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was probably； like his friends of Basle； Montpellier； and Paris； somewhat
of a heretic at heart； probably somewhat of a pagan； while his lady； Anne
van Hamme； was probably a strict Catholic； as her father； being a
councillor and master of the exchequer at Brussels； was bound to be； and
freethinking in the husband； crossed by superstition in the wife； may have
caused in them that wretched vie e part； that want of any true munion
of soul； too mon to this day in Catholic countries。
Be these things as they mayand the exact truth of them will now be
never knownVesalius set out to Jerusalem in the spring of 1564。 On his
way he visited his old friends at Venice to see about his book against
Fallopius。 The Venetian republic received the great philosopher with
open arms。 Fallopius was just dead； and the senate offered their guest the
vacant chair of anatomy。 He accepted it： but went on to the East。
He never occupied that chair； wrecked upon the Isle of Zante； as he
was sailing back from Palestine； he died miserably of fever and want； as
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thousands of pilgrims returning from the Holy Land had died before him。
A goldsmith recognised him； buried him in a chapel of the Virgin； and put
up over him a simple stone； which remained till late years； and may
remain； for aught I know； even now。
So perished； in the prime of life； 〃a martyr to his love of science；〃 to
quote the words of M。 Burggraeve of Ghent； his able biographer and
mentator； 〃the prodigious man； who created a science at an epoch
when everything was still an obstacle to his progress； a man whose whole
life was a long struggle of knowledge against ignorance； of truth against
lies。〃
Plaudite： Exeat： with Rondelet and Buchanan。 And
whensoever this poor foolish world needs three such men； may God of His
great mercy send them。
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PARACELSUS ｛13｝
I told you of Vesalius and Rondelet as specimens of the men who three
hundred years ago were founding the physical science of the present day；
by patient investigation of facts。 But such an age as this would naturally
produce men of a very different stamp； men who could not imitate their
patience and humility； who were trying for royal roads to knowledge； and
to the fame and wealth which might be got out of knowledge； who
meddled with vain dreams about the occult sciences； alchemy； astrology；
magic； the cabala； and so forth； who were reputed magicians； courted and
feared for awhile； and then； too often； died sad deaths。
Such had been； in the century before； the famous Dr。 FaustFaustus；
who was said to have made a pact with Satanactually one of the
inventors of printingimmortalised in Goethe's marvellous poem。
Such； in the first half of the sixteenth century； was Cornelius Agrippa
a doctor of divinity and a knight…at…arms； secret…service diplomatist to the
Emperor Maximilian in Austria； astrologer； though unwilling； to his
daughter Margaret； Regent of the Low Countries； writer on the occult
sciences and of the famous 〃De Vanitate Scientiarum；〃 and what not？ who
died miserably at the age of forty… nine； accused of magic by the
Dominican monks from whom he had rescued a poor girl； who they were
torturing on a charge of witchcraft； and by them hunted to death； nor to
death only； for they spread the fablesuch as you may find in Delrio the
Jesuit's 〃Disquisitions on Magic〃 ｛14｝that his little pet black dog was a
familiar spirit； as Butler has it in 〃Hudibras〃：
Agrippa kept a Stygian pug I' the garb and habit of a dog … That was
his taste； and the cur Read to th' occult philosopher； And taught him subtly
to maintain All other sciences are vain。
Such also was Jerome Cardan； the Italian scholar and physician； the
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father of algebraic science （you all recollect Cardan's rule；） believer in
dreams； prognostics； astrology； who died； too； miserably enough； in old
age。
Cardan's sad life； and that of Cornelius Agrippa； you can； and ought to
read for yourselves； in two admirable biographies； as amusing as they are
learned； by Professor Morley； of the London University。 I have not
chosen either of them as a subject for this lecture； because Mr。 Morley has
so exhausted what is to be known about them； that I could tell you nothing
which I had not stolen from him。
But what shall I say of the most famous of these menParacelsus？
whose name you surely know。 He too has been immortalised in a poem
which you all ought to have read； one of Robert Browning's earliest and
one of his best creations。
I think we must accept as true Mr。 Browning's interpretation of
Paracelsus's character。 We must believe that he was at first an honest and
high…minded； as he was certainly a most gifted； man； that he went forth
into the world； with an intense sense of the worthlessness of the sham
knowledge of the pedants and quacks of the schools； an intense belief that
some higher and truer science might be discovered； by which diseases
might be actually cured； and health； long life； happiness； all but
immortality； be conferred on man； an intense belief that he； Paracelsus；
was called and chosen by God to find out that great mystery； and be a
benefactor to all future ages。 That fixed idea might degeneratedid； alas！
degenerateinto wild self…conceit； rash contempt of the ancients； violent
abuse of his opponents。 But there was more than this in Paracelsus。 He
had one idea to which； if he had kept true； his life would have been a
happier onethe firm belief that all pure science was a revelation from
God； that it was not to be obtained at second or third hand； by blindly
adhering to the words of Galen or Hippocrates or Aristotle； and putting
them （as the scholastic philosophers round him did） in the place of God：
but by going straight to nature at first hand； and listening to what Bacon
calls 〃the voice of God revealed in facts。〃 True and noble is the passage
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with which he begins his 〃Labyrinthus Medicorum；〃 one of his attacks on
the false science of his day；
〃The first and highest book of all healing；〃 he says； 〃is called wisdom；
and without that book no man will carry out anything good or useful 。 。 。
And that book is God Himself。 For in Him alone who hath created all
things； the knowledge and principle of all things dwells 。 。 。 without Him
all is folly。 As the sun shines on us from above； so He must pour into us
from above all arts whatsoever。 Therefore the root of all learning and
cognition is； that we should seek first the kingdom of Godthe kingdom
of God in which all sciences are founded 。 。 。 If any man think that nature
is not founded on the kingdom of God； he knows nothing about it。 All
gifts；〃 he repeats again and again； confused and clumsily （as is his wont）；
but with a true earnestness； 〃are from God。〃
The true man of science； with Paracelsus； is he who seeks first the
kingdom of God in facts； investigating nature reverently； patiently； in faith
believing that God； who understands His own work best； will make him
understand it likewise。 The false man of science is he who seeks the
kingdom of this world； who cares nothing about the real interpretation of
facts： but is content with such an interpretation as will earn him the
good things of this worldthe red hat and gown； the ambling mule； the
silk clothes； the partridges； capons； and pheasants； the gold florins
chinking in his palm。 At such pretenders Paracelsus sneered； at last only
too fiercely； not only as men whose knowledge consisted chiefly in
wearing white gloves； but as rogues； liars； villains； and every epithet
which his very racy vocabulary； quickened （it is to be feared） by wine and
laudanum； could suggest。 With these he contrasts the true men of science。
It is difficult for us now to understand how a man setting out in life with
such pure and noble views should descend at last （if indeed he did descend）
to be a quack and a conjurorand die under the imputation that
Bombastes kept a devil's bird Hid in the pommel of his sword；
and have； indeed； his very name； Bombast； used to this day as a
synonym of loud； violent； and empty talk。 To understand it at all； we
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must go back and think a little over these same occult sciences which were
believed in by thousands during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries。
The reverence for classic antiquity； you must understand； which sprang
up at the renaissance in the fifteenth century； was as indiscriminating as it
was earnest。 Men caught the trash as well as the jewels。 They put the
dreams of the Neoplatonists； Iamblicus； Porphyry； or Plotinus； or Proclus；
on the same level as the sound dialectic philosophy of Plato himself。
And these Neoplatonists were all； more or less； believers in magic
Theurgy； as it was calledin the power of charms and spells； in the occult
virtues of herbs and gems； in the power of adepts to evoke and mand
spirits； in the significance of dreams； in the influence of the stars upon
men's characters and destinies。 If the great and wise philosopher
Iamblicus believed such things； why might not the men of the sixteenth
century？
And so grew up again in Europe a passion for what were called the
Occult sciences。 It had always been haunting the European imagination。
Mediaeval monks had long ago transformed the poet Virgil into a great
necromancer。 And there were immense excuses for such a belief。 There
was a mass of collateral evidence that the occult sciences were true； which
it was impossible then to resist。 Races far more ancient； learned； civilised；
than any Frenchman； German； Englishman； or even Italian； in the fifteenth
century had believed in these things。 The Moors； the best physicians of
the Middle Ages； had their heads full； as the 〃Arabian Nights〃 prove； of
enchanters； genii； peris； and