_Gabalis: or the Extravagant Mysteries of the Cabalists._
On a former page we referred to a book which at one time achieved
considerable notoriety under the title of "Count Gabalis; or the
Extravagant mysteries of the Cabalists," the following extract will show
the nature of the work and no doubt prove interesting.
Count Gabalis: or the Extravagant Mysteries of the Gabalists, or,
Rosy-crucians Exposed in Five Pleasant Discourses on the Secret Sciences.
Discourse the First.
God rest the soul of Monsieur the Count of Gabalis! who as they write me
news, is lately dead of an Apoplexy. Now the Cabalists will not fail to
say, that this kind of Death is ordinary to those who imprudently manage
the Secrets of the Sages; and that since the Blessed Ramundus Lullius has
pronounced the sentence in his last Will and Testament, a destroying Angel
has ever been ready to strangle in a moment, all those who have
indiscreetly revealed the Philosophick Mysteries.
But let them not so rashly condemn this Wise Man, without having better
information of his conduct. 'Tis true he has discovered all to me; but not
without all the Cabalistick Circumspectious requisite. I must do him the
right, in giving this testimony to his memory, that he was a great Zealot
for the religion of his fathers, the Philosophers; and that he would have
suffered the flames, rather than have profaned the Sanctity of it, by
disclosing it to any unworthy Prince, to any ambitious person, or to one
that was incontinent; three sorts of people, excommunicated in all ages by
the wise. By good fortune I am no Prince; I have little Ambition; and by
the Sequel of this discourse, it may be seen that I have a little more
Chastity than a Sage needs have. I am endued with a Docible Wit; curious
of knowledge, and Bold enough: I want but a little Melancholy to make all
those who would blame the Count of Gabalis, confess that he needed not
have concealed any thing from me, in regard I was a Subject proper enough
for the Secret Sciences. It is true that without Melancholy, no great
progress can be made therein: but this little stock of it that I have, was
enough to make me not to be rejected by them. You (has he said a hundred
times to one) have Saturn in an Angle, in his House, and Retrograde; you
cannot fail, one of these days, of being as Melancholy as a Sage ought to
be: for the wisest of all men (as we know in the Cabal) had, as you have,
Jupiter in the Ascendant. And yet, it was never observed, that he ever so
much as once laughed, in all his life time, so powerful was his Saturn in
him, though it was certainly weaker than yours.
'Tis then my Saturn, and not Monsieur the Count of Gabalis that the
_Virtuoso_ must quarrel with, if I affect more the Divulging of there
Secrets, than the practising of them. If the Stars do not their duty, the
Count is not in the fault, and if I have not a soul great enough to
attempt to become Master of Nature, to turn the Elements upside down, to
entertain the Supreme Intelligences, to command the Demons, to beget
Giants, to create New Worlds, to speak to God in his High Throne, and to
oblige the Cherubin, which defends the entrance of Paradise, to let me
come in, and take two or three turns in his Walks; 'tis me that they must
blame more or less: they must not for this insult over the memory of this
Rare Man; and say that he is dead, for having blabbed all things to me. Is
it impossible that amongst the wandering spirits he may not have been
worsted in a conflict with some undocible Hobgoblin? Perchance he is not
dead, but in appearance; following the custom of the Philosophers, who
seem to Dye in one place, and transport themselves to another. Be it how
it will, I can never believe, that the Manner wherewith he entrusted his
Treasures to me, merited any punishment. You shall see how all things
passed.
Common sense having always made me suspect that there was a great deal of
Emptiness in all that which they call Secret Science, I was never tempted
to lose so much time, as to turn over the leaves of those books which
treat of them: but yet not finding it reasonable to condemn without
knowing why, all those addicting themselves thereto, who otherwise are
wise persons, very learned for the most part, and eminent both for the
Gown and Sword. I took up a resolution (that I might avoid being unjust,
and wearying myself with tedious reading) of feigning myself a great
devotee to those sciences, amongst all those, whom I could learn were of
that Gang. I had quickly better success than I could possibly hope for.
Since all these gentlemen, how mysterious and how reserved soever they may
seem to be, desire nothing more, than to vent their imaginations, and the
new discoveries which they pretend to have made in Nature. In a few dayes
I was the Confident of the most considerable amongst them, and had every
day one or other of them in my study, which I had on purpose garnished
with their most phantastick authors. There was never a learned Virtuoso of
this kind, but I had correspondence with him. In a word, for my Zeal to
this science, I quickly found that I was well approved by all. I had for
my companions, Princes, Great Lords, Gown-men, Handsome Ladies, and
Unhandsome too; Doctors, Prelates, Fryars, Nuns: in fine People of all
Ranks and Qualities. Some of them were for converse with Angels, others
with Devils, others with their Genius, others with Incubus's; some
addicted themselves to the cure of diseases, some to Star-gazing, some to
the secrets of Divinity, and almost all to the Philosopher's stone.
They all agreed, that these grand secrets, and especially the
Philosopher's stone, were hardly to be found out, and that but very few do
attain to them, but they had all in particular, a very good opinion of
themselves, to believe that they were of the number of the Elect. By good
luck, with infinite impatiency, the most considerable of them expected at
this time, the arrival of a lord, who was a great Cabalist, and whose
Estate lyes upon the frontiers of Poland. He had promised by letters to
the children of Philosophy in Paris to come and visit them; and so to pass
from France into England. I had a Commission to write an answer to this
great man: I sent him the scheme of my Nativity, that he might judge if I
were capable of aspiring to the supreme wisdom. My scheme and my letter
were so happy to oblige him to do me the honour of answering me; that I
should be one of the first that he would see at Paris; and that, if Heaven
did not oppose, there should be nothing wanting in him to introduce me
into the Society of the Wise.
In the well management of my good fortune, I entertain a regular
correspondence with the illustrious German: I propose to him, from time to
time, great doubts, as well grounded as I could, concerning the Harmony of
the World, the Numbers of Pythagoras, the Revelations of St. John, and the
first chapter of Genesis. The greatness of the matter ravished him! He
writ to me unheard of Wonders; and I plainly saw that I had to deal with a
man of a most vigorous and most copious imagination. I was astonished one
remarkable day, when I saw a man come in a most excellent Mien, who,
saluting me gravely, said to me in the French tongue, but in the accents
of a foreigner: Adore my son; Adore the most glorious and great God of the
Sages and let not thyself be puffed up with pride, that he sends to thee
one of the children of Wisdom to constitute thee a fellow of their
society, and make thee partaker of the wonders of his Omnipotency.
This strange manner of salutation, did upon the sudden surprise me, and I
began, at first, to question, whether or no it might not be some
apparition: nevertheless, recovering my spirits the best I could, and
looking upon him as civilly as the little fear I was seized with, could
permit me, Whatever you be (said I to him) whose Complement savours not of
this world, you do me a great honour in making me this visit. But I
beseech you, if you please, before I worship this God of the Sages, let me
know of what God and what Sages you speak. Do me the favour to sit down on
this chair and give yourself the trouble to tell me, what this God is, and
what these Sages, this Company, these Wonders of Omnipotency, and after or
before all this, what kind of creature I have the honour to speak to.
Sir, you receive me most Sage-like (said he, smiling, and taking the chair
which I presented him) you desire me on a sudden to explain things to you,
which, if you please, I shall not resolve to-day. The Complement which I
made you, are the words which the Sages use at first, to those to whom
they purpose to open their hearts and to discover their mysteries. I had
thought that being so wise as you seemed to me in your letters, this
salutation would not have been unknown to you, and that it would be the
most pleasing Complement that could be made you by the Count of Gabalis.
Ah! Sir (cried I, remembering that I had a ticklish game to play) how
shall I render myself worthy of so much goodness? Is it possible that the
excellentest of all men should be in my study? that the great Gabalis
should honour me with his visit?
I am the least of the Sages (replied he, with a serious look) and God, who
dispenses the beams of his wisdom by weight and measure, as his
sovereignty pleases, has given me but a small talent, in comparison of
that which I admire in my fellows. I hope that you may equal them, one
day; if I durst judge of it by the scheme of your nativity, which you did
me the honour to send me: but you give me cause to complain of you, Sir
(added he, smiling) in taking me even now for a Spirit. Not for a Spirit,
(said I to him) but I protest to you, Sir, that calling to my remembrance
on a sudden, what Cardan relates of his father; that being one day in his
study, he was visited by unknown persons, cloathed in divers colours; who
entertained him in a pleasant discourse concerning their nature and
employment. I understand you (interrupted the Count), they were Sylphes,
of which I shall talk to you hereafter: they are a kind of Aerial
substances; who sometimes come to consult the Sages concerning the books
of Averroes, which they do not well understand. Cardan was a coxcomb, for
publishing that amongst his subtilties: he had found those memories
amongst his father's papers, who was one of us, and who seeing that his
son was naturally a babbler, would teach him nothing of what was most
considerable; but let him puzzle his brains in Astrology, by which he was
not cunning enough to prevent his sons being hanged. This ass was the
cause of your doing me the injury to take me for a Sylphe. Injury (replied
I!) Why, Sir, should I be so unfortunate to--I am not angry at it
(interrupted he) since you are not obliged to know beforehand, that all
these elementary spirits are our disciples; for they are most happy, when
we will stoop so low, as to instruct them; and the least of our Sages is
more knowing than all those little gentlemen. But we shall talk more at
large of this, some more convenient time; it is sufficient for me to-day,
that I have had the satisfaction to see you. Endeavour, my son, to make
yourself worthy of receiving the Cabalistical Illuminations: the hour of
your regeneration is come; the fault is your own, if you become not a new
creature. He went out of my study, and I complained of his short visit, as
I waited on him back, that he had the cruelty to leave me so quickly,
after he had let me be so happy, as to have a glimpse of his light. But
having assured me with a grand grace that I should lose nothing by this
sudden departure, he got up into his coach, and left me in a surprise
which I am not able to express. I could not believe my own eyes, nor my
own ears: I'm sure (said I) that this is a man of great quality; that he
hath an estate of five thousand pounds a year, besides he appears very
accomplished. Is it possible that he can thus suffer himself to be filled
with these fooleries? He has talked to me of these Sylphes with great
earnestnes: should he prove a sorcerer in the upshot? and should I have
been deceived till now, in believing that there were no such things? But
suppose he was a Sorcerer, are there also some of them so devout as this
man appears to be?
The Count was pleased to allow me all the night in Prayer, and in the
morning by break of day, he acquainted me with a note that he would come
to my house by eight of the clock, and that if I pleased, we might go and
take the air together. I waited for him; he came, and after reciprocal
civilities, let us go (said he to me) to some place where we may be free
together and where nobody may interrupt our discourse.
He seeing that we were as free from company as he could desire said:--How
happy shall you be, my son, if heaven has the kindness to put those
dispositions into your soul, which the high mysteries require of you. You
are about to learn how to command nature; God above shall be your master,
and the Sages only shall be your equals, the supreme intelligences shall
esteem it as glory to obey your desires. When you shall be enrolled
amongst the children of Philosophy, and that your eyes shall be fortified
by the use of our sacred medicine, you shall immediately discover that the
Elements are inhabited by most perfect creatures, from the knowledge and
commerce of whom, the sin of the unfortunate Adam has excluded all his too
unhappy posterity. This immense space which is between the earth and the
Heavens, has more noble inhabitants than birds and flies; this vast ocean
has also other troops, besides dolphins and whales; the profundity of the
earth, is not only for moles; and the element of fire (more noble than the
other three) was not made to be unprofitable and void.
The air is full of an innumerable multitude of people having human shape,
somewhat fierce in appearance, but tractable upon experience; great lovers
of the sciences, subtil, officious to the Sages, and enemies to sots and
ignorants. Their wives and their daughter have a kind of masculine beauty,
such as we describe the Amazons to have. How Sir (cried I), would you
persuade me, that these friends you speak of are married?
Be not so fierce, my son (replied he) for so small a matter. Believe
whatsoever I tell you, to be solid and true. I am making known nothing to
you, but the principles of the antient Cabal, and there needs nothing more
to justify them, than that you should believe your own eyes; but receive
with a meek spirit the light which God sends you by my interposition. Know
that the Seas and Rivers are Inhabited, as well as the air: the ancient
Sages have called these kind of people Undians or Nymphs. They have but
few males amongst them, but the women are there in great numbers: their
beauty is marvellous, and the daughters of men have nothing in them
comparable to these.
The earth is filled almost to the centre with Gnomes or Pharyes, a people
of small stature, the guardians of treasures, of mines, and of precious
stones. They are ingenious, friends of men, and easy to be commanded. They
furnish the children of the Sages with as much money as they have need of,
and never ask any other reward than the glory of being commanded. The
Gnomides or Wives of these Gnomes or Pharyes, are little, but very
handsome and their habit marvellously curious.... As for the Salamanders,
the inhabitants of the region of fire, they serve the Philosophers, but
they seek not for their company with any great eagerness. The wives of the
Salamanders are fair, nay, rather more fair than all others, seeing they
are of a purer element. You will be charmed more with the beauty of their
wit than of their body, yet you cannot choose but be grieved for these
poor wretches when they shall tell you that their soul is mortal, and that
they have no hope of enjoying eternal happiness, and of the Supreme Being,
which they acknowledge and religiously adore. They will tell us, that
being composed of the most pure parts of the elements which they inhabit,
and not having in them any contrary qualities, seeing they are made but of
one element, they die not but after many Ages, but alas! what is such a
Time, in respect of Eternity? They must eternally resolve into their
nothing. This consideration does sorely afflict them; and we have trouble
enough, to comfort them concerning it.
Our Fathers, the Philosophers, speaking to God face to face, complained to
him of the unhappiness of these people, and God whose mercy is without
bounds, revealed to them, that it was not impossible to find out a remedy
for this evil. He inspired them, that by the same means as man, by the
alliance which he contracted with God, has been made partaker of Divinity:
the Sylphs, the Gnomes, the Nymphs, and the Salamanders by the alliance
which they might contract with man, might be made partakers of
immortality. So a She-Nymph or a Sylphide becomes Immortal, and capable of
the blessing to which we aspire, when they shall be so happy as to be
married to a Sage; a Gnome, or a Sylph ceases to be mortal, from the
moment that he espouses one of our daughters.
Hence arose the error of the former ages, of Tertullian, of Justin Martyr,
of Lactantius, Cyprian, Clemens Alexandrinus, Athengoras the Christian
Philosopher, and generally of all the writers of that time. They had
learnt that these elementary Demi-men, had endeavoured a commerce with
maids, and they have from thence imagined that the fall of the angels had
not happened, but for the love which they were touched with after women.
Certain Gnomes, desirous of becoming immortal, had a mind to gain the good
affections of our daughters, and had brought abundance of precious stones
of which they are the natural guardians, and these authors, relying on the
Book of Enoch, which they misunderstood, thought that it was the attempt
which these Amorous Angels had offered to the chastity of our wives. In
the beginning these children of heaven begat famous giants by making
themselves beloved by the daughters of men, and the old Cabalists,
Josephine and Philo (as all the Jews are ignorant) and after them all the
other Authors, which I have just now named, as well as Origen and
Macrebius, and have not known that they were the Sylphs, and other people
of the elements that under the name of the Children of Elohim, are
distinguished from the children of men. Likewise that which the Sage Saint
Augustine, has had the modesty to leave undetermined, touching the
pursuits which those called Faunes or Satyrs, made after the Africans of
his time, is cleared by that which I have now alleged of the desire which
all these elementary inhabitants have, of allying themselves to men; as
the only means to attain to the immortality which they have not.
No, no! Our Sages have never erred so as to attribute the fall of the
first Angels to their love of women, no more than they have put men under
the power of the Devil; by imputing all the adventures of the Nymphs and
Sylphs to him, of which the historians speak so largely. There was nothing
criminal in all that. They were the Sylphs, which endeavoured to become
Immortal. Their innocent pursuits, far enough from being able to
scandalize the Philosophers, have appeared so just to us, that we are all
resolved by common consent, utterly to renounce women; and entirely to
give ourselves to the immortalizing of the Nymphs and Satyrs.
Good Lord (cried I) What do I hear? Was there ever such marvellous F----.
Yes, my son (interrupted the Count) admire the marvellous felicity of the
Sages! Instead of women, whose fading beauty passes away in a short time,
and is followed with horrible wrinkles and ugliness, the Philosophers
enjoy beauties which never wax old, and whom they have the glory to make
immortal. Guess at the love and the acknowledgment of those invisible
mistresses, and with what ardour they strive to please the charitable
philosopher, who labours to immortalize them.
Ah! Sir (cried I once again), I renounce ----. Yes, you Sir, (pursued he,
without giving me the leisure to finish) Renounce the fading pleasures
which are to be had with women; the fairest among them all is loathsome in
respect of the homeliest Syphide: no displeasure ever follows our Sage
embraces. Miserable Ignorants! How should you complain, that ye have not
the power to taste of the Philosophick pleasures. Miserable Count de
Gabalis (interrupted I, in an accent mixed with Choler and Compasion) Will
you give me leave to tell you at last, that I renounce this senseless
wisdom; that I find this visionary philosophy very ridiculous; that I
detest the abominable embraces which make you affect these Phantasms; and
that I tremble for you, and wonder that some one of these pretended
Sylphides does not hurry you to Hell, in the middle of your transports and
raptures; and for fear, lest so honest a man as you, should not perceive
the end of your foolish Chymerick Zeal, and should not repent of so great
a crime. Oh! Oh! (answered he) mischief light on thy indocible spirit. His
action, I must confess, affrighted me; but it was yet worse, when I
perceived, that going further from me, he drew out of his pocket a Paper
which I could easily see at that distance to be full of Characters; yet I
could not well discern it. He read them gravely, and spake low. I guessed
that he was invoking some spirit for my ruin, and repented me more than a
little for my inconsiderate Zeal. If I escape this adventure (cried I),
I'll never have to do with a Cabalist more. I fixed my eyes upon him, as
upon a judge that was ready to condemn me to death; when at last I
perceived that his looks became serene. 'Tis hard, (said he, smiling, and
coming towards me again) 'Tis hard for you to kick against the Pricks. You
are a vessel of Election. Heaven has ordained you to be the greatest
Cabalist of your age. Behold the scheme of your Nativity, which cannot
fail. If it be not now, and that too by my means, 'twill be a great
wonder, as it appears by this Saturn retrograde.
Alas, sir (said I to him) if I must become a Sage, it will never be but by
the means of the Great Gabalis; but to deal freely with you, I am afraid,
that you will find it a difficult matter to bend me to this Philosophical
mode. It seems (continued he) that you should be but ill read in Physicks,
that cannot be persuaded of the existence of these people? I know not
(answered I) but I cannot imagine that these can be anything else but
friends disguised. Do you still (said he) rather believe your own
Whimseys, than Natural Reason? than Plato, Pythagoras, Celsus, Psellus,
Proclus, Porphyrius, Jamlicus, Plotinus, Trismegistus, Noblius, Dorneus,
Fludd; than the great Phillippus Aureolus Theophractus Bombst Paracelsus
de Honeinhem; and than all our Society.
I would believe you (answered I) as soon, nay sooner than all these; but,
dear sir, could you not so order the business with the rest of your
society, that I might not be obliged to have carnal knowledge of these
elementary ladies? Away, away (replied he) you have your own liberty,
without doubt; for nobody loves, unless he has a mind to it. Few of the
Sages have been able to defend themselves from their Charms, but it has
been observed that some reserving themselves wholly and entirely for
great things (as you will know in time), would never do this honour to
the Nymphs. I will be then of this number (said I), but yet neither can I
resolve to lose time about the ceremonies which I have heard a Prelate
say, must be practised by those who mean to converse with their Geniuses.
This Prelate knew not what he said (said the Count), for you shall see ere
long, that there are no Geniuses there; and besides, that never any Sage
employed either ceremonies or superstition for the familiarity of the
Geniuses, no more than for the people of whom we speak.
The Cabalists do nothing, but by the principles of nature: and if there
are sometimes found in our books certain strange words, characters, or
fumigations, 'tis but to conceal the philosophical principles from the
ignorant. Admire the simplicity of Nature, in all her most marvellous
operations! And in this simplicity, a Harmony and Agreement so great, so
just, and so necessary that it will make you return back in despite of
yourself from your weak imaginations. That which I am now about to tell
you, we teach those of our disciples, which we will not let altogether
enter into the Sanctuary of Nature; and to whom we will nevertheless, not
utterly deprive of the Society of the elementary people, merely out of the
compassion which we have for these poor wretches.
The Salamanders (as you have already, perhaps, comprehended) are composed
of the most subtile parts of the Sphere of Fire, conglobated and organized
by the action of the universal fire (concerning which, I shall one day
entertain you further) so called, because it is principal of all the
motions of nature.
The Sylphes in like manner, are composed of the purest atoms of the air:
the Nymphs of the most delicate parts of the water, and the Gnomes of the
subtlest parts of the Earth. There was a great proportion betwixt Adam and
these so perfect Creatures; because they being composed of that which was
most pure in the four elements; he comprehended the perfection of these
four sorts of people, and was their natural King. But since the time that
his sin precipitated him into the excrements of the elements (as you shall
see hereafter) the Harmony was disordered, and there was no more
proportion, he being become impure and dull in respect of the substances
so pure and so subtil. What remedy for this evil? How shall we remount
this throne and recover this lost sovereignty? O Nature! Why do they study
thee so little? Do you not comprehend my son, with what simplicity nature
can render to man the goods which he has lost? Alas! Sir (replied I), I am
very ignorant in all these simplicities, you speak of. But yet (pursued
he) it is very easy to become knowing in them.
If we would recover that empire over the Salamanders, we must purifie, and
exalt the element of fire which is in us, and raise up the tone of this
slackened string, we need do no more, but concentre the fire of the world
by concave mirrors in a globe of glass. And herein, is that great piece of
art which all the ancients have so religiously concealed, and which the
divine Theophrastus has discovered. There is formed in this globe a solar
powder, which being purified by itself from the mixture of other elements,
and being prepared according to art, becomes in a very little time,
sovereignly proper to exalt the fire which is in us, and make us become
(according to our phrase) of a fiery nature. From that time the
inhabitants of the sphere of fire become our inferiors, and ravished to
see our mutual harmony re-established, and that we once more approach to
them. They have all the kindness for us which they have for their own
species, all the respect which they owe to the image and to the lieutenant
of their Creator; and all the concern which may make evident in them, the
desire of obtaining by us the immortality which they want. 'Tis true that
as they are more subtil than those of the other elements, they live a very
long time, so they are not very forward to importune the Sages to make
them immortal. You may accommodate yourself with one of these, if the
aversion which you have witnessed to me last not with you to the end:
perchance, she will never speak to you of that which you fear so much.
It will not be so with the Sylphs, the Gnomes and the Nymphs, for they
living a less time, have more need of us, and so their familiarity is more
easie to obtain. You need but shut up a glass filled with conglobated air,
water or earth, and expose it to the sun for a month; then separate the
element according to art, which is very easie to do, if it be earth or
water. 'Tis a marvellous thing to see, what a vertue any one of these
purified elements have to attract the Nymphs, Sylphs, and Gnomes. In
taking but never so little every day, for about a month together, one
shall see in the air the volant republique of the Sylphs; the Nymphs come
in shoals up the rivers, and the guardians of treasures, presenting you
with their riches. Thus, without characters, without ceremonies, without
barbarous words you become absolute master over all these people. They
require no worship of the Sages, since they know well enough that he is
nobler than they. Thus venerable nature teaches her children how to repair
the elements by the elements. Thus is harmony re-established. Thus man
recovers his natural empire, and can do all things in the elements,
without demons, or unlawful art. Thus you see, my son, that the Sages are
more innocent than you thought. You say nothing to me----.
I admire sir (said I), and I begin to fear that you will make me to become
a Chymist. Ah! God preserve thee from that, my child (cried he). 'Tis not
to these fooleries that your nativity designs you, I will warrant you on
the contrary, from being troubled about that: I told you already, that the
Sages shew not these things, but to those whom they will not admit into
their society. You shall have all these advantages, and others infinitely
more glorious, and more pleasant, by ways clearly more philosophical. I
had not described those methods to you, but to let you see the innocence
of this Philosophy, and to take you out of these panic fears.
I thank God, sir (answered I), I am not at present, in any such fear as I
was even now. And although I do not yet resolve upon the accommodation
which you propose to me with the Salamanders; I cannot refrain from having
the curiosity to learn how you have discovered that these Nymphs and these
Sylphs die. Truly (replied he) they tell us so, and we see them die. How
(said I) can you see them die, and yet your commerce renders them
immortal? That would be well (pursued he) if the number of the Sages
equalled the number of these people: besides that, there are many amongst
them, who rather choose to die, than hazard by becoming immortal, the
being so unhappy as they see the devils are. And 'tis the devil, who
inspired with these opinions: for there is no mischief, which he doth not
do to hinder the poor creatures from becoming immortal by our alliance.
Insomuch that I look upon it (and so ought you my son) as a most
pernicious temptation, and a motion of very little charity, to have this
aversion which you show to it.
Moreover, as concerning their death, of which you speak: what was it that
obliged the Oracle of Apollo, to say, that all those who speak Oracles,
were mortal, as well as he; as Porphyrius reports? And, what think you,
was the meaning of that voice which was heard on all the coast of Italy,
and struck so great a terror into all those who were upon the sea? The
Great Pan is Dead! They were the people of the air: who gave notice to the
people of the water that the chiefest and most aged of all the Sylphs, was
newly dead.
At that time when this voice was heard (said I to him) I suppose that the
world worshipped Pan and the Nymphs: and that these gentlemen, whose
commerce you are preaching of to me, were the false gods of the heathen.
'Tis true, my son (replied he) the Sages have always been of that
opinion, that the Devil never had the power to make himself worshipped. He
is too unhappy, and too weak, ever to have had this pleasure, and this
authority. But he has been able to persuade the elementary hosts to shew
themselves to men, and make men erect temples to them; and by the natural
dominion which every one has over the element which he inhabits, they
trouble the air, and the sea, set the earth in combustion, and dispense
the fire of heaven, according to their humour: insomuch that they had no
great trouble to be taken for Deities, so long as the sovereign being
dispensed the salvation of the world. But the devil never received all the
advantage of his malice, which he hoped he should; for it has happened
from thence, that Pan, the Nymphs, and the rest of the elementary people,
having found the means of changing this commerce of worship, into a
commerce of love; (for you may remember, that amongst the ancients, Pan
was the king of those gods whom they called Incubuses, and who always
earnestly sought the acquaintance of maids), many heathens have escaped
the devil, and shall never burn in hell.
I do not well understand you, sir (said I) You have not minded me, to
understand me (continued he, smiling, and in a jeering tone). Behold what
you pass over! and likewise what your doctors pass over, who know not what
these excellent Physicks mean! Behold the great mystery of all this part
of philosophy, which concerns the elements, and which will take away (if
you have but never so little love for yourself), this repugnance to
philosophy, which you have witnessed to me this day! Know then, my son;
and go not about to divulge this great Arcanum to any unworthy ignorant.
Know, that as the Sylphs acquire an immortal soul, by the alliance which
they contract with the men who are predestinated; so also, the men who
have no right to eternal glory: those miserable wretches, whose
immortality is but a lamentable advantage, for whom the Messias was
sent--
Then, you gentlemen of the Cabal, are Jansenists likewise (interrupted I?)
We know not what that is, my child (proceeded he, somewhat angrily) and we
scorn to inform ourselves wherein consists the different sects and divers
religions, with which the ignorant puzzle their heads. We keep to the
ancient religion of our fathers, the Philosophers; wherein 'tis very
necessary that I instruct you. But come again to the purpose: these men
whose sad immortality is nothing but an eternal misfortune; the unhappy
children, whom the Sovereign Father has neglected, have also this
recourse, that they may become mortal, by contracting alliance with these
elementary people. So that you see, the Sages hazard nothing for Eternity.
If they are predestinated, they have the pleasure to carry with them to
heaven (in quitting the prison of this body) the Sylphide or Nymph, which
they have immortalised! and if they be not predestinated, the commerce of
the Nymph renders their soul mortal, and delivers them from the horrors of
the second death. So the Devil saw all the Pagans escape, who allied
themselves to the Nymphs: and so the Sages, or friends of the Sages, when
God inspires us to communicate to any one, the four elementary secrets
(which I have now been teaching you), free themselves from the Peril of
being damned.
Without lying, sir (cried I, not daring to put him again into an ill
humour, and finding it requisite to defer the telling him plainly my
opinion, till I should have discovered all the secrets of his Cabal, which
I judged by this glimpse, must needs be very full of pleasure and
divertisement): without lying, you advance wisdom to a great height! And
you had reason to tell me, that this surpassed all our doctors; and I
believe, that this likewise passes all our magistrates too; and that, if
they could discover who those were that escaped the devil by this means
(as ignorance is very unjust), they would engage in the devil's interest,
against these fugitives and make a strong party for him. Yes, it is for
that (pursued the Count) that I have so strictly commanded you; to keep
religiously this secret. Your judges are strange persons. They condemn a
most innocent action as a dismal crime. What a barbarity was it, to burn
those two priests which the Prince of Miranda says he knew of, who had
each of them his Sylphide, for the space of forty years! What an inhuman
thing was it to put Joan Hervilles to death, for having laboured six and
forty years, to immortalise a Gnome! And, what a piece of ignorance was
that of Bodin, to represent her as a witch; and that from thence he might
take advantage to authorise popular errors, touching pretended Sorcerers;
in a book as impertinent as his Commonwealth is reasonable.
But it is late; and I do not consider, that you have not yet dined. 'Tis
yourself, that you mean, sir (said I), for as for my part, I could listen
to you till to-morrow, without inconvenience. For me! Alas! (replied he,
laughing, and walking towards the gate), 'tis easily seen that you
understand but little what philosophy is. The Sages eat but for their
pleasure, and never for necessity. I had a quite contrary idea of Wisdom
(answered I), I had thought that you wise men should never eat but to
satisfy nature. You are abused (said the Count). How long think you, that
our Sages can subsist without eating? How can I tell? (answered I), Moses
and Elias, you know, fasted forty days: you Sages, I make no doubt, may do
it, some days less. What a great piece of business would that be (replied
he), the most wise men that ever was, the Divine, the almost adorable
Paracelsus, affirms, that he has seen many of the Sages fast twenty years,
without eating anything whatsoever. He himself, before he attained to the
monarchy of wisdom, whereof we have justly presented him the sceptre, he,
I say, would undertake to live many years without eating, by taking but
half a scruple of his Solar Quintescence. And if you would have the
pleasure to make any one live without victuals, you need do no more, but
prepare the earth, as I told you it must be prepared, for the Society of
the Gnomes: this earth applied to the navle, and renewed when it is dry,
will cause any one to live without eating or drinking, and that without
any trouble.
And the use of this Catholic-Cabalistical Medicine, frees us much better
from all the importunate necessities, to which nature makes the ignorant
subject; we eat not, but when it pleases us; and all the superfluity of
food passing away by an insensible Transpiration, we are never ashamed to
be men. There he held his peace.
In succeeding interviews the Count de Gabalis further explains to his
interlocutor the nature and pursuits of the elementary spirits; asserts
that it was they only, and not the vile gods of the Greeks and Romans,
that delivered the oracles of old; that they continually kept watch over
man to do him service, and to warn him of approaching evil. It was they
who sent omens and furnished him with the understanding to interpret them,
and who filled his mind with presentiments when some great calamity was
impending over him, that he might perchance avoid it. They also sent him
dreams for the regulation of his fate. But "alas," continues the Count,
"men ignorantly misunderstand and reject their kindness. A poor Sylph
hardly dares to shew himself lest he should be mistaken for an imp of
evil; an Undine cannot endeavour to acquire an immortal soul, by loving a
man, without running the risk of being considered a vile, impure phantom;
and a Salamander, if he shews himself in his glory, is taken for a devil,
and the pure light which surrounds him considered the fire of hell. It is
in vain that, to dispel these unworthy suspicions, they make the sign of
the cross when they appear, and bend their knees when the Divine name is
uttered. All their efforts are useless. Obstinate man persists in
considering them enemies of that God whom they know, and whom they adore
more religiously than men do. The prayer which you will find preserved by
Porphyne, and which was offered up in the Temple of Delphos for the
enlightenment of the Pagans, was the prayer of a Salamander." In short
without continuing to quote the words of the Count de Gabalis, he asserted
that all the supernatural appearances with which the history of every age
and nation was full, were to be, and could only be, explained by the
agency of these elemental sprites; that the deeds attributed to devils,
imps and witches, were the creations of a false and degrading
superstition, unworthy to be believed by philosophers. There were no
fiends with
"----'aery tongues that syllable mens' names
On sands, and shores, and desert wildernesses."
but beneficent spirits, the friends of man. The _peris_ of eastern
romance, the _fees_, the _fatas_, and the fairies of European legends,
were names which, in their ignorance, the people of different countries
had given to the Sylphs. Vulcan, Bacchus, and Pan, though the Greeks did
not know it, were Gnomes; Neptune and Venus, and all the Naiads and
Nereids, were but the Undines of the Rosicrucians; Apollo was a
Salamander, and Mercury a Sylph; and not one of the personages of the
multifarious mythology of the Greeks and Romans, but could be ranged under
one or other of these classes.