through the means of the same pure matter.

But inasmuch as

the 'Precious Stones' are of this nature, it follows that their Idea superinduces in them a greater virtue than in the case of other composite bodies that are less pure; and thus they ac count for the special virtues in stones by means of the Idea." "But Hermes, and several other astronomers who have studied matters celestial, assert that all virtues of things below proceed from the planets and the constellations of heaven. And according as the composite body is made up out of purer or coarser elements, so do the stars and the constellations infuse a greater or a lesser virtue into the same. And since precious stones possess a purity of their elements, and, so to speak, al most a celestial composition or syncrasis (as is apparent in the Sapphire, the Balais, and the rest), these stones have greater virtue than others not composed of equally pure elements. Wherefore Hermes saith concerning the virtue of stones: 'We should hold it for certain that the virtues of the things below all proceed from the things above: for the things above, by their substance, light, position, motion, and also figure, infuse all those remarkable virtues that be in stones.' It is therefore made out from the decisions of these philosophers, and likewise of Ptolemy, that the virtues of stones come from the planets, stars, and constellations, through the medium of the pureness of their complexion. Other opinions might be adduced, but since they rest on no foundation we may as well pass them by. and accept at once the above-cited explanation: seeing that no other theory is so consistent with truth as that of Hermes and the other astronomers, who lay it down as established that things below are governed by the influence of things above." And to sum up all, whatever benefit can be thought of for mankind, the same can be brought about through the virtue of stones. It must however be understood that in stones there is sometimes a single virtue, sometimes two, three, or several; and these virtues do not subsist in consequence of the beauty of the stone, for some of the most efficacious stones are extremely ugly and yet possess very great virtue; whereas others are very beautiful and yet possess no virtue at all. On which grounds it is held amongst the most famous doctors as an indubitable and established truth, that virtues subsist in in stones, as they do in other things, but as to the manner in which they subsist, there is a diversity of opinion. One theory

*

*

is that of the Pythagoreans, who hold that virtues subsist in all things, and proceed from a soul; and maintain that stones as well as all inferior things are endowed with souls. They pretend also that souls can enter, and can leave a different substance by means of the soul's operations, in the same manner as the human intellect extends itself to the objects of the understanding, and the imagination to the objects of the imagination. Thus, with respect to stones, they hold that the souls of the stones extend themselves to man by means of the proximity of the particular stone; and so impress their peculiar virtues upon the substance of the man: and they explain that the virtue in stones is operative through the means of the soul, in the same way as fascination takes place from the glance of the eye, through the means of the soul. They assert that it is through the sight that the soul of a man or of another animal enters into a man or another animal and affects the action of that animal; which same fascination, or "stroke" is believed to come not from the sight only, inasmuch as the act of sight takes place by receiving impressions, not by sending them out.

Nor does this happen by means of the sight only, but, as above declared, from another cause, namely the soul of the agent giving the stroke. And this opinion was accepted by Democritus, who asserted that all things were full of gods; and by Orpheus likewise, who said that gods were diffused through all things, and that God was nothing else than that which forms all things and is diffused in all things. In this sense, therefore, they believed that souls are gods; and they attributed virtue to things, through the operation of the soul.'

Plato in his "Phædo" gives the following description of the "True World," or the one above us in the heavens:

"The story is, that in the first place this supernal world presents exactly the same appearance, if viewed from above, as those children's balls covered with twelve different stripes; for it is multicolored and divided into compartments of different hues, of which the pigments we have here below, that is to say those used by painters, are mere samples. But in that world all the earth itself is made up of such tints, and in great part also of others still more brilliant and more refined than these; for one part is purple and wonderful for its beauty, another is gold-colored, another whiter than plaster or snow so very white is it, and in the same measure that which is composed of the

other colors surpasses all those in our painters' stock: and moreover, some portions are made of others yet more diversified, and more lovely than any we have ever seen. Moreover, even the hollow places also of this earth we are speaking of, being filled up with water and air, present the appearance of coloring, inasmuch as they reflect the diversity of the colors of the other parts, so that every single division of the land appears continuously painted. And in a region of such a nature as this, the trees, the flowers, and the fruits, come forth in a manner to correspond, with the beauty of the rest. And similarly the rocks there, and the stones, have in the same proportion a polish, and a luster, and a color far superior to ours. And of

those stones, the gems so much prized here, the Sards, Jaspers, and Emeralds, and all such like things, are the mere fragments. For in that land there is nothing but what is of their quality, nay even still finer than they; and the cause of it is that the stones there are pure and not corroded nor corrupted as those with us, through decay and through the action of salts, in consequence of the conflux of the liquids hitherwards which produces disfigurement and diseases both in stones and in earth, and its animals and plants. For that earth is adorned with all these [precious stones] and besides them with gold and with silver, and with all other matters of like nature: for they are produced visibly, and are both numerous, and abundant in quantity, and plentifully dispersed over the soil; so that to behold the same is a sight to render the beholders happy."

We subjoin the names of the precious stones allied to the twelve signs of the zodiac-reprinted from the first volume of THE Eso

TERIC:

The name of the first son of Jacob was Reuben, which means "vision of light;" belonging to the month of (Libra), from September 22 to October 23, and the stone allotted by the angel that gave the Revelation to John, was the Chrysolite.

The second son was Simeon, M (Scorpio), which is from October 23 to November 22, and the stone allotted by the same authority was the Beryl, i. e., Aquamarine, and many authors ally the Opal to the same sign or period of birth.

The third son was Levi, f (Sagittarius), from November 22 to December 21, the angel allotted the Topaz to all in that sign.

The fourth was Judah, V (Capricorn), from December 21

to January 20. The Chrysoprasus, probably the Turquois.

The fifth was Dan, (Aquarius), from January 20 to February 19, to which was allied the Jacinth, Zircon or Hya cinth, and some authors ally the Garnet.

The sixth son was Naphtali, (Pisces), February 19 to March 21, to that period or tribe head was allied the Amethyst.

The seventh son was Gad, Y (Aries), from March 21 to April 19, to which is allied the Jasper. or Bloodstone.

The eighth son was Asher, 8 (Taurus), April 19 to May 20; to it is allied the Sapphire, and many authors give it also the Diamond.

The ninth son was Issachar. II (Gemini), born between May 20 and June 21. Allied to it was the Chalcedony, Onyx or Agate.

The tenth son was Zebulun, (Cancer), from June 21 to July 22, to it was allied the Emerald.

The eleventh child was Dinah, or Diana, the only daughter, representing the interior or the soul; the "woman," in mystical language.

The next son must stand as the physical or external expression, so Joseph was placed in that sign which is (Leo) the heart, the time of which is from July 22 to August 22; to this sign is allied the Sardonyx (a reddish yellow or nearly an orange colored stone), and by most authorities the Ruby and Carbuncle.

We then have to turn to Gen. xxxv. 22, 23, where the account is given of the birth of Benjamin, ny (Virgo), between August 22 and September 22, to which sign is allied the Sardius or Carnelian.

Thank God every morning that you have something to do that day which must be done, whether you like it or not. Being forced to work and to do your best will breed in you a hundred virtues which the idle never know.-Chas. Kingsley.

Of all our infirmities, vanity is the dearest to us; a man will starve his other vices to keep that alive.- Franklin.

BRIEFS.

One of the most potent tenets held by Mental Scientists of the various schools is that diseased states are purely of the mind, and that all is mind. When one turns upon a pain or

disordered state the thought that it is merely a racial belief, and, in consciousness, is able to rise above it, the condition disappears very quickly.

The habit of hearing and forgetting or of reading and letting what is read pass immediately from the mind, has produced a general mental disorder which precludes the possibility of people reading, digesting, and utilizing the most important truths. Esoteric truths should be read slowly and thoughtfully. Does thoughtfully express the idea? Perhaps not. True, the attitude of mind is a thoughtful one, yet it is more nearly described as being one of musing thoughtfulness. Read quietly, and when a sentence or an idea impresses the mind, instead of reading on to find it more fully carried out and elucidated, stop at once and fix the mind-yet not the mind as ordinarily understood: exclude all vital consciousness of everything but the one thought that has impressed you. Let your inner consciousness hold to the idea, and at the same time look expectantly for other thoughts and further knowledge upon the subject to take form in your mind. If this method is carried out, you will be surprised at the revelations of truth that flow in upon your mentality and consciousness. Remember that to think is one thing, but to take the thought into your consciousness is quite another. Divine truths are of the vitality and not of the mind alone.

There is a legend that Jesus never laughed, and whether it is true or not, one thing is certain,--he whose life has been touched with divine light can, in a single moment, laugh it away, so that he loses all realization of the glorious light that had illumined his consciousness.