Nature hath made one World, and Art
another. In brief, all things are artificial; for Nature is the Art of
God.

[Sidenote: _Religio Medici_]

There is surely a piece of divinity in us, something that was before the
Elements, and owes no homage unto the Sun. Nature tells me I am the
Image of God, as well as Scripture: he that understands not thus much,
hath not his introduction or first lesson, and is yet to begin the
Alphabet of man. Let me not injure the felicity of others, if I say I am
as happy as any: _Ruat coelum, Fiat voluntas tua_, salveth all; so that
whatsoever happens, it is but what our daily prayers desire. In brief, I
am content, and what should providence add more? Surely this is it we
call Happiness, and this do I enjoy; with this I am happy in a dream,
and as content to enjoy a happiness in a fancy, as others in a more
apparent truth and reality. There is surely a nearer apprehension of
anything that delights us in our dreams, than in our waked senses;
without this I were unhappy: for my awaked judgment discontents me, ever
whispering unto me, that I am from my friend; but my friendly dreams in
night requite me, and make me think I am within his arms. I thank God
for my happy dreams, as I do for my good rest, for there is a
satisfaction in them unto reasonable desires, and such as can be content
with a fit of happiness. And surely it is not a melancholy conceit to
think we are all asleep in this World, and that the conceits of this
life are as near dreams to those of the next, as the Phantasms of the
night, to the conceits of the day. There is an equal delusion in both,
and the one doth but seem to be the emblem or picture of the other; we
are somewhat more than ourselves in our sleeps, and the slumber of the
body seems to be but the waking of the soul. It is the ligation of
sense, but the liberty of reason, and our waking conceptions do not
match the Fancies of our sleeps. At my Nativity, my Ascendant was the
watery sign of _Scorpius_; I was born in the Planetary hour of _Saturn_,
and I think I have a piece of that Leaden Planet in me. I am no way
facetious, nor disposed for the mirth and galliardize of company; yet in
one dream I can compose a whole Comedy, behold the action, apprehend the
jests, and laugh myself awake at the conceits thereof: were my memory as
faithful as my reason is then fruitful, I would never study but in my
dreams; and this time also would I chuse for my devotions: but our