society by such vanities as Astrology, Alchemy, and their kindred
empirical employments. Look at the centuries wasted, and worse than
wasted, in studying such intellectual abortions, and in writing
thousands of volumes of inanity to uphold falsehood and delude the
unwary. What the sword has done physically, the pen and the wand of the
sorcerer have done mentally, in prostrating the intellectuality of
mankind.
It would tend to promote the progress of society at large, if education
were so far general that the acquirements of the middle and lower
classes should act on the upper classes as a stimulant to the pursuit of
those higher branches of study, which mostly fall to the lot of the
nobility and men of fortune: whose birth and ample means otherwise
relieve them from all incitements other than such as are fostered by the
necessities of public office. With title and fortune, and no ambition
to hold public employment, any education is thought to be sufficient
that serves to obtain the usual dignities, and to give that polish which
completes the accomplished gentleman. To the spread of education alone,
can we look with any reliance for the downfall, or at least the
diminishing of the hold on the human mind which Chimeras of every order
usurp in our own, in common with every other country.
Among other works that might be consulted by the curious in such
matters, in the Libraries of the British Museum, the Patent Office,
Chetham College Manchester, &c.; may be named, on ASTROLOGY,--B. Porta's
Works, folio, 1616;--The Compost of Ptolomeus, Prince of Astronomie,
1645;--W. Ramsey's Vox Stellarum, 8vo., 1652;--The Geomancie of Maister
Christopher Cattan, 4to., 1608;--Dr. John Dee's Work on Spirits, folio,
1659;--J. Goad's Astro-Meteorologica, folio, 1686;--Godfridus's Work on
the Effects of the Planets, &c., 1649;--M. Manilius's System of the
Ancient Astronomy and Astrology, &c., 8vo., 1697;--John Merrifield's
Catastasis Mundi, 4to., 1684;--Jo. Holwells's Catastrophe Mundi, 4to.,
1682;--with many others of modern date.
On ALCHEMY,--Ashmole's Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum, 4to., 1652;--Dr.
John French's Art of Distillation;--Four Books of J. S. Weidenfeld,
4to., 1685;--A Philosophicall Epitaph, in Hierogliphicall Figures,
1673;--George Ridley's Compound of Alchemy, 1591;--Roger Bacon's Art
and Nature, (in French,) 1557; his Mirror of Alchemy, 1597; his
Philosopher's Stone, or Grand Elixir, 8vo., 1739; Theatrum Chemicum, 6
vols., 8vo., 1659-61;--Sandivogius's New Light of Alchymie, 4to.,
1650;--Opuscula quædam Chemica, 8vo., 1514;--The Works of Geber,
1678;--Hermes Trismegistus's Works, collected in Theatrum Chemicum, 4
vols.;--Raimond Lully's De Secretis Naturæ, 1541;--Crollius's Philosophy
Reformed and Improved, in four profound Tractates, 1657;--Beguinus (J.)
Trocinium Chymicum, or Chymical Essays, 8vo., 1669;--Artis Auriferae,
Quam Chemiam Vocant (a collection of treatises), woodcuts, 2 vols. 8vo.
1593;--Balduinus's Aurum Superius et Inferius Hermeticum, plates, 1675;
Beccheri's Physica Subterranea, Lipsiæ, 1738 (with supplement), 8vo.,
1681-80; with many others, ancient and modern. Interesting compendious
treatises will be found in Dr. Thomas Thomson's History of Chemistry,
("The National Library,") 2 vols., 12mo., 1830; Justus von Liebig's
Familiar Letters on Chemistry, edited by Dr. Blyth, 8vo., 1859. And--
On MATHEMATICAL and MECHANICAL Chimeras, many popular notices may be
found in Encyclopædias; and particularly in Dr. Hutton's Mathematical
Dictionary, 2 vols., 4to.; and the Author's "Perpetuum Mobile; or,
History of the Search for Self-Motive Power; with an Introductory
Essay," post 8vo., 1861; to which work, a second series will shortly be
added.
CHIMERAS OF SCIENCE.
INTRODUCTION.
Although the present lecture seems to require some introductory remarks,
they must necessarily be brief--our time being limited and this
discourse rather discursive; yet it is sufficiently condensed to suit
the present occasion, and illustrates fully the truthfulness of the
axiom that--_A little learning is a dangerous thing_: from its tendency
to inspire its possessors with vanity rather than with the humility
which always accompanies profound knowledge.
You are no doubt all, or most of you, well acquainted with the use made
of Astrology and Alchemy in the dramas of Shakspeare--"The Antiquary" of
the "Wizard of the North"--the "Strange Story" of Lord Lytton--the
"Faust" of Goëthe; and are probably familiar with the more instructive
works of Scott on Demonology, and of Brewster on Natural Magic. Now we
always find that fiction is more suitable than truth for romantic
writings; truth is circumscribed, but the fictions whether of Astrology,
Alchemy, or any other pseudo-philosophy are erratic, the delight of
poets and romance writers, being the comets and _ignes fatui_ of many
popular compositions in our light literature.
There is no end of fabulous writings of the class we call novels and
romances, and no end of deceptions which we patronize as tricks of
legerdemain; the one gratifies our imagination and fancy, the other
takes our common sense by surprise; but all these are harmless because
only presented to us for our amusement.
Delusion, however, assumes a startling character when romance in the
form of mystic writings, and jugglery in the form of pretended
communication with the spirit-world demand our respect and serious
attention, by claiming to have a divine origin. But hallucination of the
human intellect, as we shall see, is not confined to such remote
visionary speculations, and it is not unimportant to remark that in
mathematics, as in physics, and in other branches of investigation,
there is a singular persistency in upholding errors.
A contemporary astrologer, assuming the pseudonym of Zadkiel, tauntingly
observes in his preface to a recent publication: "_This is the age of
inquiry_; and yet prejudice continues to press down her leaden foot upon
the neck of examination in this matter"--that is, Astrology. Now with
this reproof before us we hope to discuss the subject with becoming
propriety.
ASTROLOGY.
The splendour of the sun by day, the glories of the firmament by night,
together with the sublimity of all celestial phenomena, attract alike
the attention of the most simple and the most intellectual among
mankind. The distance, the magnitude, and the grandeur of the entire
planetary system while exciting emotions of awe, reverence, and devotion
among the mass of the human race, have at the same time been studied
from the earliest period of man's history to the present time
superstitiously by one class of observers, and scientifically by
another.
As the telescope was not invented before the 17th century, it is evident
that the study of Astronomy without that instrument must previously have
been pursued under amazing difficulties; and we might have expected that
when first used by Galileo at Venice in 1609, its introduction would
have been hailed without a dissentient voice. Such, however, was not the
fact, according to Sir David Brewster,[8] who says:--
"The principal Professor of Philosophy at Padua resisted Galileo's
repeated and urgent entreaties to look at the moon and planets through
his telescope; and he even laboured to convince Cosmo de Medici, the
Grand Duke of Tuscany, that the satellites of Jupiter could not possibly
exist. Sizzi, an astronomer of Florence, maintained that as there were
only _seven_ apertures in the head--_two_ eyes, _two_ ears, _two_
nostrils, and _one_ mouth--and as there were only _seven_ metals, and
_seven_ days in the week, so there could only be _seven_ planets. He
seems (eventually), however, to have admitted the visibility of the four
satellites through the telescope; but he argues, that as they are
invisible to the naked eye, they can exercise no influence on the earth;
and being useless they do not exist."
[8] See his "_Martyrs of Science_."
Such being the crude state of astronomical science in the 17th century,
it must have been comparatively imperfect throughout all preceding
centuries; and open to mystical appropriation and abuse by Egyptians,
Chaldeans, Hindus, Chinese, and European and other ancient astrologers.
Among that motley group the most learned were found strangely associated
with ignorant impostors, and their activity in writing and travelling
served to spread their different systems over the entire civilized
world. It was not until late in the 17th century that Astrology could be
absolutely declared to be in its decline. In England, William Lilly,
the Sidrophel of Hudibras, and the most famous astrologer of his time,
died in 1681, leaving behind him his _Introduction to Astrology_,
together with many other works of the same character.
Astrology is merely a philosophism, being empirical, wholly visionary, a
mere fanciful system compounded of incongruous mixtures of astronomical
with human events, of mythology with theology, and of facts with pure
fiction. It has been variously designated Judicial, Hororary,
Atmospherical, and Mundane, Astrology. It has also many off-shoots
subservient to Magic or the black art, Sorcery, Witchcraft, and other
pretended mysticisms ostentatiously styled occult philosophy.
We may first observe that Astrology lays no claim to inspiration, but
affects a very ancient unknown origin, tracing back to a dark,
heathenish, and superstitious age, in the very infancy of traditional
knowledge, when the boldest assertions of the seer were received as the
authority of an oracle, no one daring to question their validity.
Whatever is remotely possible the Astrologer accepts as a fact; while
ignorant of much around him, he assumes with the utmost complacency an
intimate acquaintance with the sun and planets thousands upon thousands
of miles off; yea with the sun 969,272 miles in diameter, while he
himself inhabits a globe only 7,916 miles in diameter; from which the
moon is 237,000 miles distant, and the sun 400 times that distance.[9]
And these immense bodies revolving millions on millions of miles away in
immeasurable space are described by him as fashioning an infant's nose,
directing the fortunes or misfortunes of lovers, ordering the property
of traders, meting out diseases, and improving or deranging man's mental
faculties. And as if such puerile influences were not sufficiently
preposterous we are informed by the modern seer, Zadkiel, that the 12
signs of the Zodiac not only rule the several parts of the human frame,
but also those of a ship, as _Aries_, the bows; _Taurus_, the cutwater;
_Gemini_, the rudder; _Cancer_, the bottom; _Leo_, the upper works;
_Virgo_, the hold; _Libra_, parts above the water's edge; _Scorpio_, the
seamen's berths; _Sagittarius_, the seamen; _Capricorn_, the ends of the
vessel; _Aquarius_, the Captain; _Pisces_, the oars in galleys, the
wheels in steam vessels, and the sails in others; but these latter being
above water, we are left in doubt about the ruler of the submerged screw
propeller.
[9] This portion of the subject was illustrated by means of a Diagram
exhibiting the Diameters and Magnitudes of Planets, thus:--
[Illustration:
_Miles._
The Sun 882,000
Jupiter 91,522
Saturn 76,018
Uranus 35,100
Neptune 33,600
Earth 7,916
Venus 7,702
Mars 4,398
Mercury 3,123
The Moon's diameter is 2,160 miles; and its distance from the Earth is
237,000 miles.]
To show what a modicum of learning, and how trifling an acquaintance
with matters of natural philosophy will serve the Astrologer, we will
turn to a modern treatise published in the year 1801, by Francis
Barrett, (styling himself a student of Natural and Occult Philosophy) a
quarto volume of upwards of 370 pages, entitled, "The Magus, or
Celestial Intelligencer," which affords a pretty clear insight into the
nature of the superstitions which from an ancient period even to that
date obtained credence and were popular with the multitude.
Treating of the wonders of Natural Magic previous to entering on the
main topic of his treatise, he adduces a few of what he conceives to be
ordinary matters of fact, assuring us that:--
If any one shall, with an entire new knife, cut asunder a lemon, using
words expressive of hatred, contumely, or dislike, against any
individual, the absent party, though at an unlimited distance, feels a
certain inexpressible and cutting anguish of the heart, together with a
cold chilliness, and failure throughout the body;--likewise of living
animals, if a live pigeon be cut through the heart, it causes the heart
of the party intended, to be affected with a sudden failure;--likewise
fear is induced by suspending the magical image of a man by a single
thread;--also death and destruction by means similar to these; and all
these from a fatal and magical sympathy.
The loadstone, (he observes), possesses an eminent medical faculty
against many violent and implacable disorders;--the back of the
loadstone, as it repulses iron, so also it removes gout, swellings,
rheum, &c. that is of the nature or quality of iron. Likewise the
wearing the loadstone eases and prevents the cramp, and such like
disorders and pains.
The influences of the stars appear to be as intimately known to
Astrologers as though they had walked among, and carefully examined and
fully realized their occult properties, for example:--
In every work observe Mercury, for he is a messenger between the higher
gods and the infernal gods; when he goes to the good, he increases
their goodness--when to the bad, he hath influence on their wickedness.
It is an unfortunate sign or planet, when it is by the aspect of Saturn
or Mars especially, apposite or quadrant, for these are the aspects of
enmity; but a conjunction, a trine, and a sextile aspect, are of
friendship; but yet if you do already behold it through a trine, and the
planet be received, it is accounted as already conjoined. Now all
planets are afraid of the conjunction of the sun, rejoicing in the
trine, and sextile aspect thereof.
They say of the Sun and Moon:--
The Sun is the lord of all elementary virtues;--it disposes even the
very spirit and mind of men.
The Moon (says Barrett) measures the whole space of the Zodiac in the
time of 28 days, hence it is that the wise men of the Indians, and most
of the ancient astrologers have granted 28 mansions to the Moon, which,
being fixed in the eighth sphere, do enjoy divers names and properties,
from the various signs and stars which are contained in them; through
which, while the Moon wanders, it obtains many other powers and virtues;
but every one of these mansions, according to the opinion of Abraham,
contained twelve degrees, and fifty-one minutes, and almost twenty-six
seconds. In the first quarter of these mansions the 1st conduces to
discords and journies; the second to the finding of treasures, and to
the retaining of captives; the 3rd to benefit sailors, huntsmen, and
alchymists; the 4th the destruction and hindrances of buildings,
fountains, mills, gold mines, the flight of creeping things, and begets
discord; the 5th to help the return from a journey, the instruction of
scholars, and confirms edifices, gives good health and good will; the
6th to hunting and besieging towns, and revenge of princes, destroying
harvests and fruits, and hinders the operation of the physician; the 7th
to confirm gain and friendship; is profitable to lovers, and destroys
magistracies.
In a similar manner the remaining three quarters have the characters of
their several mansions allotted to them with equal exactness, and of
course indisputable veracity also.
We have here a fair example of the arrogant assumptions of ancient and
indeed of all astrologers, magicians, and sorcerers, men who are
incompetent to elucidate the ordinary phenomena of nature in the animal
or vegetable creation, and yet with unbounded effrontery affect to build
up an empirical system, delivered in a language of their own invention,
a pompous parade of jargon made up of the most incomprehensible
materials--which if wholly due to antiquity partakes of ancient
simplicity, credulity, deceit, and superstition; and if somewhat
polished and refined to suit the advances of literature and science, has
never been able to prove the correctness of its groundwork, or afford a
solitary instance of its possessing any meritorious quality beneficial
to mankind; while on the other hand its evil consequences have been
many, by destroying the peace and happiness of thousands, encouraging
deceit, and misapplying in its ignoble pursuit the time and labour and
property of its ardent but deluded admirers.
In Judicial Astrology it is not thought requisite to consider more than
a certain number of the planets, after a method simplified by antient
astrologers or astronomers, which is found to be so compact and so
complete in governing the destinies of the human race that modern
intelligence has failed to enlarge the field of heavenly influences.
Varley notes that:--the antients discovered that the circle of the
Zodiac, about 16 degrees in width, and through the middle of which runs
the Ecliptic, or sun's path through the 12 signs, contains the heavenly
bodies, named planets, and the principal fixed stars, and nearly the
whole of the materials or significators, from which predictions are
obtained.
He remarks that:--In forming a horoscope, this circle is divided into 12
equal parts, corresponding with the spaces containing the 12 hours.
These 12 divisions are called houses; and they always remain fixed,
while the Zodiac with the 12 signs, and all the heavenly bodies
belonging to it, are considered to be moving through them all, every 24
hours. The _lord_ of the ascendant is the planet which rules the signs
rising at birth. In drawing horoscopes it is usual to make the figure
square instead of round. (_See_ Plate 1, Fig. 1.)
The various significations arising from the aspects of the starry
heavens at the time of birth are so exceedingly numerous, that we must
refer the curious in such matters to the works themselves, in which all
these pretended revelations are minutely recorded.
Mankind rank astrologically as being of four temperaments.
1. One class is said to answer to the fiery trigon, also called diurnal,
masculine, and choleric, consisting of Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius,
which contains the spirited, generous, magnanimous, and princely
natures.
2. We have next the earthy trigon, being nocturnal, feminine, and
melancholic, consisting of Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn, containing the
careful, sordid, and penurious qualities.
3. Thirdly, the aërial trigon, which is diurnal, masculine, and
sanguine, consisting of Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius, contains the humane
harmonies, and courteous principles. And--
4. Fourthly, the watery trigon, which is nocturnal, feminine, and
phlegmatic; namely, Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces, including the cold,
prolific, cautious and severe qualities.
Take as a brief illustration of the manner in which Astrologers
presumptuously assign to the planets their several offices relating to
human nature the following:--
Those born when Aries ascends are born under the sign Aries and planet
Mars. This is the diurnal, fair, and masculine house of Mars, and
partakes also largely of the nature of the magnanimous Sun, and the
benevolent and moral Jupiter, who rule the fiery trigon, of which Aries
is the first sign.
As affecting physiognomy we are assured that:
The Scorpio noses are more aquiline than those of Aries, and are more
frequently conspicuous for a sort of bracket shape beneath, which
prevents the under part of the nose from forming a right angle with the
upper lip; while the under lip, both being usually small, recedes in a
greater degree, as if drawn tightly against the teeth; so that the
mouth appears in the act of pronouncing the word SEVERE.
When we meet in volume after volume with page after page of such
composition as this, when we reflect on the sublimity of the heavens and
the paltriness of such combinations as are here given of the planets
with mundane affairs, we ask the reasons for arriving at such judgments.
To be told that it is so because it is so; or because it was an ancient
belief, and is to be found in the writings of Ptolemy, Nostradamus, Dr.
John Dee, William Lilly, or Zadkiel; or because it has often proved as
true in its predictions as the telling fortunes by means of a pack of
cards, is no evidence whatever; yet the Astrologer boasts of his very
paralogisms.
Zadkiel, in prefacing a work by Lilly, says:--If a proposition of _any
nature_ be made to any individual, about the result of which he is
anxious, and, therefore, uncertain whether to accede to it or not, let
him but note the hour and minute when it was _first_ made, and erect a
figure of the heavens, (_See_ Plate 1, Fig. 1,)--and his doubts will be
instantly resolved. He may thus, in five minutes, learn infallibly
whether the affair will succeed or not; and, consequently, whether it is
prudent to adopt the offer made or not.
Such is the belief of this sound, intelligent man, as we fully believe
him to be in other respects. But we say it is not given to man to assign
special influences to the stars, to select one portion and discard all
the rest, or to be more intimately acquainted with the starry heavens
above him, than with the stony earth he inhabits, and with his fellow
creatures around him.
The works claiming to expound this pretended Occult Philosophy prescribe
such childish processes that one naturally wonders how in the midst of
so much impudent imposture Astrology and its kindred pursuits ever found
or retained any honest partizans.
Take, for example, the use of fumigations, such as of frankincense, &c.
to Saturn; of cloves, &c. to Jupiter; of odoriferous woods to Mars; of
all gums to the Sun; of roses, violets, &c. to Venus; of cinnamon, &c.
to Mercury; of the leaves of vegetables to the Moon; of all or any of
which there must be a good perfume, odoriferous, and precious, in good
matters; but in evil ones quite the contrary.
The Zodiac is also favourably affected by proper suffumigations.
Astrologers in their Demonology profess to be able to ascertain the
characters and seals of spirits,[10] and according to the Cabalists,
tables are given of many of these in their books, in the so-called
Theban Alphabet; in characters of Celestial Writing; in that called
Mallachim; or in the writing called Passing the River.
[10] See the Table, Plate I. Fig. 2, for distinguished names of their
angels, spirits, or demons.
They affect to have suitable bonds by which spirits can be bound,
invoked, or cast out.
Of Necromancy they pretend to two kinds, one of which is raising the
body of a deceased person, which it is said cannot be done without
blood;--the other sciomancy, which is the production of a mere shade or
shadow.
The exorcisms and conjurations of Magicians are so audaciously profane
and blasphemous as to be unworthy of even a passing notice.
ALCHEMY.