Chapter I: Front Matter

ORACLES OF NOSTRADAMUS

BY
CHAS. A. WARD.

“Gentem quidem nullam video, neque tam humanam atque doctam,
neque tam immanem tamque barbaram, quæ non significari futura,
et à quibusdam intelligi prædicique posse censeat.”—CICERO, _De
Divinatione_, i. 2.

LONDON:
The Leadenhall Press, E.C.

_Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co., Ltd:
New York: Scribner & Welford, 743 & 745, Broadway._

(_All rights reserved._)

“Quorum potentia intellectualis immediate à Deo agitata creditur,
prophetæ dicuntur; quorum voluntas heroës; at quorum intellectus
et voluntas censetur agitata à potentiis invisibilibus
dependentibus, appellantur magi.”—CHRIST. THOMASIUS, _in
Brunck, Hist. Phil._ v. 512.

(T. 4543)]

“Tu te mocques aussi des prophètes que Dieu
Choisit en tes enfants et les fait au milieu
De ton sein apparoître, afin de te prédire
_Ton malheur à venir; mais tu n’en fais que rire_.
Ou soit que le grand Dieu l’immense éternité
Ait de Nostradamus l’enthousiasme excité,
Ou soit que le démon bon ou mauvais l’agite....
Comme un oracle antique, il a de mainte année
Prédit la plus grand part de nostre destinée.”

RONSARD, _To Nostradamus_.

TO MY MOTHER.

Οὐδὲν ἐν ἀνθρώποισι πατρὸς καὶ μητρὸς ἄμεινον
Ἔπλετο, τοῖς ὁσίη, Κύρνε, μέμηλε δίκη.

THEOGNIS, p. 16, ed. 1766.

“But higher far my proud pretensions rise,—
The son of parents passed into the skies.”

COWPER, _On My Mother’s Picture_, line 110.

IF THERE CAN BE ANYTHING IN A BOOK LIKE THIS WORTHY OF
DEDICATION TO A BEING SO NOBLE AS THOU IN LIFE WERT EVER, A
BEING NOW MORE ENNOBLED STILL BY THE HEAVEN-BLEACHED RAIMENT OF
IMMORTALITY PUT ON; TO THEE, PURE SOUL SERENE! TO THEE DOES THY
STILL LOVING SON, EARTH-HAMPERED, DEDICATE THIS THE BEST LABOUR
OF HIS HEART AND HEAD AND YEARS. THE BEST OF IT IS THINE INDEED
ALREADY; AND WERE THE REST WORSE HARVESTED THAN PERHAPS IT
IS,—MORTALITY BEING ALLOWED FOR DULY,—THY SOUL RECEIVING MUST
BE MUCH CHANGED BY EXALTATION, IF QUEEN-LIKE, IT CANNOT MAKE A
SORRY LOVE-GIFT RICH BY GOLDEN WELCOME GIVEN IT.

IF THINGS OF KITH BE KIN, GOD WILLING, WE SHALL MEET AGAIN ERE
LONG. TILL WHEN, FROM THIS BARE HEATH TERRENE AND HOMELESS, I
SPEED THE WORD ADIEU. DEAR ONE! FOR A LITTLE WHILE ADIEU.

THY SON,