Of all this Matter he framed the World (making it the bound of the nature of Being since it comprehends all other things). He made it one, only begotten, perfect, animate, and rational (for these are better than inanimate and irrational), and a spherical body (that being more perfect than other figures). Designing therefore to make the best production, he made this God, generate, not corruptible by any other cause but by the same God only which composed it, if it should please him at any time to dissolve it. But he who is good, will not be carried on to the destruction of the fairest production. Wherefore it is permanent, and being such, incorruptible, imperishable, and blessed. It is the best of productions, being made by the best cause; who looked not upon patterns made by hands, but upon the Idea, the intellectual essence. After which, this being exactly made, is the fairest of all and not to be demolished.
It is perfect, as to sensible things, for the exemplar comprehending in itself all intelligible creatures, left nothing out. It being the perfect bound of Intelligibles, as the World is of sensibles; which being solid, tactile, and visible, is divided into Earth, Fire, and (between these) Air, and Water. It consists of perfect bodies which exist entirely in it, so as no part remains beyond it, that the body of the Universe might be self-sufficient, and not liable to dissolution by any external accidents. For there are no other things besides these and what are contained in them—they being, after the most excellent analogy, connected in equal power, neither predominating over the other in any part, nor being predominated, that whereby some might increase, others decrease. But it rests in an indissoluble harmonious concord, according to the best proportion.
For there being three bounds, and the intervals distant from each other in the same proportion. The middle is that to the first which the third is to it, and so reciprocally, according to disposition of place and order. But to number these, without the help of another thing equal to them, is absolutely impossible. It is well ordered both for figure and motion. As to the first, being round, it is every way like itself, and able to contain all other figures. As to its circular motion, it keeps a perpetual tenor. For a Sphere only, whether in rest or in motion, is so adapted to the same place as that it never ceases nor removes—all its parts being equidistant from the Center. Now its outward superficies being exactly smooth, it needs not the weak organs which are bestowed on other living creatures for their accommodation.
The Soul of the World God inkindled in the midst, but diffused beyond it, covering the Universe with it and tempering it with a temperament of indivisible Form and divisible Substance, so as these two make one temperament. With this he mingled two powers, principles of the two motions of Identity and Otherness; which (Soul), not easily capable of being mixed, was not without difficulty blended together.
All these proportions are mixed according to harmonious numbers, which proportions he cunningly divided, that it might be known of what and by what the Soul consists. This Soul God did not ordain (as we affirm) after corporeal substance (for that which is most honorable is first both in power and time). But He made it before the body, removing one, the first of four Monads, into eight Decads and three Centuries. Of this, the duple and triple is easily collected, the first being settled. All these, with their complements, and sesquioctaves, will amount to thirty-six. The whole sum will be 114,695. The divisions are 114,695. After this manner he divided the Soul of the Universe.
The Mind only sees the Eternal God, the Ruler and Father of all things.961 That which is generated we behold with our eyes—this World and its parts. The Aetherial are twofold: some of the nature of Identity, others of Difference. Of these, some extrinsically carry about all that is within them from East to West by an universal motion. The rest, being of the motion of Diversity, intrinsically turn about from the West to the East, moved by themselves. They are carried round by accident, with the motion of Identity, having the greatest force in the World.
The motion of Diversity, divided according to harmonious proportions, is disposed into seven circles. The Moon being nearest the Earth, performs her course in a month. Next her, the Sun perfects his course in a year. There are two of equal course with the Sun—Mercury, and the Star Juno, which many call Venus, and Lucifer. (All persons not being skillful in the rules of sacred Astronomy and the observations of rising and setting). The same star is sometimes Hesper, when it so follows the Sun, that it is conspicuous to us when the Sun is set; sometimes Eous, when it go before the Sun, and rises before him. Lucifer, therefore, many times is the star Venus when she runs along with the Sun. And likewise are many of the Fixed Stars and planets. For any star of visible magnitude, ushering the Sun above the Horizon, foretells day. The other three, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, have peculiar velocities and unequal years. But they complete their course in certain and comprehensible regularities, and appearances, and occultations, and eclipses, and risings, and settings. They have, besides their phases, rising and setting in regard of the Sun.
The Sun makes day in performing his course from East to West; night, by motion from West to East; while he is carried about with the motion of Identity, a year, by his own proper motion. By these two motions the Sun performs a double course: one as being carried about with the general motion of Heaven, the other by an oblique motion. One distinguishes the times of the day and the seasons. The other, by which he is carried about after the rapid motion of the Fixed Stars, at every revolution makes night day. These are parts of time called Periods, ordained by God together with the World. For before the World there were no Stars, and consequently neither year nor seasons, by which this generable World is commensurated. This time is the image of that which is innate, called Eternity. For as this Universe was formed after the eternal exemplar of the Ideal World, so was this time ordained together with the World after its pattern, Eternity.
The Earth being established in the midst, the seat of the gods is the bound of night and day, of rising and setting, according to the section of Horizons, as they are circumscribed by the sight and by section of the Earth. It is the most ancient of all bodies in the Universe. For Water was not produced without Earth; nor Air without humidity; and Fire cannot subsist without humidity and matter which it kindles. So that the Earth is settled upon its own weight as the root and basis of all things.
The principle therefore of generated things, as to the subject, is Matter; as to the form, Idea. The productions of these are bodies—Earth, Water, Air, and Fire—whose generation is thus. Every body consists of superficies; a superficies of Triangles; of which this is a rectangled equal-legged semiquadrangle; the other unequilateral, having the greater angle in power, triple to the lesser. The least angle in it is one-third of a right angle. Double to this is the middle angle, consisting of two-thirds. The greatest is a right angle, sesquialter to the middle, triple to the least. Now this Triangle is a sesquiquadrangle to an equilateral Triangle, the perpendicular from the top to the bottom being divided into two equal parts. There are therefore in each two rectangled Triangles. But in one the two sides which include the right angle are equal; in the other, all the three sides are unequal. This figure is called “Scholion.” This semiquadrangle is the principle of which the earth was constituted; for the Quadrangle is compounded of these four semiquadrangles.
Of the Quadrangle is generated the Cube, the firmest and most settled of all bodies, having six sides, eight angles. For this reason Earth is the most heavy body, and unapt for motion, and not transmutable into any other, as being incommunicable with any kind of Triangle. For the Earth only has a stable principle, which is the semi-quadrangle, the element of the other bodies—Fire, Air, and Water. For the semiquadrangle being six times compounded, there arises an equilateral Triangle, of which a Pyramid with four bases and four equal angles is compounded, the form of fire most apt to motion and of rarest parts.
Next these is the Octahedron with eight bases and six angles, the element of Air. The third, Icosahedron, of twenty bases, and twelve angles is the element of Water, being fullest of parts,
and heaviest. These being compounded of the same Element are transmutated into one another.
The Dodecahedron, he made the image of the Universe, as nearest to a Globe. Fire by reason of the rarity of its parts penetrates all things; Air all things but Fire; Water, all but Earth.
All things therefore are full, and admit no vacuity. They are carried about by the circumvolution of the Universe; and, by reason of their solidity, grate one upon another, rendering an unintermitted alteration to generation and corruption. These God used in framing the World—tactile by reason of Earth, visible by reason of Fire—the two extremes. By Air and Water, he connected it in a most firm band, proportion, capable to contain both itself and the things that are comprised in it. If then that which is connected be a superficies, one medium is sufficient; if a solid, it requires two. To the two mediums, he adapted the two extremes—Fire to Air, Air to Water, Water to Earth; and again Fire to Air, Air to Water, and Water to Earth; and again as Earth to Water, Water to Air, and Air to Earth; and reciprocally as Earth to Air, Water to Fire. And forasmuch as all these are equal in power, their proportions are equal likewise.
Thus is the World one, and by a happy connection, proportionable. Each of these four bodies has diverse species. The Fire is flame, light, splendor, by reason of the inequality of the Triangles in each of these. The Air is partly clear and dry, partly humid and cloudy. The Water is fluid and concrete, as snow, frost, hail, and ice. Of Humid, one sort is fluid as honey and oil; another compact, as pitch and wax. Of the compact are two kinds: one fusile, as gold, silver, brass, tin, lead; the other frangible, as sulphur, bitumen, nitre, salt, alum, and stones of that kind.
After he had made the World, he proceeded to the production of mortal creatures that it might be perfect and completely wrought according to its pattern.962 Having blended together and distributed the Soul of Man by the same proportions and powers, he delivered it over to that nature which had the power of changing. She succeeding him in the producing of mortal transitory creatures and instilled their souls: some from the Moon, some from the Sun, some from the other Stars which wander in the Region of Otherness. Excepting one soul in the power of Identity which he mingled in the rational part, an image of wisdom to those who make use of good Fate. For of the human soul, one part is rational and intellectual, the other irrational and foolish. Of the irrational, the better is of the nature of Identity, the worse that of Diversity. Each of these is resident about the head, that all the other parts of the soul and body may be subservient to it according to the analogy of the body of the Universe. Of the irrational part: one is irascible placed about the heart; the other desiderative about the liver.
As for the body, the principle and root of marrow is in the brain, wherein is the hegemonic of the Soul. From the brain issues an emanation flowing down along the vertebra of the spine from whence it is distributed into seed and generative substance. The bones are the case of the marrow; the flesh is the covering of the bones; the joints he connected by nerves for motion. Of the inward parts, some were made for nourishment, others for conversation. Of the motions, those which come from without and flow into the apprehensive part are sensible; those which fall not under comprehension are insensible, whether by reason that the affected bodies are more earthy, or that the motions are weaker. Whatsoever motions change nature are painful; those that comply with her are named pleasures.
Of the senses, God enlightned our Sight for contemplation of Celestials and apprehension of Science. Hearing, he framed perceptive of Discourse and of Music. Of this sense, if any be destitute from his birth, he will also be incapable of Speaking. Whence we say Hearing is nearest allied to Reason. All that are termed affections of bodies are denominated with reference to the Touch and their inclination to a place. For the Touch determines vital faculties: warm, cold; dry, moist; smooth, rough; yielding, resisting; soft, hard. But heavy and light the Touch prejudges. Reason defines by inclination to move to the middle and from the middle. Below and the middle they affirm to be the same thing, for the center of a globe is below. Whatsoever is between that and the circumference is above.
Heat, seems to consist of rare parts, and disintegrates bodies; Cold, of more dense parts, and binds the pores. The Taste resembles the Touch in concretion and discretion, and in penetration of the pores, and in its objects, which are either harsh or smooth. Those which have a cleansing or scouring faculty stupify the tongue and are bitter. Those which are moderately purgative, salt. Those which inflame and pierce further into the flesh, acid. Contrary to these, are smooth and sweet. The kinds of odor are not distinct for they insinuate through narrow pores which are too solid to be contracted and dilated by putrefaction, and concoction of earth and earthly things. They are sweet or stinking.
Voice is a percussion in the air passing to the soul through the ears, whose pores extend to the liver. In the ears is a spirit whose motion is Hearing. Of voice and hearing some are swift, the sharp; some slow, the flat; the mean are incommensurable. Again, one is much and diffused, the loud; another small and contracted, the low; one is ordered according to proportions, the harmonious; another disorderly and unproportionate, the inharmonious.
The fourth kind of Sensibles is most various and multiform—termed Visibles—comprising all colors, and innumerable colored things. The primary colors are four: White, Black, Bright, Purple. The rest are made by mixing these together. White disperses the sight. Black contracts it, as hot diffuses the touch. Cold contracts it. Bitter contracts the taste, and sweet dissipates it.
The bodies of creatures that breathe air are nourished by aliment, distributed by the veins through the whole frame defluxively, as by channels, and irrigated by the spirit which diffuses it to the utmost bounds. Respiration is made (there being no vacuity in nature) by influxion, and attraction of the air in the room of that which issued forth at invisible vents, out of which also sweat evaporates. Now something of it being wasted by the natural heat, it is necessary something be introduced to supply that which was consumed. Otherwise there would be a vacuity, which is impossible. For a living creature could not be restored by perpetual fluxion and entire, if the body were disjoined by vacuity. The like composition of organs is likewise in inanimate things with an analogical respiration. A cupping-glass and amber are resemblances of respiration. For the spirits evaporate through the body and enter again at the mouth and nostrils by respiration; then again, like Euripus, it is brought round into the body which by these effuxions is extended. The cuppingglass, the air being consumed by fire, attracts moisture; the amber, by emission of spirits, attracts the body that is like to it.
All aliment is taken into the body from the root of the heart, and the fountain of the ventricle; if the accession be more than the flowing down, it is termed Growth; if the contrary, Decay. The Acme consists in the confine between these two, and is conceived to be the equality of accession and emanation. When the ligaments of the constitution are dissolved, so as there is no passage for the breath, or distribution of aliment, the animal dies.
There are many things which are pernicious to life and cause death; whereof one is termed Sickness. The origins of sickness are the disproportions of the primary faculties. If the simple faculties—Heat, Cold, Humidity, Dryness—abound, or are deficient, then follow mutations and alterations of the blood by corruption, and deprivations of the consumptive flesh. If according to the changes into Sharp, or Salt, or Acid (humours) the turnings of the blood, or consumptions of the flesh be caused; for hence are generated Choler and Phlegm. Unwholesome Chyles and putrefaction of Humours are inconsiderable except they be deep; but those whose causes lie in the bones are not easily cured; those which arise out of the marrow are painful. The extremities of Diseases are Wind, Choler, Phlegm, increasing and flowing into places not proper to them, or into the vital parts. For then obtaining a better place, they expel their neighbors and settle there, and afflicting the bodies, they resolve them into themselves.
These are the diseases of the body. Out of these ari
se many sicknesses of the soul, several of several faculties. These are: of the sensitive, stupidity; of the reminiscent, forgetfulness; of the desiderative, loathing and excessive appetite; of the pathetic, wild passions and furious frenzies; of the rational, indocility and indiscretion. The forces of vice are pleasures and griefs, desires and fears, raised out of the body, mingled with the soul, and expressed by various names: loves, desires, dissolute affections, impetuous angers, deep malices, various longings, inordinate delights. In a word, to behave ourselves amiss as to passions, or to subdue them, is the bound between virtue and vice. For to be excessive in them, or too hard for them, puts us in a good or bad condition.
To these inclinations, the temper of the body may contribute much. If vehement, abject, or anyway extraordinary, it transports us to melancholy and extravagant lusts. For the parts being overflown by these emanations make the constitution of the body rather turgid than sound, whence arise sadness, forgetfulness, folly, and consternation. The customs also whereunto a man has conformed himself in the city or family where he was born and bred, conduce much. This is also true of the daily course of life, whether softening or corroborating the soul. For living abroad, diet, exercise, and the manners of those with whom we converse, greatly avail to virtue or vice. And these occasions are derived rather from our parents and elements, than from ourselves. For they are not ineffectual; we are ourselves so easily receding from those actions which are good.963
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