Another collection of philosophical conferences of the French virtuosi upon questions of all sorts for the improving of natural knowledg made in the assembly of the Beaux Esprits at Paris by the most ingenious persons of that nation / render'd into English by G. Havers, Gent. & J. Davies ..., Gent.

CONFERENCE CXCIV. What Paracelsus meant by the Book M.

I Shall not stand to consider whether it be true, as some say, that more persons besides Theophrastus ab Ohenheim bore the name of Paracelsus; my present purpose is only to consider a passage lately recited here out of his Archidoxa; At{que} haec omnia (saith he there) parùm vulgaria de Medicina supernaturali & Magica, ex libro secreto ex Arabico idiomate in Latinum ver∣so qui pro titulo habet Literam M. In which words we may observe how remote this Author's manner of Writing is from that of the Doctors of these times; yea, and of former too, (if you except the Chymists) who mainly aim to speak clearly, and to render themselves intelligible, many of them professing to wish that things themselves could speak. From which practise this Author is so far, that he conceals even the Book's name wherein he studied, by a kind of Plagium, hiding his Theft, lest others should trap him; and the same Jealousie runs through all his Works. However, for Curiositie's sake, let us consider what Titles will sute to this Letter. Me-thinks the fittest is Mundus, that great Book, open to all that are minded to read in it; that to which Job, David, and many other Authors sacred and pro∣fane so frequently refer us; each Element whereof is a Tome, every Compound a Book, and every part thereof a Letter. All other Books are only Copies of this Original, to which if they happen to have conformity, they pass for good; if not, they are meer Chimera's, having no foundation in the thing. Hence ari∣seth that so remarkable difference between the Theory and the Practise of Arts; for almost all Books being false Copies of this of the World, no wonder if Book-doctors are most commonly ignorant of Things, whose solid Contemplation produces other satisfaction in the informed Intellect, than do the empty Phansies

of those who either never understood what they writ, or had not the gift of right expressing it. And certainly we may have more exact and natural information from the species of things them∣selves, than either the Writing or Speech of another person can give us.

The Second said, That this Book M. is the Book of Magick; whence many have believ'd Paracelsus a Magician, and the rather in that they find him teaching in many places of his Books to cure diseases by words, and to produce men by inchantment in a great bottle, with other such abominable proposals, not to be accom∣plish'd but by Diabolical assistance. Moreover, we seldom see any persons so bold as to attempt to overthrow so ancient an Institution as Physick, both in Theory and Practise, but who are led to that enterprise either by God or the Devil: And the con∣tinual calumnies and detractions, whereof this evil spirit is the Author, and for which Paracelsus and his followers so signalize themselves, give farr more probability of the latter than of the former. Whence, possibly, to disguise the matter, most Magicians pretend to have learnt their Characters out of some Book, as, particularly, that which they call Clavicula Solomonis.

The Third said, That it may be Magick, and yet lawful, to wit, true and Natural Magick, such as was profess'd by the In∣dian Magi, three of whom having discover'd our Saviour's Birth, came to worship him; the other black and infamous Magick, no more deserving that name, than Empiricks and Mountebanks do that of Physicians. Now Natural Magick is the knowledge of the nature and properties of all things hidden to the vulgar, who take notice only of manifest qualities, and reduce all to generali∣ties, to avoid the pains of seeking the particular virtues of each thing; and therefore 'tis no wonder if they see only common effects and successes from them. Thus Plants bearing the signa∣ture or resemblance of a disease, or the part diseased, as Lung∣wort, Liverwort, Pepperwort, cure by a property independent on the first qualities, though few understand so much. Of this kind are many excellent Secrets, whose effects seem miraculous, and as much surpass those of ordinary remedies, whose virtues are collected only from their appearing qualities, as the Soul doth the Body, and Heaven Earth.

The Fourth said, That by the Book M. cannot be meant Mundus, since the World cannot be turn'd into Arabick and La∣tine; and 'tis not a Secret but a Figure and Metaphor to call the World a Book. If it be lawful to admit a Figure in it, I think 'tis more likely that this Book is nothing else but a Talismanical Fi∣gure, or Character engraven in a Seal, and employ'd by the Ro∣sie-Crucians to understand one another; and call'd the Book M, because it represents an M cross'd by some other Letters, from whose combination results the mystery of the Great Work, de∣signing its matter, vessel, fire, and other Circumstances; the first

whereof is Dew, the true Menstruum or Dissolver of the Red Dragon or Gold. In brief, so many things are compriz'd in this figure, by the various combination of the Letters represented therein, that it deserves well to be term'd a Book.

The Fifth said, If this be the Secret of the Brethren of the Rosie-Cross, they are Invisible in all their proceedings; because no Secret is seen in it, but only many absurdities. As, amongst others, to call that a Book, which is neither Paper, nor Parch∣ment, nor Leaf, but a Figure; in which 'tis no wonder if they find what they please, since in these three Letters Sic, variously interlac'd one with another, you may find not only all the Let∣ters, but also by their combination all the Books and all the things which are in the World; and it requires no more indu∣stry than to found all sorts of notes upon a Flageolet. Let us therefore rather say, That Authors who puzzle their Readers minds with such Figures, are as culpable as those are commenda∣ble, who feed them with true and solid demonstrations; and whereas we thought that this M signifi'd Mons, we now see that it signifies no more than Mus; according to the ancient Fable of the labouring Mountains, out of which upon the concourse of people to the spectacle, issu'd forth nothing but a Mouse.

The Sixth said, That high Mysteries have alwayes been veil'd under contemptible, and oftentimes ridiculous Figures; as if the wisdom of the sublimer Spirits meant to mock those of the vulgar, who judge of things only by appearance. Which may have place in common effects; but as for extraordinary things, their causes are so too, whereof we have experiences in Nature sufficiently manifest. There is no affinity between a word and the death it gives to a Serpent; yet the Poet attests the thing in this Verse,

Frigidus in pratis cantando rumpitur Anguis;

between the sight of a little bird call'd a Wit-wall, and the Jaun∣dies, which it cures; between the Figure call'd Abacus Lunae, and the Meagrim, which is also cur'd thereby; between a point ty'd, and the Generative Power which it hinders. In brief, the most excellent effects are of this kind, and deserve not the name of admirable, unless when our mind finds no connexion be∣tween the effect and the cause that produceth it. Why then may not the same reality be admitted between this Character and the effects pretended by those Brothers of the Rosie-Cross?