but 

 generation war, because it made it manifold. In order 

 therefore to explain by some means the manner in which 

 things ebbed and flowed as a stream, from variety to sim 

 plicity and from simplicity to variety, he supposed fire was 

 condensed and then rarified, yet so as that that rarifying 

 toward the nature of fire should be the direct and pro 

 gressive action of nature ; but the densation as it were a 

 receding from and leaving; of nature. He thought that 



O O O 



both took place by fate and at certain periods, (according 

 to the sum), so that there would be at some time or other a 

 conflagration of the world, which is now moved in its orbit, 

 and then a renovation, and so on successively for ever. 

 But he held a diverse order of incension and extinction, if 

 any one is well versed in that slight remain of information 

 concerning him and his opinions which hath descended to 

 our time. But in the scale of incension he in no way dif 

 fered from the usual and well known opinion, that the 

 progress of rarification and extenuation was from earth to 

 water, from water to air, from air to fire : but he did not 

 hold the same return, but plainly inverted the order. For 

 he asserted that fire brought out earth through extinction 

 as a kind of dregs and soot of fire ; that they next con 

 ceived and collected moisture, whence came the flowing 

 forth of water, which again emitted and breathed out air, 

 so that a sudden not a gradual change is made from fire to 

 water. And these or better notions did those conceive 

 who asserted one element of things, looking upon nature 

 simply not for the sake of strife. And they are indeed to 

 be praised, because they ascribed but one vest to Cnpid, 



