albeit the Examples of Afflictions be manifeft and eminent; yet do they not sufficiently deter us from the wicked Enticements of Pleasures. As for the Remainder of this Parable, though it be not over-mystical, yet it is very grave, and excellent: For in it are set out three Remedies for this violent, enticing Mischief; to wit, Two from Philofophy, and one from Religion. The first Means to fhun these inordinate Pleasures, is to withstand, and refift them in their Beginnings, and seriously to fhun all Occafions that are offered, to debauch and entice the Mind, which is fignified in that stopping of the Ears; and that Remedy is properly used by the meaner and baser sort of People, as it were Ulyffes' Followers or Mariners; whereas more Heroick and Noble Spirits may boldly Converse even in the midst of these seducing Pleasures, if with a refolved Conftancy they stand upon their Guard, and fortify their Minds; and so take greater Contentment in the trial and experience of this their approved Virtue; learning rather thoroughly to underftand the Follies and Vanities of thofe Pleasures by Contemplation, than by Submiffion: Which Solomon avouched of himself, when he reckoned up the multitude of thofe Solaces and Pleasures wherein he Swam, doth conclude with this Sentence, Sapientia quoque perfeverabat mecum. Therefore these Heroes, and Spirits of this excellent Temper, even in the midst of these enticing Pleasures, can fhew themselves conftant and in vincible, and are able to fupport their own virtuous inclination against all heady and forcible Perfuafions whatsoever; as by the Example of Ulysses, that so peremptorily interdicted all peftilent Counfels, and Flatteries of his Companions, as the most dangerous and pernicious Poisons to captivate the Mind. But of all other Remedies in this Cafe, that of Orpheus is moft Predominant: For they that chaunt and refound the Praises of the Gods, confound and diffipate the Voices and Incantations of the Syrens; for Divine Meditations do not only in Power fubdue all fenfual Pleasures; but also far exceed them in Swiftnefs and Delight. INDEX. CHELOUS, warlike expeditions, fabled by, 315; Adverfity, 16 or Battle, 314 Acteon, 281 Acting in fong, 145 Adrian, an envious man, 29 Efop's cock, 45; fable of a cat, 148 Age, 160; how to be treated, 121; not to be defied, 122 Agefilaus, not envious, 29 Albert Durer, 163 Allegory of the conflict between art and nature, 322 Anger, 209; how it may be calmed and tempered, 209; Appendix to Essays, 221 Ardent natures not early ripe for action, 160 Arms, flourish in the youth of a state, 218; to be most stu- Art and Nature, allegory of conflict between, 322 Art of conversation, 126 Atalanta, or gain, 321 Atheism, 59; caufes of, 61; talking of, 60 Atheist, contemplative, rare, 61 Auguftus Cafar's emblem of the Sphynx, 344 Authority, vices of, four, 39 Aviaries, 181 Bacchus, (called Dionyfius) his car, 317; or Paffions, 316 fimony, 25; Bafenefs, or Suitor of Juno, 296 Battle, 314 Beauty, beft part of, a picture cannot express, 163 Books, speak plain, when counsellors blanch, 79 Building, 166 Cheerfulness at meals, 122 pro- Children, pinched in allowance, are made base and full of Cicero, his faying of Pofthumus, 134; remarks on Cato, 253; Clergy, overgrown, evils of, 55 Colours for candlelight, 146 Comets, 214 Commiffions, ftanding, commended, 80 Committees beft compofed of indifferent persons, 80 Contemplative atheist rare, 61 Converfation, art of, 126 Cofmus, duke of Florence, 15 Council, petitions to, 80 Counsel, inconveniences of, 76; revealing affairs, 77; weak- Counsellor of kings, skilful in business, not in his nature, 79 Crowd, not company, 97 Cunning, crooked wifdom, 83; precepts of, 83; practifed Cupid, allegorical blindness of, 300; his four attributes, 300; or an Atom, 297 Custom, 149; force of, 151; ftronger than nature or bonds, Death, early, of men of genius, 294; essay on, 226; a small Deformed men envious, 29; perfons bold, 165; without Deformity, 165 Delays, 81 Deluges and earthquakes, 212 Democritus, 330; his opinion, 288 Demofthenes' opinion of an orator, 41 Diet and phyfic, 122 Diomed, fable of, explained, 303; or zeal, 302 Difcipline of humanity, wife and children, 26 Discontent, cause of fedition, 52; prevention of, 57; poli- tical enlargement of, 53; when dangerous, 53 Difcourfe, its faults and merits, 126 Discovery of a man's felf, 20 Dispatch, affected, 92 Diffimulation and Simulation, 18 Divination, or Caffandra, 251 Divine nature of goodness, 47 Domitian, dream of, 139 EARTH, or the common people, 281 Empire, 68 Endymion, or a Favourite, 278 Envy, an evil eye, 27; quality of the vicious, 28; of the |