2o8 A NATURAL HISTORY 



The Sun and Moo?i were by the idolatrous Ifraelites called the 

 King and ^leen of Heaven, and the Stars were fuppofed (as it 

 were) to be their Militia, form'd for their Guards, with which 

 they were always furrounded. 



PHILO of Alexandria, (called Philo the yew, a Platonick 

 Philofopher) imputes to the Stars a great part of whatever happens 

 on the Earth ; and fays, they are not only Animals, but even 

 moft pure Spirits ; that our Air is replete with Animals and Spi- 

 rits, which are continually defcending to animate Bodies. He 

 had borrow'd thefe odd Notions from his Mafter Plato, Chief of 

 ' the Academicks. Origen one of the Fathers, who flourifh'd in 



the third Century, was guilty of the fame Miftake *. 



The facred Books, in fome places, feem to afcribe Knowledge 

 to the Sfars, when they praifed God at the beginning of the 

 World, yo^xxxviii. 7. but the Stars were not then created, there- 

 fore it's generally fuppofed they were Angels. Since then the Sun, 

 Moon and Stars are excited to praife the Lord ; the Moon with- 

 drew its Light, and the Sun flopt its Courfe at the Command of 

 yojhua . . . and perhaps one reafon of their ftrange Opinions about 

 the heavenly Bodies, might be owing to thefe and the like Ex- 

 preflions ; not knowing that thefe Words were meerly popular, 

 and not to be understood literally, for then we muft fay that the 

 Earth, the Trees, the Waters, are animated, fince we find in 

 Scripture fome Expreffions that would infinuate as much. 



The Arabians who fprung from Ijhnael, worfhipped the Sun, 

 Moon and Stars, in which they were condufted by their Priefts 

 who v/ere cloathed in white Veftments, wearing Mitres and 

 Sandals, which at firfl were only Soles tied to the Feet with Strings. 

 In Authors that fpeak of ecclefiaftical Rites, and Ornaments, 

 we find the word Sandals to fignify a valuable kind of Shoes, 

 worn by the Prelates at Solemnities ■f-. 



W E find Sandals alfo ufed by the Ladies, very different in 

 form: When Judith went to the Camp of Holojernes^ ihe put 

 Sandals on her Feet, at the fight of which he was captivated; 

 for 'tis faid. Her Sandals ravijljd bis Eyes. Tiiefe were a magni- 

 ficent fort of Stockens, like Bufl-iins, of an extraordinary Beauty 1^, 



and 



* Philo Leg. Alleg. Origen. t I. MaimoK. in Cahmt. under the word Star. 

 •j- Be:ied:{lus Biiudovijius de Cakeo Afinquo. 

 X Jl^dithK.^. 



