A Discovrse of Fire and Salt: Discovering Many Secret Mysteries as well Philosophicall, as TheologicallVigenère, Blaise de
Religion
A Discovrse of Fire and Salt: Discovering Many Secret Mysteries as well Philosophicall, as Theologicall
Vigenère, Blaise de
Alchemy -- Early works to 1800; Fire -- Early works to 1800; Salt -- Early works to 1800
and know not what to say thereof, only it is gone in verity as I say:
If any one would untie this knot, would indeed do me a great pleasure:
I will leave it to mix with others, to come to the particular praises
of salt, without which, saith _Plinie_, we could not live civilly. All
the grace, gentility, ornament, pleasures and delights of humane life,
cannot bee better expressed then by this word; which extends also to
the pleasures of the soul, the sweetnesse and tranquillity of life,
and to a Soveraign rejoycing and repose of all troubles and sorrows.
It renews the pricks and amorous desires to beget its like, and hath
obtained this honorable quality of Souldiers, and of pleasant and
witty words, and joyous meetings, without hurt to any; from whence it
should be called the Graces. According to which St. _Paul_ saith in the
4 to the _Col._ 6. _Let your speech be alwaies with grace, seasoned
with salt._ And in the end it is the seasoning of all our viands,
which without it would remain unsavoury and without tast. So that it
is said to right sense in the common proverb, there is nothing more
profitable then the sun and salt. So _Plinie_ discourseth thereof, in
the place alledged, and _Plutarch_ in his book and 4 question of his
Symposiacques, without salt we can eat nothing agreeable to the tast,
for bread it self is more savoury if it be mingled therewith: therefore
ordinarily in Churches and covering of tables, they couple _Neptune_
with _Ceres_, for salt things are as if it were an allurement and a
spur to excite appetite: So that before any other nouriture wee take
that which is sharp and salt, whereas, if they begin with others they
would incontinently prostrate themselves. That which hath no tast
can it be eaten without Salt? _Job._ 6. 6. Salt also renders drink
more delicious, and it is of infinite other uses and commodities of
life, that holds more of man; whereas the privation thereof, makes it
brutall. It is furthermore a mark and symbole of Justice, because it
guards and conserves that to which it is introduced and fastened. Of
Amity also, and Gratitude, sutable to that in the first of _Esdras_
chap. 4. where the Lieutenants of King _Artaxerxes_ writ to him in
this manner. _We remember the salt thou gavest us in thy Palace, we
would not fail to advertise thee faithfully of what shall come to our
knowledg concerning the service of thy highness._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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