Wisdom with Folly / Robert’s Examination.

He extracted all of this from Chapter 15 of that same book of ours, at the end of which you can find that experiment involving wine which he mentions. But now he approaches the description of my "Mundane Harmony" original: Harmoniæ meæ mundanæ. Fludd’s theory that the universe is tuned like a musical instrument. under the guise of a "plurality" i.e., referring to "them" or "they" rather than Fludd specifically and not by Fludd’s name.

6. Marin’s text in the same place, and Column 110.

Columns 109 and 110.

Indeed, they compare the whole world to a harmonic monochordA musical instrument with a single string and a movable bridge, used since antiquity to demonstrate the mathematical ratios of musical intervals., in which the spirit or soul of the world—or rather God himself, positioned outside the world—produces all the consonances. He creates sharper higher pitched voices in those creatures that are nearer to him, just as a person playing a flute produces sharper notes through the holes closer to his mouth, and deeper notes through those further away. Thus, the deepest and most ignoble voice, approaching more toward silence, darkness, and the horror of matter, can represent the earth because of the excessive density of the air and the presence of the spirit. For they claim that Light acts upon the matter of the world in the same way the human spirit acts upon the air; they say the string is the matter of the world, but the instrument itself is the monochord of the MacrocosmThe "Great World" or the universe as a whole, which Fludd believed mirrored the "Microcosm" of the human body., in which the scale of musical intervals is arranged. The first of these is GammaRepresented by the Greek letter Γ, this was the lowest note in the medieval musical scale., then A, and so on, as is held in the musical scale. They extend the monochord from the summit of the Empyrean heavenThe highest, most spiritual realm of the universe, composed of pure light and fire. down to the base of the earth; if the middle part of this string is pressed, an octave original: diapason is produced.

Robert’s Examination.

He says "they" extend the monochord from the summit of the Empyrean heaven to the base. And who are "they," my dear Marin? Does a single Robert have a "plurality" in his belly? For I am certain that you have never received this from anyone except Robert alone. Why then do you pretend and offer false Latin in this place, saying "they extend" instead of "he extends"? For I will say this boldly: you received this division of the monochord from Robert alone and no one else. Why then, oh hypocrite, do you pretend and—against your own conscience—conduct yourself against Robert in this whole article? But I shall prepare myself for his next point, which is as follows:

In the earth they have placed coldness, thickness, and weight, which relate to the cold and matter of the lowest region extending up to the Moon in a ratio of 4 to 3. This is the sesquitertiaThe mathematical ratio 4:3, which corresponds to the musical interval of a perfect fourth. proportion, because in this region only a single fourth part of light and heat is present; thus, from water, air, and fire, a fourthoriginal: Diatessaron is made, in which the earth is like the Gamma in music, or like the number one in arithmetic, or a point in geometry. For it is the base of the material pyramid, which they claim reaches all the way to the Empyrean.

Robert’s Examination.

2.

But tell me, Marin, who are "they" who want the base of the material pyramid to reach all the way to the Empyrean? Have you ever heard of this kind of "formal and material pyramid" from anyone besides Robert alone? Why then did you not write "he wants," but "they want"? Does this not prove your outstanding envy toward Robert? Yet elsewhere, in the full force of your oratory, you attribute these pyramids to Fludd, asserting—though quite thoughtlessly—Col. 1556. Col. 1744. Col. 1750. that Fludd’s formal and material pyramids are devoid of all reason (Col. 1556). And elsewhere, you say you "challenge Fludd with all his waves A pun on the name "Fludd" and the Latin word fluctus (waves). and his formal and material pyramids." And in another place, you do not blush to assert that "Fludd has more than enough betrayed his own ignorance with his upright and inverted pyramids." Yet now, you assign these to a "plurality." The reason for this is obvious: namely, because you have nothing with which you can either refute Fludd’s pyramidal demonstrations or truly contradict them in any matter. But to the point; he continues thus:

Just as they imagine a formal pyramid of light from the Empyrean to the center of the earth, which is like an emanation and representation of divine light: from this it happens that water occupies the place of one whole tone, as does air, but fire (as the summit of the air) obtains only the place of a semitone. The intervals follow up to the Sun original: ☉, namely the intervals of the Moon original: ☾, Venus original: ♀, and Mercury original: ☿, and the middle part of the solar heaven, which enjoys a semitone; this, with the tones of the Moon, Venus, and Mercury, creates a fifthoriginal: Diapente, from which both the aforementioned...