A dialogue between an East-Indian brackmanny or heathen-philosopher, and a French gentleman concerning the present affairs of Europe Tryon, Thomas, 1634-1703. 1683 Approx. 37 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 13 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-07 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A35867 Wing D1301 ESTC R32400 12670072 ocm 12670072 65478 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A35867) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 65478) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1525:21) A dialogue between an East-Indian brackmanny or heathen-philosopher, and a French gentleman concerning the present affairs of Europe Tryon, Thomas, 1634-1703. [2], 22 p. Printed and sold by Andrew Sowle ..., London : 1683. Attributed to Tryon by NUC pre-1956 imprints. Reproduction of original in the Harvard University Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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A Dialogue between an East-Indian Brackmanny , or Heathen Philosopher , and a French Gentleman , &c. Heathen . SIR , I will not be so inquisitive as to ask what Accident or Occasion brought you into these Oriental Regions . Be it either Curiosity , or Business , a natural desire of improving your Understanding , or intention of Commerce , I speak you heartily welcome , and shall to my power be ready to serve you , esteeming it both my Duty and my Happiness , to do good Offices to all the Creation , and especially to Strangers , as standing many times most in need of them . French-man . Worthy Sir , your Civilities have rescued me from that common Error of thinking , that out of Europe or the Pale of Christendom dwells nothing but Rudeness and Barbarism . I find no less Courtesie in this , than in the other Hemisphere ; and perceive People may be born at some thousand Leagues distance , under different Climates , and where the same Stars are never seen ; nay , which is more , under various Religions and Rites of Worship , wholly strange to each other , and yet may agree well enough , if they would give their Minds to it , in the practice of the common Duties of Humanity . Heathen . There is no doubt of it Sir ; for the Modes and Customs of your Country differ just as much from Ours as Ours do from Yours ; and therefore we are not for that variety to scorn or laugh at , much less hate and plague each other ; but rather impartially consider which is most agreeable to Nature , to the noble divine Principle , and the real benefit of humane Life — But waving this Discourse , pray what is the present News in Europe ? French-man . That Question will lead us to the very Antipodes of what we were discoursing of ; for nothing is more frequent among us than Contentions , Controversies and Wars . Heathen . For what , I pray ? French-man . Some for Empire , some for Glory , but most about Religious points , and the nearest way to Heaven . Heathen . Now in my Opinion , neither of these things should administer occasion for such Violences and Confusions . For if men considered the weight and cares of Empire , those that are without it would rather fly from than fight for it . And that Prince's Dominions are wonderous small that cannot imploy all his Vertues in meliorating his own Subject , rather than in invading , oppressing and ruining those of his Neighbours . Nor can I understand , that any Glory is to be got by destroying men . I think 't is rather matter of Praise to beget them . Your Alexander and your Caesar ( for we have heard of their Names , and the former spread the Venom of his Ambition even into these parts ) made some Millions Fatherless , yet could neither of them boast of one Son of his own , but both dyed Childless . And then for Religion , that methinks should teach you quite the contrary , especially your Christian Doctrine , which ( I have heard ) enjoyns you to love your Enemies , to turn the left Cheek to him that smiteth you on the right , &c. French-man . 'T is very true , the Principles of our Religion are such , but the general Practice now-a-days runs quite contrary . Heathen . And yet Practice is the Life of any Religion : If you do verily believe those Principles of Christianity to be true , why do you not follow them in your Conversations ? If you do not believe them , why do you call your selves Christians ? If you do believe them , and yet resolve not to practise them , you are wilful obstinate Rebels , and greater Affronters of Christianity than we that do not make profession of it . Can any thing be more absurd than to turn Earth into a kind of Hell , under pretence of driving men to Heaven ? and to commit Murders and Cruelties for the sake of the God of Life and Love ? Alas , Sir ! the infinite Deity delighteth not in Manslaughter ; Strife , War and Contention enter not into his Tabernacle : Above , all is clear , bright , serene , calm and quiet ; 't is in the lower Regions of the Air only , that Storms are generated , and Thunder and Lightning break forth . God is no Respecter of Persons , but ( as your own Prophets say ) every one that doth well is accepted of him ; he causeth the blessed and glorious Body the Sun to shine on the just and unjust , and commands the sweet Influences of the Coelestials to fall upon all : The Blessings of the four Worlds are equally distributed to all men , as well Inferior as Superior . He sustains and preserves the universal Systeme of Nature by the hand of his out-spread Providence ; and when the Sons of Men , by their sinful Vanities , Oppressions and Violences have awakened his Wrath , he does not presently dart down the Thunder-bolts of his Vengeance on their guilty Heads , but first sends his Brackmannys to tell them of their Evil , and call them to Repentance . And if Man-kind will walk in the right Way , and dwell in the everlasting Regions of Bliss , they must endeavour to imitate their Creator , whence our Seers call Man the Image or Likeness of God , and the Horizon of both Worlds , since in him the superiors and inferiors are united . Now if People would study to be truly like their Maker , Violence , War and Oppression would have no place in the World. French-man . I perceive you are much for peace and quietness ; yours is a strange Religion indeed that will not allow of the Noble Feats of Arms , and the Arbitrament of the Sword. Heathen . For ought I can hear , your Religion allows the same as little as mine , and threatens , that whoever uses the sword , shall perish by the sword . French-man . And yet the Cause , or at least the Pretence of most of our Wars is Religion ; and 't is by the Profession of Arms that men amongst us become great and honouroble . Heathen . If Killing be so honourable , Butchers sure with you are a worshipful Company . French-man . Butchers of Beasts are but meanly regarded , but Butchers of Men are celebrated as the only Hero's . Heathen . And after what fashion , I pray , do these Hero's live ? French-man . For the most part , they are such as love to eat to Gluttony , and think that day ill spent wherein they are not drunk ; their Discourse is nothing but Boasts and Rhotomontado's , intermixt with such horrid Oathes and Blasphemies , that modest men tremble more at their Talk , than for fear of the fury of their Arms ; where-ever they come they carry Ruin and Confusion with them , destroying Men and debauching Women , deflouring of Virgins , ravishing of Matrons , Robbing , Plundering , firing of Houses , devouring what they can , and destroying the rest is , their Profession and Delight ; and this they call Living at Discretion . Heathen . If these be the Christian Hero's , I wonder what are your Devils ? I hope these are none of those that you said do contend so much about the Right way to Heaven . French-man . Yes , I 'le assure you , none more ready to Kill and Damn all that will not be of the Religion they pretend to . We have in our Country a parcel of People called Hereticks and Hugenotes , their Conversation is generally Iust and Honest , and they are Peaceable and Obedient to their King , and as ready to serve him , and do good to their Neighbours as any : But they will not joyn with us in our Religions , Opinions and Ceremonies . Heathen . As how , I pray ? French-man . Why , they will not acknowledge our supream Caliph at Rome to be Infallible : They will not say their Prayers to a Statue , an Image , or a Picture , because they fancy those fine things can neither hear them , nor help themselves : They will not own that the Bone , or a piece of the Garment of a man who is himself many Years agone dead and rotten , can Cure them of Diseases , or preserve them from Dangers ; But especially when we give them a piece of Bread , and tell them 't is Flesh , Blood and Bones , they think 't is Bread still , and are so impudent as to believe their own Eyes before the dictates of our Priests . Heathen . Why ! Do you your selves believe and practise these Absurdities ? French-man . Ye marry , and would Burn you too , if you were in some parts of Christendom , and durst say you did not believe them as well as we . Heathen . Then I bless the good and infinite Beeing , that I have no business in such a Christendom . But pray proceed with the Story of your Hugenotes . French-man . We endeavoured to suppress and root them out by severe Laws , and open Wars , but finding that Course ineffectual , we resolved upon a Stratagem to cut them off ; pretended to be very kind to them , and that we desired a perfect Reconciliation , and to that purpose made a Match between one of the chief of that Party and a great Lady of ours ; to solemnize this Wedding , the principal Hugenotes repaired from all parts of the Kingdom , and had the greatest Assurances given them of Friendship . But one Night whilst they suspected nothing , Souldiers being drawn together , at a certain Hour fell upon them in all parts of the City , destroying Men , Women and Children , so that in two or three Hours time , there were above ten Thousand of their dead Bodies flung naked into the Streets , and the Channels flowed with their Heretical Blood : And at that time Messengers were sent to other Cities and Towns to do the like , so that in a few dayes there were above forty Thousand of them slain . Was not this a noble expression of Zeal for Religion ? Heathen . God keep such bloody Zeal still from our Indian Territories . Do your Priests allow of such doings ? French-man . Allow ! Yes and applaud them too , they are the Men that excite us to these gallant Exploits , and for a Reward for these Services , do forgive us all our Sins , and assure us of Heaven . Heathen . I know not what they may pretend ; but this I know , that God is Love , and that such barbarous Cruelties are to him an Abomination ; And to speak truth , so long as men continue Obstinate , Revengeful and Contentious , and suffer the wild savage Nature , and bitter Spirit to reign in their Hearts , neither Men nor God can forgive them ; for Inequality and Discord cannot move Equality : such a Spirit is contrary to the divine Nature , and therefore cannot expect Forgiveness till 't is changed and transformed . For men cannot draw nigh to the Fountain of Benignity , nor be heard of the Soveraign Beeing , but as they become like unto him , for every like is moulded by its likeness ; Blood requires Blood , but the Merciful shall find Mercy from the God of Peace and Compassion , whose Mercies never fail . For this cause we have for many Generations totally abstained from all Violence , Oppression and Killing , either of Man or Beast ; for the Groanings and Miseries of those Creatures that suffer Wrong , are the beginnings of Trouble and Sorrow to those that do it , and do certainly stir up and awaken the fierce Wrath in Nature , as the Loadstone attracts Iron . French-man . These are pretty Notions , but methinks impracticable : For if we Europeans should live the Life you talk of , and lay aside Arms , and not vindicate our Religion and Liberties by the Sword , we should be over-run , and be made the greatest of Slaves . Have not you heard of the Inroad made ( at this Instant ) by the Turks into Germany ? Now would you have us stand with our Arms a cross , and suffer them to over-ran all Christendom ? Heathen . I pray , what do you account the occasion that moved the Turk to this Expedition . French-man . Why , the Emperor of Germany in certain of his Territories , had some of those Hereticks that I described to you but now , and he would force them to be of his Religion , and to compell them thereunto , seized on their Priests , and clapt them into Dungeons and Prisons , where they were starved and pined away in Want and Misery ; and others he sold for Slaves , and sent Souldiers amongst them to kill and destroy all that would not Conform to his Ceremonies : Hereupon they took Arms in their own defence , and observing their Brethren to live free from such Violences , and enjoy their Religion under the Turks , paying only such Tribute , they desire the Turk to protect them , which offends the Emperor , and so the Quarrel encreasing , the Turk sends an Army against him . Heathen . This confirms and illustrates what I assert ; for here you see this Deluge of Calamity had not happened to Germany , had they not first stirred up the Wrath , and caussesly vexed their Neighbours . It appears plainly these Flames arise from Sparks of their own kindling ; besides , Experience shews that none are such Vassals , and subject to so many Miseries as those that give themselves to the use of Arms , viz. to Guns , Swords , and the like Weapons of wrath , and most of them perish by the use of them . For our own parts , 't is true we do live in subjection , and under the burthen of many great Taxes , which are levied on us at the pleasure of the Princes we live under ; but then they protect us from the Injuries of the Multitude , allowing us our free Egress and Regress through their Dominions , and unquestioned Liberty for the Exercise of our Religion and manner of living : They do not endeavour to peep into our Breasts , and examine our Opinions , or punish us for not thinking as they do . We go freely about our occasions ; nor do they permit every Idle Fellow to take away our Goods , nor give us abusive Words , or hurry us to loathsom Prisons ; nor are our Sons forced into the Wars : They threaten no Punishment to us , provided we do not offend the civil Laws ; for they matter not what gods we worship , nor after what fashion , so we are just to men , and live peaceably , and pay our Tribute . If they have our Money , they know they cannot want Men that will Fight for two Pence a day : But we value our Health , our Lives , Liberties and Religion , more than Money . We all drink Water , and the fragrant Herbs , wholsom Seeds , Fruits and Grains suffice us abundantly for Food : Our Stomachs are clean , our Appetites sharp , so that we taste the inward Virtue of each thing , and sing Songs of Praise to the Creator , who affords unto us the plenty of the Earth , and the pleasant Dews of Heaven ; so that as Fish live in the Salt and Brackish Ocean , and yet their Flesh is fresh and sweet ; so we in the midst of a tempestuous troublesom World live Calm , and as it were in Paradise . French-man . I am glad to hear you esteem your selves so happy ; there are few Mortals that are so content with their Lot , but are whining , repining , complaining , and alwayes on the Tenter-hooks of new Hopes and Desires . Heathen . And the reason is , because they forsake Nature , and let loose their Desires , which having once cast off the Bridle of Moderation , run on without stop or Bounds . French-man . But I perceive you are for Liberty of Conscience , and that every one may follow his own Opinion and Phantasie ; and if so , we should have a mad World ; such a License is destructive to Government , and the very Nurse of Rebellion . Heathen . I do not well understand what you mean by Opinion and Phantasie , People will think as they list , do you what you can . But this I know , that he that fears God , and hurts not his Neighbour , oppresseth not the Creation , and obeys the civil Laws of that Country he lives in , and freely pays all Duties and Tributes to the Princes that protect him , is a good and faithful Subject to God and his King. Nor have we any temptation to Rebellion , for to us all Governments are alike , as long as they protect us from Violence . I have read something of your Europian Affairs ; and if I mistake not , in France , Spain , &c. where the Laws are to force People to be all of a mind , there have been abundance more Rebellions , Insurrections , Plots and Conspiracies against the Government , than in Countries , where Liberty of Conscience is publickly allowed ; whence I rather infer , that not the indulging , but restraining Liberty of Conscience is the grand Cause of those Disorders amongst you . 'T is certain , every man ought to have Liberty in Well-doing , and to be punished only for the contrary . And we Baunians scarce know any thing that is a greater Evil , than for men to Contend , Hate , Envy , Oppress , Fight and Destroy one another , because they are not in all particulars like themselves : For men naturally are as various in their Intellects , as in their Shapes , Forms and Complexions ; for the Shape and Form of every Body is according to the Nature , Equality or Inequality of the Spirit . The Lord hath made all things to differ ; there is not any two things in the four Worlds alike in all particulars ; therefore whosoever is offended with another , because he is not perswaded , or does not understand just as he does , is in truth offended with his Maker , who is the author of that Variety . If two things were exactly in all respects alike , they must become the same ; the nearest similitude of things is made by casting them in a Mould , and yet even then they differ . French-man . You say right , and therefore to make all mens Vnderstandings of asize , our Church-men prepare Moulds for them , viz. Creeds , Liturgies , Systems of Divinity , and the like , wherein they cast and fashion all mens Vnderstandings , so that none but must own those , though he do not understand a Word of them ; nor must dispute them ; though his Heart and his Brain tell him they are false and impious . Heathen . This is much such an Uniformity as I have heard in some of your Books , was practised by the Tyrant Procrustes , who dwelling near a common Road , seized all Travellers , and carried them to his Bed , which was framed exactly for his own Stature , and if their Bodies were longer , chopt off their Feet or Heads to make them fit , and if too short , strained their Bones and Sinews out with Engines to a due proportion ; Was not this Gentleman a great lover of Decency , Order and Uniformity ? If there were not Variety , there would be no Motion , for it is the various working Power , and as it were Strife between the Properties that causeth all Vegetation and Manifestation ; if there were but one thing , there would be nothing , or a standing still , which the Iews great Prophet seems mystically to shew , when he saith , God made all things out of Nothing : For there was no Manifestation or Appearances before God moved himself on the Face of the Waters ; which moving , seems to signifie the Strife of the various Forms , Qualities and Properties of the hidden Nature , without which nothing could be generated . But here I must be silent , for we are counted Heathens already , and I do not know what worse Censures may pass upon us , if we too far explain those Notions , which though founded in Nature , are yet so disagreeable to the Conceits and Practice of the Multitude . But this we are sure of , that men ought not to hate or suppress any thing but Evil ; for Man's most deadly Enemies are within himself ; whence one of the wisest of the Iews Kings affirmed , That he that overcame his own Lusts and Passions was a greater Conqueror than he that subdued a City . French-man . For my own part I shall for the future be more careful how I credit Reports ; we in our Country are told by our Learned , that you are meer Heathens , Infidels , Idolaters and Worshippers of the Sun , Moon , and all the Host of Heaven . Heathen . I nothing wonder that you Europians should be mistaken about us , who live so remote , since you seem so little to understand the Opinions of each other amongst your selves , every one misrepresenting the Sentiments and Doctrines of all that differ from him . 'T is true , we do highly esteem and admire all the heavenly Host , and those Refulgent Quires of the Coelestials , especially that glorious Eye of the World , the Sun , as being the Handy-Works and Wonderful Powers of the incomprehensible Creator , and think it part of our Duty to express our Gratitude and Veneration to the one only Fountain whence all those amazing Wonders proceed ; for he that contemns the Streams cannot truly honour the Fountain . Do not your own Prophets teach you to Honour Rulers and Governours , because they derive their Government from God ▪ And if you do not only worship and bow the Knee one to another ( who are at best but brittle animated Dirt ) but also reverence the Works of your own Hands , as a man cloathed in goodly Rayment , and the like , how much more ought we to have in high Veneration those wonderful Fountains of Light , Heat , Motion and Vitality , which are the manifested Powers of God , and his upper Vice-gerents and Lieutenants over the lower World ? Did not you tell me but now that you esteemed your Hugenotes worthy of Death or Persecution , because they would not pay Esteem and Adoration to a few painted Clouts , the Pictures of their fellow-Creatures , which you call Saints , not knowing whether they be truly so or not ; and yet will you condemn our Brachmans , for directing their Esteem to these glorious Master-pieces of the Creation ? If you count such lifeless pittiful things , as Wood and Stone , or things painted and fashioned by Man , fit to be Representations of your Godds , and means whereby to enliven your Phantasies and Minds to an higher degree of Devotion ( which was the sole intent of the first Inventers of those things ) what regard then ought we not to have of those living Powers of God , the Coelestial Bodies , by whose sweet and friendly Influences all created Beeings are preserved and nourished ? What is more exciting to a well-disposed Mind than to behold that glorious Body the Sun , with the innumerable Train of Stars , and the various Species in the four Worlds ? or what doth more ravishingly declare the Greatness , Goodness , and eternal Wisdom of the immense Creator ? This is a Book we study , in which the grand Charter of Nature , and the holy Mysteries of God are recorded , and we think we do not Err in preferring it before the endless and contentious thwarting Volumns of the Talkative Philosophers and Wrangling School-men . French-man . I have been told , and you seem to own it , That you will not Kill any of the inferior Creatures , nor eat their Flesh ; but I pray , hath not Man power to do as he pleaseth with those Creatures ? and were not the made for that very purpose ? Heathen . God hath made all Creatures inferior to Man , who hath freedom to use and do unto them all as he pleaseth , having free will to chuse either Good or Evil ; but he that follows the better and leaveth the worse , chuseth the better part , and is made God's Friend , and in Amity with all the Creation ; for man is a likeness of all things , and contains their true Natures and Properties ; and therefore whatever he giveth himself unto , the same becomes strong in him , be it Virtue or Vice : For which cause , our well-advised Fathers commanded us , our Wives and Children , to abstain from all kinds of Violence and Oppression , especially to those of our own Species , that thereby our Souls might be preserved from being precipitated into Wrath , and so retain Humanity , and the more noble Faculties of our Souls unspotted , as well as our Bodies rendred wholsom , clean , and fit to be Temples for the divine Spirit , esteeming Abstinence , Cleanness and Separation to be the true Paths that lead to all external and eternal Bliss ; it being in our Opinion an unfit , and altogether unworthy thing , that the great , noble and immortal Soul of Man should so much degenerate from its high and illustrious Birth , as to joyn or suffer it self to be incorporated with the low and savage Nature of Beasts . Nor do we think it lawful for us to heat our Veins , and distemper our Blood with Wine , since Water more kindly quencheth our Thirst ; the innocent and fragrant Herbs and Fruits of our Gardens afford us ample Satisfaction ; and we should be ashamed to make our Bodies the Graves of the inferior Creatures ▪ And though our Princes are sometimes harsh and severe to us , yet we pacifie them with meek , submissive and humble Behaviour . And since as little as possible we can , we hurt not any thing , therefore nothing hurts us , but live in perfect Unity and Amity with all the numberless Inhabitants of the four Worlds , doing by them as we would be done unto , whereby we dis-arm their Rage , and their Fury finds no place against us . French-man . But pray tell me how long you have led this kind of Life ; and whether your Sons and Daughters do follow your Religion and Examples ; for amongst the Europians nothing is more common than for Youth to degenerate , and wander after the Multitude , and abandon their Fathers Rules , especially if they should be but half so singular as you are . Heathen . As for the Antiquity of our Course of Life , I think for the greater part , I may date it from the Worlds Original . Your own Doctors teach , that Adam , the first man , was placed in a Garden , and that the green Herb and Tree bearing Fruit was to be to him for Meat ; and do generally agree that afterwards , at least during the old World , viz. to the time of the Flood ( which was in the Year of the World , 1616. ) eating of Flesh was not allowed or practised ; and though afterwards it was practised , yet 't is probable it did not obtain with all : But there is reason to believe that still the better and more reserved sort did abstain ; For about the Year of the World , 3300. ( near the time that your holy Records mention Ierusalem to be besieged by Nebuchadnezzar ) we find the famous Philosopher Pythagoras flourishing , who expresly taught his Followers ( which by reason of his Parts and Virtues were not a few ) not to eat any Flesh , but content themselves altogether with Vegetables ; and this great man travelling for the acquest and diffusion of Knowledge into divers parts , left not our India unvisited , and there planted this wholsom Doctrine , which ever since hath not wanted Observers , derived down by a continual Succession to our Times . 'T is true , our Ancestors have obliged us to some things , which may seem frivolous and vain , as not to kill any kind of Vermin , which are very offensive to the Life of Man : But indeed these Prohibitions well regarded , shew their more deep Wisdom and Fore-sight ; for they did consider , that their Philosophy would not only be embraced by Wise Men , but also by a great number of Fools ( as the most part of all men are , in one thing or another ) and if they should have permitted them to have killed any kind of Creatures , the Foolish would have concluded , they might by the same Rule as well kill others , and so by degrees come to kill men , as most other Nations do . Besides , not only our cleanly regular temperate Lives free us from many of those Vermin wherewith others are troubled , but we take it for a Rule , that such as would live an abstemious separated Life from Evil and Violence , must refrain from some things that are lawful , as well as from those that are unlawful ; as one of your Prophets says excellently , All things are lawful , but not expedient . Touching our Sons and Daughters , they all constantly follow our Foot-steps , and it hath very rarely been known , that any of them have forsaken the Precepts of their Fathers ; being descended from a Root of Temperance and Equality , they are naturally Sober and Temperate , for they use not Tippling-Houses , nor spend their Patrimony in drinking Wine , Gaming , Debauchery and Gluttony ; so that the more Children we have , the Richer we esteem our selves , they proving no more chargeable to us than Lambs do to Sheep : They all marry Wives of our own Tribe and Religion , and there is no dispute about either Portion or Joynture : Their greatest Pleasure and chief Recreation is to contemplate the Heavens , and their glorious furniture , the Sun , Moon and Stars in their various Motions and Configurations , as also the pleasant Gardens , Groves and Fountains , and to free the Inhabitants thereof from the Tyranny and Bondage of men as much as in them lies : And so through the whole course of our Lives , abstaining from all that tendeth to Evil , and promoting what we can the good of the whole Creation ; we endeavour to imitate the adorable Maker and Conserver of the Universe , whose Off-spring we are , and in whom we live , and move , and have our Beeing . French-man . You have not only gratified my Curiosity , but in several things informed my Vnderstanding . And I heartily wish that your Virtue and Morality were crowned with true Christianity , and our Christianity embellisht with the real practice of your Virtue , Temperance and Moderation . And so bid you Farewell . To shew that the recommending Abstinence from Flesh , is no new upstart Conceit , I shall here add those notable Verses of the ingenious Poet Ovid , written above 1600 Years ago , in his Metamorphosis , as I find them translated by Sandys , where he brings in the famous Philosopher Pythagoras ( from whom the Indian Bannians derive their Doctrine ) thus discoursing . FOrbear your selves , O Mortals , to Pollute With wicked Food , Corn is the generous Fruit. Apples oppress their Boughs , plump Grapes the Vine , Thousand sweet Herbs and savoury Roots combine With beautious Flowers of most fragrant scent , Your nice and liquorish Pallates to content . The prodigal Earth abounds with genele Food , Affording Conquests without Death or Blood : But Beasts with Flesh their ravenous Hunger cloy , And yet not all ; Horses in Pastures joy , So Flocks and Herds : But those whom Nature hath Endu'd with Cruelty and savage Wrath , Wolves , Bears , Armenian Tygers , Lyons , in Hot Blood delight . How horrible a sin ! That Intrails , bleeding Intrails should Entomb ! That greedy flesh , with Flesh should fat become ! Whilst by the Livers Death the living lives , Of all , which Earth , our bounteous Mother gives , Can nothing please , except they Teeth in Blood And Wounds , and stygian Fury be imbrew'd ? Naught satiate the wild variety Of thy rude Paunch , unless another dye ? That good old Age , that innocent Estate , Which we the Golden call , was fortunate In Herbs and Fruits , her Lips with Blood undy'd ; Then Fowls through th' Air their Wings in safety ply'd The Hare then fearless wandred o're the plain , Nor Fish by their Credulety were slain ▪ Not taught , was Man , that fawning Treachery , All hv'd secure , till he that did envy ( What Daemon e'er it was ) those harmless Cates , And cramb'd his Guts with Flesh , set ope the Gates To cruel Crimes . But first , these slaughtering harms , A fire of zeal at holy Altars warms ; Enjoyning Sacrifices with the Blood Of Savage Beasts , which made our lives their food . Thus the wild Boar for rooting up the Corn , And leaving painful Plow-mens hopes forlorn , Was thought to merit Death : Vine-brouzing Goats Do next to angry Bacchus yield their Throats . What harm have poor Sheep done , whose Udders swell , And yield of Nectar a perpetual Well ? Supplying man with their soft Wool , and are Alive than Dead , more profitable far . Or what the Ox , a Creature without Guile Inur'd to Patience and continual Toil ? He most ungrateful is , deserving ill The gift of Corn , that can unyoke , then kill . The Husband-man that Neck with Ax to wound , Is too severe , that plow'd his stubborn Ground ; So oft Till'd , so many Crops brought in , Yet not content therewith , ascribes the Sin , To guiltless Godds , as if the Powers on high In Death of labouring Innocence could joy . Whence springs so dire an Appetite in man To interdicted Food ? O Mortals ! can Or dare you feed on Flesh ? Henceforth forbear , I you intreat , and to my words give ear , When Limbs of slaughtered Beasts become your Meat , Then think and know , that you your Servants Eat . FINIS .