BOOK II.] History of Nature. 81 



called Winds, by the masculine Name Venti : which, whether 

 they arise by the continual Motion of the Heaven, and the 

 contrary Course of the Planets ; or whether this Wind be 

 that Spirit of Nature that engendereth all Things, wandering 

 to and fro, as it were, in some Womb ; or rather the Air, 

 beaten and driven by the unlike Influences of the Planets, 

 and the Multiplicity of their Beams : or whether all Winds 

 come from their own nearer Stars ; or rather fall from them 

 that be fixed in the Firmament : plain it is, that they 

 are guided by an ordinary Law of Nature, not altogether 

 unknown, although it be not yet thoroughly known. 



CHAPTER XLVI. 

 The Natures and Observations of the Winds. 



MORE than twenty of the old Greek Writers have re- 

 corded their Observations of the Winds. I marvel so much 

 the more, that the World being so at Discord, and divided 

 into Kingdoms, that is to say, dismembered ; so many Men 

 have employed their Care to seek after these Things, so diffi- 

 cult to be found out ; and the more especially in Time of 

 Wars, and amid those Places where was no safe Abode ; and 

 especially when Pirates, those common Enemies to Mankind, 

 held well near all Passages of Communication : I marvel, 

 also, that at this Day each Man in his own Tract of Country 

 obtaineth more Knowledge of some Things by their Com- 

 mentaries, who never set Foot there, than he doth by the 

 Skill and Information of home-born Inhabitants ; whereas 

 now in Time of such blessed and joyous Peace, and under a 

 Prince who taketh such Delight in the Progress of the State 

 and of all good Arts, no new Thing is learned by farther 

 Inquisition ; nay, nor so much as the Inventions of old Wri- 

 ters are thoroughly understood. And verily it cannot be 

 said, that greater Rewards were in those Days given, consi- 

 dering that the Bounty of Fortune was dispersed : and in 

 truth, most of these learned Men sought out these Secrets 

 for no other Regard than to do good to Posterity. But 

 now Men's Customs are waxed old and decay : and notwith- 



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