BOOK II.] History of Nature. 67 



by the Sun. Others, again, are of opinion, that they are pro- 

 duced casually by some Humour and the Power of Fire, and 

 thereby do consume away. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



The Opinion of Hipparchus concerning the Stars. Also, 

 historical Examples of Torches, Lamps, Beams, Fiery 

 Darts, Opening of the Firmament. 



HIPPARCHUS, the aforesaid Philosopher (a man never 

 sufficiently praised, as being he that more than any other 

 proved the Affinity of Stars with Men ; affirming also, that 

 our Souls were Parcel of Heaven), discovered and observed 

 a new Star produced in his Time, and by the Motion thereof 

 on the Day it first shone, he was led into a doubt, whether it 

 happened not very often that new Stars should arise ? and 

 whether those Stars also moved not, which we imagine to be 

 fixed ? The same Man went so far, that he attempted (a 

 Thing even hard for God to perform) to deliver unto Pos- 

 terity the exact Number of the Stars. He brought the said 

 Stars within the Compass of Rule, by devising certain In- 

 struments to take their several Places, and set out their 

 Magnitudes : that thereby it might be easily discerned, not 

 only whether the old died, and new were born, but also 

 whether they moved, and which Way they took their Course? 

 likewise, whether they increased or decreased? Thus he left 

 the Inheritance of the Sky unto all Men, if any one haply 

 could be found able to enter upon it as lawful Heir. 



There be also certain flaming Torches shining out in the 

 Sky, though they are never seen but when they fall. Such 

 an one was that which, at the Time that Germanicus Ccesar 

 exhibited a Show of Gladiators, passed at Noontide in the 



refers to a male deity, that, so early as the days of Moses, was worshipped 

 in a portable shrine by the people of Israel, and by them probably derived 

 from Egypt. A star thus became associated with the idea of Divine 

 benignity ; and how widely so, appears from the history of the Magi, 

 who came from the East to Jerusalem, to seek out the Desire of all Nations, 

 in pursuance of a prophecy that must have been of the highest antiquity. 

 Wern. Club. 



