16 THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 



biformed body, with respect to the differences be 

 tween superior and inferior creatures. For one part, 

 by reason of their pulchritude and equability of mo 

 tion, and constancy and dominion over the earth and 

 earthly things, is worthily set out by the shape of 

 man ; and the other part in respect of their pertur 

 bations and unconstant motions, and therefore need 

 ing to be moderated by the celestial, may be well 

 fitted with the figure of a brute beast. This descrip 

 tion of his body pertains also to the participation of 

 species ; for no natural being seems to be simple, but 

 as it were participated and compounded of two ; as 

 for example, man hath something of a beast, a beast 

 something of a plant, a plant something of inanimate 

 body, of that all natural things are in very deed 

 biformed, that is to say, compounded of a superior 

 and inferior species. 



It is a witty allegory that same, of the feet of the 

 goat, by reason of the upward tending motion of ter 

 restrial bodies towards the air and heaven ; for the 

 goat is a climbing creature, that loves to be hanging 

 about the rocks and steep mountains ; and this is 

 done also in a wonderful manner even by those 

 things which are destinated to this inferior globe, as 

 may manifestly appear in clouds and meteors. 



The two ensigns which Pan bears in his hands 

 do point, the one at harmony, the other at empire : 

 for the pipe, consisting of seven reeds, doth evidently 

 demonstrate the consent, and harmony, and dis 

 cordant concord of all inferior creatures, which is 

 caused by the motion of the seven planets : and that 

 of the sheep-hook may be excellently applied to 



