(BY THOMAS POWEll, D. d.) (Concluded from No. VIII., p. 180.) As the concluding part of our notice of this rare and entertaining little volume, we felect the following amufing particulars from Chapter XII., which treats Of Certain Sports and Extravagancies of Art; "As Nature hath her ludicra, so Art hath hers too; that is, fome pretty knacks that are made, not fo much for use, as to fhew fubtilty of Wit, being made de Gaiete de Ceur, and for paftime as it were; yet the workmanship and elegancy of these may justly deserve admiration; and I may say of them as Virgil faid of his Poem concerning Bees, In tenui labor eft, at tenuis non gloria: and we may further fay of Artificial things, as Cardan spake of Natural things, Non minori miraculo in parvis ludit Natura (ludit Ars) quam in magnis: Art (as well as Nature) is never more wonderful than in fmaller pieces. "Saint Auguftine faith, That he did not know whether to wonder at more, the tooth of an Elephant, or that of a Teredo or Moth, which eats not only cloth, but confumes pofts and pillars, whofe tooth is fo far from being feen, that the whole body of it is scarce visible. Some examples and inftances of this kinde, which I have cafually lighted upon in tumbling over books, I have thought fit to annex to this former Rapfody. Admiranda tibi levium Spectacula rerum "One Callicrates a Stone cutter of Sparta, made Ants of Ivory, with all their limbs, so small, that the eye could fcarce difcern them. Myrmecides the Milefian made a Chariot of Ivory, with Horfes and Charioteer in so small a compafs, that a Fly could cover them with her wings: He made also a ship with all her tacklings, that a Bee could hide it, Pl. I. 7. c. 21. & l. 36. c. 5. And Ælian 1. 1. var. hift. c. 52. are my Authors. "Ovid fpeaks of the admirable chains & nets which Vulcan made to apprehend Mars in con junction with his Venus, which were fo fine and fubtile, -Quæ fallere lumina possent, That the wanton Lovers could not fee them till they felt them: Ovid defcribes them thus, 1. 4. Metam. -Exempla graciles ex ære Catenas, Retiaque & laqueos, quæ fallere lumina possent, "A Waggon and Oxen made of glass that might be hidden under a Fly, are mentioned by Cardan, 1. 10. var. c. 52. "Leander Alberti in his defcription of Italy, makes mention of a Lock very neatly and artificially made of Wood, without any Iron in it. "But one Mark Scaliot a Black fmith and Citizen of London, for proof of his skill and workmanship, made one hanging lock of Iron, Steel and Brafs, of eleven several pieces, and a pipe key, all clean wrought, which weighed but one grain of gold, which is but one wheat corn. He also made at the fame time a chain of gold of 43 linkes, to which chain the lock and key being fastened and put about a Fleas neck, fhe drew the fame with ease: all which lock and key, chain and Flea weighed but one grain and a half: A thing moft incredible to believe, but that I my self have seen it, faith M. John Stow, in the Annals of 2. Elizabeth. "Scaliger makes mention of a Flea that he had feen with a gold chain about her neck and kept daintily in a box; which for her food did fuck her mistreffes white hand. Leo Afer faw the like Flea and chain in Memphis or Grand Cairo, and the Artificer that made the chain had a fuit of cloth of gold bestowed upon him by the Soldan after the manner of that Country. "Hadr. Junius faw at Mechlin in Brabant, a cherry ftone cut in the form of a basket, wherein were fourteen pair of dice diftinct, each with their fpots and number eafily to be discerned with a good eye. 1. 6. Animadverf. "Galen makes mention of a pretious stone enchafed in a ring, wherein was the picture of Phaeton, moft accurately cut, driving the chariot of the Sun, and being not able to rule his fiery Steeds, tumbling headlong into the River Eridanus (or the Poe) The world being all set on a flame, according to Ovid's defcription, 1. 2. Metam. "George Whitehead whom we mentioned before, made a Ship with all her tacklings to move of its felf on a table, with rowers plying the Oars, a Woman playing on the Lute, and a little whelp crying on the deck. Schottus in Itinera Italiæ. "Gafferellus a Frenchman makes mention of a clock that he had seen at Legorn, made by a German (for thefe Germans are faid to have their wits at their fingers ends) on which clock a company of thepherds playd upon the bagpipes, with rare harmony and motion of the fingers, while others danced by couples, keeping time and meafure, and fome others capered and leaped. Cap. 6. of Unheard of Curiofities." "Cardan fpeaks of an Artizan at Lions, that made a chain of Glafs that was fo light and flender that if it fell upon a ftone pavement, it would not break, Card. 1. 10. Var. c. 52. 1 «Amongft there ματαιοτεχνίαι, we may reckon an Iron Spider, mentioned by Walchius in his ninth fable, which was exactly made to the form and proportion of a Spider, and was alfo made to imitate his motions; which I confess was a fingular piece of Art, if duly confidered. And though these knacks are but little ufeful, and take up more time than needed to be loft, yet they difcover a marvelous pregnancy of wit in the Artificers; and may be experimenta lucifera, if not frugifera hints of greater matters; of which Iron Spider I may fay as Du Bartas fpeaks of the Iron Fly made by Johannes Regiomontanus, or John of Regenfberg, that rare Mathematician of his time, O Divine Wit! that in the narrow wombe Of a fmall Fly, could find fufficient room For all these springs, wheels, counterpoize, and chains, Which stood inftead of life, and fpur, and reins. "A Dutchman prefented the Landtgrave of Heffen (not many years fince) with a Bear, and Lion of gold, that were hollow within, and each of the length of a man's middle finger, and every part and lineament of them answering truly to the proportion of the length, and both thefe did not exceed the weight of a French crown; but the Prince gave him three thousand Crowns in reward of his invention: A fair and Princely encouragement for ingenious Artifts. Claudian hath an Epigram de Quadriga Marmorea, like that of Callicrates (mentioned before) made of Ivory; and it is thus, Quis dedit innumeros uno de Marmore vultus? 4. Simon the Juft, one of the last members of the great affembly, was accustomed to fay, "The ftability of the world (i. e., fociety) depends on three things, viz., the LAW, RELIGIOUS WORSHIP, and ACTS OF BENEFICENCE." 5. "This world," fays Rabbi Jacob, "may be regarded as an ante-chamber to the next. Prepare thyfelf in the ante-chamber, that thou mayft be admitted into the faloon." 6. "The best line of conduct a man can adopt," fays Rabbi Jehudah the Holy, "is that which gains him the esteem of others without depriving him of his own." 7. Be as careful to obferve a trivial precept as one that is more important, for thou knowest not the reward of virtuous deeds. "Thou giveft," fays the Talmud in another place, "a penny to a poor man: the gift is trivial, and the act may appear unimportant, yet it may keep him from starving, and fave a life." 8. "I have paffed the greater part of my life," faid Simon, the fon of Gamaliel, "in the fociety of the wife; and found nothing more becoming the man of wisdom than filence. It is not the preaching, but the practice, which ought to be confidered as the most important. A profufion of words is fure to produce error. 9. "Be cautious in your intercourfe with the great," fays Rabban Gamaliel; "they feldom confer obligations on their inferiors, but from interefted motives. Friendly they appear, as long as it ferves their own turn, but they will render no affiftance in time of actual need." 10. Rabbi Tarphon was accustomed to fay: "The day is fhort-the work abundant-the laborers inactive--the reward great-and the mafter of the house urges on." 11. He was also accustomed to fay: "It is not at all requifite for thee to finish the work; nor art thou at liberty to neglect it. Haft thou acquired much knowledge in the law? thy reward will be proportionably great. He that employs thee, is fufficiently trustworthy to pay the wages of thy increases not his knowledge, diminishes it. He that endeavors not to obtain some learning, incurs the penalty of death. He that uses the crown of learning as an instrument of gain, will pass away." 14. "It is most defirable," fays Rabban Gamaliel, "to have a knowledge of the world, in addition to the knowledge of the law. Their alternate employment makes fin to be forgotten." 15. Learning, without active employment, ceafes ultimately, and causes sin. his child an art or profeffion, by which he may 16. "He," fays the Talmud, "who teaches not gain an honeft livelihood, teaches him to rob the public." 17. Strip a carcafs of its skin, even in the market-place, rather than have recourse to beg. Say not, "I am a priest, I am the son of a great man, for, degrading as these may appear, it is still more how can I condefcend to fuch low employments?" fo to hold thy hand up for charity. 18. The virtuous HILLEL, that great ornament of Ifrael, did not think it beneath him to support himself by cutting wood. KARNA, a judge in the Holy Land, maintained himself by carrying water; and when the people came before him to have their difputes decided, the only recompenfe he required of them was to get a perfon to carry the water for him, while he attended to their affairs. Rabbi HUNA was a dealer in wine. Rabbi JoсHONAN followed the trade of fhoemaking; Rabbi ISAAC, that of a blacksmith. Rabbi JOSEPH maintained himself by carrying wood; and used facetiously to say, "Happy labor! it both warms and Thus did nourishes thofe that are engaged in it." thofe pious men stoop to the lowest employments, rather than become burdensome to their respective communities. Happy age! when no honeft occupation was thought degrading, and labor was an ornament to virtue. "PREDICATORIANA;" OR, labor. But recollect, that the reward of the right- Curious Extracts from Sermons eous is in a future ftate." 12. "Be," fays the pious Hillel, "a difciple o Aaron, a lover of peace, and a promoter thereof. Love mankind, and draw them in a friendly manner to the study of the law." 13. He was further accustomed to say: "He that is ambitious of fame, destroys it. He that OF THE SIXTEENTH AND SEVENTEENTH CENTURIES. BEFORE the Reformation, in fome churches in Germany, the Ethics of Ariftotle were read every Sunday instead of the Gospel. Father Spanheim, in his fecular harangue, This novel ftyle of preaching appears to have been very popular in Latimer's time; and, indeed, for nearly a century after, it was in great vogue. 'I remember in my which he pronounced in Geneva, 1635, informs us as follows: "Moreover, Philip Melancthon, a man of great credit, records that in feveral places, on Sabbath-days, inftead of Sunday lectures, Ariftotle's Ethics time," fays Fuller (Hiftory of the Univerwere publicly read to the people, and which fity of Cambridge, 8vo, p. 152), “a counhe himself heard at Tubing, in the county try-minifter preached at St. Mary's; his of Wurtemburg." Gregory Michael, in a text, Rom. xii. 3. As God hath DEALT note on Gaffarelli's Un-Heard-of-Curiofi- to every man a measure of faith.' In a ties, confirms this: "Formerly, a monk at fond imitation of Latimer's card-fermon, Tubing used to explain Ariftotle's Book of he profecuted the metaphor of dealing, that Ethics, instead of a fermon, ufing frequently men fhould play above-board, that is, avoid this expreffion-that, as John the Baptift all diffembling, not pocket cards, but imwas the forerunner of Chrift in divine things, prove their gifts and graces, follow fuit, fo was Aristotle in natural things." Mi- wear the furplice, and conform in ceremochael's own words are as follows: "Tu- nies, &c. This blunt preaching was admibingæ quondam monachus pro concione rably effectual." Ariftotelis librum Ethicorum explicavit ; ita vulgò dicebat. Quemadmodùm Fohannes Baptifta Chrifti præcurfor fuit in theologicalibus, ità Ariftoteles fuit præcurfor Chrifti in phyficalibus." Honeft Hugh Latimer preached a very curious fermon On Playing at Cards. It is not included in any edition of his fermons that we have seen; but it may be found in Fox's Book of Martyrs, vol. iii. pp. 1010, 1011, folio edition (London, 1641). The conclufion of this fingular difcourfe is as follows: "Now I truft you wot what your Card meaneth, let us fee how that we can play with the fame. Whenfoever it fhall happen you to goe and make your Oblation unto God, afk your felves this queftion, Who art thou? the answer as you know is, I am a Christian man. Then you must again afke unto your felf, What Chrift requireth of a Chriftian man? by and by caft down your trumpe, your heart, and looke firft of one Card, and then of another. The firft Card telleth thee thou fhalt not kill, thou shalt not be angry, thou shalt not be out of patience. This done thou fhalt looke if there be any more Cards to take up, and if thou looke well thou shalt fee another Card of the fame fute, whereon thou shalt know that thou art bound to reconcile thy neighbour. Then caft thy trumpe unto them both, and gather them all three together, and doe accordingly to the vertue of thy Cards, and furely thou shalt not loofe." at his Table; tranflated out of the high In "Martin Luther's Divine Difcourfes Germane into the English tongue, by Capt. Henrie Bell, folio, Lond. 1652," is the following curious paffage: "If I were rich (faid Melan&thon) I would have artificially made me a game at cards, and a Cheftboard all of gold and filver, in a remembrance of God's game at cards, which are all great and mightie emperors, kings and princes, where hee alwaies thrusteth out one through another. The emperor is the king in the game-at laft comes our Lord God, divides the game, beats the Pope with Luther, but the Pope is not yet quite dead, Chrift has begun to flaie him with the fpirit of his mouth, fo that he is dead in the hearts of beleeving Christians." Luther was in the habit of introducing in his difcourfes to the common people, occafionally, fome exceedingly blunt comparifons. The following fpecimen is from his difcourfe On the Danger of delaying Repentance: "When Sodom and Gomorrah were fwallowed up in the twinkling of an eye, all the inhabitants of those cities, men, women, and children, fell dead and rolled into the abyss of hell. The miser had not < time to count his money, or the rake to of this book are faid to be Mr. Gilbert fondle his w but were inftantly fwal- Crockat and Mr. John Monroe, confessors lowed up. The kettle-drum and trumpet for the Scotch Bishops and penfioners to of our good God founds thus: Poumerle the English." This extraordinary producpoump! poumerle poump! pliz! pluz! tion, notwithstanding its fcandalous obfceniSchmi, fchmir! This was the drumming ty and vulgar blafphemy, has paffed through of the Lord, or as Saint Paul fays, the voice feven editions. The first edition mentioned of the archangel and the trumpet of God, by Lowndes, was published at London, in for when God shall thunder at the last day, 1693, 4to; and the last edition at the fame it will be fuddenly, and like beating the place, in 1847, 12mo. In a note on this kettle-drum, poumerle poump! This will edition, Mr. H. G. Bohn fays that "it has be the war-cry and the taratantara of our no publisher's name, and appears to have good God. Then the whole heaven will been printed abroad. Some trifling verbal refound with this noise: Kir! kir! pou- changes are made, and one or two short merle poump!" &c. paffages are omitted, but it contains much more than the previous editions, taken, as the title ftates, from fcarce and valuable MSS., &c., befides having appended the Anfwer to the Scotch Prefbyterian Eloquence." The edition before us is the fourth, printed at London, in 1732, 8vo, pp. 8-120, and is embellished with a fingular caricature portrait of Bishop Burnet, ftanding with one leg in a pulpit, and the other in a huge tub. It is not our intention, at prefent, to difcufs the hiftorical accuracy of the marvellous statements and citations in this work, although many of them appear to be utterly incredible and abfurd. We fhall therefore only fay that Mr. Buckle, a very competent and difcriminating judge of hiftorical evidence, has confidered the work to poffefs fufficient authority and importance to give it place in the lift of authors quoted by him in the second volume of his Hiftory of Civilization in England. In 1552, Richard Taverner, though a layman (there being a great fcarcity of preachers), obtained of Edward VI. license to preach in any part of his majefty's dominions, and preached before the king at court, wearing a velvet bonnet, a damask gown, and a gold chain; and in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, being then high-fheriff of the county of Oxford, he appeared in the pulpit at St. Mary's, then of stone, with a fword by his fide, and a gold chain about his neck, and preached to the scholars a fermon beginning thus: "Arriving at the Mount of Saint Mary's, in the ftony stage where I now stand, I have brought you fome fine biskets baked in the oven of charity, carefully conferv'd for the chickens of the Church, the fparrows of the Spirit, and the fweet swallows of falvation," &c., &c. "Which way of preaching," fays Anthony à Wood, "was then moftly in fashion, and commended by the generality of scholars." Perhaps one of the most curious books in the whole range of the theological literature of the seventeenth century, is an anonymous work entitled The Scotch Prefbyterian Eloquence, or the Foolishness of their Teaching difcovered from their Books, Sermons, and Prayers. The Reverend James Kirkton, in his Hiftory of the Church of Scotland, page 194, ftates that "the authors It is exceedingly difficult to felect any fpecimen of the contents of this volume, but what more or lefs "blurs the grace and blush of modefty." We fhall venture to give, however, the following decorous extracts, copied verbatim et literatim from Sect. III., Containing Notes of the Pref byterian Sermons, taken in Writing from their mouths: |