danced about him certain deformed demons called Cobali, etc.; the 

 Muses also joined in his train. He married Ariadne, who was deserted 

 by Theseus. The ivy was sacred to him. He was also held the inven- 

 tor and institutor of religious rites and ceremonies, but such as were 

 wild, frantic, and full of corruption and cruelty. He had also the 

 power of striking men with frenzies. Pentheus and Orpheus were torn 

 to pieces by the frantic women at his orgies, the first for climbing a 

 tree to behold their outrageous ceremonies, and the other for the 

 music of his harp. But the acts of this god are much entangled and 

 confounded with those of Jupiter." 



This fable seems to contain a little system of morality, so that there 

 is scarce any better invention in all ethics. Under the history of 

 Bacchus is drawn the nature of unlawful desire, or affection and dis- 

 order; for the appetite and thirst of apparent good is the mother of 

 all unlawful desire, though ever so destructive; and all unlawful desires 

 are conceived in unlawful wishes or requests, rashly indulged or 

 granted before they are well understood or considered; and when 

 the affection begins to grow warm, the mother of it (the nature of 

 good) is destroyed and burnt up by the heat. And whilst an unlawful 

 desire lies in the embryo, or unripened in the mind, which is its father, 

 and here represented by Jupiter, it is cherished and concealed, especially 

 in the inferior part of the mind, corresponding to the thigh of the 

 body, where pain twitches and depresses the mind so far as to render 

 its resolutions and actions imperfect and lame. And even after this 

 child of the mind is confirmed, and gains strength by consent and 

 habit, and comes forth into action, it must still be nursed by Proserpina 

 for a time; that is, it skulks and hides its head in a clandestine manner, 

 as it were under ground, till at length, when the checks of shame and 

 fear are removed, and the requisite boldness acquired, it either assumes 

 the pretext of some virtue, or openly despises infamy. And it is justly 

 observed, that every vehement passion appears of a doubtful sex, as 

 having the strength of a man at first, but at last the impotence of a 

 woman. It is also excellently added, that Bacchus died and rose again; 

 for the affections sometimes seem to die and be no more; but there is 

 no trusting them, even though they were buried, being always apt and 

 ready to rise again whenever the occasion or object offers. 



That Bacchus should be the inventor of wine carries a fine allegory 

 with it; for every affection is cunning and subtile in discovering a pro- 

 per matter to nourish and feed it; and of all things known to mortals, 

 wine is the most powerful and effectual for exciting and inflaming 

 passions of all kinds, being indeed like a common fuel to them all. 



It is again with great elegance observed of Bacchus, that he sub- 

 dued provinces and undertook endless expeditions; for the affections 

 never rest satisfied with what they enjoy, but with an endless and 

 insatiable appetite thirst after somewhat further. And tigers are 

 prettily feigned to draw the chariot; for as soon as any affection shall, 

 from going on foot, be advanced to ride, it triumphs over reason, and 

 exerts its cruelty, fierceness, and strength against all that oppose it. 



It is also humorously imagined, that ridiculous demons should dance 

 and frisk about this chariot; for every passion produces indecent, dis- 



