man look into their prescripts and ministrations, and he shall find them but inconstancies, and every day's devices without any settled providence or project; not that every scrupulous or superstitious prescript is effectual, no more than every strait way is the way to heaven, but the truth of the direction must precede severity of observance.

For Cosmetic, it hath parts civil, and parts effeminate: for cleanness of body was ever esteemed to proceed from a due reverence to God, to society, and

a to ourselves. As for artificial decoration, it is well worthy of the deficiencies which it hath ; being neither fine enough to deceive, nor handsome to use, nor wholesome to please.

For Athletic, I take the subject of it largely, that is to say, for any point of ability, whereunto the body of man may be brought, whether it be of activity, or of patience ; whereof activity bath two parts, strength and swiftness : and patience likewise hath two parts, hardness against wants and extremities, and endurance of pain or torment, whereof we see the practices in tumblers, in savages, and in those that suffer punishment: nay, if there be any other faculty which falls not within any of the former divisions, as in those that dive, that obtain a strange power of containing respiration, and the like, I refer it to this part. Of these things the practices are known, but the philosophy that concerneth them is not much inquired; the rather, I think, because they are supposed to be obtained, either by an aptness of nature, which cannot be taught, or only by continual custom, which is soon prescribed ; which, though it be not true, yet I forbear to note any deficiencies, for the Olympian games are down long since, and the mediocrity of these things is for use; as for the excellency of them, it serveth for the most part but for mercenary ostentation.

For arts of Pleasure sensual, the chief deficience in them is laws to repress them. For as it hath been well observed, that the arts which flourish in times while virtue is in growth, are military, and while virtue is in state, are liberal, and while virtue is in declination, are voluptuary; so I doubt, that this age of the world is somewhat upon the descent of the wheel. With arts voluptuary I couple practices joculary; for the deceiving of the senses is one of the pleasures of the senses. As for games of recreation, I hold them to belong to civil life and education. And thus much of that particular human philosophy which concerns the body, which is but the tabernacle of the mind.

For Human Knowledge, which concerns the Mind, it hath two parts, the one that inquireth of the substance or nature of the soul or mind; the other that inquireth of the faculties or functions thereof.

Unto the first of these, the considerations of the original of the soul, whether it be native or adventive, and how far it is exempted from laws of matter, and of the immortality thereof, and many other points, do appertain ; which have been not more laboriously inquired than variously reported; so as the travel therein taken, seemeth to have been rather in a maze than in a way. But although I am of opinion, that this knowledge may be more really and soundly inquired even in nature than it hath been; yet I hold,

I that in the end it must be bounded by religion, or else it will be subject to deceit and delusion: for as the substance of the soul in the creation was not extracted out of the mass of heaven and earth, by the benediction of a producat, but was immediately inspired from God; so it is not possible that it should be, otherwise than by accident, subject to the laws of heaven and earth, which are the subject of philosophy; and therefore the true knowledge of the nature, and state of the soul, must come by the same inspiration that gave the substance. Unto this part of knowledge touching the soul there be two appendices, which, as they have been handled, have rather vapoured forth fables than kindled truth, divination and fascination.

Divination hath been anciently and fitly divided into

artificial and natural; whereof artifici
mind maketh a prediction by argume
upon signs and tokens : natural is, w
hath a presention by an internal pow .
inducement of a sign. Artificial is
either when the argument is coupled
tion of causes, which is rational ; or
grounded upon a coincidence of the
experimental; whereof the latter for t
superstitious : such as were the heathi
upon the inspection of sacrifices, the t
the swarming of bees, and such as wer
astrology, and the like. For artificial
several kinds thereof are distributed an
lar knowledges. The astronomer ha
tions, as of conjunctions, aspects, ecli
like. The physician hath his predictio
recovery, of the accidents and issues of
politician hath his predictions; O url.
cito perituram, si emptorem invenerit!
not long to be performed in Sylla first
Cæsar; so as these predictions are now
and to be referred over. But the divi.
springeth from the internal nature of the
which we now speak of, which hath!
be of two sorts, primitive, and by influx
tive is grounded upon the supposition, i

i when it is withdrawn and collected in not diffused into the organs of the bou extent and latitude of prenotion, which peareth most in sleep, in extasies, and ne more rarely in waking apprehensions; a and furthered by those abstinences and which make the mind most to consist ii. influxion, is grounded upon the conc: mind, as a mirror or glass, should take from the foreknowledge of God and s. which the same regiment doth likewise co the retiring of the mind within itself, which is most susceptible of divine influx that it is accompanied in this case with

a

artificial and natural; whereof artificial is, when the mind maketh a prediction by argument, concluding upon signs and tokens : natural is, when the mind hath a presention by an internal power, without the inducement of a sign. Artificial is of two sorts, either when the argument is coupled with a derivation of causes, which is rational ; or when it is only grounded upon a coincidence of the effect, which is experimental; whereof the latter for the most part is superstitious : such as were the heathen observations upon the inspection of sacrifices, the flights of birds, the swarming of bees, and such as were the Chaldean astrology, and the like. For artificial divination, the several kinds thereof are distributed amongst particular knowledges. The astronomer hath his predictions, as of conjunctions, aspects, eclipses, and the like. The physician hath his predictions, of death, of recovery, of the accidents and issues of diseases. The politician hath his predictions; O urbem venalem, et cito perituram, si emptorem invenerit! which stayed not long to be performed in Sylla first, and after in Cæsar; so as these predictions are now impertinent, and to be referred over. But the divination which springeth from the internal nature of the soul, is that which we now speak of, which hath been made to be of two sorts, primitive, and by influxion. Primitive is grounded upon the supposition, that the mind, when it is withdrawn and collected into itself, and not diffused into the organs of the body, hath some extent and latitude of prenotion, which therefore appeareth most in sleep, in extasies, and near death, and more rarely in waking apprehensions; and is induced and furthered by those abstinences and observances which make the mind most to consist in itself. By influxion, is grounded upon the conceit that the mind, as a mirror or glass, should take illumination from the foreknowledge of God and spirits ; unto which the same regiment doth likewise conduce. For the retiring of the mind within itself, is the state which is most susceptible of divine influxions, save that it is accompanied in this case with a fervency