170 PARACELSUS 



lead a holy life, to enable him to cure all diseases in 

 himself and in others ; but as he is made of three worlds, 

 it is necessary that the physician should also have a 

 knowledge of the conditions existing in the two other 

 worlds, the world of mind and external Nature.^ 



" He should also be well experienced ; for there are 

 many kinds of disease, and they cannot be known with- 

 out experience and learning. No one ever knows so 

 much that he could not learn more. Every art requires 

 experience. You cannot become a good painter, sculptor, 

 or shoemaker by the mere reading of books, much less 

 can you be a good physician without being experienced. 

 He should know the laws of Nature, but above all the 

 constitution of man, the invisible no less than the visible 

 one. His knowledge will strengthen his faith, and his 

 faith will endow him with power, so that he will be like 

 an apostle, healing the sick, the blind, and the halt." 



The medicine of Paracelsus therefore rests upon four 

 pillars, which are : I. Philosophy, i.e., a knowledge of 

 physical nature; 2. Astronomy, i.e., a knowledge of the 

 powers of the mind ; 3. Alchemy^ i.e.y a knowledge of 

 the divine powers in man; and 4. The personal virtue 

 (holiness) of the physician. 



The Four Pillars of Medicine 



I. A physician should be ix philosopher ; i.e., acquainted 

 with the laws of external Nature. 



"The knowledge of Nature is the foundation of the 

 science of medicine, and it is taught by the four great 

 departments of science : Philosophy, Astronomy, Alchemy, 

 and Physical Science. These four sciences cover a large 

 field, and require a great deal of study. A common 

 proverb says, ' Life is short, art is long.' Ever since 

 the beginning of the world men have sought for the 



^ Here comes in the advantage of intellectual education, but an educated 

 intellect without any self-perception of truth belongs to the devil 



