Annotation
vpon
the
precedent
MORALL
.
IT
is
obserued
by
the
Learned
,
that
Adam
after
his
fall
or
defection
from
God
,
seeing
his
owne
nakednesse
which
hee
procured
to
himselfe
by
his
owne
disobedience
,
being
borne
in
a
Primitiue
freedome
of
will
,
to
haue
fled
for
refuge
,
or
couert
rather
,
to
a
shadie
Groue
in
the
Garden
,
imagining
to
exempt
himselfe
from
the
punishment
due
to
his
Sin
,
by
flying
to
the
shade
to
couer
his
Sin
;
implying
(
say
they
)
that
Man
no
sooner
erreth
,
then
hee
seeketh
some
sconce
,
some
defence
for
the
sinne
which
he
commiteth
.
But
hee
that
rewardeth
in
publike
,
discusseth
the
secrets
of
our
hearts
in
priuate
:
The
Night
is
to
him
as
the
Day
,
for
hee
seeth
not
as
Man
seeth
;
hee
that
securely
pretendeth
darkenesse
for
a
couert
to
his
sin
,
and
in
the
presumption
of
his
owne
security
expostulates
with
his
Creator
,
saying
,
Who
seeth
me
?
shall
receiue
his
reward
in
the
Land
of
Darknesse
;
for
the
secrecie
of
his
sinne
cannot
auoid
the
piercing
and
searching
eye
of
the
Lord
.
Let
him
therefore
stand
in
feare
of
Gods
Iudgement
both
in
the
Morning
and
Euening
,
that
he
may
shun
the
Arrow
that
flyeth
at
the
noone-day
,
and
the
Pestilence
that
killeth
in
the
Euening
.
The
Statue
of
AGATHOCLES
.
The
Argument
.
AGATHOCLES
,
a
Tyrant
of
Syracusa
,
caused
his
Statue
to
be
composed
in
this
manner
:
The
Head
of
Gold
,
Armes
of
Iuorie
,
and
other
of
the
lineaments
of
purest
Brasse
;
but
the
Feet
of
Earth
:
intimating
of
what
weake
and
infirme
subsistence
this
little-World
Man
was
builded
.
Whence
wee
may
collect
what
diuine
considerations
the
Pagans
themselues
obserued
and
vsually
applyed
to
rectifie
their
morall
life
;
where
instructions
of
Nature
directed
them
not
onely
in
the
course
of
humane
society
;
but
euen
in
Principles
aboue
the
reach
and
pitch
of
Nature
;
as
may
appeare
in
many
Philosophicall
Axioms
,
and
diuinely-inserted
sentences
in
the
Workes
of
Plato
,
Plutarch
,
Socrates
,
and
amongst
the
Latines
,
in
the
inimitable
Labours
of
Seneca
,
Boaethius
,
Tacitus
and
Plinius
secundus
.
Vpon
the
Morall
of
this
Statue
of
AGATHOCLES
,
insists
the
Author
in
this
Poem
,
concluding
with
this
vndoubted
Position
:
that
as
foundations
on
sand
are
by
euery
tempest
shaken
;
so
Man
standing
on
feet
of
Earth
,
hath
no
firmer
foundation
then
mutability
to
ground
on
.
The
POEM
.
AGathocles
,
me
thinks
,
I
might
compare
thee
,
(
So
rare
thou
art
)
to
some
choyce
Statuarie
,
Who
doth
pourtray
with
Pencill
he
doth
take
,
Himselfe
to
th'
Image
which
hee
's
wont
to
make
.
How
artfull
Thou
,
and
gracefull
to
by
birth
,
A
King
,
yet
showes
that
thou
art
made
of
earth
;
Not
glorying
in
thy
greatnesse
,
but
would
seeme
Made
of
the
same
mould
other
men
haue
beene
:
A
Head
of
Gold
,
as
thou
art
chiefe
of
Men
,
So
chiefe
of
Mettalls
make
thy
Diadem
;
Victorious
Armes
of
purest
Iuorie
,
Which
intimates
the
persons
purity
;
The
other
Lineaments
compos'd
of
Brasse
,
Implies
th'
vndanted
strength
whereof
thou
was
:
But
Feete
of
Earth
,
show
th'
grownd
on
which
we
stand
,
That
we
're
cast
downe
in
turning
of
a
hand
.
Of
which
,
that
we
may
make
the
better
vse
,
Me
thinks
I
could
dilate
the
Morall
thus
:
Man
made
of
Earth
no
surer
footing
can
Presume
vpon
then
Earth
,
from
which
he
came
,
Where
firmenesse
is
infirmenesse
,
and
the
stay
On
which
hee
builds
his
strongest
hopes
,
is
Clay
:
And
yet
how
strangely
confident
he
growes
,
In
Heauen-confronting
boldnesse
,
and
in
showes
Bearing
a
Gyants
Spirit
,
when
in
length
,
Height
,
bredth
,
and
pitch
he
is
of
Pigmies
strength
:
Yea
,
I
haue
knowne
a
very
Dwarfe
in
sight
,
Conceit
himselfe
a
Pyramis
in
height
,
Ietting
so
stately
,
as
it
were
in
's
power
To
mount
aloft
vnto
the
ayery
Tower
.
But
when
Man's
proud
,
I
should
esteem
't
more
meet
,
Not
to
presume
on
's
strength
,
but
looke
on
's
feete
,
Which
Nature
,
we
obserue
,
hath
taught
the
Swan
,
And
ought
in
reason
to
be
done
by
Man
.
Weake
are
foundations
that
are
rear'd
on
sand
,
And
on
as
weake
grounds
may
we
seeme
to
stand
;
Both
subiect
to
be
ruin'd
,
split
,
and
raz't
,
One
Billow
shakes
the
first
,
one
griefe
the
last
.
Whence
then
or
how
subsists
this
Earthly
frame
,
That
merits
in
it selfe
no
better
name
Then
Shell
of
base
corruption
?
'T
is
not
Brasse
,
Marble
,
or
Iuorie
,
which
,
when
times
passe
,
And
our
expired
Fates
surcease
to
be
,
Reserue
in
them
our
liuing
memorie
;
No
,
no
,
this
Mettall
is
not
of
that
proofe
,
We
liue
as
Those
vnder
a
shaking
roofe
;
Where
euery
moment
makes
apparant
show
(
For
want
of
props
)
of
finall
ouerthrow
.
Thus
then
me
thinks
you
may
,
(
if
so
you
please
)
Apply
this
Statue
of
Agathocles
.
As
he
compos'd
his
royall
Head
of
Gold
,
The
pur'st
of
Mettalls
;
you
are
thereby
told
That
th'
Head
whence
Reason
and
right
Iudgement
springs
Should
not
be
pester'd
with
inferior
things
:
And
as
his
actiue
sinnewie
Armes
are
said
(
To
shew
their
purenesse
)
to
be
Iuored
,
Like
Pelops
milke-white
shoulders
;
we
are
giuen
To
vnderstand
,
our
Armes
should
be
to
Heauen
(
As
to
their
proper
Orbe
)
enlarg'd
,
that
we
Might
there
be
made
the
Saints
of
purity
:
By
rest
of
th'
parts
which
were
compos'd
of
Brasse
,
(
Being
of
bigger
bone
then
others
was
)
We
may
collect
Men
made
of
selfe
same
clay
,
May
in
their
strength
doe
more
then
others
may
.
Lastly
,
on
Earth
as
Men
subsistence
haue
,
Their
Earthly
feet
doe
hasten
to
their
Graue
.