CHAPTER XIX

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.