From hence, therefore, we may observe that these descriptions, the most authentic of any, are neither agreeable unto one another, nor unto the scutcheons in question. For though they agree in Ephraim and Judah, that is, the ox and the lion, yet do they differ in those of Dan and Reuben, as far as an eagle is different from a serpent, and the figure of a man, hart, or mandrake, from three bars wave. Wherein notwithstanding we rather declare the incertainty of arms in this particular, than any way question their antiquity; for hereof more ancient examples there are than the scutcheons of the tribes, if Osyris, Mizraim, or Jupiter the Just, were the son of Cham; for of his two sons, as Diodorus delivereth,

remarks:-"The four living creatures are the four gospels. The lion denotes MARK, in whom the voice of a lion, roaring in the wilderness, is heard; the voice of one that crieth in the wilderness, &c. MATTHEW, who has the resemblance of a man, endeavours to shew us the family of Mary, from whom Christ took flesh; he speakes of him as a man; the book of the generations, &c. LUKE, who relates the priesthood of Zecharias offering sacrifice for the people, &c. has the resemblance of a calf. JOHN, like an eagle with outstretched wings soaring aloft, speaks concerning the WORD OF GOD, &c." But here we find various opinions; for while St. Jerome, in his Commentary on Matthew, and Gregory in his 4th Homily on Ezekiel, give the same version as Victorinus, St. Augustine assigns the man to Mark, and the lion to Matthew. And the dean, in the preceding note, follows those who regard Matthew's man to have been an angel.

5 the incertainty of arms in this particular.] Not a few of our antiquarian writers, theologians, as well as heralds, have been anxious to trace the origin of heraldry to the Bible. Bishop Hall, in his Impresse of God, says, "If the testament of the patriarchs had as much credit as antiquity, all the patriarchs had their armes assigned them by Jacob: Judah a lyon, Dan a serpent, Nepthali an hinde, Benjamin a wolf, Joseph a bough, and so of the rest." Works, fol. 1648, p. 406, E.

In Mr. Jefferson's copy occurs the following MS. note. "Sir John Prestwick, in his MS. history of the noble family of

Chichester, derives the practice of heraldry from Gen. i, 14. 'Let them be for signs,'-which he refers to heraldic signs."

Sylvanus Morgan begins with the creation; "deducing from the principles of nature" his Sphere of Gentry, which he divides into four books, the first entitled Adam's shield, or nobility native; the 2nd, Joseph's coat, or nobility dative,

&c.

In the latter he gives a curiously engraven representation, and a description of Joseph's whole achievement; his coat being per fesse imbatled Argent and Gules out of a Well a Tree growing Proper, ensigned with a Helmet of a Knight thereon, out of a crown Mural Gules, a Wheatsheaf Or; his Mantles being of three sorts: the outmost being that of the gown, being cloth of gold lined with Ermine, Erminees, Erminois, and Erminets; the next being that of the Cloak, accompanying him in all his adversities, being lined Vaire, Vairy, and Cuppa; the outside Purple: the third being the Mantle for his funeral, being mantled Sable, lined Argent; his Motto, Nec Sorti nec Fato: having his wife's armes in an InEscutcheon, she being the daughter and heir of Potiphar, Prince and Priest of On his Sword and Girdle on the left

side. Thus he is a publick person, conferring honours by Nobility Dative to his brethren!!"-Sphere of Gentry, book ii, p. 72. Alas! for poor Joseph's coat of many colours, to be thus blazoned!

Master Morgan, in setting forth the Camp of Israel, seemeth not less exactly informed as to the precise bearing of each tribe. (Ibid. p. 78.)

the one for his device gave a dog, the other a wolf. And, beside the shield of Achilles, and many ancient Greeks, if we receive the conjecture of Vossius, that the crow upon Corvinus' head was but the figure of that animal upon his helmet, it is an example of antiquity among the Romans.

But more widely must we walk if we follow the doctrine of the Cabalists, who in each of the four banners inscribe a letter of the tetragrammaton, or quadriliteral name of God; and mysterizing their ensigns, do make the particular ones of the twelve tribes, accommodable unto the twelve signs in the zodiack, and twelve months in the year; but the tetrarchical or general banners of Judah, Reuben, Ephraim, and Dan,5

MANASSEH'S Tree its branches doth impart.

BENJAMIN'S Wolfe in the field gules resides,

REUBEN'S field argent and blew Barrs Waved glides. South.
SIMEON doth beare the Sword: and in that manner
GAD having pitched his Tent sets up his Banner.

Unfortunately, however, as our author shrewdly remarks, the" descriptions" of the conoscenti are not "agreeable unto one another." Andrew Favine, in his Theater of Honor and Knighthood, fol. 1623, p. 4, perfectly agrees with Morgan as to the antiquity of armes and blazons, which he does not hesitate to say "have been in use from the creation of the world." But when he descends to particulars, their disagreement is instantly apparent. To say nothing of tinctures, half the bearings are different. Favine makes Judah's lyon rampant instead of couchant; Reuben bears an armed man, instead of the bars wavy; in Ephraim's standard he omits the hart; to Simeon he assigns two swords instead of one; to Gad a sword instead of a banser; (though I suspect the description of Morgan intended a sword, but the artist, misunderstanding his doggrel, has drawn a banner;) to Manasseh a crowned sceptre instead of a tree; and to Dan, ears of corn instead of a cup of gold.

5 do make the particular ones, &c.] Browne most probably alludes to the opinion of Kircher on this point. But

several other writers have taken pains to establish the same theory. General Vallancy, in his chapter on the astronomy of the ancient Irish; i. e. Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis, vol. vi, ch. ix,) proposes a scheme, which Dr. Hales has adopted, with some alterations, in his Chronology, vol. ii. At still greater length has Sir Wm. Drummond investigated the subject, in a paper on Gen. xlix, in the Classical Journal, vol. iii, p. 387. But here again the authorities are at issue. Sir William thus arranges his zodiack :Reuben, Aquarius; Simeon and Levi, Pisces; Judah, Leo; Zebulun, Capricorn; Issachar, Cancer; Dan, Scorpius; Gad, Aries; Asher, Libra; Naphthali, Virgo; Joseph, Taurus; Benjamin, Gemini; Manasseh, Sagittarius. General Vallancy on the other hand assigns to Simeon and Levi the sign Gemini, to Zebulon, Cancer; to Issacher, Taurus; to Naphthali, Aries; to Joseph, Virgo; and to Benjamin, Capricorn; omitting Gad, Asher, and Manasseh. Dr. Hales also omits Manasseh, but places Gad in Pisces, Asher in Virgo, and Joseph in Sagittarius. There are other variations.

unto the signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricornus ;* that is, the four cardinal parts of the zodiack and seasons of the year.6

CHAPTER XI.

Of the Pictures of the Sybils.

THE pictures of the sybils are very common, and for their prophecies of Christ in high esteem with Christians; described commonly with youthful faces, and in a defined number. Common pieces making twelve, and many precisely ten; observing therein the account of Varro, that is, Sibylla Delphica, Erythræa, Samia, Cumana, Cumaa, or Cimmeria, Hellespontiaca, Libyca, Phrygia, Tiburtina, Persica. In which enumeration I perceive learned men are not satisfied, and many conclude an irreconcilable incertainty; some making more, others fewer, and not this certain number. For Suidas, though he affirm that in divers ages there were ten, yet the same denomination he affordeth unto more; Boy

Recius de Coelesti Agricultura, lib iv.

Some have given Levi an open bough. The banner of Gad, which in Morgan bears a lion, is also given green, and without any device. Reuben has sometimes a mandrake, instead of the bars or the armed man. Dan's serpent is sometimes nowed, sometimes curled. Manasseh has sometimes an ox, and Ephraim an unicorn or a bough. But enough of this. Further examination of the various fanciful speculations of critics and antiquaries, whether heraldic or astronomical, will only confirm our author's conclusion, "of the incertainty of arms," and the irreconcilable discrepancy of those who have written on the subjects of the present chapter;-quot homines, tot sententiæ; and how should it be otherwise in a case where nothing can be known, and any thing may therefore be conjectured? Before I close this note, however, I must be allowed to protest against Sir Wm. Drummond's mode of conducting his enquiry. With a view of enhancing

the probability of his favourite theory, he commences by endeavouring to prove that the patriarchs were tinctured with polytheism, and addicted to divination and astrology; and arrives, in the space of half a dozen sentences, at the absurd and revolting conclusion, that Jacob was an astrologer, who believed himself under the influence of the planet Saturn! To what lengths will not some men go in support of a favourite hypothesis, however fanciful! What would be our feelings of indignation against him who should demolish the classical remains of Grecian antiquity, to make way for the vagaries of modern architecture? Less deep by far, than when we are asked to sacrifice the hallowed and beautiful simplicity of Scripture narrative to the base figments of rabbinical tradition, or the gratuitous assumptions of such critics as Sir Wm. Drummond.

6 But more widely, &c.] First added in 2nd edition.

sardus, in his tract of Divination, hath set forth the icons of these ten, yet addeth two others, Epirotica and Egyptia; and some affirm that prophesying women were generally named sibyls.

Others make them fewer: Martianus Capella two; Pliny and Solinus three; Ælian four; and Salmasius in effect but seven. For discoursing hereof in his Plinian Exercitations, he thus determineth; Ridere licet hodiernos pictores, qui tabulas proponunt Cumana, Cumaa et Erythrææ, quasi trium diversarum sibyllarum; cùm una eademque fuerit Cumana, Cumaa, et Erythræa, ex plurium et doctissimorum authorum sententia. Boysardus gives us leave to opinion there was no more than one; for so doth he conclude, In tanta scriptorum varietate liberum relinquimus lectori credere, an una et eadem in diversis regionibus peregrinata, cognomen sortita sit ab iis locis ubi oracula reddidisse comperitur, an plures extiterint: and therefore not discovering a resolution of their number from pens of the best writers, we have no reason to determine the same from the hand and pencil of painters.

As touching their age, that they are generally described as young women, history will not allow; for the sibyl whereof Virgil speaketh, is termed by him longæva sacerdos, and The other, Servius, in his comment, amplifieth the same. that sold the books unto Tarquin, and whose history is plainer than any, by Livy and Gellius is termed anus; that is, properly no woman of ordinary age, but full of years, and in the days of dotage, according to the etymology of Festus,* and consonant unto the history, wherein it is said, that Tarquin thought she doated with old age. Which duly perpended, the licentia pictoria is very large; with the same reason they may delineate old Nestor like Adonis, Hecuba with Helen's face, and time with Absolom's head. But this absurdity that eminent artist, Michael Angelo, hath avoided, in the pictures of the Cumean and Persian sybils, as they stand described from the printed sculptures of Adam Mantuanus.?

* Anus, quasi ’Avoũç, sine mente.

7 Mantuanus.] On the subject of this chapter, the origin of the Sybils, see the

Abbé Pluche, Hist. du Ciel, Vol. i, p. 263.-Jeff.

CHAPTER XII.

Of the Picture describing the death of Cleopatra.

THE picture concerning the death of Cleopatra, with two asps or venomous serpents unto her arms or breasts, or both, requires consideration: for therein (beside that this variety is not excusable) the thing itself is questionable; nor is it in