mon; and I might produce the whole History of the Old Testament,[1] all the Historical Truths whereof were so many Fables, or Parables divinely invented, which represent Allegorically to us the Doctrine and the Truths which the Author of them has since discover'd to us.
But without concerning our selves with Sacred Things, we know what a Father did to perswade his Children to Unity. He might have only told them, that a Man very eager of breaking all the Arrows in his Quiver, striv'd to snap them all in pieces at once; but after many fruitless Tryals, he was forc'd to part them, and then breaks them one after another without the least trouble. He might have related a thing that was false, and only probable. But he did something more: he put a bundle of Rods, tied close together, into the hands of each of his Children, and bid them see if they could break them: They used their utmost Endeavour, but to little purpose. Then he gave them the Rods one by one, and the weakest of these young Creatures broke them easily. The Truth of this Matter of Fact does not at all destroy the Nature of the Fable.
Sertorius made use of the same Artifice to his Soldiers. He order'd the Tails of a couple of Horses to be pull'd off before them. At last came a weak old Fellow, and did it with ease, pulling off the Hairs one after another; whilst a lusty Fellow had harass'd himself to no purpose, because he took up too many Hairs at a time. When a Recital is made of this true Action, one tells as exact a Fable, as when one mentions the Fable of the Iliad, that of Æsop's Dogs, or any other of that Author, wherein is neither Truth nor Probability.
'Tis true this Action of Sertorius was feign'd before it was true, and this General did begin to form his Fable by the Moral, which is, (as I said) the common way of forming Fables. But here I add, that the True Action may precede the Fable. The Example of Engravers and Statuaries will make us easily conceive how this revers'd Order, so contrary to the Rules of Art, may notwithstanding be applied thereto without destroying them.
Art teaches the Engraver to form his Design first, to fansie the Postures, and the Proportions he would give his Personages; and afterwards to look out for Materials that are proper to receive that which he has imagin'd. If notwithstanding he lights upon some choice Material, such as Agat, for instance, whose Figure, Colours, and Veins, cannot be suited to all that he has a mind it should; he then regulates his Design and Fancy according to his Matter. But yet he is not of the Opinion, that these lucky Hits and particular Accidents condemn the Justness of his Art, or make this a standing Rule for him to go by, viz. That he must begin to
- ↑ Omnia in figura contingebant iis. Paul. Epist. ad Corinth.
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