按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
rendered up； in solemn and sweet bondage； to the faculties which
CONTEMPLATE and IMAGINE。
Glyndon noticed that； in their rambles； Mejnour often paused；
where the foliage was rifest； to gather some herb or flower； and
this reminded him that he had seen Zanoni similarly occupied。
〃Can these humble children of Nature；〃 said he one day to
Mejnour；〃things that bloom and wither in a day； be serviceable
to the science of the higher secrets？ Is there a pharmacy for
the soul as well as the body； and do the nurslings of the summer
minister not only to human health but spiritual immortality？〃
〃If；〃 answered Mejnour； 〃a stranger had visited a wandering tribe
before one property of herbalism was known to them； if he had
told the savages that the herbs which every day they trampled
under foot were endowed with the most potent virtues； that one
would restore to health a brother on the verge of death； that
another would paralyse into idiocy their wisest sage； that a
third would strike lifeless to the dust their most stalwart
champion； that tears and laughter； vigour and disease； madness
and reason； wakefulness and sleep； existence and dissolution；
were coiled up in those unregarded leaves；would they not have
held him a sorcerer or a liar？ To half the virtues of the
vegetable world mankind are yet in the darkness of the savages I
have supposed。 There are faculties within us with which certain
herbs have affinity； and over which they have power。 The moly of
the ancients is not all a fable。〃
The apparent character of Mejnour differed in much from that of
Zanoni； and while it fascinated Glyndon less； it subdued and
impressed him more。 The conversation of Zanoni evinced a deep
and general interest for mankind；a feeling approaching to
enthusiasm for art and beauty。 The stories circulated concerning
his habits elevated the mystery of his life by actions of charity
and beneficence。 And in all this there was something genial and
humane that softened the awe he created； and tended； perhaps； to
raise suspicions as to the loftier secrets that he arrogated to
himself。 But Mejnour seemed wholly indifferent to all the actual
world。 If he committed no evil； he seemed equally apathetic to
good。 His deeds relieved no want； his words pitied no distress。
What we call the heart appeared to have merged into the
intellect。 He moved； thought； and lived like some regular and
calm abstraction； rather than one who yet retained； with the
form； the feelings and sympathies of his kind。
Glyndon once； observing the tone of supreme indifference with
which he spoke of those changes on the face of earth which he
asserted he had witnessed； ventured to remark to him the
distinction he had noted。
〃It is true；〃 said Mejnour； coldly。 〃My life is the life that
contemplates；Zanoni's is the life that enjoys： when I gather
the herb； I think but of its uses； Zanoni will pause to admire
its beauties。〃
〃And you deem your own the superior and the loftier existence？〃
〃No。 His is the existence of youth；mine of age。 We have
cultivated different faculties。 Each has powers the other cannot
aspire to。 Those with whom he associates live better；those who
associate with me know more。〃
〃I have heard； in truth；〃 said Glyndon； 〃that his companions at
Naples were observed to lead purer and nobler lives after
intercourse with Zanoni； yet were they not strange companions； at
the best； for a sage？ This terrible power； too； that he
exercises at will； as in the death of the Prince di ； and that
of the Count Ughelli； scarcely becomes the tranquil seeker after
good。〃
〃True；〃 said Mejnour； with an icy smile； 〃such must ever be the
error of those philosophers who would meddle with the active life
of mankind。 You cannot serve some without injuring others； you
cannot protect the good without warring on the bad； and if you
desire to reform the faulty； why； you must lower yourself to live
with the faulty to know their faults。 Even so saith Paracelsus；
a great man； though often wrong。 （〃It is as necessary to know
evil things as good； for who can know what is good without the
knowing what is evil？〃 etc。Paracelsus； 〃De Nat。 Rer。；〃 lib。 3。）
Not mine this folly； I live but in knowledge；I have no life in
mankind！〃
Another time Glyndon questioned the mystic as to the nature of
that union or fraternity to which Zanoni had once referred。
〃I am right； I suppose；〃 said he； 〃in conjecturing that you and
himself profess to be the brothers of the Rosy Cross？〃
〃Do you imagine；〃 answered Mejnour； 〃that there were no mystic
and solemn unions of men seeking the same end through the same
means before the Arabians of Damus； in 1378； taught to a
wandering German the secrets which founded the Institution of the
Rosicrucians？ I allow； however； that the Rosicrucians formed a
sect descended from the greater and earlier school。 They were
wiser than the Alchemists；their masters are wiser than they。〃
〃And of this early and primary order how many still exist？〃
〃Zanoni and myself。〃
〃What； two only！and you profess the power to teach to all the
secret that baffles Death？〃
〃Your ancestor attained that secret； he died rather than survive
the only thing he loved。 We have； my pupil； no arts by which we
CAN PUT DEATH OUT OF OUR OPTION； or out of the will of Heaven。
These walls may crush me as I stand。 All that we profess to do
is but this；to find out the secrets of the human frame； to know
why the parts ossify and the blood stagnates； and to apply
continual preventives to the effects of time。 This is not magic；
it is the art of medicine rightly understood。 In our order we
hold most noble；first； that knowledge which elevates the
intellect； secondly； that which preserves the body。 But the mere
art （extracted from the juices and simples） which recruits the
animal vigour and arrests the progress of decay； or that more
noble secret； which I will only hint to thee at present； by which
HEAT； or CALORIC； as ye call it； being； as Heraclitus wisely
taught； the primordial principle of life； can be made its
perpetual renovater；these I say； would not suffice for safety。
It is ours also to disarm and elude the wrath of men； to turn the
swords of our foes against each other； to glide （if not
incorporeal） invisible to eyes over which we can throw a mist and
darkness。 And this some seers have professed to be the virtue of
a stone of agate。 Abaris placed it in his arrow。 I will find
you an herb in yon valley that will give a surer charm than the
agate and the arrow。 In one word； know this； that the humblest
and meanest products of Nature are those from which the sublimest
properties are to be drawn。〃
〃But；〃 said Glyndon； 〃if possessed of these great secrets； why so
churlish in withholding their diffusion？ Does not the false or
charlatanic science differ in this from the true and
indisputable；that the last communicates to the world th