56 PAkACELSU3 



minerals, which they impregnate to such an extent that 

 their characters may be seen in the forms, colours, and 

 shapes, and be perceived by the odour and taste of such 

 objects. Some of these external signs are universally 

 known ; for instance, the age of an elk is indicated by 

 the number of the ends and the shape of its horns ; 

 other symbols may require a special study for their true 

 interpretation " ^ {De Natura Rerum). 



This science, resulting from a comparison of the ex- 

 ternal appearance of a thing and its true character, is 

 called by Paracelsus their Anatomy. There are even to 

 this day a great many vegetable medicines used in the 

 prevailing system of Medicine whose mode of action is 

 not known, and for whose employment no other reason 

 has been given but that the exterior shapes of such 

 plants correspond to a certain extent to the form of 

 the organs upon which they are supposed to be acting 

 beneficially, and because experience has supported such 

 a belief. 



" Each plant is in a sympathetic relation with the 

 Macrocosm, and consequently also with the Microcosm, 

 or, in other words, with Constellation and Organism (for 

 the activity of the organism of man is the result of the 

 actions of the interior constellation of stars existing in 

 his interior world), and each plant may be considered to 

 be a terrestrial star. Each star in the great firmament, 

 and in the firmament of man, has its specific influence, 

 and each plant likewise, and the two correspond together. 

 If we knew exactly the relations between plants and 

 stars, we might say : This star is * Stella Rorismarini,' 

 that plant is ' Stella Absynthii,' and so forth. In this 



^ In Babbitt's "Principles of Light and Colour," it is demonstrated that 

 each ray of colour has a certain therapeutic influence on the human system ; 

 Blue acting soothingly on the circulation of the blood ; Red stimulating ; 

 Yellow acting as a purgative, &c. He gives some interesting examples 

 of correspondences between the colours and medicinal qualities of certain 

 flowers, plants, drugs, &c., with the action of the above-named colour* 

 rays. 



