THE SECOND BOOK 143 



Anthropomorphites, bred in the cells of gross and 

 solitary monks, and the opinion of Epicurus, answerable 

 to the same in heathenism, who supposed the gods to 

 be of human shape. And therefore Velleius the 

 Epicurean needed not to have asked, why God should 

 have adorned the heavens with stars, as if he had been 

 an aedilis, one that should have set forth some magni 

 ficent shows or plays. For if that great work-master 

 had been of an human disposition, he would have cast 

 the stars into some pleasant and beautiful works and 

 orders, like the frets in the roofs of houses ; whereas 

 one can scarce find a posture in square, or triangle, or 

 straight line, amongst such an infinite number ; so 

 differing an harmony there is between the spirit of man 

 and the spirit of nature. 



10. Let us consider again the false appearances im 

 posed upon us by every man s own individual nature 

 and custom, in that feigned supposition that Plato 

 maketh of the cave : for certainly if a child were con 

 tinued in a grot or cave under the earth until maturity 

 of age, and came suddenly abroad, he would have 

 strange and absurd imaginations. So hi like manner, 

 although our persons live in the view of heaven, yet 

 our spirits are included in the caves of our own com 

 plexions and customs, which minister unto us infinite 

 errors and vain opinions, if they be not recalled to 

 examination. But hereof we have given many exam 

 ples in one of the errors, or peccant humours, which we 

 ran briefly over in our first book. 



11. And lastly, let us consider the false appearances 

 that are imposed upon us by words, which are framed 

 and applied according to the conceit and capacities of 

 the vulgar sort : and although we think we govern 

 our words, and prescribe it well * loquendum ut vulgus 

 sentiendum ut sapientes ; yet certain it is that words, 

 as a Tartar s bow, do shoot back upon the understanding 

 of the wisest, and mightily entangle and pervert the 

 judgement. So as it is almost necessary, in all con 

 troversies and disputations, to imitate the wisdom of 

 the mathematicians, in setting down in the very 



