observable through all his works, had certainly rested with probabilities, and glancing conjectures in this. Nor would his resolutions have ever run into that mortal antanaclasis, and desperate piece of rhetorick, to be comprised in that he could not comprehend. Nor is it indeed to be made out, that he ever endeavoured the particular of Euripus, or so much as to resolve the ebb and flow of the sea. For, as Vicomercatus and others observe, he hath made no mention hereof in his works, although the occasion present itself in his Meteors, wherein he disputeth the affections of the sea; nor yet in his Problems, although in the twenty-third section there be no less than one and forty queries of the sea. Some mention there is indeed in a work of the propriety of elements, ascribed unto Aristotle:* which notwithstanding is not reputed genuine, and was perhaps the same whence this was urged by Plutarch.

Lastly, the thing itself whereon the opinion dependeth, that is, the variety of the flux and the reflux of Euripus, or whether the same do ebb and flow seven times a day, is not incontrovertible. For though Pomponius Mela, and after him Solinus and Pliny have affirmed it, yet I observe Thucydides, who speaketh often of Euboea, hath omitted it. Pausanias, an ancient writer, who hath left an exact description of Greece, and in as particular a way as Leandro of Italy, or Camden of Great Britain, describing not only the country towns and rivers, but hills, springs, and houses, hath left no mention hereof. Eschines in Ctesiphon only alludeth unto it; and Strabo, that accurate geographer, speaks warily of it, that is, de parì, and as men commonly reported. And so doth also Maginus, Velocis ac varii fluctus est mare, ubi quater in die, aut septies, ut alii dicunt, reciprocantur æstus. Botero more plainly, Il mar cresce e cala con un impeto mirabile quatra volte il di, ben che communimente si dica sette volte, &c.-" this sea with wondrous impetuosity ebbeth and floweth four times a day, although it be commonly said seven times; and generally opinioned, that Aristotle despairing of the reason, drowned himself therein." In which description by four times a day, it exceeds not in number the motion of other seas, taking the words properly, that is,

*De placitis Philosophorum.

twice ebbing and twice flowing in four and twenty hours. And is no more than what Thomaso Porrchachi affirmeth in his description of famous islands, that twice a day it hath such an impetuous flood, as is not without wonder. Livy speaks more particularly, Haud facile infestior classi statio est et fretum ipsum Euripi, non septies die (sicut fama fert) temporibus certis reciprocat, sed temerè in modum venti, nunc hunc nunc illuc versō mari, velut monte præcipiti devolutus torrens rapitur:-" there is hardly a worse harbour, the fret or channel of Euripus not certainly ebbing or flowing seven times a day, according to common report: but being uncertainly, and in the manner of a wind, carried hither and thither, is whirled away as a torrent down a hill." But the experimental testimony of Gillius is most considerable of any; who having beheld the course thereof, and made enquiry of millers that dwelt upon its shore, received answer, that it ebbed and flowed four times a day, that is, every six hours, according to the law of the ocean; but that indeed sometimes it observed not that certain course. And this irregularity, though seldom happening, together with its unruly and tumultuous motion, might afford a beginning unto the common opinion. Thus may the expression in Ctesiphon be made out. And by this may Aristotle be interpreted, when in his Problems he seems to borrow a metaphor from Euripus; while in the five and twentieth. section he enquireth, why in the upper parts of houses the air doth Euripize, that is, is whirled hither and thither.

A later and experimental testimony is to be found in the travels of Monsieur Duloir; who about twenty years ago, remained sometime at Negroponte, or old Chalcis, and also passed and repassed this Euripus; who thus expresseth himself: "I wonder much at the error concerning the flux and reflux of Euripus; and I assure you that opinion is false. I gave a boatman a crown, to set me in a convenient place, where for a whole day I might observe the same. It ebbeth and floweth by six hours, even as it doth at Venice, but the course thereof is vehement."8

Now that which gave life unto the assertion, might be his death at Chalcis, the chief city of Euboea, and seated upon

A later and experimental, &c.] First added in 6th edition.

Euripus, where 'tis confessed by all he ended his days. That he emaciated and pined away in the too anxious. enquiry of its reciprocations, although not drowned therein, as Rhodiginus relateth some conceived, was a half confession thereof not justifiable from antiquity. Surely the philosophy of flux and reflux was very imperfect of old among the Greeks and Latins; nor could they hold a sufficient theory thereof, who only observed the Mediterranean, which in some places hath no ebb, and not much in any part. Nor can we affirm our knowledge is at the height, who have now the theory of the ocean and narrow seas heside. While we refer it unto the moon, we give some satisfaction for the ocean, but no general salve for creeks and seas which know no flood; nor resolve why it flows three or four feet at Venice in the bottom of the gulph, yet scarce at all at Ancona, Durazzo, or Corcyra, which lie but by the way. And therefore old abstrusities have caused new inventions; and some from the hypotheses of Copernicus, or the diurnal and annual motion. of the earth, endeavour to salve the flows and motions of these seas, illustrating the same by water in a bowl, that rising or falling to either side, according to the motion of the vessel; the conceit is ingenious, salves some doubts, and is discovered at large by Galileo.*9

But whether the received principle and undeniable action of the moon may not be still retained, although in some difference of application, is yet to be perpended; that is not by a simple operation upon the surface or superior parts, but excitation of the nitro-sulphureous spirits, and parts disposed to intumescency at the bottom; not by attenuation of the upper part of the sea, (whereby ships would draw more water at the flow than at the ebb,) but intergescencies caused first at the bottom, and carrying the upper part before them; subsiding and falling again, according to the motion of the moon from the meridian, and languor of the exciting cause: and therefore rivers and lakes who want these fermenting parts at the bottom, are not excited unto æstuations; and therefore some seas flow higher than others, *Rog. Bac. Doct. Cabeus Met. 2.

and is discovered at large by Galileo.] And by the Lord Bacon rejected in his booke, De Fluxu et Refluxu Maris.-Wr.

according to the plenty of these spirits, in their submarine constitutions. And therefore also the periods of flux and reflux are various, nor their increase or decrease equal: according to the temper of the terreous parts at the bottom; which as they are more hardly or easily moved, do variously begin, continue, or end their intumescencies.

From the peculiar disposition of the earth at the bottom, wherein quick excitations are made, may arise those agars9 and impetuous flows in some estuaries and rivers, as is. observed about Trent and Humber in England; which may also have some effect in the boisterous tides of Euripus, not only from ebullitions at the bottom, but also from the sides and lateral parts, driving the streams from either side, which arise or fall according to the motion in those parts, and the intent or remiss operation of the first exciting causes, which maintain their activities above and below the horizon; even as they do in the bodies of plants and animals, and in the commotion of catarrhs.1

How therefore Aristotle died, what was his end, or upon what occasion, although it be not altogether assured, yet that his memory and worthy name shall live, no man will deny, nor grateful scholar doubt. And if according to the elogy of Solon, a man may be only said to be happy after he is dead, and ceaseth to be in the visible capacity of beatitude; or if according unto his own ethicks, sense is not essential unto felicity, but a man may be happy without the apprehension thereof; surely in that sense he is pyramidally happy; nor can he ever perish but in the Euripe of ignorance, nor till the torrent of barbarism overwhelmeth all.

A like conceit there passeth of Melisigenes, alias Homer, the father poet, that he pined away upon the riddle of the fishermen. But Herodotus, who wrote his life, hath cleared this point; delivering, that passing from Samos unto Athens, he went sick ashore upon the island Ios, where he died, and was solemnly interred upon the sea-side; and so decidingly concludeth, Ex hac agritudine extremum diem clausit Homerus in Io, non, ut arbitrantur aliqui, ænigmatis perplexitate enectus, sed morbo.

agar.] The tumultuous influx of the tide.

But whether the received principle, &c. From the peculiar, &c.] These two paragraphs were first added in the 2nd edition.

CHAPTER XIV.

Of the Wish of Philoxenus to have the Neck of a Crane.

THAT relation of Aristotle, and conceit generally received, concerning Philoxenus, who wished the neck of a crane, that thereby he might take more pleasure in his meat, although it pass without exception, upon enquiry I find not only doubtful in the story, but absurd in the desire or reason alleged for it. For though his wish were such as is delivered, yet had it not perhaps that end to delight his gust in eating, but rather to obtain advantage thereby in singing, as is declared by Mirandula. Aristotle, saith he, in his Ethicks and Problems, accuseth Philoxenus of sensuality, for the greater pleasure of gust desiring the neck of a crane, which desire of his (assenting unto Aristotle), I have formerly condemned. But since I perceive that Aristotle for his accusation hath been accused by divers writers ;-for Philoxenus was an excellent musician, and desired the neck of a crane, not for any pleasure at meat, but fancying thereby an advantage in singing or warbling, and dividing the notes in music-and many writers there are which mention a musician of that name; as Plutarch in his book against Usury, and Aristotle himself, in the eighth of his Politicks, speaks of one Philoxenus, a musician, that went off from the Dorick dithyrambics unto the Phrygian harmony.

Again, be the story true or false, rightly applied or not, the intention is not reasonable, and that perhaps neither one way nor the other. For if we rightly consider the organ of

That relation, &c.] Our author's observations on this absurd story are quoted by Dr. John Bulwer, in his Anthropometamorphosis, &c. p. 276.

Ross goes into the history of Philoxenus at great length, and adheres, as usual, most tenaciously to the legend. He contends, and with some reason, that the absurdity of the wish, if granted, were no argument against its having been expressed, seeing that many have entertained wishes far more so. But he even asserts its reasonableness, "that there is much pleasure in deglutition of sweet meats and drinks, is plain by the practice of those who, to supply the want of long necks, used to suck their drink out of long small cranes, or quills, or glasses with long narrow snouts, &c. &c. ! ! '