WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 465 



The presumption of Pan in challenging Cupid to the conflict 

 denotes that matter has an appetite and tendency to a dissolution of 

 the world, and falling back to its first chaos again, unless this depravity 

 and inclination were restrained and subdued by a more powerful con 

 cord and agreement of things, properly expressed by Love or Cupid ; 

 it is therefore well for mankind, and the state of all things, that Tan 

 was thrown and conquered in the struggle. 



His catching and detaining Typhon in the net receives a similar 

 explanation ; for whatever vast and unusual swells, which the word 

 typhon signifies, may sometimes be raised in nature, as in the sea, the 

 clouds, the earth, or the like, yet nature catches, entangles, and holds 

 all such outrages and insurrections in her inextricable net, wove as it 

 were of adamant. 



That part of the fable which attributes the discovery of lost Ceres 

 to Pan, whilst he was hunting a happiness denied the other gods, 

 though they diligently and expressly sought her contains an exceeding 

 just and prudent admonition ; viz., that we are not to expect the 

 discovery of things useful in common life, as that of corn, denoted by 

 Ceres, from abstract philosophies, as if these were the gods of the 

 first order, no, not though we used our utmost endeavours this way, 

 but only from Pan, that is, a sagacious experience and general know 

 ledge of nature, which is often found, even by accident, to stumble 

 upon such discoveries whilst the pursuit was directed another 

 way. 



The event of his contending with Apollo in music affords us a use 

 ful instruction, that may help to humble the human reason and judg 

 ment, which is too apt to boast and glory in itself. There seems to be 

 two kinds of harmony the one of Divine Providence, the other of 

 human reason ; but the government of the world, the administration 

 of its affairs, and the more secret Divine judgments, sound harsh and 

 dissonant to human ears or human judgment ; and though this ignorance 

 be justly rewarded with asses cars, yet they are put on and worn, not 

 ojxinly, but with great secrecy ; nor is the deformity of the thing seen 

 or observed by the vulgar. 



We must not find it strange if no amours are related of Pan besides 

 his marriage with Echo ; for nature enjoys itself, and in itself all other 

 things. He that loves desires enjoyment, but in profusion there is no 

 room for desire ; and therefore Pan, remaining content with himself, 

 lias no passion unless it be for discourse, which is well shadowed out 

 by Echo or talk, or when it is more accurate, by Syrinx or writing. 

 But Echo makes a most excellent wife for Pan, as being no other than 

 genuine philosophy, which faithfully repeats his words, or only tran 

 scribes exactly as nature dictates ; thus representing the true image 

 and reflection of the world without adding a tittle. 



It tends also to the support and perfection of Pan or nature to be 

 without offspring; for the world generates in its parts, and not in the 

 way of a whole, as wanting a body external to itself wherewith to 

 generate. 



Lastly, for the supposed or spurious prattling daughter of Pan, it is 



