104 ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [bOOK IL 



Pan*s arms, or the ensigns lie bears in his hands, are of 

 two kinds ; the one an emblem of harmony, the other of 

 empire. His pipe, composed of seven reeds, plainly denotes 

 the consent and harmony, or the concords and discords of 

 things, produced by the motion of the seven planets. If 

 *.here be other planets yet concealed, cr any greater muta- 

 tions in the heavens, as in superlunary comets, they seem 

 like pipes either altogether united or silent for a time, because 

 their influence either does not reach so low as us, or leaves 

 uninterrupted the harmony of the seven pipes of Pan. His 

 crook also contains a fine representation of the ways of 

 nature, which are partly straight and partly crooked : thus the 

 staff, having an extraordinary bend towards the top, denotes 

 that the works of Divine Providence are generally brought 

 about by remote means, or in a circuit, as if somewhat else 

 were intended, rather than the effect produced ; as in the 

 sending of Joseph into Egypt. So, likewise, in human 

 government, they who sit at the helm manage and wind the 

 people more successfully by pretext and oblique courses than 

 they could by such as are direct and straight ; so that in effect 

 all sceptres are crooked on the top. Nay, in things strictly 

 natural you may sooner deceive nature than force her, so 

 improper and self-convicting are open direct endeavours, 

 whereas an oblique and insinuating way gently glides along, 

 and secretly accomplishes 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 Avitli 

 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 crea- 

 tures either hunt out their aliment, pursue their prey, or 

 seek their pleasures, and this in a skilful and sagacious man- 

 ner.™ He is also styled the god of the rural inhabitants^ 



■ " Torva leaena lupum sequitur, lupus ipse capellam : 

 Flor^ateu) cytisum sequitur lasciva capella." 



Virgil, Eel. ii, 68. 



