33.] NOTES. Ill 



methods. Mr. Wright points out that the words mean literally, 

 ' the subsidiary channels leading to those ends and the modes in 

 which they have been followed.' Cf. Bk. 2, p. 51 : "In their 

 propositions the description of the means is ever more monstrous 

 than the pretence or end." 



1. 14. enigmatical writings, in the corresponding passage in the 

 De Aug. Bacon says that alchemy is not taught in a straight 

 forward way, but is artificially fenced round with obscurities ; 

 cf. the Filum Labyrinthi, Ellis and Spedding's edn., vol. iii., 

 p. 496. The alchemists published their more important dis 

 coveries in enigmatical writings, i.e., in writings which the un 

 initiated could not understand. The alleged reason for this pro 

 ceeding was ' for the avoiding of abuse in the excluded, and the 

 strengthening of affection in the admitted,' i.e., to prevent the 

 knowledge thus reserved from becoming known to and being mis 

 used by incapable persons, and to encourage those, to whom it 

 was committed, to take more interest in it, by making them feel 

 that they were entrusted with a valuable treasure. This, how 

 ever, says Bacon, though the alleged reason, was not the real 

 one. They wrote enigmatically to hide their ignorance and 

 fraud ; for that, which they published enigmatically, was no less 

 worthless and false, than that which they published openly. Mr. 

 Nichol says " that the interval between the twelfth and six 

 teenth centuries is studded with books of secrets." The explana 

 tion of this, he says, is that some writers were afraid of being 

 punished for unhallowed dealing in the black arts, others were 

 anxious to gain credit for the possession of superhuman know 

 ledge. The student will find some interesting information on 

 this point in Vaughan's Hours with the Mystics. 



referring themselves to auricular traditions, this was 

 another device of the alchemists, similar to that of ' enigmatical 

 writing.' The pretext and real reason for the two were the 

 same. They pretended that some of their discoveries were so 

 important, that they were not even published enigmatically, but 

 were reserved for selected auditors. The words auricular tradition 

 mean 'teaching by word of mouth' (literally, 'delivery, i.e., 

 teaching, to the ears ') as opposed to books. Referring themselves 

 to, having recourse to. 



1. 15. to save the credit of impostures, to induce people still to 

 believe in their impostures. 



1. 28. dictators, p. 29, 1. 9. 



1. 29. stand, maintain their position, be accepted without 

 question. 



consuls, magistrates whose power was not absolute, but 

 who voted in the Senate. The Consulship dates from the 

 expulsion of the last king of Rome, B. c. 510. Ellis prints counsels 



