124: ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



deceive nature than force her, so improper and self-con 

 victing are open, direct endeavors, whereas an oblique and 

 insinuating way gently glides along, and secretly accom 

 plishes the purpose. 



Pan s mantle, or clothing, is with great ingenuity made 

 of a leopard s skin, because of the spots it has: for, in like 

 manner, the heavens are sprinkled with stars, the sea with 

 islands, the earth with flowers, and almost each particular 

 thing is variegated, or wears a mottled coat. 



The office of Pan could not be more livelily expressed 

 than by making him the god of hunters: for every natural 

 action, every motion and process, is no other than a chase; 

 thus arts and sciences hunt out their works, and human 

 schemes and counsels their several ends, and all living 

 creatures either hunt out their aliment, pursue their prey, 

 or seek their pleasures, and this in a skilful and sagacious 

 manner. 12 He is also styled the god of the rural inhabitants, 

 because men in this situation live more according to nature 

 than they do in cities and courts, where nature is so cor 

 rupted with effeminate arts, that the saying of the poet may 

 be verified: 



&quot; pars minima est ipsa pue]la sui.&quot; 13 



He is likewise particularly styled president of the moun 

 tains, because in mountains and lofty places the nature of 

 things lies more open and exposed to the eye and the 

 understanding. 



In his being called the messenger of the gods, next 

 after Mercury, lies a divine allegory; as, next after the 

 word of Grod, the image of the world is the herald of the 

 divine power and wisdom, according to the expression of 

 the Psalmist: &quot;The heavens declare the glory of (rod, and 

 the firmament showeth his handiwork.&quot; 14 



1-2 &quot;Torva lesena lupum sequitur, lupus ipse capellam: 

 Florentem cytisum sequitur lasciva capella.&quot; 



Virgil, Eel. ii. 63. 



13 Ovid, Rem. A.moris, v. 343. Mart. Epist. u Psalm xix. 1. 



