and discussion, we had better let the matter drop, and give the reason

why we have unearthed this tale, and then we shall be able to get on.

In the fulness of time, when the change was to take place, and the

earth-born race had all perished, and every soul had completed its

proper cycle of births and been sown in the earth her appointed number

of times, the pilot of the universe let the helm go, and retired to his

place of view; and then Fate and innate desire reversed the motion of

the world. Then also all the inferior deities who share the rule of the

supreme power, being informed of what was happening, let go the parts

of the world which were under their control. And the world turning

round with a sudden shock, being impelled in an opposite direction from

beginning to end, was shaken by a mighty earthquake, which wrought a new

destruction of all manner of animals. Afterwards, when sufficient time

had elapsed, the tumult and confusion and earthquake ceased, and the

universal creature, once more at peace, attained to a calm, and settled

down into his own orderly and accustomed course, having the charge and

rule of himself and of all the creatures which are contained in him, and

executing, as far as he remembered them, the instructions of his

Father and Creator, more precisely at first, but afterwords with less

exactness. The reason of the falling off was the admixture of matter in

him; this was inherent in the primal nature, which was full of disorder,

until attaining to the present order. From God, the constructor, the

world received all that is good in him, but from a previous state came

elements of evil and unrighteousness, which, thence derived, first of

all passed into the world, and were then transmitted to the animals.

While the world was aided by the pilot in nurturing the animals, the

Statesman