The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Vol. 2 (Classic Reprint)

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Excerpt from The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Vol. 2 Notwithstanding, upon enquiry we find no mention hereof in ancient zoographers, and such as have particularly discoursed upon animals, as Aristotle, Ælian, Pliny, Solinus, and many more, who seldom forget proprieties of such a nature, and have been very punctual m less considerable records. Some ground hereof I confess we may allow, nor need we deny a remarkable affection in pelicans toward their young, for Ælian, discoursing of storks, and their affection toward their brood, whom they instruct to fly, and unto whom they redeliver up the provision of their bellies, concludeth at last, that herons and pelicans do the like. As for the testimonies of ancient fathers, and ecclesiastical writers, we may more safely conceive therein some emblematical, than any real story: so doth Eucherius confess it to be the emblem of Christ. And we are unwilling literally to receive that account of Jerom, that perceiving her young ones destroyed by serpents, she openeth her side with her bill, by the blood whereof they revive and return unto life again. By which relation they might indeed illustrate the destruction of man by the old serpent, and his restorement by the blood of Christ: and in this sense we shall not dispute the like relations of Austin, Isidore, Albertus, and many more, and under an emblematical intention, we accept it in coat-armour. As for the hieroglyphick of the Egyptians, they erected the same upon another consideration, which was parental affection, manifested in the protection of her young ones, when her nest was set on fire. For as for letting out her blood, it was not the assertion of the Egyptians, but seems translated unto the pelican from the vulture, as Pierius bath plainly delivered. Seel quad pelicanum (ut etiam aliis pleriague persuasum est) rostra pectin diseecantem pingunt, its ut suo sanguine filios alat, ab Ægyptiorum historia valde alienum est, bill enim vulturem tantum id facers tradiderunt. And lastly, as concerning the picture, if naturally examined, and not hieroglyphically conceived, it containeth many improprieties, disagreeing almost in all things from the true and proper description. For, whereas it is commonly set forth green or yellow, in its proper colour it is inclining to white, excepting the extremities or tops of the wing feathers, which are brown. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully, any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.