THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 91 



a man should go about to mix air with water, which 

 can be done by no means, but by a speedy and rapid 

 agitation, as may be seen in froth, wherein the air is 

 rapted by the water. 



Neither is it inelegantly added that Proserpina was 

 rapt as she was gathering Narcissus flowers in the 

 valleys, because Narcissus hath his name from slow 

 ness or stupidity : for, indeed, then is this spirit most 

 prepared and fitted to be snatched by terrestrial mat 

 ter, when it begins to be coagulated, and become as 

 it were slow. 



Rightly is Proserpina honoured more than any of 

 the other god s bed-fellows, in being sty led the Lady of 

 Dis, because this spirit doth rule and sway all things 

 in those lower regions, Pluto abiding stupid and 

 ignorant. 



This spirit, the power celestial, shadowed by 

 Ceres, strives with infinite sedulity, to recover and 

 get again : for that brand or burning torch of agther, 

 which Ceres carried in her hand, doth doubtless 

 signify the sun, which enlighteneth the whole circuit 

 of the earth, and would be of the greatest moment to 

 recover Proserpina, if possibly it might be. 



But Proserpina abides still, the reason of which 

 is accurately and excellently propounded in the con 

 ditions between Jupiter and Ceres : for first it is 

 most certain there are two ways to keep spirit in 

 solid and terrestrial matter : the one by constipa 

 tion and obstruction, which is mere imprisonment 

 and constraint ; the other by administration or pro 

 portionable nutriment, whicli it receives willingly 



