CHAPTER X.

1618 — Second part of the “ Historia ” — Two Editions — Title Page — Fludd’s Personal History in the Dedication— Arithmetic — Music — Geoniancy — This part when prepared — Ideas of Letters — Temple of Music on Mount Parnassus — Illustrations — Fludd’s New Instrument of Music — Optics — and experiments — Painting — Mermaids — Geometry — — Figures — Military Art — Fortifications — Plates — Motion — Machines — From the Four Elements — Time — Dialling — Cosmography — Maps — Geomancy — History of this — Fludd at Avignon — Uses of Geomantic Art — The Jesuits and the Youth — The Divine Message can be given through the body.
next year, 1618, saw the publication of the first edition of the second part of the “ Historia Technica.” It is entitled Tractatus Secundus De Naturae Simla sen Technica macrocosm! historia, in partes undecim divisa.” It was issued from Oppenheim by Theodore de Bry. A second edition, exactly the same as the first, was issued at Frankfort in 1624, “ Sumptibus haeredum Johannis Theodori de Bry ; Typis Caspar! Rotelii.” The title page is interesting. It is, however, cut in halves rather awkwardly for the second edition. Being engraved, it was not possible to alter the date to suit the second issue, so the upper part of the plate was cut off — a pillared and figured top — the com- pletion of the first edition is amissing in the second. The lower part of the picture is therefore the same in both editions, and consists of a circle bounded by pillared sides. In the centre of the circle the “ Ape of Nature,” in true simian form, is seated on the top of the globe, with a pointer in his right paw. The outer circle is divided into eleven parts, which have filled into them emblems, or rather picture scenes, representing arts and sciences. These
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are, arithmetic, music, geometry, the pictorial art, the military art ; de tempore, viz., the horological art ; the art de cosmographia, astrologia, the geomantic art. This elaborate work, full of curious pictures, plans, and plates, extends to 788 pages, besides the index.
To us the introductory note, “ Lectori Benevolo,” is interestinof, for in it are contained a few items of Fludd’s personal history, otherwise unknown to us. It consists of two pages in bold type. In it Fludd informs the benevolent reader that, in foreign and ultramarine regions, shortly after his graduation, he spent about six years in France, Spain, Italy, and Germany ; he was solicited by princes and other noble friends of his to give instruction.
The first treatise in the tractate, that on Arithmetic, was composed for the private instruction of Charles de Loraine, Duke of Guise.
Those on Geometry, Perspective, and on the Military Art, for a noble youth of the highest hopes, dead alas, by violent means, Francis de Loraine, knight of the Guisian family.
The portion of the tractate on Music, et artem me- morise,” for the Marquess de Orizon and Viscount de Cadenet. The part on Cosmography he dedicates to the memory of his father, '' cujus anima sit in benedictione.”
That on the art of Geomancy he prepared in the last year of the reign of Elizabeth (1603), for a most noble person of the Papal family, the Vice-Legate of Avignon. The part on Motion and that on Astrology, for his dearest friend, Peinault of Avignon, a young gentleman, learned, and of most pleasing and affable character. '' Et sic in ceteris.” He adds that he has issued the treatises to assist such as are desirous of study, being assured that, without the aid of the liberal arts, no perfection in science can be attained.
The first part of the second treatise is of universal arithmetic, in eleven books. It is illustrated with several “ specula,” each in a series of circles, with the usual figures
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of cube, pentagon, pyramid, &c. Chapter vii. treats, “ De nuineris Musicis” ; chapter viii., “De numeris Geomanticis” ;