THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 73 



which suppeditates and yields comfort and help in a 

 manner to all human wants and necessities ; so that 

 if the soul be the form of forms, and if the hand be 

 the instrument of instruments, fire deserves well to 

 be called the succour of succours, or the help of 

 helps,, which infinite ways affords aid and assistance 

 to all labours and mechanical arts, and to the sciences 

 themselves. 



The manner of stealing this fire is aptly de 

 scribed, even from the nature of things : it was, they 

 say, by a bundle of twigs held to touch the chariot 

 of the sun ; for twigs are used in giving blows or 

 stripes, to signify clearly, that fire is engendered by 

 the violent percussion and mutual collision of bodies, 

 by which their material substances are attenuated 

 and set in motion, and prepared to receive the heat 

 of influence of the heavenly bodies ; and so in a clan 

 destine manner, and as it were by stealth, may be 

 said to take and snatch fire from the chariot of 

 the sun. 



There follows next a remarkable part of the 

 parable, that men instead of gratulation and thanks 

 giving were angry, and expostulated the matter 

 with Prometheus, insomuch, that they accused both 

 him and his invention unto Jupiter, which Was so 

 acceptable unto him, that he augmented their former 

 commodities with a new bounty. Seems it not 

 strange, that ingratitude towards the author of a 

 benefit, a vice that in a manner contains all other 

 vices, should find such approbation and reward ? No, 

 it seems to be otherwise ; for the meaning of the 

 VOL. 3. G 



