The Hermetic Museum, Vol. I — trans. A. E. Waite (1893)

When, in obedience to the directions of the ancient lady, I had skilfully placed the treasure of her daughter in a chamber by itself, and closed it up, I gazed upon those brilliant lunar diamonds, and solar rubies, and understood the meaning of Solomon when he says: * My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven ; his eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set; his cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers ; his lips like roses dropping fragrant myrrh ; his hands are as gold rings set with the beryl; his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires; his legs are as pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold ; his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars ; his mouth is most sweet; yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O ye daughters of Jerusalem. Hold him, and suffer him not to go, till I have brought him into my mothers house, into my mother's chamber."

'To these words of Solomon I could find no answer, and had already determined to take the treasure out of the chamber that I might at length enjoy quietness and peace, when I happened upon this other passage: *I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up nor awake my love till he please. She is a garden enclosed ; a spring shut up; a fountain sealed ; a vineyard at Baal-hamon ; a vineyard at Engedi ; an orchard ; a spice garden ; a hill of myrrh; a mountain of incense; a bed; a crown; a palm tree ; a rose of Sharon ; a sapphire ; a beryl stone ; a wall ; a tower, and battlement ; a garden of herbs; a fountain in a garden; a spring of living waters; a daughter of princes, and the pleasant love of Solomon ; she dearly loves her mother, and is her mother's chosen one; her head is full of dew, and her locks wet with the drops of night."

'These words enlightened me, and shewed unto me the aim of the wise: wherefore I patiently left the treasure in the chamber, and waited till through God's mercy all should have been happily perfected by the operation of Nature, and the labour of my hands.

Shortly afterwards, on the day of the new moon, an eclipse of the sun was seen, which was terrible to behold, for it began with a misty greenness, somewhat shot over with other colours, but it was followed by entire blackness; all heaven and earth were shrouded in thick darkness, and men were full of fear, but I rejoiced. For I remembered God's great mercy, and the Mystery of Regeneration, as Christ Himself told us that unless a grain of wheat was cast into the earth, and decomposed, it could bring forth no fruit | Now it happened that the eclipse was covered by clouds, and the sun began to shine, but as yet three-fourths of it were darkened. And, behold, an arm held out from the clouds a letter sealed at the four corners, on which was written : * I am black, but comely, O daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the

———rn

——— PER

Jc -———————

" " : pes. MVP v aep e b,