Another collection of philosophical conferences of the French virtuosi upon questions of all sorts for the improving of natural knowledg made in the assembly of the Beaux Esprits at Paris by the most ingenious persons of that nation / render'd into English by G. Havers, Gent. & J. Davies ..., Gent.

CONFERENCE CCIV. Of Satyrs. (Book 204)

NOvelty and extraordinary things have such power upon our Minds, that they not only render us attentive when they are present, but remain longer imprinted in the Memory; as those, that teach the Art of Memory truly observe. This oblig'd many Poets and Historians to speak of Hydra's, Chimaera's, Basi∣lisks, Satyrs, Centaurs, and other such Fictions. For those that have most exactly examin'd the power of Nature, find the mixture of these Species impossible, not only on the part of the Matter which is to receive the Soul, to which it is determin'd by a certain pro∣portion, but also in respect of the Form, which is indivisible, especially the Rational Soul. To which purpose the Poet Lu∣cretius speaks very learnedly, and maintains, that there can be no Centaurs; and the reason he alledges, holds as well against

the possibility of Satyrs: Because, saith he, if this mixture of the humane and equine Nature had place, Horses being in their full strength at three years old, at which time children scarce leave sucking the breasts of their Nurse, how is it possible this monstrous Animal should be in its tender age and full growth both together? And again, a Horse growing, when the Man enters into the prime of his youth, how can the one dye, when the other is in the state of its greatest vigour? Now Goats live less time than Horses, and so there is less probability for an Ani∣mal compounded of the Nature of a Goat and a Man. Hence Pliny, in the seventh book of his Natural History, saith, That a Hippocentaur being bred in Thessaly, it dy'd the same day, and was afterwards preserv'd in honey, which is an excellent bawm. Virgil places them at the entrance of Hell, because things against Nature cannot subsist. And S. Hierom in the life of S. Paul, the Hermit, relating how a Centaur appeard to S. Anthony, doubts whether it were a true Centaur, or the Devil under that shape; and indeed seems to infer it an Evil Spirit, because it was dri∣ven away by the sign of the Cross. So that Satyrs are to be at∣tributed only to the liberty Poets have ever taken, as well as Painters of daring and attempting every thing, without ob∣serving the Rule Horace prescribes them not to conjoyn Natures totally disagreeing and opposite; for, by these mixtures they intended only to represent very nimble, lascivious, rustick, and perhaps abusive men; (whence came their Satyrick Poems.)

The second said, That 'tis as dangerous to conclude all im∣possible that we have not seen, as to be credulous to every thing. But when Reason, and the authority Experience carries with it, are of a side, our incredulity, hath no excuse. Now the case of Satyrs is such; for they may be as well produc'd by the mixture of the Seeds of two Species, as Mules are. Besides, were not the Imagination of Mothers capable of imprinting this as well as any other change of Figure in a Child's body, where∣of we have daily examples; yet the wild suckling and course of life some Children may have had amongst Goats (as Romulus and Remus had from a Wolf) may in process of time have begot some resemblance of shape in them. As for Lucretius's Reason, we see that Plants are ingrafted into others, not only of the same, but also of a different Species, as the Apple-Cyon on a Cole∣wort; which Plants being of different durations, the graft be∣comes of a middle duration between them, namely longer-liv'd then a Colewort, and shorter then another Apple-tree. And S. Hierom is not positive, that the Centaur, which appear'd to S. Anthony, was an illusion, but doubts whether it were a true Centaur such as Antiquity spoke of, or whether 'twas not the Devil appearing in that shape to frighten that holy Person. And, Plato, in convivio sapientum, relates, That a Shepheard having presented to Periander a Foal born of a Mare of his, that had the head, neck, and hands of a Man, the rest of an Horse;

and the voice of a Child, Diocles affirm'd, that this Prodigy presag'd Seditions and Divisions of Minds: But Thales reply'd, 'Twas a natural thing, and, for preventing the like again, ad∣vis'd him to have no other Hors-keepers but what were married. Pliny, likewise in the seventh Book of his Natural History, saith, That in the Country of the Cratadulones, amongst the Indian Mountains, Satyrs are found; very swift Creatures, running sometimes on two feet, sometimes on four, and having the shape of a Man. And Plutarch tells in Sylla's life, That, as he re∣turn'd into Italy, a Satyr was brought to him like those describ'd by ancient Authors, half-man, and half-goat; and being askt what he was, answer'd nothing that resembled a humane voice, but with a tone mixt of that of Goats, and the neighing of Horses. Whereupon, Sylla, having compassion on him, ap∣pointed guards to carry him back. S. Hierom in the above-men∣tion'd place describes another Satyr, which, he saith, was of a middle stature, having a crooked Nose, horned front, and Goats feet, and brought Dates yet hanging on a Palm-branch, to S. Paul the Hermit. The Saint askt him what he was, and he answer'd, that he was a Mortal, one of the Inhabitants of that Hermitage, whom the abused Pagans adore, for Fauns, Satyrs, and Incubes; and I come (saith he) as deputed to you from our Company, to desire you to pray for us to your and our God, whom we know to be come into the World, for the com∣mon Salvation. After which words, this light Animal took its course and fled away. And lest this Relation might seem strange, I shall add, That under Constantine, a living one was brought to Alexandria, and shewn there to the People; after∣wards, being dead, it was called and carried to Antioch to be seen by the Emperor. Pausanias records also, That he was in∣form'd by one Euphemius, who, (he saith) was a man worthy of credit, how that sailing into Spain, he was driven by storm into certain Islands full of savage Men, having hairy bodies, long tails, like those of Horses, and red hair; whom they could not keep off from them, but by blows; and a Woman being expos'd on the shore by the Mariners, these Satyrs abus'd her with all outrages imaginable. So that to doubt of the existence of Satyrs after so many Testimonies, is, to ascribe too much to our own senses, and too little to the witness of the Ancients.