Of the Pictures of _Mermaids_, _Unicorns_,
and some others.
Few eyes have escaped the Picture of _Mermaids_: that is, according to
_Horace_ his Monster, with womans head above, and fishy extremity below;
and these are conceived to answer the shape of the ancient _Syrens_ that
attempted upon _Ulysses_. Which notwithstanding were of another
description, containing no fishy composure, but made up of Man and Bird;
the humane mediety variously placed not only above, but below; according
unto _Ælian_, _Suidas_, _Servius_, _Boccatius_, and _Aldrovandus_, who
hath referred their description unto the story of fabulous Birds;
according to the description of Ovid, and the account thereof in
Hyginus, that they were the daughters of _Melpomene_, and metamorphosed
into the shape of man and bird by _Ceres_.
And therefore these pieces so common among us, do rather derive their
original, or are indeed the very description of _Dagon_[SN: _Dagon the
Idol, of what form._]; which was made with human figure above, and fishy
shape below; whose stump, or as _Tremellius_ and our margin renders it,
whose fishy part only remained, when the hands and upper part fell
before the Ark. [SN: 1 Sam. 5.] Of the shape of _Artergates_, or
_Derceto_ with the _Phœnitians_; in whose fishy and feminine mixture,
as some conceive, were implied the Moon and the Sea, or the Deity of the
waters; and therefore, in their sacrifices, they made oblations of
fishes. From whence were probably occasioned the Pictures of _Nereides_
and _Tritons_ among the _Grecians_, and such as we read in _Macrobius_,
to have been placed on the top of the Temple of _Saturn_.
We are unwilling to question the Royal Supporters of _England_, that is,
the approved descriptions of the Lion and the Unicorn. Although, if in
the Lion, the position of the pizel be proper, and that the natural
situation; it will be hard to make out their retro-copulation, or their
coupling and pissing backward, according to the determination of
_Aristotle_; All that urine backward do copulate πυγηδὸν _clunatim_, or
aversly, as Lions, Hares, Linxes.
As for the Unicorn, if it have the head of a Deer, and the tail of a
Boar, as _Vartomannus_ describeth it, how agreeable it is to this
picture every eye may discern. If it be made bisulcous or cloven footed,
it agreeth unto the description of _Vartommanus_, but scarce of any
other; and _Aristotle_ supposeth that such as divide the hoof, do also
double the horn; they being both of the same nature, and admitting
division together. And lastly if the horn have this situation and be so
forwardly affixed, as is described, it will not be easily conceived, how
it can feed from the ground; and therefore we observe, that Nature in
other cornigerous animals, hath placed the horns higher and reclining,
as in Bucks; in some inverted upwards, as in the Rhinoceros, the
_Indian_ Ass, and Unicornous Beetles; and thus have some affirmed it is
seated in this animal.
We cannot but observe that in the Picture of _Jonah_ and others, Whales
are described with two prominent spouts on their heads; whereas indeed
they have but one in the forehead, and terminating over the wind-pipe.
Nor can we overlook the Picture of Elephants with Castles on their
backs, made in the form of land Castles, or stationary fortifications,
and answerable unto the Arms of _Castile_, or Sir _John_ Old Castle;
whereas the towers they bore were made of wood, and girt unto their
bodies; as is delivered in the books of _Maccabees_, and as they were
appointed in the Army of _Antiochus_.
We will not dispute the Pictures of Retiary Spiders, and their position
in the web, which is commonly made lateral, and regarding the Horizon;
although, if observed, we shall commonly find it downward, and their
heads respecting the Center. [SN: _Where the seven Stars be situated._]
We will not controvert the Picture of the seven Stars; although if
thereby be meant the Pleiades, or subconstellation upon the back of
Taurus, with what congruity they are described, either in site or
magnitude, in a clear night an ordinary eye may discover, from July unto
April. We will not question the tongues of Adders and Vipers, described
like an Anchor; nor the Picture of the Flower _de Luce_: though how far
they agree unto their natural draughts, let every spectator determine.
Whether the Cherubims about the Ark be rightly described in the common
Picture, that is, only in humane heads, with two wings; or rather in the
shape of Angels or young men, or somewhat at least with feet, as the
Scripture seems to imply. [SN: 2 Chron. 3. 13.] Whether the Cross seen
in the air by _Constantine_, were of that figure wherein we represent
it; or rather made out of Χ and Ρ, the two first letters of χριστός.
Whether the Cross of Christ did answer the common figure; whether so far
advanced above his head; whether the feet were so disposed, that is, one
upon another, or separately nailed, as some with reason describe it: we
shall not at all contend. Much less whether the house of _Diogenes_ were
a Tub framed of wood, and after the manner of ours, or rather made of
earth, as learned men conceive, and so more clearly make out that
expression of _Juvenal_ [SN: ----Dolia magni non ardent Cynici, etc.].
We should be too critical to question the letter Y, or bicornous element
of _Pythagoras_, that is, the making of the horns equal: or the left
less then the right, and so destroying the Symbolical intent of the
figure; confounding the narrow line of Vertue, with the larger road of
Vice; answerable unto the narrow door of Heaven, and the ample gates of
Hell, expressed by our Saviour, and not forgotten by _Homer_, in that
Epithete of _Pluto's_ house. [SN: Εὐρυπυλής.]
Many more there are whereof our pen shall take no notice, nor shall we
urge their enquiry; we shall not enlarge with what incongruity, and how
dissenting from the pieces of Antiquity, the Pictures of their gods and
goddesses are described, and how hereby their symbolical sense is lost;
although herein it were not hard to be informed from _Phornutus_[SN:
Phornut. De natura deorum.], _Fulgentius_[SN: Fulg. mytho. Logia], and
_Albricus_[SN: Albric. De deorum imaginibus.]. Whether _Hercules_ be
more properly described strangling than tearing the Lion, as _Victorius_
hath disputed; nor how the characters and figures of the Signs and
Planets be now perverted, as _Salmasius_ hath learnedly declared. We
will dispence with Bears with long tails, such as are described in the
figures of heaven; We shall tolerate flying Horses, black Swans,
Hydra's, Centaur's, Harpies and Satyrs; for these are monstrosities,
rarities, or else Poetical fancies, whose shadowed moralities requite
their substantial falsities. Wherein indeed we must not deny a liberty;
nor is the hand of the Painter more restrainable than the Poet. But
where the real works of Nature, or veritable acts of storie are to be
described, digressions are aberrations; and Art being but the imitator
or secondary representor, it must not vary from the verity of the
example; or describe things otherwise than they truly are or have been.
For hereby introducing false Idea's of things it perverts and deforms
the face and symmetry of truth.