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THE SECOND BOOKE 285
the two upper eyelids : Qua facie quidem sit animus aut
ubi habitet, nec quarendum quidem est:¹ ' We must not
so much as enquire what face the minde beares, or
where it dwells, saith Cicero. I am well pleased to
let this man use his owne words : for why should I
alter the speech of eloquence it selfe ? since there is
small gaine in stealing matter from his inventions:
They are both little used, not very forcible, and little
unknowne. But the reason why Chrysippus and those
of his sect will prove the soule to be about the heart,
is not to be forgotten. It is (saith he) because when we
will affirme or swear anything, we lay our hand upon
the stomacke ; and when we will pronounce which
signifieth my selfe, we put downe our chin towards the
stomacke. This passage ought not to be past-over
without noting the vanity of so great a personage: for,
besides that his considerations are of themselves very
slight, the latter proveth but to the Graecians that they
have their soule in that place. No humane judgement
is so vigilant or Argoesied, but sometimes shall fall
asleep or slumber. What shall we feare to say ? Behold
the Stoickes, fathers of humane wisdome, who
devise that the soule of man, overwhelmed with any
ruine, laboureth and panteth a long time to get out,
unable to free herselfe from that charge, even as a
mouse taken in a trap. Some are of opinion that the
world was made to give a body, in lieu of punishment,
unto the spirits, which through their fault were fallen
from the puritie wherein they were created : the first
creation having been incorporeall. And that according
as they have more or lesse removed themselves from
their spirituality, so are they more or lesse merily and
giovially, or rudely and saturnally incorporated: whence
proceedeth the infinite variety of so much matter
created. But the spirit, who for his chastizement was
invested with the bodie of the Sunne, must of necessitie
have a very rare and particular measure of alteration.
The extremities of our curious search turne to a
glimmering and all to a dazeling. As Plutarke saith
¹ CIC. Tusc. Qu. 1. i.