Part 94

P. 166, l. 8. the way of the philosopher's stone, no doubt the way of finding the philosopher's stone. The dreams of the alchemists on this subject were early mingled with those of the Rabbis on the Messiah. Nor had the Cabbala lost all credit in Pascal's days. In 1629 Robert Fludd, in Latin De Fluctibus, an Englishman, educated at Oxford, and a Fellow of the College of Physicians, published at Frankfort his Medicina Catholica. In this, sect 1. pt. ii. b. 1. ch. i. he speaks of sicknesses and healing as both sent from God by angelic intermediaries, and that all angelic natures are summed up in the great angel Mittatron, whom the Scriptures call Wisdom. In a further passage he says that in him whom the Cabalists call Mittatron others recognise Messiah, and quotes the passage of Isaiah in which occurs the closed mem.

In Reuchlin's book De Arte Cabalistica the open mem is said to represent the sphere of Jupiter, and the closed mem the sphere of Mars.

P. 166, l. 12. Apocalyptics. Interpreters of the Apocalypse.

P. 166, l. 13. Preadamites. Those who hold that Adam was the progenitor of the Jews only, and not of the whole human race.

P. 166, l. 13. Millenarians. The believers in the reign of Christ on earth for a thousand years.

P. 166, l. 19. The allusion is probably to 2 Paralip. i. 14. Et fecit eos esse in urbibus quadrigarum, et cum rege in Jerusalem.

P. 166, l. 31. Exortum est lumen. Ps. cxii. 4. But the word corde does not appear in the Vulgate.

P. 168, l. 30. Agnus occisus est. Apoc. xiii. 8.

P. 170, l. 23. the breasts of the Spouse. Song of Songs, iv. 5.

P. 171, l. 32. Nisi fecissem. A partial citation of Joh. xv. 24.

P. 174, l. 32. Adam forma futuri, ad Rom. v. 14.

P. 175, l. 7. the six mornings. This passage is taken from S. Aug. De Genesi contra Manichæos, i. 23. Pascal probably intending to write les six orients, dawns or mornings, his amanuensis has written les six arians, a source of much misunderstanding. The six mornings are, the creation; the deliverance from the Ark; the call of Abraham; the carrying away into Babylon; the preaching of Jesus.

P. 175, l. 29. Fac secundum exemplar. Exod. xxv. 40, but the Vulgate has monstratum.

P. 176, l. 9. Saint Paul says. 1 Cor. vii.; 1 Tim. iv. 3.

P. 176, l. 14. On which Saint Paul says. Heb. viii. 5.

P. 176, l. 16. Veri adoratores. Joh. iv. 23. Ecce agnus Dei. Joh. i. 29.

P. 187, l. 11. ne evacuata sit crux. 1 ad Cor. i. 17. ut non evacuetur crux Christi.

P. 187, l. 12. says that he came neither with wisdom nor with signs. See however 2 Cor. xii. 12. "Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds."

P. 191, l. 7. Deliciæ meæ. Prov. viii. 31. Effundam. Joel, ii. 28. Dii estis. Ps. lxxxii. 6. Omnis caro fœnum. Is. xl. 6. Homo comparatus est. Ps. xlix. 20. Dixi in corde. Eccles. iii. 18.

P. 192, l. 3. Marton. Probably a mistake of the amanuensis for Miton. See p. 12, l. 22.

P. 192, l. 10. Sapientius est hominibus. 1 ad Cor. i. 25.

P. 194, l. 5. Nemo ante obitum beatus est. Ovid, Met. iii. 136. The passage runs:--

Dicique beatus Ante obitum nemo supremaque funera debet.

P. 194, l. 19. The citations from the Rabbis are taken from the Pugio Fidei.

P. 195, l. 36. Chronology of Rabbinism. The chronology here given is in many points at variance with modern scholarship.

P. 197, l. 19. Salutare tuum expectabo. Gen. xlix. 18.

P. 200, l. 12. Miserere. The first word of Ps. li., "Miserere mei Deus." Expectavi. The first word of Ps. xl., "Expectans expectavi Dominum."

P. 200, l. 29. Dixit Dominus. The first words of Ps. cx.