ORACLES OF NOSTRADAMUS

BY CHAS. A. WARD.

“Gentem quidem nullam video, neque tam humanam atque doctam, neque tam immanem tamque barbaram, quæ non significari futura, et à quibusdam intelligi prædicique posse censeat.”—CICERO, _De Divinatione_, i. 2.

LONDON: The Leadenhall Press, E.C.

_Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co., Ltd: New York: Scribner & Welford, 743 & 745, Broadway._

(_All rights reserved._)

“Quorum potentia intellectualis immediate à Deo agitata creditur, prophetæ dicuntur; quorum voluntas heroës; at quorum intellectus et voluntas censetur agitata à potentiis invisibilibus dependentibus, appellantur magi.”—CHRIST. THOMASIUS, _in Brunck, Hist. Phil._ v. 512.

(T. 4543)]

“Tu te mocques aussi des prophètes que Dieu Choisit en tes enfants et les fait au milieu De ton sein apparoître, afin de te prédire _Ton malheur à venir; mais tu n’en fais que rire_. Ou soit que le grand Dieu l’immense éternité Ait de Nostradamus l’enthousiasme excité, Ou soit que le démon bon ou mauvais l’agite.... Comme un oracle antique, il a de mainte année Prédit la plus grand part de nostre destinée.”

RONSARD, _To Nostradamus_.

TO MY MOTHER.

Οὐδὲν ἐν ἀνθρώποισι πατρὸς καὶ μητρὸς ἄμεινον Ἔπλετο, τοῖς ὁσίη, Κύρνε, μέμηλε δίκη.

THEOGNIS, p. 16, ed. 1766.

“But higher far my proud pretensions rise,— The son of parents passed into the skies.”

COWPER, _On My Mother’s Picture_, line 110.

IF THERE CAN BE ANYTHING IN A BOOK LIKE THIS WORTHY OF DEDICATION TO A BEING SO NOBLE AS THOU IN LIFE WERT EVER, A BEING NOW MORE ENNOBLED STILL BY THE HEAVEN-BLEACHED RAIMENT OF IMMORTALITY PUT ON; TO THEE, PURE SOUL SERENE! TO THEE DOES THY STILL LOVING SON, EARTH-HAMPERED, DEDICATE THIS THE BEST LABOUR OF HIS HEART AND HEAD AND YEARS. THE BEST OF IT IS THINE INDEED ALREADY; AND WERE THE REST WORSE HARVESTED THAN PERHAPS IT IS,—MORTALITY BEING ALLOWED FOR DULY,—THY SOUL RECEIVING MUST BE MUCH CHANGED BY EXALTATION, IF QUEEN-LIKE, IT CANNOT MAKE A SORRY LOVE-GIFT RICH BY GOLDEN WELCOME GIVEN IT.

IF THINGS OF KITH BE KIN, GOD WILLING, WE SHALL MEET AGAIN ERE LONG. TILL WHEN, FROM THIS BARE HEATH TERRENE AND HOMELESS, I SPEED THE WORD ADIEU. DEAR ONE! FOR A LITTLE WHILE ADIEU.

THY SON,

C. A. W.

THREE PROPHECIES OF OLD TIME.

That Troy should triumph in Rome—

Νῦν δὲ δὴ Αἰνείαο βίη Τρώεσσιν ἀνάξει, Καὶ παίδων παῖδες, τοί κεν μετόπισθε γένωνται.

_Iliad_, xx. 306.

That America should be discovered—

“Venient annis Sæcula seris, quibus Oceanus Vincula rerum laxet, et ingens Pateat Tellus, Tiphysque novos Delegat orbes; nec sit terris Ultima Thule.”

SENECA.

French Revolution, 1788-89, predicted in 10th Century.

“Des le Xe siècle, Albumasar avait calculé que l’année _mil sept cent quatre-vingt-neuf_ serait féconde en révolutions sociales, à cause de l’une des grandes conjonctions de Saturne. L’astrologie est vanité, erreur, mensonge, tout ce que vous voudrez; mais enfin voilà une prédiction d’une authenticité irrécusable.”—ALBUMASAR, _De Magnis Conjunctionibus Tract._ ii., _Different._ 8. _Vide_ MIGNÉ, _Dict. des Prophéties_, ii. 339.