His was a "searching and impetuous soul" that sought to win
from nature some startling secret--". . . a tincture of force to flush
old age with youth, or breed gold, or imprison moonbeams till they
change to opal shafts!" At the same time with that capacity for
self-deception which characterizes the true mystic he sought to cast
Light on a darkling race; save for that doubt,
I stood at first where all aspire at last
To stand: the secret of the world was mine.
I knew, I felt (perception unexpressed,
Uncomprehended by our narrow thought,
But somehow felt and known in every shift
And change in the spirit,--nay, in every pore
Of the body, even)--what God is, what we are,
What life is--. . .(6)
(6) Robert Browning: Paracelsus, closing speech.
Much has been done of late to clear up his story and his character.
Professor Sudhoff, of Leipzig, has made an exhaustive bibliographical
study of his writings,(7) there have been recent monographs by Julius
Hartmann, and Professors Franz and Karl Strunz,(8) and a sympathetic
summary of his life and writings has been published by the late Miss
Stoddart.(9) Indeed there is at present a cult of Paracelsus.
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