98 THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 



take these plumed coronets from the muses, and 

 to restore the wings again to the Syrens. These 

 Syrens are said to dwell in remote isles, for that 

 pleasures love privacy and retired places, shunning 

 always too much company of people. The Syrens 

 songs are so vulgarly understood, together with the 

 deceits and danger of them, as that they need no 

 exposition. But that of the hones appearing like 

 white cliffs, and descried afar off, hath more acute- 

 ness in it : for thereby is signified, that albeit the 

 examples of afflictions be manifest and eminent, yet 

 do they not sufficiently deter us from the wicked en 

 ticements of pleasures. 



As for the remainder of this parable, though it 

 be not over mystical, yet it is very grave and excel 

 lent : for in it are set out three remedies for this vio 

 lent enticing mischief ; to wit, two from philosophy, 

 and one from religion. The first means to shun 

 these inordinate pleasures is, to withstand and resist 

 them in their beginnings, and seriously to shun all 

 occasions that are offered to debauch and entice the 

 mind, which is signified in that stopping of the ears; 

 and that remedy is properly used by the meaner and 

 and baser sort of people, as it were, Ulysses followers 

 or mariners, whereas more heroic and noble spirits 

 may boldly converse even in the midst of these se 

 ducing pleasures, if with a resolved constancy they 

 stand upon their guard and fortify their minds, and 

 so take greater contentment in the trial and expe 

 rience of this their approved virtue ; learning rather 

 thoroughly to understand the follies and vanities of 



