38 THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 



both the matter and fabric of the world are most 

 truly referred to a Creator. 



PROTEUS, OR MATTER. 



The poets say that Proteus was Neptune s herds 

 man ; a grave sire, and so excellent a prophet, that 

 he might well be termed thrice excellent : for he 

 knew not only things to come, but even things past 

 as well as present ; so that besides his skill in divi 

 nation, he was the messenger and interpreter of all 

 antiquities and hidden mysteries. The place of his 

 abode was a huge vast cave, where his custom was 

 every day at noon to count his flock of sea-calves, 

 and then to go to sleep. Moreover, he that desired his 

 advice in any thing, could by no other means obtain 

 it, but by catching him in manacles, and holding him 

 fast therewith ; who, nevertheless, to be at liberty, 

 would turn himself into all manner of forms and 

 wonders of nature ; sometimes into fire, sometimes 

 into water, sometimes into the shape of beasts, and 

 the like, till at length he were restored to his own 

 form again. 



This fable may seem to unfold the secrets of na 

 ture and the properties of matter. For under the 

 person of Proteus, the first matter, which, next to 

 God, is the ancientest thing, may be represented ; 

 for matter dwells in the concavity of heaven as 

 in a cave. 



He is Neptune s bond-man, because the opera 

 tions and^dispensations of matter are chiefly exercised 

 in liquid bodies. 



