The Works of Sir Thomas Browne Volume III Part 18

THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER

The Papers from which these _Tracts_ were printed, were, a while since, deliver'd to me by, those worthy persons, the _Lady_ and _Son_ of the excellent Authour. He himself gave no charge concerning his _Ma.n.u.scripts_, either for the suppressing or the publis.h.i.+ng of them.

Yet, seeing he had procured _Transcripts_ of them, and had kept those _Copies_ by him, it seemeth probable that He designed them for publick use.

Thus much of his Intention being presumed, and many who had tasted of the fruits of his former studies being covetous of more of the like kind; Also these _Tracts_ having been perused and much approv'd of by some Judicious and Learned men; I was not unwilling to be instrumental in fitting them for the Press.

To this end, I selected them out of many disordred Papers, and dispos'd them into such a method as They seem'd capable of; beginning first with _Plants_, going on to _Animals_, proceeding farther to things relating to _Men_, and concluding with _matters_ of a _various nature_.

Concerning the _Plants_, I did, on purpose, forbear to range them (as some advised) according to their _Tribes_ and _Families_; because, by so doing, I should have represented that as a studied and formal work, which is but a Collection of _occasional Essaies_. And, indeed, both this _Tract_, and those which follow, were rather the _diversions_ than the _Labours_ of his Pen: and, because He did, as it were, drop down his Thoughts of a sudden, in those little s.p.a.ces of vacancy which he s.n.a.t.c.h'd from those very many occasions which gave him hourly interruption; If there appears, here and there, any uncorrectness in the style, a small degree of Candour sufficeth to excuse it.

If there be any such errours in the words, I'm sure the Press has not made them fewer; but I do not hold my self oblig'd to answer for That which I could not perfectly govern. However, the matter is not of any great moment: such errours will not mislead a Learned Reader; and He who is not such in some competent degree, is not a fit Peruser of these LETTERS. Such these _Tracts_ are; but, for the Persons to whom they were written, I cannot well learn their _Names_ from those few obscure marks which the Authour has set at the beginning of them. And these Essaies being _Letters_, as many as take offence at some few familiar things which the Authour hath mixed with them, find fault with decence. Men are not wont to set down Oracles in every line they write to their Acquaintance.

There, still, remain other brief Discourses written by this most Learned and ingenious Authour. Those, also, may come forth, when some of his Friends shall have sufficient leisure; and at such due distance from these Tracts, that They may follow rather than stifle them.

Amongst these Ma.n.u.scripts there is one which gives a brief Account of all the _Monuments_ of the _Cathedral_ of _Norwich_. It was written merely for private use: and the Relations of the Authour expect such Justice from those into whose hands some imperfect Copies of it are fallen; that, without their Consent first obtain'd, they forbear the publis.h.i.+ng of It.

The truth is, matter equal to the skill of the Antiquary was not, there, afforded: had a fit Subject of that nature offer'd it self, He would scarce have been guilty of an oversight like to that of _Ausonius_, who, in the description of his native City of _Burdeaux_, omitted the two famous Antiquities of it, _Palais de Tutele_, and, _Palais de Galien_.

Concerning the _Authour himself_, I chuse to be silent, though I have had the happiness to have been, for some years, known to him. There is on foot a design of writing his _Life_: and there are, already, some Memorials collected by one of his ancient Friends. Till that work be perfected, the Reader may content himself with these present _Tracts_; all which commending themselves by their _Learning_, _Curiosity_ and _Brevity_, if He be not pleased with them, he seemeth to me to be distemper'd with such a niceness of Imagination as no wise man is concern'd to humour.

_THO. TENISON._

OBSERVATIONS

Upon several

PLANTS mention'd in SCRIPTURE.

TRACT I

[Sidenote: _The Introduction._]

SIR,

Though many ordinary Heads run smoothly over the Scripture, yet I must acknowledge, it is one of the hardest Books I ever met with: and therefore well deserveth those numerous Comments, Expositions and Annotations which make up a good part of our Libraries.

However so affected I am therewith, that I wish there had been more of it: and a larger Volume of that Divine Piece which leaveth such welcome impressions, and somewhat more, in the Readers, than the words and sense after it. At least, who would not be glad that many things barely hinted were at large delivered in it? The particulars of the Dispute between the Doctours and our Saviour could not but be welcome to them, who have every word in honour which proceeded from his mouth, or was otherwise delivered by him: and so would be glad to be a.s.sured what he wrote with his Finger on the ground: But especially to have a particular of that instructing Narration or Discourse which he made unto the Disciples after his resurrection, where 'tis said [SN: Luke 24. 27.]: _And beginning at Moses, and all the Prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself._

But to omit Theological obscurities, you must needs observe that most Sciences do seem to have something more nearly to consider in the expressions of the Scripture.

Astronomers find therein the Names but of few Stars, scarce so many as in _Achilles_ his _Buckler_ in _Homer_, and almost the very same. But in some pa.s.sages of the Old Testament they think they discover the Zodiacal course of the Sun: and they, also, conceive an Astronomical sense in that elegant expression of S. _James_[SN: Jam. 1. 17.] concerning _the father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning_: and therein an allowable allusion unto the tropical conversion of the Sun, whereby ensueth a variation of heat, light, and also of shadows from it. But whether the _Stellae erraticae_, or wandring Stars in S. _Jude_, may be referr'd to the celestial Planets, or some meteorological wandring Stars, _Ignes fatui, Stellae cadentes et erraticae_, or had any allusion unto the Impostour _Barchochebas_, or _Stellae Filius_, who afterward appeared, and wandred about in the time of _Adria.n.u.s_, they leave unto conjecture.

Chirurgions may find their whole Art in that one pa.s.sage, concerning the Rib which G.o.d took out of _Adam_, that is their d?a??es?? in opening the Flesh, ??a??es?? in taking out the Rib, and s???es?? in closing and healing the part again.

Rhetoricians and Oratours take singular notice of very many excellent pa.s.sages, stately metaphors, n.o.ble tropes and elegant expressions, not to be found or parallel'd in any other Authour.

Mineralists look earnestly into the twenty eighth of _Job_, take special notice of the early artifice in Bra.s.s and Iron under _Tubal-Cain_: And find also mention of Gold, Silver, Bra.s.s, Tin, Lead, Iron; beside Refining, Sodering, Dross, Nitre, Saltpits, and in some manner also of Antimony.[188]

[188] _Depinxit oculos stibio._ 2 Kings 9. 30. Jerem. 4. 30. Ezek. 23.

40.

Gemmarie Naturalists reade diligently the pretious Stones in the holy City of the _Apocalypse_: examine the Breast-plate of _Aaron_, and various Gemms upon it, and think the second Row the n.o.bler of the four: they wonder to find the Art of Ingravery so ancient upon pretious Stones and Signets; together with the ancient use of Ear-rings and Bracelets.

And are pleased to find Pearl, Coral, Amber and Crystal in those sacred Leaves, according to our Translation. And when they often meet with Flints and Marbles, cannot but take notice that there is no mention of the Magnet or Loadstone, which in so many similitudes, comparisons, and allusions, could hardly have been omitted in the Works of _Solomon_: if it were true that he knew either the attractive or directive power thereof, as some have believed.

Navigatours consider the Ark, which was pitched without and within, and could endure the Ocean without Mast or Sails: They take special notice of the twenty seventh of _Ezekiel_; the mighty Traffick and great Navigation of _Tyre_, with particular mention of their Sails, their Masts of Cedar, Oars of Oak, their skilfull Pilots, Mariners and Calkers; as also of the long Voyages of the Fleets of _Solomon_; of _Jehosaphat's_ s.h.i.+ps broken at _Ezion-Geber_; of the notable Voyage and s.h.i.+pwreck of S. _Paul_, so accurately delivered in the _Acts_.

Oneirocritical Diviners apprehend some hints of their knowledge, even from Divine Dreams; while they take notice of the Dreams of _Joseph_, _Pharaoh_, _Nebuchadnezzar_, and the Angels on _Jacob's_ Ladder; and find, in _Artemidorus_ and _Achmetes_, that Ladders signifie Travels, and the Scales thereof Preferment; and that Oxen Lean and Fat naturally denote Scarcity or Plenty, and the successes of Agriculture.

Physiognomists will largely put in from very many pa.s.sages of Scripture.

And when they find in _Aristotle_, _quibus frons quadrangula, commensurata, fortes, referuntur ad leones_, cannot but take special notice of that expression concerning the Gadites; _mighty men of war, fit for battel, whose faces were as the faces of lyons_.

Geometrical and Architectonical Artists look narrowly upon the description of the Ark, the fabrick of the Temple, and the holy City in the _Apocalypse_.

But the Botanical Artist meets every where with Vegetables, and from the Figg Leaf in _Genesis_ to the Star Wormwood in the _Apocalypse_, are variously interspersed expressions from Plants, elegantly advantaging the significancy of the Text: Whereof many being delivered in a Language proper unto _Judaea_ and neighbour Countries are imperfectly apprehended by the common Reader, and now doubtfully made out, even by the Jewish Expositour.

And even in those which are confessedly known, the elegancy is often lost in the apprehension of the Reader, unacquainted with such Vegetables, or but nakedly knowing their natures: whereof holding a pertinent apprehension, you cannot pa.s.s over such expressions without some doubt or want of satisfaction in your judgment. Hereof we shall onely hint or discourse some few which I could not but take notice of in the reading of holy Scripture.

Many Plants are mention'd in Scripture which are not distinctly known in our Countries, or under such Names in the Original, as they are fain to be rendred by a.n.a.logy, or by the name of Vegetables of good affinity unto them, and so maintain the textual sense, though in some variation from ident.i.ty.

[Sidenote: _The Observations. Kikaion._]

1. The Plant which afforded a shade unto _Jonah_,[189] mention'd by the name of Kikaion, and still retained at least marginally in some Translations, to avoid obscurity _Jerome_ rendred _Hedera_ or Ivy; which notwithstanding (except in its scandent nature) agreed not fully with the other, that is, to _grow up in a night_, or be consumed with a Worm; Ivy being of no swift growth, little subject unto Worms, and a scarce Plant about _Babylon_.

[189] Jona 4. 6. _a Gourd_.

[Sidenote: _Hyssope._]

2. That Hyssope is taken for that Plant which cleansed the Leper, being a well scented, and very abstersive Simple, may well be admitted; so we be not too confident, that it is strictly the same with our common Hyssope: The Hyssope of those parts differing from that of ours; as _Bellonius_ hath observed in the Hyssope which grows in _Judaea_, and the Hyssope of the Wall mention'd in the Works of _Solomon_, no kind of our Hyssope; and may tolerably be taken for some kind of minor Capillary, which best makes out the Ant.i.thesis with the Cedar. Nor when we meet with _Libanotis_, is it to be conceived our common Rosemary, which is rather the first kind thereof among several others, used by the Ancients.

[Sidenote: _Hemlock._ Hosea 10. 4. Amos 6. 2.]

3. That it must be taken for Hemlock, which is twice so rendred in our Translation, will hardly be made out, otherwise than in the intended sense, and implying some Plant, wherein bitterness or a poisonous quality is considerable.

[Sidenote: Paliurus.]

4. What _Tremelius_ rendreth _Spina_, and the Vulgar Translation _Paliurus_, and others make some kind of _Rhamnus_, is allowable in the sense; and we contend not about the species, since they are known Thorns in those Countries, and in our Fields or Gardens among us: and so common in _Judaea_, that men conclude the th.o.r.n.y Crown of our Saviour was made either of _Paliurus_ or _Rhamnus_.