430 WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 



VI THE FABLE OF ICARUS, AND THAT OF SCYLLA 

 AND CHARYBDIS. 



EXPLAINED OF MEDIOCRITY IN NATURAL AND MORAL PHILOSOPHY. 



MEDIOCRITY, or the holding a middle course, has been highly 

 extolled in morality, but little in matters of science, though no 

 less useful and proper here; whilst in politics it is held suspected, 

 and ought to be employed with judgment. The ancients described 

 mediocrity in manners by the course prescribed to Icarus ; and in 

 matters of the understanding by the steering betwixt Scylla and 

 Charybdis, on account of the great difficulty and danger of passing 

 those straits. 



Icarus, being to fly across the sea, was ordered by his father neither 

 to soar too high nor fly too low, for, as his wings were fastened together 

 with wax, there was danger of its melting by the sun s heat in too high 

 a flight, and of its becoming less tenacious by the moisture if v e kept 

 too near the vapour of the sea. But he, with a juvenile confidence., 

 soared aloft, and fell down headlong. 



EXPLANATION. The fable is vulgar, and easily interpreted ; lor 

 the path of virtue lies straight between excess on the one side, and 

 defect on the other. And no wonder that excess should prove the 

 bane of Icarus, exulting in juvenile strength and vigour ; for excess is 

 the natural vice of youth, as defect is that of old age ; and if a man 

 must perish by either, Icarus chose the better of the two ; for all de 

 fects arc justly esteemed more depraved than excesses. There is some 

 magnanimity in excess, that, like a bird, claims kindred with the 

 heavens ; but defect is a reptile, that basely crawls upon the earth. 

 It was excellently said by Heracl tus &quot; A dry light makes the best 

 soul ;&quot; for if the soul contracts moisture from the earth, it perfectly 

 degenerates and sinks. On the other hand, moderation must be ob 

 served, to prevent this fine light from burning, by its too great subtilty 

 and dryness. But these observations are common. 



In matters of the understanding, it requires great skill and a par 

 ticular felicity to steer clear of Scylla and Charybdis. If the ship 

 strikes upon Scylla, it is dashed in pieces against the rocks ; if upon 

 Charybdis, it is swallowed outright. This allegory is prcgnaul: with 

 matter ; but we shall only observe the force of it lies here, that 2 ::iean 

 be observed in every doctrine and science, and in the rules and axiom j 

 thereof, between the rocks of distinctions and he whirlpools of uni 

 versalities ; for these two are the bane and shipwreck of fine :; :\ ; iscz 

 and arts. 



