In personal appearance Jacob Boehm e is said to have been “ somewhat mean,” of small stature, with a low forehead, prominent temples, and aquiline-shaped nose, a scanty beard, grey eyes “ sparkling into heavenly blue,” a feeble but genial, voice. In his bearing he was modest and unassuming, patient under suffering, and full of gentle humility. His portrait in the Council Hall of Qoerlitz, from which the frontispiece to this volume* has been prepared, scarcely corroborates this description, and may ' be a modern idealism : it is however the authentically received portrait of him there. There is an engraving by Wolfe , which appears to be a more realistic portrait of Boehme, but of its authenticity nothing can be ascertained. It bears the German lines by Angelus , of which the following is a translation :
'■>
/ N Water lives the Fish, the Plant in the Earth ,
The Bird in the Air , in the Firmament the Sun.
The Salamander must subsist in Fire ,
And the Heart of Qod is Jacob Boehme’s Element.
'ft is grievous to relate that after Jacob Boehme’S death, the tlfcw Primate refused his body a decent burial, and the poor xii ‘Prefatory {Memoir.
* The illustrations to tftis Memoir have been prepared from photographs specially taken at Goerlitz,. The thanks of all whom they may interest are due to the Rev. G. H. Moxon, British Chaplain at Dusseldorf for the trouble he has kindly taken in procuring the original photographs.
Councillors of Qoerlitz knew not what to do, confronted as they were by the Clergy and by the Populace, whose prejudices had been excited against Boehme. The intervention of the Catholic Count Hannibal von Drohna was secured, who ordered the body to be buried in a solemn manner in the presence of two iiiembers of the City Council, which was done. It is said that the Primate’s last characteristic act with regard to Boehme, was to take medicine to avoid being obliged to preach the Funeral . Sermon ; and his Deputy began his address by expressing his disgust at the duty he had been called upon to perform.
It is related that some of Jacob Boehme’s friends in Silesia sent a Cross, figured with occult symbols, for his Grave. On the top was a flaming symbol “ with a Hebrew inscription' signifying IHSVH ” with twelve golden rays. Below were the initials of his favourite Motto and a picture of a Child asleep resting upon a skull, signifying the regeneration by means of the mystic death, with an inscription: “ Here rests Jacob Boehme, born oj (jod ; died in Christ, sealed with the Holy Spirit." On the right was a black Eagle upon a Mountain, with the word Vidi written beneath it ; on the left was a Lion, with the word Vici; below was a Lamb, with the word Vent. One of his Biographers thus explains the meaning of these words and symbols: “ Veni , I came into the World ; Vidi, I saw Satan descend ; Vici, I conquered the Infernal,” &c. But others might render their meaning-as : Veni, I came— with the gentleness of a Lamb ; Vidi, I saw — with the swift piercing vision of an Eagle ; and Vici, I conquered in upholding my convictions — with the courage of a Lion.
In personal appearance Jacob Boehm e is said to have been “ somewhat mean,” of small stature, with a low forehead, prominent temples, and aquiline-shaped nose, a scanty beard, grey eyes “ sparkling into heavenly blue,” a feeble but genial, voice. In his bearing he was modest and unassuming, patient under suffering, and full of gentle humility. His portrait in the Council Hall of Qoerlitz, from which the frontispiece to this volume* has been prepared, scarcely corroborates this description, and may ' be a modern idealism : it is however the authentically received portrait of him there. There is an engraving by Wolfe , which appears to be a more realistic portrait of Boehme, but of its authenticity nothing can be ascertained. It bears the German lines by Angelus , of which the following is a translation :
'■>
/ N Water lives the Fish, the Plant in the Earth ,
The Bird in the Air , in the Firmament the Sun.
The Salamander must subsist in Fire ,
And the Heart of Qod is Jacob Boehme’s Element.
'ft is grievous to relate that after Jacob Boehme’S death, the tlfcw Primate refused his body a decent burial, and the poor xii ‘Prefatory {Memoir.
* The illustrations to tftis Memoir have been prepared from photographs specially taken at Goerlitz,. The thanks of all whom they may interest are due to the Rev. G. H. Moxon, British Chaplain at Dusseldorf for the trouble he has kindly taken in procuring the original photographs.
Councillors of Qoerlitz knew not what to do, confronted as they were by the Clergy and by the Populace, whose prejudices had been excited against Boehme. The intervention of the Catholic Count Hannibal von Drohna was secured, who ordered the body to be buried in a solemn manner in the presence of two iiiembers of the City Council, which was done. It is said that the Primate’s last characteristic act with regard to Boehme, was to take medicine to avoid being obliged to preach the Funeral . Sermon ; and his Deputy began his address by expressing his disgust at the duty he had been called upon to perform.
It is related that some of Jacob Boehme’s friends in Silesia sent a Cross, figured with occult symbols, for his Grave. On the top was a flaming symbol “ with a Hebrew inscription' signifying IHSVH ” with twelve golden rays. Below were the initials of his favourite Motto and a picture of a Child asleep resting upon a skull, signifying the regeneration by means of the mystic death, with an inscription: “ Here rests Jacob Boehme, born oj (jod ; died in Christ, sealed with the Holy Spirit." On the right was a black Eagle upon a Mountain, with the word Vidi written beneath it ; on the left was a Lion, with the word Vici; below was a Lamb, with the word Vent. One of his Biographers thus explains the meaning of these words and symbols: “ Veni , I came into the World ; Vidi, I saw Satan descend ; Vici, I conquered the Infernal,” &c. But others might render their meaning-as : Veni, I came— with the gentleness of a Lamb ; Vidi, I saw — with the swift piercing vision of an Eagle ; and Vici, I conquered in upholding my convictions — with the courage of a Lion.
No commentary for this page.
There is commentary on page 1.