324 
JACOB BEHMEIir. 
and his van ity^ flattered by the supposed intercourse with the Deity, 
have led him into error. His language and doctrines betray him be- 
yond all dispute, and prove him to have been a man who formed his 
ideas from books on chemistry and the Platonic mysteries. He is 
most intelligible in his Aurora, so that he will be easily understood by 
those acquainted with the Alexendrian philosophy, except where he 
introduces in a spiritual sense many words borrowed from chemistry and 
alchymy, and so corrupts his style, that no one can discover his real 
meaning.” 
Among Behmen’s numerous followers, no one rendered himself more 
conspicuous than John Pordage, a physician and naturalist, who pre- 
tended to divine revelation, and declared that by these means he had 
been convinced of the truth of Behmen’s doctrines. That he might, 
therefore, throw more light upon them, he published a book, entitled 
Divine and True Metaphysics, with some other works of the same 
kind; which being soon spread through Germany, became, together 
with Behmen’s writings, the standard books of all enthusiasts.” Behmen 
has had admirers even in this country; the most distinguished of 
whom is the famous Mr. William Law, author of Christian Perfec- 
tion, who gave an English edition of his works, in two volumes 
quarto. 
Lewis Cornaro. 
This was a Venetian, of noble extraction, memorable for having 
lived *10 an extreme age : he was ninety-eight years old at the time 
of his death) which happened at Padua, April 26, 1586, his birth 
being fixed in 1467. Amongst other little performances, he left behind 
him a piece entitled, “ De Vitse Sobrite Coramodis,” i. e. “ Of the 
Advantages of a Temperate Life.” He was moved, it seems, to com- 
pose this little piece at the request and for the benefit of some young 
men, for whom he had a regard; who having long since lost their 
parents, and seeing him then eighty-one years of age, in a florid state 
of health, were desirous to know by what means he contrived to prcT 
serve a sound mind in a sound body to so extreme an age. In an- 
swer, he tells them, that when he was young he was very intempe- 
rate ; that this intemperance had brought upon him many and griev- 
ous disorders ; that from the thirty-fifth to the fortieth year of his 
age, he spent his days and nights in the utmost anxiety and pain ; 
and that in short, his life was grown a burden to him. The physi- 
cians, however, as he relates, notwithstanding all the vain and fruit- 
less efforts which they made to restore him, told him, that there was 
one medicine still remaining, which had never been tried, blit if he could 
prevail with himself to use with perseverance, might free him in time 
' from all his complaints ; namely, a regular and temperate way of 
living, but, — that unless he resolved to apply instantly to it, his case 
W'ould soon become desperate. Upon this, he immediately prepared him- 
self for his new regimen, and now began to eat and drink nothing 
but what was proper for one in his weak habit of body. But this 
af first was very disagreeable to him : he wanted to live again in his 
old manner; and he did indulge himself in a freedom of diet somt- 
