THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 37 



was wrought by Venus immediately came in, consist 

 ing in settled and prevalent concord of things, so that 

 mutation should be only in respect of the parts, the 

 universal fabric remaining whole and inviolate. 



Saturn, they say, was deposed and cast down 

 into hell, but not destroyed and utterly extinguished ; 

 because there was an opinion that the world should 

 relapse into the old chaos and interregnum again, 

 which Lucretius prayed might not happen in his time : 



&quot; Quod procul a nobis flectat fortuna gubernans; 

 Et ratio potius quam res persuadeat ipsa.&quot; 



O, guiding Providence be gracious, 

 That this dooms-day be far remov d from us ; 

 And grant, that by us it may be expected, 

 Rather than on us, in our times effected. 



For afterwards the world should subsist by its 

 own quantity and power : yet from the beginning- 

 there was no rest ; for in the celestial regions there 

 first followed notable mutations, which by the power 

 of the sun, predominating over superior bodies, were 

 so quieted, that the state of the world should be con 

 served ; and afterward, in inferior bodies, by the sup 

 pressing and dissipating of inundations, tempests, 

 winds, and general earthquakes, a more peaceful 

 durable agreement and tranquillity of things fol 

 lowed. But of this fable it may convertibly be said, 

 that the fable contains philosophy, and philosophy 

 again the fable : for we know by faith, that 

 all these things are nothing else but the long- 

 since ceasing and failing oracles of sense, seeing that 



