D. Libavij & alioruin | ejusdem farinse caluinnias, quod

adinirabilia | nobis a Fraternitate R. C. oblata, sine im- I proba. Magia? impostura, aut Diaboli [)rgesti- | gijs illusionibus pra3stari possint. | Authore R. De Fivctibvs I Anglo. M D.L. | [Device.]
Lvgdvni Batavorvm, | Apud Godefridvm Basson. | Anno Domini 1617. |
8°. 6 in. Roman letter. A-AP, N" ; 196 pp : — 1 title, 2 blank, 3-4 to the reader, 5-16 Frooemium, 17-196 the work.
• Scbutzschrift | fur die Aeclitheit | der | Rosenkreutzer- oesellschal't, I von dem Itnglander, I Robert de Flue- tibus, I der Arzneygelahrlieit Doktor zu London. | Weofen seiner uberaus o-roszen Seltenlieit iind Wich- I tiofkeit liui Beo'eliren aiis clem Lateinischen ins
I o o ^ ^ ^ I
Deutsclie, zuedeich mit einigen Anmerkuno-en I iiber- setzt I von | AdaMali Booz | [Device.]
Leipzig, I verlegts Adam Friedrich Bohme. | 1782. I
8vo. German letter. A-U^ ; 320 pp : — 1 title, 1 blank at end, pp. 16 of preface.
- Tractatvs | Theologo-Philosoplncus, | In Libros tres distributus ; | Quorum | i. de Vita. | li. de Morte. | 111. de Resurrectione. | (dii inscruntur nonnulla Sa- paientite vetci’is, Ada- 1 mi infortiinio superstitis, frag- nu'iita : ex protiin- | diori sacrarnm Literarum sensu A lumine, a.t(]ue | ex linq)idioii A )i(]uidiori saniorum Pliilo- I sophorum fonte hausta atque | collecta, | . . . a I Rudolfo Otreb [v.c. Robert Fludd] Britanno. |
/
I
H9LLUV£LL- PHI/-LIP5 CT.O.^
^ bnef dcscf^atiofv of Hic, cmcicnl- omodEMx m&s pieoe>uccl (n i-he Poblic Libroi>4u, PUjnDoulH'. ho uMrticK cut otdctcci CjOrns, pagmeotB of eo>Uj U(feratU« VuJtHe»A-o unpiAiUahact. London. 1653
IncUuAao ox^^ob'iognjLpiriu of Dr. 'aijmon. Fbrrruxn. (’Or. Ptudci had od
, Jrom
hu> gvWLV booi^ ©f mssof fermcui'J
Gold ScVimi'clH 151‘^/fc'Sj,
APPENDICES.
253
Anno I ChrIstVs MVndo VIta | [1G17] Oppen- lieimii typis Hieronymi Galleri, | Imponsis loh. Theod. de Bry. |
4°. 7f in. A-Q“* ; 126 pp. +(1) leaf blank.
Falsely attributed to Fludd : — Religio | Exculpata | an tore | Alitophilo Religionis tluctibus dudiim im- mcrso ; tan- | dem per Dei gratiani & indefessam enataudi | Operam emerso. | Anno M.DC.LXXXIV.
4°. 7f in. A-Mnnn., pp. 459. 1 Title, pref. 2 pp., contents 4 pp.
2 blank leaves at beg., 1 at end. 2 ornaments, one at title and
one after Finis.
APPENDIX II.
FLUDD AND HUTCHINSONIANISM.
The writer of the article, ‘‘ Robert Fludd,” in the Dictionary of National Biography, states that the “ common ideas of this school, that the biblical text contains a store- house of hints for modern science, has lost interest, its potency expiring with the Hutchinsonians.” The writer of the article, ‘‘John Hutchinson” [1674-1737], in the same work, remarks that Hutchinson “ found a number of symbolical meanings in the Bible, and in nature and thought ; for example, that the union of fire, light, and air, was analogous to the Trinity. He maintained that Hebrew, when read without points, would confirm his teaching. . . . The love of scriptural symbolism seems to have
been the peculiarity which chiefly recommended him to his followers.” Hutchinson’s works form twelve octavo volumes, flrst issued in 1748, and supplemented in 1765. He had neither the ability nor the learning of Fludd, and it is scarcely correct to say that his opinions were of the same nature. I do not think that, among the endless refer- ences to learned works,* there will be found one single reference to Fludd in all the volumes of Hutchinson. Probably he was ignorant of his existence. Both writers, however, agreed as to the mystic and symbolic value of the Hebrew language. In a MS. in my possession, composed by one of the last of the Hutchinsonian school, the follow- ing axioms are laid down : —
254
DOCTOR ROBERT FLUDD.
1. The Hebrew was the first lanofuaofe, and it was the gift of God to man. The Almighty taught our first parents, or endowed them miraculously with the knowledge got immediately after their Creation in Paradise, by means whereof Adam was enabled to express his ideas and to give appropriate and descriptive names to every other creature in the whole universe.”
2. '‘It was also the language of heaven, for when the persecuting Saul was converted by our Lord, he heard His voice from heaven saying, in the Hebrew tongue, ‘ Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me ?’ ”
o. " The Greek tongue is but a corruption of the Hebrew.”
The writer then goes on to recommend to the reader “ Mr Hutchinson’s ' Moses’ Principia,’ part first and second.” This work was issued, anonymously, in 1724. It “ treats of invisible parts of matter, of motion, of visible forms, and their Dissolution and Reformation.” The second part (issued in 1727) treats “ of the circulation of the Heavens, of the cause of the motion and course of the Earth, Moon, &c., of the Religion, Philosophy, and Emblems of the Heathen before Moses writ, and of the Jews after.” In the beginning, “ the chaos of earthly bodies was in the sphere of water, and the chaos of airy bodies in the Airs, and ’tis likely the matter of each celestial Orb, within a determined separate Orb or sphere.” The Spirit of God was, in the operation of " moving upon the waters,” " merely a powerful created aofent.” It is the “ name used for airs in motion.”
o
Hutchinson’s attempt " to find Natural Philosophy in the Bible ” met with many supporters far more learnefl and able than himself Bishop Horne ; Parkhurst ; Jones, of Nay- land ; and Lord President Forbes, of Culloden, were among his disciples. An intelligent and enthusiastic following was also existent amongst the Scottish Episcopalians, bishops, presbyters, and laymen. Even men in humble life studied Hebrew without the points.^
Hutchinson’s curious work, " The Covenant in the Cherubim, so the Hebrew writings perfect, alterations by Rabbis forged,” “ showing the evidence from the Scriptures that Christianity was exhibited to Adam,” &c., is dated 1734. " Natural things were contrived to give us ideas of invisible, supernatural things. . . . Moses has showed, and I
^ See Walker’s Life of Dean Skinner, 163-173 ; Skinner’s Eccl. History, ii. 673, bt seq.
APPENDICES.
255
from him, that the Eternal Three became Elohim, created this system, consisting of two parts, Heavens and the Earth, and Man,” &cd Eternal generation ” is declared by Hutchinson to be a “ stupid and contradictory notion.” The result of these studies led to the rejection of the detinitions in the Athanasian Creed.” Thus its use in Scotland only dates from the nineteenth century, and that use was consistently opposed by the Hutch insonians. Moses was the Vice Eloliim,” and Aaron the “ High Intercessor.”^ The Gods of the '' heathen ” were but feeble images of the wonderful revelation of God in the Jewish Theocracy, in the Breastplate of the High Priest, the Cherubim on the Ark, the Fire in the Burning Bush, the Star of Balaam. The “ face of the man ” in the Cherubim was the face of Christ. The heavens also, ‘'framed by Almighty wisdom, are an instituted and visible substitute of Jehovah Aleim, the Eternal Three, the co-equal and adorable Trinity in Unity. That the unity of substance in the heavens points out the unity of essence, and the distinction of conditions, the personality in deity, without confounding the persons or dividing the substance.” ^
Hutchinson found all his theories in the Hebrew Bible. Fludd added to the witness of the Sacred Record that of the most ancient philosoph}\ He knew the depths of mystic theology and learning in a manner infinitely beyond any attempt of Hutchinson. In fact, the latter writer ridiculed the need of any outward assistance. The Rabbis were to him forgers, guilty of all evil. The Hebrew “ points ” were the production of apostate Jews at the Reformation time. Fludd again welcomed all assistance. The narrow platform in which Hutchinson set himself was no place for the great nature-mystic. The atmosphere of exclusive narrowness in which Hutchinson lived and moved in, would have choked the Kentish sage. In fact, the only connection between the two thinkers was the deep sense of the value of the Hebrew language, and of the supposed system of natural philosophy to be found, as they thought, in the Scriptures. “ Moses’ Principia ” and the “ Mosaic Philosophy ” are rather related in name than in nature. Fludd founded no school, as Hutchinson did. The latter has been described as a “ half educated and fanciful man of boundless vanity.” The contrast between the Oxford
^ Cherubim, 217. ^ Cherubim, 445. ® Skinner’s History, ii. 675.
256
DOCTOR ROBERT iLUDD.
scholar and gentleman, the tutor to some of the noblest youths of Ills time, the cultured and refined physician, whose perfect devotion to the Great Master of souls shines so brightly in his Tractatus Theologo-Philosophicus,” and the Yorkshire land agent, in some ways no doubt a worthy and painstaking student, but who had no training in youth either in letters or society, is so evident as to need no further demonstration.
APPENDIX III.
THE RELIGIO EXCULPATA.”
This volume is a small 4to of 459 pages. It has a very plain, rather coarse, title, and no illustrations. There are two ornaments. That at the title seems to represent an opening pomegranate, surrounded by foliage and flowers ; that at the end, a fruit of the same kind, ripe, and shedding its seed.
The title, “ Religio Exculpata, autore Alitophilo Reli- gionis ductibus dudum immerso, tandem per Dei gratiam et indefessam enatandi Operam emerso ” — no place of issue, but said to be from Ratisbon, merely “ anno M. DC. Lxxxiv. J. N. J.” — prefixes a preface of two pages.
The work itself consists of four sections : —
1. “ Religio Opponitur Irreligioni.” This contains eleven chapters.
2. Religio Concorporationem desiderat,” contains six chapters.
3. “ Religio nititur ambulare ad sanctitatem per Viam justitiae,” contains thirteen chapters.
4. “ Religio in timore cultum divinum peragere satagit,” contains twenty-five chapters.
The work bears no printer’s name. It is very odd why this book should have been considered as Fludd’s. It is probable that the word “ fiuctibus ” on the title- ])age, having caught the eye of a catalogue maker, or a bookseller, has been the cause of the error. The work is a Roman Catlmlic production. It sets forth in studied modest}^ and with some attractive force, the difierent distinguishing elements of that religion. It is true that the defence of the service of the altar, and of the vestments of the Church’s ministers, might have been written by a
APPENDICES.
257
member of the Church of England, and tlie statement in