The Contest of Wisdom with Folly

To the Reader.

Wisdom 1.

Proverbs 20:3.

Proverbs 17:14.

Proverbs 17:19.

Proverbs 25:8.

Proverbs 3:30.

Proverbs 22:10.

...things are both hidden and manifest: for Wisdom, the artisan of all things, taught me A quotation from the Wisdom of Solomon 7:21. etc. By these words it is clearly enough declared that Solomon himself, with Wisdom alone as his guide, possessed perfect knowledge in universal and truly formal Music. Without her assistance, it is impossible to reach such great understanding in things so hidden. But that spirit is accustomed to descend only into a clean heart, immune to contention; for we read that Wisdom shall not enter into a malevolent soul Wisdom of Solomon 1:4.. Hence, for this reason, Solomon prayed for it, as he held contention and quarreling in the greatest hatred above all other vices, as he seems to assert in many places of his teaching. Indeed, in one he says: It is an honor for a man to cease from strife. In another: He who begins a quarrel is like one who lets out water. And elsewhere: He who loves a quarrel loves transgression. And again: Do not go out hastily to strive.

But someone will perhaps ask for the reason why I now prepare to hasten into the public field or arena of contention, since I find the Wise Man himself to be averse to such business? To this I respond: that this is permitted by the Wise Man himself in such a case, for he falls into this sentiment elsewhere: Do not strive with any man without cause, if he has done you no harm etc. Proverbs 3:30.. Therefore, I would never have wished to be involved in a Subject of this kind, unless the reason of defending my good name and reputation—which has remained immaculate until this day (thanks be to God)—had provoked me to it, willing or unwilling. By casting out the scorner (says the Wise Man) contention shall go out; when the strife ceases, the ignominy shall also cease. Proverbs 22:10..

It shall therefore be my task to delete with the edge of truth the brands of the slanderer, falsely impressed upon the minds of men; to cast out the fiction of the scorner like an evil demon using arguments of piety; so that at last, once the envy of that cynical Momus Momus: The Greek personification of mockery and unfair criticism. is detected, his deceptive skin stripped away, and the naked truth revealed and opened to the world, the ignominy falsely imposed upon me by that least deserving Monk Referring to Marin Mersenne, who was a monk of the Order of Minims. may be banished from human imagination into exile beyond the Hyperborean mountains A mythical land in the far north; here used to mean the most remote place on earth.. In this way, once discord is utterly defeated by these instruments, symphonic concord may freely exercise its power and virtue in the world.

As in Wisdom 7.

From these things, therefore, it is clearly enough declared that the sacred and simple laws of worldly harmony cannot descend into a breast contaminated by strife and envy, as it is destitute of Wisdom. What more, then, is to be expected or drawn from an empty breast regarding true and formal music than good wine from an empty cask? Or why should we seek Wisdom (which is the sincere foundation of true harmony) among those who are ignorant and blind to the "husk" original: "cortice" (bark/outer layer), contrasting with the "nucleus" or inner truth., when her splendid tabernacle is only to be found in the core or the very center of a thing? For this reason, she is sought by many but found by few, because nearly all things are full of fools—that is, the greater part of men hunt and venerate the Wisdom of this world with such devotion (which, by the witness of the Apostle in one place is foolish, and in another is foolishness before God) that they neglect and remain ignorant of that true Wisdom, which is the power and splendor of the Almighty—that mystical Wisdom (I say) of the prophets and Apostles—and they pursue those who seek her with derision, reproach, and contempt.

Colossians 1.

Friar Marin Mersenne seems to be a man of this sort of flour A phrase meaning "a man of this ilk" or "this kind of person.", an egregious adversary not only to me but to truth itself. By deforming his own "Harmony of the World" with the stains of antipathy and discord, he has (so to speak) so choked and obscured his crops and his good grain with tares and weeds original: "lolio & zizania" that he can bring nothing of use either to himself or indeed to the world. For what benefit of harmony, I ask, is to be expected from him who does not cease to pursue his brothers with hatred and malice? He considers not at all that the unique foundation or cornerstone of the harmony of both worlds—namely Our Lord Jesus Christ—pacified through the blood of his cross both those things which are in heaven and those on earth.

But in truth, Marin Mersenne (whatever he seems to preach about the harmony of the world) has not yet been appeased, but continues to accuse many of his brothers of atheism, blasphemy, heresy, magic, ignorance, and stupidity; he condemns them with rash judgment, and delights in chastising them with injurious words and insults, which are least becoming or decent for such a man. Yet he does not even think of the beam confirmed in his own eye. As for what pertains to me, for a reason of no moment he has cast suspicion of atheism upon me; in one place he says I am defiled by cacomagia Evil or "black" magic, as opposed to "natural magic."; in another he feigns that I am a patron of the same; elsewhere he calls me a heretic and sometimes a heretic-magician; and sometimes he writes of Robert's stupidity and...