The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 2Browne, Thomas, Sir
Religion
The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 2
Browne, Thomas, Sir
Christianity; Ethics; Religion and medicine
And this they looked upon, not with reference unto heat, but
cœlestial influence upon the faculties of man, in order to religion
and all sagacious invention; and from hence derived the abundance and
great fertility of _Egypt_, the overflow of _Nilus_ happening about the
ascent hereof. And therefore in hieroglyphical monuments, _Anubis_ is
described with a Dogs-head, with a Crocodile between his legs, with a
sphere in his hand, with two Stars, and a water Pot standing by him;
implying thereby, the rising and setting of the Dog-star, and the
inundation of the River _Nilus_.
But if all were silent, _Galen_ hath explained this point unto the life;
who expounding the reason why _Hippocrates_ declared the affections of
the year by the rising and setting of Stars; it was saith he, because he
would proceed on signs and principles best known unto all Nations. And
upon his words in the first of the Epidemicks, _In Thaso Autumno circa
Equinoxium et sub virgilias pluviæ erant multæ_, he thus enlargeth. If
(saith he) the same compute of times and months were observed by all
Nations, _Hippocrates_ had never made any mention either of Arcturus,
Pleiades or the Dog-star; but would have plainly said, in _Macedonia_,
in the month Dion, thus or thus was the air disposed. But for as much as
the month Dion is only known unto the _Macedonians_, but obscure unto
the _Athenians_ and other Nations, he found more general distinctions of
time, and instead of naming months, would usually say, at the Æquinox,
the rising of the Pleiades, or the Dog-star. [SN: _How the Ancients
divided the seasons of the year._] And by this way did the Ancients
divide the seasons of the year, the Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer.
By the rising of the Pleiades, denoting the beginning of Summer, and by
that of the Dog-star, the declination thereof. By this way _Aristotle_
through all his books of Animals, distinguishing their times of
generation, latitancy, migration, sanity and venation. And this were an
allowable way of compute, and still to be retained, were the site of the
Stars as inalterable, and their ascents as invariable as primitive
Astronomy conceived them. And therefore though _Aristotle_ frequently
mentioneth this Star, and particularly affirmeth that Fishes in the
Bosphorus are best catched from the arise of the Dog-star, we must not
conceive the same a meer effect thereof. Nor though _Scaliger_ from
hence be willing to infer the efficacy of this Star, are we induced
hereto; except because the same Philosopher affirmeth, that Tunny is fat
about the rising of the Pleiades, and departs upon Arcturus, or that
most insects are latent, from the setting of the 7 Stars; except, I say,
he give us also leave to infer that these particular effects and
alterations proceed from those Stars; which were indeed but designations
of such quarters and portions of the year, wherein the same were
observed. Now what _Pliny_ affirmeth of the Orix, that it seemeth to
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