He
was the mathematician, or rather the cabalistical astrologer, who taught
Sir Kenelm Digby, introducing that romantic giant to the art of ruling
the stars, and how to melt and puff 'until the green dragon becomes the
golden goose,' and all the other _arcana_ of alchemy.
Digby was a good friend to the Bodleian. When quite a youth he cut down
fifty great oaks to purchase a building-site near Exeter College. The
laying of the foundation-stone in 1634 was amusingly described by Wood.
The Heads of Houses were all assembled, and the University musicians 'had
sounded a lesson on their wind-music,' standing on the leads at the west
end of the library; but while the Vice-Chancellor was placing a piece of
gold on the first stone, the earth fell in, and the scaffold broke, 'so
that all those who were thereon, the Proctors, Principals of Halls, etc.,
fell down all together one upon another, among whom the under-butler of
Exeter College had his shoulder broken or put out of joint, and a
scholar's arm bruised.' It was at this time that Digby made a generous
gift of books, all tall copies in good bindings with his initials on the
panels at the back. Among them were early works on science by Grostete
and Roger Bacon, besides histories and chronicles. Many of these books
had belonged to Thomas Allen, who gave them to Digby as a token of
regard. Sir Kenelm wrote about them to Sir Robert Cotton, who was to
thank Allen for his kindness: 'in my hands they will not be with less
honourable memory of him than in any man's else.
Pages:
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130