may be seen by his "Epistolæ Familiares," fill a large volume. "D. D. Johannis Hag. 1530: among others, by his staunch Ecolampadii et Huldrichi Zuinglii Episfriend Cornelius Agrippa, to whom he tolarum lib. quatuor." Bas. 1536. It dates thence, in 1510, a letter in answer to must be also observed that Zuinglius bethe dedicatory epistle prefixed to the gan to preach in 1516, and at Zurich in treatise De Occult. Philosoph., which last 1519, and that in 1525 the Mass was contains the following ominous allusion abolished in the cantons. The tenets of to Agrippa's sojourn: "Quum nuper Ecolampadius were supposed to be more tecum, R. P. in coenobio tuo apud Her- evangelical than those up to that period bipolim aliquamdiu conversatus, multa maintained by the glorious German, and de chymicis, multa de magicis, multa de our brave Bishop Fisher attacked them as cabalísticis, cæterisque quæ adhuc in the fouler heresy:-"About this time occulto delitescunt, arcanis scientiis atque arose out of Luther's school one Ecolamartibus una contulissemus," etc. padius, like a mighty and fierce giant; who, as his master had gone beyond the Church, went beyond his master (or else it had been impossible he could have been reputed the better scholar), who denied the real presence; him, this worthy champion (the Bishop) sets upon, and with five books (like so many smooth stones taken out of the river that doth always run with living water) slays the Philistine; which five books were written in the year of our Lord 1526, at which time he had governed the see of Rochester twenty years." (Life of Bishop Fisher, 1655.) Now, there is no doubt of the Protestantism of Paracelsus, Erasmus, Agrippa, etc., but the nonconformity of Paracelsus was always scandalous. L. Crasso (Elogj d'Huomini Letterati," Ven. 1666) informs us that his books were excommunicated by the Church. Quenstedt (de Patr. Doct.) affirms "nec tantum novæ medicinæ, verum etiam novæ theologiæ autor est.' Delrio, in his Disquisit. Magicar, classes him among those "partim atheos, partim hæreticos" (lib. i. cap. 3). "Omnino tamen multa theologica in ejusdem scriptis plane atheismum olent, ac duriuscule sonant in auribus vere Christiani." (D. Gabrielis Clauderi Schediasma de Tinct. Univ. Norimb. 1736.) I shall only add one more authority: "Oporinus dicit se (Paracelsum) aliquando Lutherum et Papam, non minus quam nunc Galenum et Hippocratem redacturum in ordinem minabatur, neque enim eorum qui hactenus in scripturam sacram scripsissent, sive veteres, sive recentiores, quenquam scripturæ nucleum recte eruisse, sed circa corticem et quasi membranam tantum hærere." (Th. Erastus, Disputat. de Med. Nova.) These and similar notions had their due effect on Oporinus, who, says Zuingerus, in his "Theatrum," "longum vale dixit ei (Paracelso), ne ob præceptoris, alioqui amicissimi, horrendas blasphemias ipse quoque aliquando pœnas Deo Opt. Max. lueret."

(3) "Inexplebilis illa aviditas naturæ perscrutandi secreta et reconditarum Supellectile scientiarum animum locupletandi, uno eodemque loco diu persistere non patiebatur, sed Mercurii instar, omnes terras, nationes et urbes perlustrandi igniculos supponebat, ut cum viris naturæ scrutatoribus, chymicis præsertim, ore tenus conferret, et quæ diuturnis laboribus nocturnisque vigiliis invenerant una vel altera communicatione obtineret." (Bitiskius in Præfat.) "Patris auxilio primum, deinde propria industria doctissimos viros in Germania, Italia, Gallia, Hispania, aliisque Europæ regionibus, nactus est præceptores; quorum liberali doctrina, et potissimum propria inquisitione ut qui esset ingenio acutissimo ac fere divino, tantum profecit, ut multi testati sint, in universa philosophia, tam ardua, tam arcana et abdita eruisse mortalium neminem." (Melch. Adam, in Vit. Germ. Medic.) "Paracelsus qui in intima naturæ viscera sic penitus introierit, metallorum stirpiumque vires et facultates tam incredibili ingenii acumine exploraverit ac perviderit, ad morbos omnes vel desperatos et opinione hominum insanabiles percurandum; ut cum Theophrasto nata primum medicina perfectaque videtur." (Petri Rami Orat. de Basilea.) His passion for wandering is best described in his own words: "Ecce amatorem adolescentem difficillimi itineris haud piget, ut venustam saltem puellam vel fœminam aspiciat: quanto minus nobilissimarum artium amore laboris ac cujuslibet tædii pigebit ?" etc. ("Defensiones Septem adversus æmulos suos." 1573. Def. 4ta. "De peregrinationibus et exilio.")

(4) The reader may remember that it was in conjunction with Ecolampadius, then Divinity Professor at Basil, that Zuinglius published in 1528 an answer to Luther's Confession of Faith; and that both proceeded in company to the subsequent conference with Luther and Melanchthon at Marpurg. Their letters

(5) His defenders allow the drunkenness. Take a sample of their excuses:

nam

"Gentis hoc, non viri vitiolum est, a Taciti seculo ad nostrum usque non interrupto filo devolutum, sinceritati forte Germanæ coævum, et nescio an aliquo consanguinitatis vinculo junctum. (Bitis kius.) The other charges were chiefly trumped up by Oporinus: "Domi, quod Oporinus amanuensis ejus sæpe narravit nunquam nisi potus ad explicanda sua accessit, atque in medio conclavi ad columTETUOWμéros adsistens, apprehenso manibus capulo ensis, cujus KoiAwμa hospitium præbuit, ut aiunt, spiritui familiari, imaginationes aut concepta sua protulit: - alii illud quod in capulo habuit, ab ipso Azoth appellatum, medicinam fuisse præstantissimam aut lapidem Philosophicum putant." (Melch. Adam.) This famous sword was no laughing-matter in those days, and it is now a material feature in the popular idea of Paracelsus. I recollect a couple of allusions to it in our own literature, at the moment.

Ne had been known the Danish Gonswart,
Or Paracelsus with his long sword.
'Volpone,' act ii. scene 2.

Bumbastus kept a devil's bird
Shut in the pummel of his sword,
That taught him all the cunning pranks
Of past and future mountebanks.

'Hudibras,' part ii. cant. 3.

monium." (Bitiskius.) * It is to be re-
marked that Oporinus afterwards repented
of his treachery: "Sed resipuit tandem, et
quem vivum convitiis insectatus fuerat
defunctum veneratione prosequutus, in-
fames famæ præceptoris morsus in re-
morsus conscientiæ conversi pœnitentia,
heu nimis tarda, vulnera clausere exanimi
quæ spiranti inflixerant." For these
"bites of Oporinus, see Disputat.
Erasti, and Andrea Jocisci "Oratio de
Vit. ob. Opor;" for the "remorse,"
Mic. Toxita in pref. Testamenti,__and
Conringius (otherwise an enemy of Para-
celsus), who says it was contained in a
letter from Oporinus to Doctor Vegerus.†
Whatever the moderns may think of
these marvellous attributes, the title of
Paracelsus to be considered the father of
modern chemistry is indisputable. Gerar-
dus Vossius, "De Philos et Philosum
sectis," thus prefaces, the ninth section of
cap. 9, "De Chymia". "Nobilem hanc
medicinæ partem, diu sepultam avorum
ætate, quasi ab orco revocavit Th. Para
celsus."
suppose many hints lie
scattered in his neglected books, which
clever appropriators have since developed
with applause. Thus, it appears from his
treatise "De Phlebotomia," and else
where, that he had discovered the circula-
tion of the blood and the sanguification
of the heart; as did after him Realdo
Colombo, and still more perfectly Andrea
Cesalpino of Arezzo, as Bayle and Bartoli
observe. Even Lavater quotes a passage
from his work "De Natura Rerum," on
practical Physiognomy, in which the
definitions and axioms are precise enough:
he adds, "though an astrological enthu-
siast, a man of prodigious genius."
Holcroft's translation, vol. iii. p. 179-
"The Eyes." While on the subject of the
writings of Paracelsus, I may explain
a passage in the third part of the Poem.
He was, as I have said, unwilling to

See

This Azoth was simply "laudanum suum.' But in his time he was commonly believed to possess the double tincture the power of curing diseases and transmuting metals. Oporinus often witnessed, as he declares, both these effects, as did also Franciscus, the servant of Paracelsus, who describes, in a letter to Neander, a successful projection at which he was present, and the results of which, good golden ingots, were confided to his keep ing. For the other quality, let the following notice vouch among many others: "Degebat Theophrastus Norimbergæ procitus a medentibus illius urbis, et * The premature death of Paracelsus casts no manner of doubt on the fact of his having posvaniloquus deceptorque proclamatus, qui, sessed the Elixir Vita: the alchemists have abunut laboranti famæ subveniat, viros quos- dant reasons to adduce, from which I select the dam authoritatis summæ in Republica illa following, as explanatory of a property of the adit, et infamiæ amoliendæ, artique suæ Tincture not calculated on by its votaries: asserendæ, specimen ejus pollicetur edi-"Objectionem illam, quod Paracelsus non fuerit turum, nullo stipendio vel accepto pretio, horum faciles præbentium aures jussu elephantiacos aliquot, a communione hominum cæterorum segregatos, et in valetudinarium detrusos, alieno arbitrio eliguntur, quos virtute singulari reme diorum suorum Theophrastus a foeda Græcorum lepra mundat, pristinæque sanitati restituit; conservat illustre harum curationum urbs in archivis suis testi

longævus, nonnulli quoque solvunt per rationes talibus accidere posse, ob Tincturam frequentiore physicas: vitæ nimirum abbreviationem fortasse

ac largiore dosi sumtam, dum a summe efficaci et penetrabili hujus virtute calor innatus quasi suffocatur." (Gabrielis Clauderi S hediasma.)

† For a good defence of Paracelsus I refer the reader to Olaus Borrichtus' treatise "Hermetis etc. Sapientia vindicata," 1674. Or, if he is no more learned than myself in such matters, I mention simply that Paracelsus introduced the use of Mercury and Laudanum.

publish his works, but in effect did | Parac. Franc. 1584; and "Pi Philos publish a vast number. Valentius (in Compendium cum scholiis auctore Leone Præfat. in Paramyr.) declares "quod Suavio. Paris." (This last, a good ad librorum Paracelsi copiam attinet, book.) audio, a Germanis prope trecentos recenseri." "O foecunditas ingenii!" adds he, appositely. Many of these were, however, spurious; and Fred. Bitiskius gives his good edition (3 vols. fol. Gen. 1658) "rejectis suppositis solo ipsius nomine superbientibus quorum ingens circumfertur numerus." The rest were "charissimum et pretiosissimum author 3 pignus, extorsum potius ab illo quam obtentum." "Jam minime eo volente atque jubente hæc ipsius scripta in lucem prodisse videntur; quippe quæ muro inclusa ipso absente, servi cujusdam indicio, furto surrepta atque sublata sunt," says Valentius. These have been the study of a host of commentators, amongst whose labours are most notable, Petri Severini, "Idea Medicinæ Philosophiæ. Bas. 1571;" Mic. Toxetis, "Onomastica. Arg. 1574;" Dornei, "Dict.

(6) A disgraceful affair. One Liechtenfels, a canon, having been rescued in extremis by the "laudanum of Paracelsus, refused the stipulated fee, and was supported in his meanness by the authorities, whose interference Paracelsus would not brook. His own liberality was allowed by his bitterest foes, who found a ready solution of his indifference to profit in the aforesaid sword-handle and its guest. His freedom from the besetting sin of a profession he abhorred -- (as he curiously says somewhere, "Quis quæso deinceps honorem deferat professione tali, quæ a tam facinorosis nebulonibus obitur et administratur?") is recorded in his epitaph, which affirms -"Bona sua in pauperes distribuenda collocandaque erogavit," honoravit, or or dinavit - for accounts differ.

STRAFFORD;

A TRAGEDY.

1837.

[Acted 1st May 1837 at Covent Garden Theatre, Mr. Macready as Strafford and Miss Helen Faucit as Lady Carlisle.]

Sir HENRY VANE.

Nor speak of him, so much as say his

name,

Till Pym rejoin us! Rudyard! Henry

Vane!

One rash conclusion may decide our

Course

:

And with it England's fate
England's fate!

think

WENTWORTH, Viscount WENTWORTH, Hampden, for England's sake they should

Earl of STRAFFORD.

JOHN PYM.

JOHN HAMPDEN.

The younger VANE.

DENZIL HOLLIS.

BENJAMIN RUDYARD.

NATHANIEL FIENNES.
Earl of LOUDON.

MAXWELL, Usher of the Black Rod.

BALFOUR, Constable of the Tower.
A Puritan.

Queen HENRIETTA.

LUCY PERCY, Countess of Carlisle.

Presbyterians, Scots Commissioners, Ad-
herents of Strafford, Secretaries, Officers
of the Court, &c.
children.
Two of Strafford's

Is hating Wentworth all the help she needs?

A Puritan. The Philistine strode, cursBut David-five smooth pebbles from the ing as he went: Within his scrip brook

Rudyard. Be you as still as David! Fiennes. Here's Rudyard not ashamed to wag a tongue

Why, when the last sat, Wentworth sat Stiff with ten years' disuse of Parliaments; with us!

20