Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-08-07
From the London Forget-mc-not, for 1871.
LIE rIlLLIONAIRE MALGRE LUZ
BY II. SHELTON MACKENZIE, LID.


Some years ago, spent six weeks at Ly-
ons waiting the arrival of friend whom |
was to accompany to Naples. Old cities,
old books, and old friends are what suit my
taste. Therefore, Lyons-the mural queen
Of Eastern Francc-was calculated to chal-
lenge my attention. During nineteen event
full centuries, a crowd of historical associa-
tons have become linked with the city of
Lyons: its aspect shows how antique it is;
its commercial operations have made it a
stirring and wealthy place now; its public
institutions and buildings arc UNSURPASSED out
Of Paris, the approaches (et;er from Cha
Ions or Marseiles) are through lovely
country, which seems a rich vineyard, skirt
ed and sheltered by hills, and its inhabitants,
enriched by industry, are hospitable and
friendly. Is it wonderful, then, that Lyons
is place of which l keep a grateful and
pleasant memory.
Loving to loiter in strange city, here
INDUCED my humor to tho full, and saunter-
ed in and about Lyons until | knew it so well
that, at this moment, believe could draw
a plan Of the city from mere recollection
1t was pleasant to cross and rc-cross, view
and review, its SIX bridges over the sluggish
Salone. and its three over the more rapid
Rhone, to pace through its fifty-onc squares,
with an almost daily visit of admiration to
La Bellecour, Zone of the finest in Europc)
graced by the noble statue of that Louis,
whose regal boast SIZE eliza c'est moi" was
scarcely an exaggeration; to hunt for antique
ties where had stood the Fourm Tralani; TO
examine the Hotel de Vile, inferior only to
the palatial town-housc of Amsterdam; to
copy the most outre inscriptions on the mon
uments which grace the beautiful Metropolis
upon the hill Of Fourviers; to fell the "reigio
loci" while listening in hushed silence to the
sweet and solemn
Stabat mater dolorosa,
or the yet more touching swell of tho
Dies rac dies lila,
revibrating from harmonious voices through
the Gothic aisles of the cathedral of St. John,
or to regret the then recent fall of the tall
tower of Pitrat prevented my viewing to the
best advantage the natural danorma of Ly-
ons and the beautiful country around it.
After all, these loiterings were merely
episodal in my life at Lyons. discovered
that the library there-one of the finest in
France-was especially rich in manuscripts
and books upon what D'Israei names as
three of the six "iolhes Of SCIENCE" alche-
my, astrology. magic. There are among
the most graceful supersttions of our fore
fathers, and confess that l have long had
strong curiosity to learn what it was by
which gifted minds few centuries ago were
held in strong and ovcrmastcring thrall.-
The public library of Lyons, rich in this
peculiar lore, afforded ample opportunity of
research and | spent many an hour in deci-
phcring the mysterious revelations by which
Geber, Artcphus, and Nicholas Flannel
communicated how they had made the won
dcrful power of projection by which the
meancr metals were transmitted TO gold, and
that Elixir, not less wonderful, which was at
once to renew the springs Of life, and bestow
the boon of immortality! There too, ! read
of the Cabala, with their ten numeretions
called Sephroth, their holy Sigils, their sa-
cred Pentaclcs. and the tables of Ziruph, or
magic roll-call Of the scventy-two angels,
whose names are duly recorded by Coroneli-
us Agrppa and others, as if they were in the
habit of daily communication with them.-
And there above all, ! had tho opportunity
of examining what is treasured as an autog-
raphy of the famous Astronomical Tablets
of King Alfonso.
To me, much loving the wild maginations
by which our elders were seli-deccived, there
was much of interest in such literary rarities
as ] have mentioned. To examine them
was fitting occupation for an IDLE man, fond
of raising Chateanr, T EsPange of his own
or different order, and VINO regarded the
splendid folles of science as the spray dash
cd up by the adventurous diver who boldly
and bllndy seeks the pearl of truth in the
ocean of conjecture.
1t happened, fortunately for the peculiar
course of enquiry ! had fallen upon, that
Monsieur Jean Horvieu, one of the sub-li.
brarians, was something moro than nero
handcr-out Of volumes IIe soon saw into