Lett.11.tions of one Element from another, which af terwards were all in fome measure united and affociated in the primigenial Earth, the Ancients accordingly made CONTENTION the Principle that reigned in the Chaos at first, then Love; the one to express the Divifions, the other the Union of all Parties in this middle and common Bond.

THIS Notion of the Formation of the World was explained before; but view the fame Object now in another Light, and as it is drawn by the fame masterly Pen. There is one remarkable Doctrine amongst the Ancients, partly fymbolical; the Propriety and Application of whofe Symbol hath been little understood. "Tis their Doctrine of the Mundane Egg, or their comparing the World, and especially the ori ginal Compofition of it to an EGG. This feems to be a mean Comparison: what Proportion, or what Refemblance is there between the World and an Egg? And yet I do not know any fymbolical Doctrine or Conclusion that hath been fo univerfally entertained by the Myfta or Wife and Learned of all Nations. By the World in this Similitude they do not mean the great Universe; but this fublunary World which we inhabit. And now do but reflect upon the Theory of the Earth, the Manner of it's Compofition at first, and the Figure of

it

Dr. BURNET's Theory, Book I. Ch. v.

it when compleated, and you will need no Lett.II. other Interpreter to understand this Mystery.

We have fhewed that the Figure of it was oval, and the inward Form of it was a Frame of four Regions encompaffing one another, where that of Fire lay in the middle like the Yolk, and a Shell of Earth enclosed them all. This gives a Solution so easy and natural, and fhews fuch an Aptness and Elegancy in the Representation, that upon a View and Compare of Circumftances, one cannot doubt but that we have truly found out the Riddle of the Mundane Egg. But, to be more particular, the Earth resembles an Egg, not so much for its external Figure, tho' that be true too, as for the inward Composition of it, consisting of several Orbs, one including another; and in that order as to answer the feveral elementary Regions, of which the new-made Earth was conftituted. For if we admit for the Yolk a central Fire, and fuppofe the Figure of the Earth oval, and a little extended towards the Poles (as probably it was, seeing the Cortex that contains it is fo) those two Bodies do very naturally represent one another, as if a Scheme were made to reprefent the interior Faces of both a divided Egg, or the Earth; where, as the two inmoft Orbs wou'd represent the Yolk, and the Membrane that lies next above it, fo the exterior Region of the Earth is as the Shell of the Egg, and the Abyss under it as the I White

Lett.11.White that lies under the Shell. And confidering that this Notion of the Mundane Egg, or that the World was oviform, hath been the Senfe and Language of all Antiquity, Greeks, Latins, Egyptians, Perfians and others, I thought it not unworthy our notice in this place, seeing it receives fuch a clear and easy Explication from that Origin and Fabric we have given to the first Earth; and also reflects Light upon the Theory itself, and confirms it to be no Fiction; this Notion, which is a kind of Epitome or Image of it, having been conserved in the most ancient Learning. Had the

Works of Orpheus been preserved, I shou'd hope for as much Instruction from them alone, as to the Origin of the World, as from all that is now extant of the other Greek Philofophers. He understood in a good measure, bow the Earth rofe from CHAOS; what was its external Figure, and what the Form of its inward Structure. For the Opinion of the oval Figure of the Earth is afcribed to him and his Difciples; and the Doctrine of the mundane Egg is fo peculiarly his, that it is called by Proclus the ORPHIC-EGG: not that he was the first Author of that Doctrine, but the first that brought it into Greece from Egypt, or the Eaft.

AND now, I hope, you are fully convinced, that Mythology leaves us at liberty to think and reafon as we lift; and therefore can lead

as no further aftray than we ourselves have aLett.11. mind to follow. You have feen how variously it represents the Rife of Things, according to the different Opinions of the Sages concerning them; like a Mirrour that reflects whatever Object is held before it, and in the Colours it then wears, whether genuine or not. You will fee its Complaifance still plainer in the mythical Account, not now of the Rife, but of the Government of the World, by the Father of the Gods and Men, all-mighty Jove, and by fome few of the inferior Deities, the Fates and Fortune, Hecate and Pandora, whom I intend to felect, and explain their Natures for your Entertainment,

Lest.12.

LETTER TWELFTH.

UR ingenious Countryman, Sir Thomas Brown, fays he had two Books from which he drew his Theology. One of them ' Writing_dictated in Writing dictated by GOD himself; the ' other by NATURE his Hand-maid that univerfal and patent Manufcript whofe wondrous Leaves are expofed to the Eyes of all • Men. Those who never faw the Author of Nature in the former have often viewed him in the latter, which was the early Scripture and Theology of the Heathens. The fupernatural Stop in the Sun's Course created not fuch Admiration in the Minds of the Ifraelites, as his diurnal Motion did in the Understanding of the Philofophers; nor were the former fo ftruck with Miracles, as the latter with the most common Productions of Nature. These ancient Sages far furpaffed the Chriftians in Reach and Capacity in this myfterious Learning. They knew how to join and spell out these hidden Characters 'much more skilfully than we, who take only a tranfient fuperficial View of these vulgar Hieroglyphics, and foolishly undervalue a Theology extracted from the fairest Flowers of the Universe.'

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