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
Now in the Picture of this Saint and Souldier, might be implied the
Christian Souldier and true Champion of Christ. A horseman armed _Cap a
pe_, intimating the _Panoplia_ or compleat armour of a Christian;
combating with the Dragon, that is, with the Devil; in defence of the
Kings daughter, that is, the Church of God. And therefore although the
history be not made out, it doth not disparage the Knights and Noble
order of St. _George_: whose cognisance is honourable in the Emblem of
the Souldier of Christ, and is a worthy memorial to conform unto its
mystery. Nor, were there no such person at all, had they more reason to
be ashamed, then the Noble order of _Burgundy_, and Knights of the
Golden Fleece; whose badge is a confessed fable.
CHAPTER XVIII
Of the Picture of _Jerom_.
[Sidenote: _Clocks no very ancient invention._]
The Picture of _Jerom_ usually described at his study, with a Clock
hanging by, is not to be omitted; for though the meaning be allowable,
and probable it is that industrious Father did not let slip his time
without account; yet must not perhaps that Clock be set down to have
been his measure thereof. For Clocks or Automatous organs, whereby we
now distinguish of time, have found no mention in any ancient Writers
but are of late invention, as _Pancirollus_ observeth. And _Polydore
Virgil_ discoursing of new inventions whereof the authors are not known,
makes instance in Clocks and Guns. Now _Jerom_ is no late Writer, but
one of the ancient Fathers, and lived in the fourth Century, in the
reign of _Theodosius_ the first.
It is not to be denied that before the daies of _Jerom_ there were
Horologies, and several accounts of time; for they measured the hours
not only by drops of water in glasses called Clepsydræ, but also by sand
in glasses called Clepsammia. There were also from great antiquity,
Scioterical or Sun Dials, by the shadow of a stile or gnomon denoting
the hours of the day: an invention ascribed unto _Anaximines_ by
_Pliny_. Hereof a memorable one there was in _Campus Martius_, from an
obelisk erected, and golden figures placed horozontally about it; which
was brought out of _Egypt_ by _Augustus_, and described by _Jacobus
Laurus_. And another of great antiquity we meet with in the story of
_Ezechias_; for so it is delivered in _King._ 2. 20. That the Lord
brought the shadow backward ten degrees by which it had gone down in the
dial of Ahaz. [SN: _A peculiar description and particular construction
hereof out of_ R. Chomer, _is set down_, Curios de Caffarel. chap. 9.]
That is, say some, ten degrees, not lines; for the hours were denoted by
certain divisions or steps in the Dial, which others distinguished by
lines, according to that of _Persius_
_Stertimus indomitum quod despumare Falernum
Sufficiat, quintâ dum linea tangitur umbra._
That is, the line next the Meridian, or within an hour of noon.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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