21 SEPTEMBER 1844, Page 18

THE BOOK OF SYMBOLS.

THE " Symbols" of this " Book " are a set of maxims or apo- thegms, which have been attributed to PYTHAGORAS. Some of them have doubtless been derived from his sentences, and repre- sent his manner of indicating his meaning; yet the language shows that their present form belongs to a later age, and there is probably a greater suspicion attached to their authenticity than the writer of The Book of Symbols seems inclined to allow.

The object of these Pythagorean sentences, on which our author expatiates, is to inculcate moral maxims or rules of life. The meaning is presented to the mind symbolically—they present a metaphorical puzzle rather than a plain direction. Sometimes, however, the general idea to be inculcated is clear enough ; though it may be too allusive or too comprehensive for the precise mean- ing to be distinctly made out. At other times the symbol is so vague or mystical that it may be interpreted in various ways ; and com- mentators. have exhausted their ingenuity in trying to discover the Pythagorean mysteries. For example, in the maxim " Cerebrum rte edito—Eat not the brain," the sage evidently intended to warn mankind against permitting their minds to injure their health or happiness. But whether, as this volume would infer, PYTHAGORAS merely desired to guard his disciples against over-pursuit of fame, or whether, as seems more probable, he wished to warn them against the eating cares of business or the emotions of passion, is a matter of individual interpretation. "Per viam publicam ne vedas—Go not by the public way," is less clear : it may be, as our author says, a recommendation of solitude ; or it may inculcate privacy, or middle life—the golden mean that was impressed both by sacred and profane teachers.

"Give me neither poverty nor riches." " Auream quisquis mediocritatem Diligit, tutus caret obsoleti Sordibus tecti, caret invidenda Sobrius aula."

Some of the maxims relate to prejudices, superstitions, or usages, and thus acquire a double obscurity, first from our ignorance of the ancient opinion alluded to, and next of the esoteric meaning or

therefore it represented. To explain the symbols of PYTHAGORAS, is therefore an arduous task, requiring great knowledge and great sa- gacity ; alwttys or at least often liable to dispute, and not always possible to attain. Take an instance of our meaning by an extract from the volume.

SuunoL xxvm.—Melanuros ne guatato.

Bat notfish whose tails are black.

It will have become clear and manifest, that to analyse, explain, or comment on these profound and mystical symbols, as they ought to be analyzed, ex- plained, and commented on—copiously and learnedly—and as the wise and ex- cellent anther would have approved of, almost universal knowledge is required of him who has courage to undertake the " magnum opus." Not only genius, invention, and apt illustration, are essential; but a competent acquaintance also with the objects used in composing the symbols. Here, for example, the commentator finds the want of the knowledge of that branch of zoology called ichthyology, or science of fishes; for without it how on he pretend to know the peculiarities of those fishes whose tails are black ? And being ignorant of their idiosyncracy (to use a learned phrase) or peculiar temperament, how can be comprehend the allusion contained in the symbol? In truth, not only the science of morale in all its branches—the deeper sciences of metaphysics and logic, in all their windings—must be perfectly known by the commentator, but be must likewise have a deep insight into natural history, and all the wondrous works of nature, in heaven and in earth.

Even all this knowledge would not suffice; for the Magna Gre- cians might have a vulgar prejudice against black-tailed fishes, not founded in scientific ichthyology.

The Book of Symbols, as the reader may infer from this quotation, is a series of essays on some of the maxims of PYTHAGORAS; the sentence being taken, like a text of Scripture, and made the groundwork of a discourse. These essays, like sermons, some- times explain the obscurities of the original, by a reference to ancient customs, or by an interpretation of the hidden meaning. More generally, having assumed the drift of the ancient sage, they contain an exhortation to the particular wisdom or virtue he recommended; occasionally, and still like a sermon, comparing Heathen and Christian theory and practice,—the writer not always assigning the palm of practice to the modern world.

The author of this work has brought to his task a good deal of zeal, and a good deal of reading ; though his knowledge has the air of being rather derived from the convenient collections of editors and commentators than from independent inquiry. His mind is teem- ing, his style fluent, and he presents ideas as well as words. These ideas, too, are the product of thought and an ample consideration of his theme : but they are the result of speculation rather than observation. The ideas are excogitated because the author is about to handle a theme—not the fresh and peculiar knowledge which experience has impressed upon him. This gives a cold and general character to much of The Book of Symbols. Its matter is not at all common, but is what may be called scholastic common- place. When any branch of human science, or, to speak more accurately, when any branch of a natural entity has been investi- gated, a very large amount of knowledge may be attained without the necessity of making one observation on life or one experiment on matter. This constitutes what the rhetoricians call the "com- monplaces" of subjects—such an encyclopaedic acquaintance with the res humane as enables a professional orator to say something upon anything. This knowledge is necessary to men who are called upon suddenly to address others either by tongue or pen ; but its value is to illustrate or impregnate experience. By itself; it is always too general, and soon wearies the listener or reader ; which is perhaps too much the character of The Book of Symbols. It has an air of the master out of school.

This observation does not apply to passages where speculation it proper to the subject, being themes that speculation alone can treat ; or to many parts where the author brings some definite ex- perience to bear upon the point at issue, or which he may have struck off in a happy moment. The following is an opinion that can only be derived from recorded facts or dead knowledge.

NO-wORSHIP OF THE ANCIENTS TO GOD.

It may be observed by an inquisitive mind, that there is a sad omission in

those degrees of divine natures; the more remarkable when we have the certitude of the existence of a still higher divinity acknowledged by Pythagoras and by most of the ancient philosophers. The Unum of the previous symbol refers to this Being—the God of Gods. His existence as the eternal cause is not de- nied; the emanation of those subordinate deities from him is often acknow- ledged as a fundamental truth but why is not worship enjoined to Him as to others ? why is His name studiously omitted from among those worthy of our veneration ? This is a question of great difficulty ; but to it an answer must be given, whether right or wrong. If our opinion be opposed to the truth, we are ready to retract, upon sound reasons and satisfactory proof. There is no opi- nion, no hypothesis, no theory, no dogma, in heaven or in earth, which we would not willingly sacrifice on the sacred altar of truth.

All our inquiries have, for the present, ended in the conviction that the an.

cients, whether mere Pagans or Polytheists, philosophers or men of the world, offered no direct worship to the Supreme Being. They confessed the fact of His existence—whether derived from reason or from imagination; but they no- where inculcated the duty of offering to Him that worship and those sacrifices Offered to the subordinate and emanating gods. One apparent reason was, that He took no immediate part in the government of the world; that the interests of humanity were delegated to other natures, and to these natures gratitude and worship were alone due. The worship offered to these lower divinities in directly redounded to His glory and honour; but He was deemed too transcen- dental a being to be affected by the affairs of men ; and therefore worship to Him was deemed superfluous or useless.

The following are from the essay on the maxim " Speak not in the face of the sun."

UNEXPRESSED IDEAS.

Rapid and copious language is well known, to all minds so trained to silence and meditation, not to be so competent a vehicle for deep thoughts as sympathy and communion, carried on by few words, yet deeply felt and under- stood. The lover can convey his passion more forcibly by the eloquence of the eye, the expression of a look, or by the power of a smile, than by language. There is nothing we delight in more than this Pythagorean silence, this ecstatic musing of the mind. Cicero said, there is not only an art bat an elo quence in silence. We find language only an impediment to thought. There is an effort required in speaking which fatally disenchants the soul, and brings it down to the realms of reality. In using language, we care not so much about the idea as the mode in which we express it. But the same idea unexpressed in the mind is there existing in all the nakedness and simplicity of its nature, pure and beautiful as from the Creator's hands. Words may embellish the idea in an artificial dress, but what we gain in show we lose in simpleness and symmetry.

BE SILENT.

It is the fool who speaks in the face of the sun—L e. makes known his thoughts and feelings to all the world. As of a woman's modesty, which, it is said, she cannot safely unmask before the moon, so is it with a man's mind; he cannot prudently or wisely disclose it even to the most intimate friend,. much less to all mankind. There are secret thoughts in every breast, to know which is no man's business ; and to proclaim them publicly is a certain proof of a loquacious, superficial mind, and of the want of depth of character. He who cannot bridle the tongue and act discreetly, but is ever declaring to the world the emotions he feels, and everything that happens to him, however trifliag, is sure to bring upon himself contempt and derision; as such conduct only more effectually exposes to view the meanness of his soul and littleness of his. character.