VI PREFACE. 



ducing as well to the folding up and keeping of 

 things under a veil, as to the enlightening and lay 

 ing open of obscurities. But, omitting the former^ 

 rather than to undergo wrangling, and assuming 

 ancient fables as things vagrant and composed only 

 for delight, the latter must questionlesss till remain 

 as not to be wrested from us by any violence of wit, 

 neither can any (that is but meanly learned) hinder, 

 but it must absolutely be received as a thing grave 

 and sober, free from all vanity, and exceeding pro 

 fitable and necessary to all sciences. This is it, I 

 say, that leads the understanding of man by an easy 

 and gentle passage through all novel and abstruse 

 inventions which any way differ from common re 

 ceived opinions. Therefore, in the first ages, (when 

 many human inventions and conclusions, which are 

 now common and vulgar, were new and not gene 

 rally known,) all things were full of fables, enigmas, 

 parables, and similes of all sorts ; by which they 

 sought to teach and lay open, not to hide and con 

 ceal knowledge, especially seeing the understandings 

 of men were in those times rude and impatient, and 

 almost incapable of any subtilties, such things only 

 excepted as were the objects of sense ; for, as hiero 

 glyphics preceded letters, so parables were more an 

 cient than arguments : and in these days also, he that 

 would illuminate men s minds anew in any old mat 

 ter, and that not with disprofit and harshness, must 

 absolutely take the same course, and use the help of 

 similes. Wherefore after all that hath been said, 

 we will thus conclude, the wisdom of the ancients, 



