Chapter XLIV: Part II: The Crescent (4)

I humbly beg Dr. Lewins’ pardon for the rude question; but does he really mean to say what he does say? Does he want his readers to believe that up to his appearance in this world of matter, thinking men did not know what they were talking about, and that among all the “Ego Brains” of this globe his brain is the one omniscient _reality_, while all others are empty phantasms,or _spectral_ balloons? Besides which, matter cannot surely be _real_ and _unreal_ at the same time. If _unreal_—and he maintains it—then all Science can know about it is that it knows _nothing_, and this is precisely what Science confesses. And if _real_—and Dr. Lewins, as shown, declares it likewise—then his _Idealism_ goes upside down, and _Hylo_ alone remains to mock him and his philosophy. These may be trifling considerations in the consciousness of an _Ego_ of Dr. Lewins’ power, but they are very serious contradictions, and also impediments in the way of such humble thinkers as Vedantins, Logicians, and Theosophists, toward recognising, let alone appreciating, “Hylo-Idealism.” Our learned correspondent pooh-poohs Metaphysics, and at the same time not only travels on purely metaphysical grounds, but adopts and sets forth the most metaphysical tenets, the very gist of the PARA-metaphysical Vedanta philosophy, tenets held also by the Buddhist “Illusionists”—the _Yogachâras_ and _Madhyamikas_. Both schools maintain that all is void (_sarva sûnya_), or that which Dr. Lewins calls spectral and phantasmal. Except internal sensation or intelligence (_vijnâna_) the Yogachâras regard everything else as illusion. Nothing that is material can have any but a _spectral_ existence with them. So far, our “Bauddhas” are at one with _the_ Hylo-Idealists, but they part at the crucial moment. The New School teaches that the Brain (the originator of consciousness) is the only factor and Creator of the visible Universe; that in _it_ alone all our ideas of external things are born, and that, apart from it, nothing has real existence, everything being illusion. Now what has that Brain, or rather the material its particles and cells are composed of, distinct in it from other matter that it should be rendered such honours? _Physically_, it differs very little indeed from the brain stuff and cranium of any anthropoid ape. Unless we divorce consciousness, or the EGO, from matter, one materialistic philosophy is as good as the other, and none is worth living for. What his Brain-Ego _is_, Dr. Lewins does not show anywhere. He urges that his “atheistic or _non-animist_ (soulless) standpoint is the _pivot_” on which his “whole synthesis revolves.” But as that “pivot” is no higher than the physical brain with its hallucinations, then it must be a broken reed indeed. A philosophy that goes no further than superficial Agnosticism, and says that “what Tennyson says of Deity _may_ be true, but it is not in the region of natural cogitation; for it transcends the logical _Encheiresis naturæ_“ (Hum. _v._ Theism)—is no philosophy, but simply _unqualified negation_. And one who teaches that ”_savants_, or specialists, are the last to reach the _summa scientiæ_, for the constant _search_ after knowledge must ever prevent its _fruition_” (ibid), cuts the ground himself under his feet, and thus loses the right, not only to be considered a man of science, but likewise his claim to the title of philosopher, for he rejects all knowledge. Dr. Lewins, quoting Schiller, “to the effect that truth can never be reached while the mind is in its analytic throes,” shows the poet-philosopher saying that:—“To capture the fleeting phantom he (the analyst) must fetter it by rules, must anatomatise its fair body into concepts, and imprison _its living spirit_ into a bare skeleton of words”—and thus brings this as a prop and proof of his own arguments that we need not trouble ourselves with the “cause of causes.” But Schiller believed in spirit and immortality, while the Hylo-Idealists deny them _in toto_. What he says above is accepted by every Occultist and Theosophist, simply because _he refers to the purely intellectual_ (not Spiritual) _analysis_ on the physical plane, and according to the present scientific methods. Such analysis, of course, will never help man to reach the real _inner_ soul-knowledge, but must ever leave him stranded in the bogs of fruitless speculation.

The truth is, that Hylo-Idealism is at best QUIETISM—only on the purely material plane. “Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die,” seems its motto. Dr. Lewins tells us that he holds his views with Epicurus. I beg leave to contradict again. Epicurus insisted upon the necessity of making away with an unphilosophical, anthropomorphic deity— a bundle of contradictions—and so do we, the Theosophists. But Epicurus believed in gods, finite and conditioned in space and time, still _divine_ when compared to objective ephemeral man: again, just as we, Theosophists, believe in them.

We feel sorry to have to say unpleasant truths. The Founder of Hylo-Idealism is evidently a marvellously well-read man, his learning is great and undeniable; and, we have always had an instinctive respect for, and sympathy with, thinkers of his calibre. But, we have been sent pamphlets and books on Hylo-Idealism for review, and one would be truant to his duty to conceal one’s honest and sincere views on anything. Therefore, we say that, contradictions and inconsistencies in the Hylo-Idealistic system apart, we find in it a mass of ideas and _arguments_ which come forcibly home to us, because they are part and parcel of the Eastern Idealism. Our premises and propositions seem to be almost identical in some respects, but the conclusions we come to disagree in every point, the most important of which is the true nature of matter. This, which “has been _fabled_ as ‘Spirit,’” writes Dr. Lewins in 1878, “is really merely the ‘_vis insita_’ of matter or ‘nature’—the latter a misnomer if creation or birth is a delusion, as it must be on the hypothesis of the eternity of matter.”

Here the Doctor speaks evidently of “Spirit” from the Christian stand-point, and criticises it from this aspect. And from this stand-point and aspect he is perfectly right; but as wrong from those of Eastern philosophy. Did he but view Spirit, _as one with eternal matter_, which, though eternal _in esse_ is but finite and conditioned during its periodical manifestations, he would not so materialise its _vis insita_—which is _vis vitæ_ but when applied to individual manifestations, the living subjects of illusion, or animated bodies. But this would lead us too far, and we must close the subject with one more protest. There is a casual remark in “Humanism _v._ Theisms” to the effect (on the authority of Ueberweg) that “the early Greek thinkers and Sages were Hylo-Zoists.” Aye, learned Doctor; but the early Greek thinkers understood Hylo-Zoism (from “_Hyle_” _primordial_ matter, or what the greatest chemist in England, Mr. Crookes, has called “protyle” _undifferentiated matter_, and “_Zoe_,” life) in a way very different from yours. So are we, Theosophists and Eastern Occultists, “Hylo-Zoists”; but it is because with us “life” is the synonym both of Spirit and Matter, or the ONE eternal and infinite LIFE whether manifested or otherwise. That LIFE is both the eternal IDEA and its periodical LOGOS. He who has grasped and mastered this doctrine completely has thereby solved the mystery of BEING.

“THE ADVERSARY.”

P.S.—We have in type a very excellent article by Mr. L. Courtney, which could not find room in this present number, but will appear in March. In it, the writer says all that he _can_ possibly say in favour of Hylo-Idealism, and that is all one can do. Thus, LUCIFER will give one fair chance more to the new System; after which it will have gained a certain right to neither answer at such length, nor accept any article on Hylo-Idealism that will go beyond a page or so.—“A.”

------------------------------------

INTERESTING TO ASTROLOGERS.

ASTROLOGICAL NOTES—No. 4.

_To the Editor of_ LUCIFER.

QUESTION, at London, 1887, March 2nd, 6.8 p.m. What will be the duration of quesited’s life?

Though the preceding figure showed that my relative would recover from his illness,[194] yet it was obvious that the end could not be far distant; and I drew the present figure for the minute of the impression, to interrogate the stars.

-----

Footnote 194:

NOTE.—This was shown by the preceding figure; a weak aspect in
horary astrology can only symbolize a weak result. Hence, though
the weakly good semisextile was sufficient to indicate
convalescence from a self-limited disease like pneumonia, yet it
did not denote complete restoration to health. Had the
significators been applying to a Trine, I should have judged not
only convalescence from the acute attack, but a continuance of a
vigorous old age.

-----

The following are the elements of the figure:—

Cusp of 10th house 14 ♊.
— 11th house 21 ♋.
— 12th house 22 ♌.
— 1st house 17° 45’ ♍.
— 2nd house 10 ♎.
— 3rd house 9 ♏.

Planets’ places are:
♆ 25. 13. 15 ♉.
♅ 11. 37. 30 R. ♎.
♄ 15. 46. 30 R ♋.
♃ 5. 41. 30 R ♏.
♂ 23. 50. 45 ♓.
☉ 11. 52. 19 ♓.
♀ 3. 10. 30 ♈.
☿ 29. 36. 15 ♓.
☽ 8. 28. 15 ♊.
Caput Draconis 27. 21. 38 ♌.
⨁ 14. 20. 56 I.

As in the previous figure the 6th house is the quesited’s 1st, and the 1st house is his 8th. As the time of the question was after sunset, ☿ ruling ♏ by night was lord of his 8th, and ♅ ruling ♒ by night was lord of his 1st. The aspect of the significators is ☿ 167° 58’ 45” ♅, separating from the Quincunx and applying to the Opposition. The Quincunx is, like the Conjunction and Parallel, convertible in nature, being good with benefics and evil with malefics, and when a benefic and malefic are thus joined, the stronger rules. It was therefore in this case doubly evil, as the significators were separating from one evil aspect and applying to another though not within orbs of either. As ☿, the applying planet, was in a common sign, and is an angle of the figure, each degree signified a week; and as 12° 1′ 15´´ were wanted to complete the opposition, the critical period was shown to be a fraction over 12 weeks, or May 25th.

Danger to life was also shown by _Cauda Draconis_ in quesited’s 1st house; by ☉ in quesited’s 1st afflicted by a very close Quincunx of ♅ lord of his 1st, ♅ moreover receiving ☉ in his Detriment, and ☉ receiving ♅ in his Fall; and by ☽, lady of quesited’s 6th, posited in his 4th, and afflicted by a rather close Quartile of ☉ posited in his 1st, ☉ moreover receiving ☽ in his Anti-triplicity (_sit venia verbo_). Nevertheless, as the significators were not actually in any evil aspect, ☿ moreover receiving ♅ in his Triplicity, and being almost out of ♓ his Fall and Detriment, and the Detriment of ♅; ☽, lady of his 6th, and posited in his 4th, applying to a Trine of ♅ lord of his 1st; and ☿ lord of his 8th applying to Conjunction with ♀ lady of his 4th, ♀ moreover receiving ☿ in her exaltation;—all this denoted that May 25th would be the time, not indeed of certain death, but of imminent danger, the beginning of the end.

⨁ being in the 4th house of the figure, almost on the cusp, denoted a legacy to my father.

The actual result was as follows: After having been for some time in fair health, considering his age and recent illness, _he was suddenly taken ill and in great danger on the night of May 27th, and on the morning of May 31st was in articulo mortis, and given up by his two physicians_. From this, however, he rallied; relapsed on the night of July 6th; rallied again; but _died on July 19th_ at 8.30 a.m., after a sudden seizure of only 15 minutes’ duration, _and my father received a legacy under his will_.

The quesited suffered much in his last illness from cough and dyspnœa. The certificate of death was—“_Primary_: emphysema, morbus cordis. _Secondary_: thrombus, syncope.” With this may be compared ♄ in ♋, having dignity in quesited’s 8th house, and afflicting ♅ lord of quesited’s 1st. ♄ in ♋ denotes “phthisis, ulceration in lungs, obstructions and bruises in breast, ague, scurvy, cancer, and cough.”

NEMO.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transcriber’s Note

Some longer stories and articles are continued from number to number of the publication. Where the continued text appears in this volume, the ‘to be continued’ note a the bottom of each section is linked to the next. On occasion, the promised continuation is not to be found in thi text, and no link is provided.

On p. 236, the footnote now numbered 56 was referenced both in the title of the review and on the repetition of that phrase in the body of the review. The first of these has been removed as redundant. On occasion, diacritical marks in foreign words were not printed, and have not been added here.

The copious quotations give rise to the occasional puzzle with quotation marks, which make it difficult to say what the authors intended. Where there is no simple resolution, the text is given here as printed. The problematic paragraphs appear on p. 151, p. 164, p. 179, p. 205, p. 277, p. 295, p. 305.

Other errors deemed most likely to be the printer’s have been corrected as noted below.

The references are to the page and line in the original. Where the page is printed in columns, ‘L’ and ‘R’ refer to the left and right columns. Those referenced with three numbers indicate the page, footnote and line within the note. Since footnotes have sometimes been moved to follow a paragraph, all references are to their position in the printed text.

3.1.2 How art thou [f]allen from Heaven Restored.

20.1 in which the Zoroast[r]ian Mitra Inserted

22.1.1 tha[t] John saw Restored.

22.2.9 it literally means ‘to howl.’[”] Added.

38.4 I have p[re/er]suaded my aunt Transposed.

44.16 chapters of the Bha[ga]vadgita Inserted.

51.1 self-contained and harmonious within[.] Added.

55.31 the high plateaux of Central Asia[.] Added.

55.40 some amount of injustice in it[.] Added.

60.6 Count Tolstoi considers it nec[e]ssary Inserted.

67.2 in [leasurely] fashion _sic_

69.13 in the Villa Torcello[.] Added.

72L.33 my books been par[a/o]died Replaced.

75L.55 by [C/G]. H. Pember Replaced.

79R.43 But as LU[FIC/CIF]ER hopes shortly to deal Transposed.

74R.15 [“]That the first human beings Added.

80R.33 [“]The famous cynic, Cratus, Removed.

84.41 his theosop[h]ical views. Inserted.

85.19 the social respectabili[l/t]y it panders to Replaced.

87.40 [innoculated] with vice, _sic_

87.41 in his subsequent life[.] Added.

104.44 it grew importunate[.] Added.

116.8 the Hindu philosophical tenet[.] Added.

122.24 if he changes his a[l/t]titude Replaced.

122.33 that marriage is consummated.[”] Added.

124.32 [“]Not one would have the courage Added.

131.3 By [C/G]. H. Pember, M.A. Replaced.

132.32 by such cavalier treatment[.] Added.

134.12 this [insistance] upon the letter _sic_

147.29 are pearls of wisdom[.] Added.

147.32 of the Ros[i]crucians Inserted.

152.28 ‘the Great Goddess[’] Added.

152.29 in the minds of Theosophists.[”] Added.

158R.43 is the day[-]house of ♅ Inserted.

164.6 members of that society who[ who] always find Removed.

172.15 and a benefic[i]ent power Removed.

179.3.12 principle of the Theosophists,[)] Added.

185.35 all occupied with [“/‘]Fou;[”/’] Replaced.

195.22 clos[e] to the great fire Restored.

204.45 Life-renewal and Life-tran[s]mission inserted.

201.26 draw it from you[r] own beautiful soul! Added.

205.38 and is himself examined of no man.[”] Added.

206.1 not for my life, assuredly[,/.] Replaced.

206.13 because it can give _me_[,] pleasure. Removed.

206.17 I am surr[r]ounded with a whole world Removed.

206.31 may be made comfortable.[”] Added.

209.36 within his soul.[”] Removed.

218.44 most wonderfull[l]y Removed.

217.23 aim of this work[,] the bias of the writer Added.

224.33 the irrational[i]ty Inserted.

226.40 the p[h]yschic-astral and the divine-astral Removed.

230.11 in[ ]dulge in the practice Removed.

233.3 before the seventee[n]th century Inserted.

233.27 cons[e]quently the great cry Inserted.

236.27 pheno[nem/men]a of modern spiritualism Transposed.

256.7 the lustre of the firma[n/m]ent Replaced.

260.38 uplifted to his were Fleta’s eyes[.] Added.

261.17 but [eat] nothing more _sic>_

263.39 pushed the door open[,/.] Replaced.

265.38 a passionate and adoring eagerness[.] Added.

273.59 [l]ife of the Spirit Restored.

278.44 the only one to see me[,/.] Replaced.

283.15 repugnant to a belie[t/f] in this law Replaced.

284.31 in a position to apprecia[i/t]e Replaced.

292.17 as in the Jubilee[e] coinage Removed.

292.28 The question of what interpreta[ta]tion Removed.

293.68.2 (1 Corinthians xi, 11.[)] Added.

296.7 or [“/‘]problematical[”/’] Mahatma?” Replaced.

299.29 since it beg[u/a]n by a “play of words,” Replaced.

301.1.5 the Word of Truth, th[e] _Makheru_ of Egypt. Restored.

301.1.6 The preserved mummy was the bod[y] Restored.

301.15 [“]χρηστός ἑστιν επι τους,” Added.

302.16 and even by unbelievers,[”] _sic_

302.1.1 [“]Christianus quantum interpretatione Added.

303.2.3 or devoted to oracul[e/a]r services Replaced.

304.25 “the son of Iaso or _Ieso_, the [“]healer,” Removed.

305.4 of this rema[r]kable form. Inserted.

305.36 with [“/‘]oil that was taken from the wood Replaced.

305.37 he is called the Christ:[”/’] Replaced.

305.41 also as the Horus of both sexes.[”] Added.

305.2.1 for in[t]itiation into the Greek Removed.

306.34 the name of the Christ as the e[n/m]balmed Replaced.
mummy

306.47 With the Greek [t]erminal _s_ Restored.

307.30 our Christology is mummified mythology.” Removed.

309.2.1 [“]The word שיה _shiac_, Removed.

310.19 ([“]λεγόμενος,” surnamed “χρηστος.”) Added.

303.3.3 [(]here Socrates is the _Chréstos_) Added.

303.4.12 circle and solar year,[”] _sic_

311.36 tran[s]gress> that law? Inserted.

313.1 while parasit[i]es eat slowly Removed.

317.9 in the [mechanicism] of the Universe _sic_

317.13 pessimism is ro[u/o]ted in the recognition Replaced.

322.29 and that _[“] system_ Added.

326.22 from any obligatory duty.[”] Removed.

326.28 thrown the blame and responsibi[i]lty Removed.

327.55 whether in[ it] its dead letter, Removed.

330L.14 having di[r/s]burdened our heart Replaced.

332L.18 they disarm cri[c/t]icism Replaced.

333R.61 even altars unto Baal[”] Added.

334R.51 [“]where the women wove hangings for the Added.
grove”

335L.44 and the [“]Kaivalyanita.” Added.

334L.29 and by the famine....[’/”] Replaced.

349.32 knew that man to be a savage[.] Added.

351.36 recognised it as his own room[,/.] Replaced.

360.23 it was exceedingly solid and well fastened[.] Added.

361.20 [“]I may not readily understand you. Added.

366.13 were all in all to us![”] Added.

367.27 that reigneth over all![”] Added.

372.23 cannot subsist witho[n/u]t the spiritual force Inverted.

373.42 have themselves an organic form[,/.] Replaced.

375.8 —probably many[.] Added.

386.25 should he meet him in Heaven[,/.] Replaced.

387.25 [me] Ambrose’s sword _sic_ ?

389.34 [“/‘]thou> must be Replaced.

390.19 as you shall hear.[”] Added.

404.11 vegetable forms [a]s well? Restored.

406.30 from not[—/-]living matter.[’]” Replaced/Removed.

407.1.1 [“]missing link” Restored.

409.47 (actual or possible)[”] Added.

411.3 the root of [uo/ou]r present constitution Transposed.

412.19 in accepting the doct[r]ine of Atonement Inserted.

413.16 the[,] Church wishes the truth, Removed.

417.19 and transfer it [to ]the shoulders Inserted.

434.29 an hono[n/u]rable reputation Inverted.

436.1.14 to the [‘]Lord’ for a burnt-offering Restored.

437.19 must be the _d[’]evil_ worship _sic_

447.35 they were set in[.] Added.

447.27 which was habitual with him[.] Added.

450.2 learned to surrender his love.[”] Added.

456.14 follow and s[ie/ei]ze her thoughts Transposed.

469.7 [“]No one said aught Added.

472.3.1 [“]breaks through the Brahmarandra _sic_

474.5 three-fold r[h]ythm Inserted.

477.7 it would never [h/b]e his. Replaced.

477.27 by personal craving or desire[.] Added.

481.10 the quickest violet[.] Added.

484.10 the very ar[ô/o]ma of our thoughts Replaced.

486.5 the i[n]diosyncrasies of a nation Removed.

490.12 “Faith is the key of Christendom,[’/”] Replaced.

494.41 only a coun[f/t]erfeit Presentment Replaced.

495.23 _but for destruction_.[”] Added.

502.35 the Deit[r]y is either an anachronism, Removed.

502.39 in the tract entitle[s/d] “Autocentricism, or Replaced.
the Brain Theory of Life and Mind.”

503.10 which certifies it[s] own nomenal existence. Added.

503.13 the nöetic or hyloic basis[.] Added.

503.14 admits of sci[e]ntific research Inserted.

503.28 such states of rapture the relatio[u/n]s Replaced.