CHAPTER IX.

The “ Utriusque Cosnii Historia ” begun, 1617 — Title — Svastika — a Sun Symbol — Macrocosm — Microcosm — Explained — Dedications — “ 0 Natura Naturans” — Views of Fludd on the Divine Immanence — King James his patron — Interview — The “Historia” never com- pleted— Illustrations in the text — Described — Circular Motion in Creation — Boehme — The Triangle the emblem of God — Original Darkness — Illustrations — His ideas those of Paracelsus — The separation of the lighter or purer and the denser part of substance — “ Materia Confusa” — Chaos — The three regions of the Macrocosm — The Habitation of God before Universe created — “ Darkness His Secret Place ” — “ Fiat lux ” — Clearest light, purest heat — The Abyss — The Music of the Spheres — Aristotle — Plato — Distaff of Necessity — Paths of the Planets — The Cross Movement of Light — Daemons in Three Hierarchies — Composition of Daemons — Lucifer — “ Anima quid?” — Anima Mundi — Jupiter — The Starry Heaven — The Sun — Fountain of all Life — Copernicus — Gilbert — Ptolemaic System — Mixed Bodies — Clouds, &c.
^HE year 1617 saw also the publication of the first part of the largest of Fludd’s works. It is entitled,
Utriusque Cosmi Maioris scilicet et Minoris Metaphysica, Physica Atque Technica Historia.” It promises to treat of these subjects in two volumes, “ Authore Roberto Flud alias de Fluctibus, Armigero et in Medicina Doctore Oxoni- ensi.” The first volume is to treat “ de Metaphysico Macrocosmi et Creaturarum illius ortu. Physico Macrocosm! in generatione et corruptione progressu.” This is the first treatise. The second, to be included in the same first volume, is, “ de Arte Naturae simia in Macrocosmo producta, &c., nempe Arithmeticam, Musicam, Geometriam, Per- spectivam, Artem Pictoriam, Artem Militarem, Motus et Temporis Scientiam, Cosmographiam, Astrologiam, Geoman- tiam.” The first part of the first volume was printed at
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Oppenheiin, “ ^re Johan-Theodori de Bry, Typis Hieronymi Galleri Anno 1617.” Flndd tells us^ the reason why his books were printed abroad in his controversy with Foster. ‘‘ 1 sent them beyond the seas, because our home-borne Printers demanded of me five hundred pounds to print the first volume, and to find the cuts in copper; but, beyond the seas, it was printed at no cost of mine, and that as I would wish. And I had 16 copies sent me over, with 40 pounds in gold, as an unexpected gratuitie for it.” At the first glance, the engraved title-page will show the enquiring reader that no ordinary work is before him. A mass of clouds surround the whole page. Below the title is a diao;ram of macrocosm and the microcosm. A four- fold cord surrounds the circle, which is being drawn by Time, represented as a winged being with hoofs, who, walking upon the clouds, draws the rope with both hands ; on his head stands the sandglass, which is surmounted by the “ svastika ” or cross.^ Looking at the circle below, we find the outer part, with the sun and moon, &c., enclos- ing the inner — the microcosm — in the circle of which stands, with feet and hands extended, touching the circle at all points, a naked youth. Surrounding the border are the signs of the Zodiac, and towards the centre certain circles, Pitiiita Sanguis Cholera.” The centre itself represents the earthl}^ globe. It may be useful to explain here what the terms “ macrocosmos ” and “ microcosmos ” mean. The former refers to “ the universe — the great world, including all visible and invisible things ” ; the latter, the little world. Usually applied to man. A smaller world is a
^ Squeesing of Foster’s Sponge, 21.
^ The use of this symbol by Flucld is remarkable. It is only recently that its widespread existence has been shown, by Prof. Max Muller and Mrs Murray-Aynsley, “a sun symbol” [and so a time symbol] “of the greatest antiquity, and still equally reverenced throughout the East b}"- Buddhists, Hindus, and Mahometans as a talisman of the highest conspicu- ou.sness and potency. The swastika has been found in nearly every country in Europe. . . . The swastika was an abbreviated emblem of
the solar wheel, with spokes in it, the tyre and the movement being indicated by the crampons” (Simpson’s “ Praying Wheel,” chap. vi. — “The Svastika” ; Murray-Aynsley’s “Symbolism,” 46-62.)
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microcosm if compared with a larger one. Our solar system is a microcosm in comparison with the universe, and a macrocosm if compared with the earth. Man is a micro- cosm in comparison with the earth, and a macrocosm if compared with an atom of matter. ^ Fludd’s work on the cosmos has prefixed to it two dedications ; one, Deo Optimo Maximo, Creatori Meo Incomprehensibili.” In this
From title page of volume i. of “ Utriusque Cosmi Historia.”
he adores God as the Spirit of Holy Order, who, after the faU of Adam, didst preserve in him the sparks of reason, and who, when Adam had immersed himself in the most wretched abyss of darkness, didst recussitate him, revive and raise him to the highest point of true knowledge. Fludd prays that he may be lifted up to a true resurrection, to share the joy of the heavenly country, and that God may
^ Hartmann’s Paracelsus, 36.
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be favourable and propitious to him, of all most unworthy. It is in the commencement of tliis dedication that the expression occurs, “ O Natura iiaturans,” addressed to the Deity.^ It has been supposed, from this and some other expressions in Fludd’s works, that he has advanced a doctrine of the Divine Immanence which betrays a strong pantheistic tendency.” ^ Certainly Flucld teaches the immediate presence of God in all nature. Spirit is the Catholic element of the universe. It is* invoked by the prophet to come from the four winds and vivify the dead bones.” ^ Fludd starts from the hypothesis that “ all things were compleatly and ideally in God and of God before they were made ; that from God all things did flow and spring, namely, out of a secret and hidden nature to a revealed and manifest condition.” This he illustrates from Trismegistus — “ God is the centre of everything, whose circumference is no where to be found.” '' Ipse est omnia in omnibus.”
But to return to the work before us. The second dedi- cation is to King James, whom he designs the minister, and one next in power to the Emperor of heaven and earth,” and for whom he wishes the fruition of light celestial by the illumination of the Holy Spirit. After commending the work to his patronage, Fludd subscribes himself, Tuae Majestati devotissimus et subditissimus B. Fludd.” It appears, according to our author, that “ King James, of everlasting memorie for his Justice, Pietie, and Great Learning, was by some envious persons moved against me . . but when I came unto him, and hee in his great
wisdome had examined the truth and circumstance of every point touching this scandalous report, which irregularly and untruly was related of me, hee found me so cleare in my answer, and I him so regally learned and gracious in him- self, and so excellent and subtile in his inquisitive objections, as well touching other points as this [the weapon salve],
^ This expression is that of Giordano Bruno, “ naturizing nature.” See Hunt, Sketches of Italian Renee., 312.
^ Nat. Dicty. of Big., m voce Fludd, R. ^ Hunt, Essay, 241.
4 Mos. Phil., 1659, p. 133-4.
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that instead of a checke (I thank my God), I had much grace and honour from him, and received from that time forward many gracious favours of him, and I found him my just and kingly patron all the days of his life.” ^ In defence of the Rosy Cross fraternity, Fludd addressed a Declaratio brevis ” to King James. This was with the intention of defending the society from the suspicions of theologians. ‘‘ To this declaration were annexed con- firmatory letters of French and German associates.”^
The great work on the Cosmos” was never completed. It was intended to have been in two volumes — the first, as noted above, to contain two treatises ; the second, three treatises. But it was only completed so far as the first section of the second treatise of the second volume. Although the work as we have it was not finished till the year 1624, it will be most convenient to take a view here of the whole, so far as issued. Perhaps the most interesting items in it are the copperplate illustrations. These are extremely curious. Following the dedication to King James is a folded sheet, entitled at the top, “ Integrae Naturrn speculum, Artisque imago.” The speculum ” is circular. At the top stand in cloud, surrounded by a glory, the Sacred Name ; a hand issuing holds a chain, which, going down, is fastened on tlie hand of the universal mother. She has a starry nimbus, and is adorned with the sun and moon on her breasts. From the sun, which covers the right breast, issues a fructifying shower. In her left hand she too holds a chain which stretches down to the Ape of Nature,” who is seated on the top of the earth applying a compass to a lesser circle, under which is the division of the sciences allotted to arithmetic. The '' Ape,” or “ imitator ” of Nature, represents Art in its different forms. The system, in circle, as drawn by Fludd, has at the three outermost regions, illumined by tongues of fire,
1 Squeesiug of Foster’s Sponge, 21.
Biog, Dicty. , in voce R. F. The MS. is still preserved in the Library of the B. Museum.
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three orders of angels ; cherubim highest, next seraphim, then what appear to be eitlier ransomed souls or more ordinary angelic beings. The next innermost circle is labelled Coelum Stellatum ” ; then follow seven sphserse, those of the planets ; then circles labelled Animalia, Vege- tabilia, Mineralia, Artes Liberaliores, &c. At either side are the male and female persons and qualities. On the male side, man, the lion, the serpent, the dolphin, grapes, trees, gold, lead, antimony, iron, the sign of Saturn, con- nected with the outer “ Sphmra Satni ni.” On the feminine side, we have woman, the eagle, the snail, the fishes, wheat, flowers and roots, silver, copper, Auripigmentum, sal Armoniacum,” with the sign of Venus, connected with the “ Sphfera Veneris.” Inner circles have on them the dif- ferent sciences, including emblems of the agricultural art. In the centre of all is the earth, on each side of which is a picture of the art of distilling. As mentioned before, the “ Ape of Nature ” sits upon the central globe. The soul of the world, Fludd tells us, according to Zoroaster and Hera- clitus, may be described as “ ignis invisibilis.” Nature, he adds in his explanation of this plate, ‘'Non Dea, sed proxima Dei ministra.”
The next plate represents the universe as newly formed, the central circle being the world in which we live, and shows the Temptation, Adam, Eve, the Serpent, indeed, a number of serpents and living creatures. Around the earth is the sea, in which are seen fishes and huge eels, or perhaps sea serpents, disporting themselves. Next is the atmosphere, in which birds are flying ; then the moon in its course, followed by the planets and the sun in their courses ; after which, in a fieiy region, are the angels and heavenly powers. At the upper side may be seen the Divine Spirit, in the form of a dove, surrounded by a nimlms and glory, flying heavenward, the creation being finished.
As all Fludd’s pictures represent the macrocosmos or universe in a series of circles, each one surrounding the preceding, a few words may here be said as to this circular
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idea. The creation tlius viewed is that in Holy Scripture — '' The Lord sittetli upon the circle of the earth.” Ezekiel the prophet “ first saw or heard a whirlwind out of the north ” (which ma}^ suggest to us the Almighty will of God as the impelling power), “ and he beheld a thick cloud, and
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a fire unfolding itself, circling and whirling about itself.” This lire is the ‘‘ wheel of birth ” — the “ hearth of Life, or the mother and nurse of Life.” This is the “ centrum naturae ” of this circle, the mid point is everywhere — “ cujus centrum ubique” — “active at all points, dominating and penetrating the whole region.” ^ Fire is the “ element” which first existed, or was created or evolved. Conse- quently, Fludd gives a picture of the sun in her full gioiy, adding, “ Sub hac enim forma Ethnici et praesertim Orientales Deum adorant.”
In the first chapter he desciibes “ natura ” as “ spiritus immensus, ineffabilis,” but not “ intelligibilis.” God is the artificer of all, he concludes from the consent of the most of the ancient philosophers, “ onine nomen habere, quoniara omnia sunt in ipso et ipse in omnibus.” Man is the image of God, “ in forma humana.” God is also figured, if that be possible, by the Triangle, of which Fludd gives a demon- stration— a Triangle within a circle ; the space outside it, but within the circle, is “ Coelum trinitatis.” Inside the Triangle are three inner circles of heavens— “ Empyreum, iEthereum, Elementare” — in the centre of all, the earth. Fludd goes on to speak in the succeeding chapters, “ De materise primse origine.” Some held, he tells us, that water was the original of all created things, others that a more solid, rudimentary, chaotic substance existed. He then gives his own opinion that the first material which existed was “ Ens primordiale, infinitum, informe, nec parvum, nec magnum.” Without motion, colour, or percep- tion, in fact, “ without form and void,” shrouded in darkness, he gives a square illustration, a black and
^ Martinsen’s Boehme, 76-78 ; also, Boehme, “Three Principles,” 1660, 7, 8, 15, &c.
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formless sheet of darkness, which he labels “ Et sic in infinitnm.” The most wise Maker of the world, who said, “ T am the light of the world,” the true light, and the father of lights, brooded upon the waters. Liglit was created first of all ; then the beginning of order took effect. Light is pure fire, undivided, yet capable of multiplying itself endlessly, and is of a divine nature. It is light which gives the angelic world its glory and splendour. God dwells “ in light inaccessible.” He now gives a repetition of his last illustration, but in the centre of the fonner blank darkness is a circle, from which radiates beams or oar-like projections of light. Order has commenced, chaos is being dispelled. Thus “ the Light is the life of men.” Thus from chaos, watery yet capable, and light acting upon it, is produced all substance, life, and action. The ideas here given are those of Paracelsus. The chaos has been compared to a receptacle of germs, out of which the macrocosmos and, afterwards by division and evolution in ' mysteria specialia,’ each separate being came into existence. All things and all elementary substances were contained in it — ' in potentia,’ but not ' in actu ’ — in the same sense as in a piece of wood a figure is contained which may be cut out by the artist, or as heat is contained in a pebble, that may manifest its existence as a spark if struck with a piece of steel.” ^
The purer part of the elementary substance rose into the upper, the heavenly, and more divine part of the macrocosmos, but the denser remained below. This applies also to angelic existences, and to the nature of man. Four di.stinctions are made. Seraphim,” Virtues and Powers, are ‘Hgnei”; “Cherubim,” Terrestres ; Thrones and Arch- angels, “ Acquatici” ; Dominions and Powers, “ Aerei.” Hence the expression, “ fountain of life ” ; hence the purging and cleansing, consuming fire spoken of by Moses and S. Paul. In splendour, light, and brightness the seraphim are next to the mansion, or dwelling-place of the Trinity. The same
^ Hartmann’s “ Paracelsus,” p. 42,
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four principles apply to the influence of the planets and the Zodiacal signs.
Fludd agrees with Paracelsus as to the nature of the chaos. He calls it “materia confusa et indigesta moles, in qua omnia, puta, quatuor elementa, erant confusa et commixta.”
As the first book of the treatise is entitled, “ De Macrocosm! principiis,” so the second proceeds a step onwards. It is, “ De Macrocosmi fabrica.” The macrocosm has three “ regiones ” — the highest, the middle, and the lower. The highest includes the “ heavens ” of the Trinity, the Empyreum, and the Crystallinum. The highest region is formed of perfect light and purest spirit. The middle region of the macrocosmos is the place of the stars. The state of this region is of a lesser light, and of a spirit neither very gross nor very subtile. The third and lower region is of three parts, of which the fli'st “ est ignis tabernaculum ” ; the second is the place of the earth ; the middle is the humid region of air and water ; the consti- tution of the inferior is light grosser and spirit less pure. The Archetypal world remains in the Divine mind. In illustration, the rapture of S. Paul and the vision in the first chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy are referred to.
The second chapter of this book deals with the awful question of the habitation of God before the creation of the universe. The eleventh verse of the eighteenth Psalm is quoted in explanation — “ He made darkness his secret place.” Although utterly uncompelled by any inward force, God formed in His mind what in form, structure, and essence the macrocosm should be. Through the power of love it became existent. The Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, is that hery love which, brooding over the watery chaos, imparted to it power and motion. All then formed and drawn forth was most subtile, simi:>le, anrl noble, and this power in the Spirit of God is acknowledged by the Ethnics. The Chaldeans called this power, pro- ceeding from the Father and the Word, the fiery love. This Spirit has, however, no form or shape.
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The saying of the Divine word, “ Fiat Lux,” is illus- trated by a diagram, in which, on a black square, is formed a circle. This circle is made by the Spirit of God in the form of a dove. At the top of the diagram is the Divine “ Fiat,” and light has been borne in a circular progress by the Divine Dove, which thus acts, returning back to the part from which the ‘"Fiat” issued. Hence the circular forms in the universe. But the heaven itself is pure light. The light of an oblique revolution dispelled all darkness. The supreme heaven, being the particular abode of the Deity, is, therefore, the abode of the clearest light and purest heat, which is evolved by the motion of the universe. It is from its fiery nature that Empyrean derives its name. The Crystalline — the sea in the revelation of S. John — refers to the clearness of an Enqwrean. There were in the chaos an infinite darkness in the abyss or bottomless depth, and water, and a subtile spirit intelligible in power, and there went out the holy lights, and the elements were coagulated from the sand out of the moist surface.” ^ The Empyrean was formed of three parts of the thinnest fire, and one part of the most subtile spirit. After treating of the nature of the second heaven, we come to the author’s ideas and thoughts as to the third heaven, after which follows special chapters — “ De elemento ignis,” De ele- inento terrse,” De sphyera media,” De elementorum forma ” — and with some experiments in natural science the