was answered him, that if he had no other estate, 'twere well he went into Greece,
and marry some kinswoman of Bias; for in London Maids did not marry with La∣tine,
nor yet Greek Ceremonies.
The discourse between the Hermite and the Shepherd is very pleasant, and the
graces of it are obvious; the one being a simple devout man, that wore out no
other books then Breviaries▪ the other, one poisoned with a pernicious reading, which
he was able well enough so to disguise, as that such a one should not perceive it.
But since some have thought Lysis prophane, I must vindicate him so far as that he
is not without example. Calisto in the Comedy of Celestina says, That if the fire of
Purgatory be as tormenting as that of his Love, he should wish himself the soul of a
Beast rather then that of a man. And his man asking whether such expressions were
Christian, or no: If I am no Christian, says he, I am a Melibean; for I adore
Melibea, and believe in her. But these abuses of Religion, the Ceremonies and
Saints of it, is so frequent in all Poets and Romances, that a man cannot avoid
them so are they besotted, that they care not where they fasten their imagi∣nations.
But Lysis, you may perceive, is not wanting to make his party good, to prove
his Divinities, his Satyres, and his Nymphs. He hath Agrippa up, but Clarimond
clears him; yet not so, but his book of the Vanity of the Sciences comes short of
what it pretends to; for some he hath only defin'd, and shewn what they were for,
whereas it was hop'd he should have discovered the Vanity of them. But I wonder
Lysis being so well read as he was, did not think on that Satyre which S. Hierome
says appeared to S. Anthony the Hermite, and was afterwards brought alive to A∣lexandria.
It may be he thinks better to quote his own Metamorphosis. But now is
the Enchantment to be broken up; now must the pernicious reading of so many
years, and the impression it had made on Lysis's mind, (which was but too susce∣ptible
of all images) be rendred as contemptible as it had been pleasant to him.
Clarimond by a short relation of his life and adventures makes a great progress a∣lone:
but when all he said was confirmed by Anselme and Hircan, such was his
confusion, that he had not what to say. Nor may this seem strange; for I never
told you he was quite mad, but having good intervals, all could be said of him was,
that he was extravagant. But Hircan's proffering to shew him the dresses of the
Aquatick Gods, and the final revolt of the Shepherds, finishes the work of his con∣version.
Upon which Clarimond shews him many secrets concerning Histories, and
that it was not conducing to Felicity to go in Shepherds habit; convincing him out
of those Authorities which he himself esteemed the greatest; for since he believed
what was in Romances, he must also believe what Clarimond quoted out of them.
And thus is he made wise by the maxims of Folly.
Lysis and Carmelin's marriages need not much remark: Only as for the former,
where it was feared he might be as extravagant in his Philosophy as in his Shepherdry,
'tis to shew that it was hard to cure such a one so, as that there might not remain
somwhat of the old disease. Charron is now one of his Authors, and of him he'll
take instructions how to get children. In the Trial of Wits, there is a whole Chap∣ter
to shew how to get Boyes, and not Girls. But all is but Theory, and fragments
of Physicians, grounded upon Diets. But were there any truth in it, there yet
wanted one thing, which is of most concernment in generation of fair children, that
the married be both, as neer as may be, of a temperament. So that they should first
have taught a man how to choose a wife moist or dry to his own temperament; or
else told us, that upon every marriage there ought to sit a Grand-Jury of Phy∣sitians.
And thus have I given you an account of this History of the Shepherd Lysis;
and tell you, that if you desire to know what is become of the Persons, you find in
the text what became of the principal: For the less considerable, we shall follow
the custom of the Romances so much, as not to trouble you with any thing further
about them. All which when you have considered together, I doubt not but you
will soon resolve where to fasten the folly and extravagance which this Shepherd