"I have read in a book of one of your
men, of a Feigned Commonwealth, where the married couple are permitted, before they contract, to see one
another naked. This they dislike; for they think it a scorn to give a
refusal after so familiar knowledge: but because of many hidden
defects in men and women's bodies, they [the New Atlanteans] have a more civil way; for they have near every town a couple of pools, (which they call Adam and
Eve's pools), where it is permitted to one of the friends of the men,
and another of the friends of the woman, to see them severally bathe naked." -Francis Bacon, New Atlantis
The
Voynich has many baths and pools, filled with naked women, which have
so far remained enigmatic.
"In
these we practise likewise all
conclusions of grafting,
and
inoculating, as well of wild-trees as fruit-trees, which produceth many
effects. And we
make (by art) in
the same orchards and gardens, trees and
flowers to come earlier or later than their seasons; and to come up and
bear more speedily than by their natural course they do. We make them
also by art greater much than their nature; and their fruit greater and
sweeter and of differing taste,
smell, colour, and figure, from their
nature. And many of them we so order, as they become of
medicinal use.""We have dispensatories, or shops of medicines. Wherein you may easily think, if we have such variety of plants and living creatures more than you have in Europe, (for we know what you have,) the simples, drugs, and ingredients of medicines, must likewise be in so much the greater variety."
"We have also means to make divers plants rise by mixtures of earths
without seeds; and likewise to make divers new plants, differing from
the vulgar; and to make one tree or plant turn into another."
-Francis Bacon, New Atlantis
Most of the plants in the Voynich have remained unidentified. Many also show
signs of grafting, having points on the roots and limbs where their diameters suddenly
change.
On animals, "...Also we make them differ in
colour, shape,activity,many ways. We find
means to make commixtures and copulations of
different kinds; which have produced many
new kinds..."
In the Voynich, the animals have been a mystery.
They are for the most part, unidentifiable. By
comparison, the animals in New Atlantis would
be unidentifiable, as they are of "many new
kinds".
"We have also
helps for
the sight, far above spectacles and glasses in
use. We have also glasses and means to see small and minute bodies
perfectly and distinctly; as the shapes and colours of small flies and
worms, grains and flaws in gems, which cannot otherwise be seen;
observations in urine and blood, not otherwise to be seen." -Francis
Bacon, New AtlantisSee the Voynich/Drebbel theory, which makes comparisons between many of the tubes in the
Voynich with early microscopes and telescopes.
This image from the bottom of f79r shows what appears to be a floating man, with an arm hooked around a peg through a tube... also floating. There is another peg, seen submerged, also passing through the large tube.
From New Atlantis, "We have ships and boats for going under water and brooking of seas, also swimming-girdles and supporters..."
f85v-1 arguably depicts a fountain of some
kind. the center blue swirls could easily be water, especially since
the 4 tubes or paths radiating from the center end with an obvious
"spewing" or "spraying" effect. That alone is significant to the New
Atlantis, as it is written, "We
have also a number of artificial wells and fountains, made in imitation
of the natural sources and baths..." But the significance of this goes further, because Bacon was writing of the inventions of Drebbel and DeCaus when he spoke of artifical fountains. These were powered by the heat of the sun on a chamber, causing an expansion of a trapped volume of air, which forced the water out of tubes, to spray as a fountain. Solar fountains. And this illustration shows a sun in the center. So it not only shows what is conceivably an artifical fountain, but possibly a Drebbelesque one at that. Kircher built these, too, and I can only wonder what he thought, when he saw this page. And he did see it, by all indications.
What are the people holding? I don't know. I was originally looking at them as Rosicrucian symbols... but I see nothing so close... except, perhaps for this one, which is a bit like an RC fleur-de-lis. This one is a bit like an orb with a cap (both measuring instruments?), and this woman is either inserting or removing what looks like garlands into, or out of, the water chamber.
A New
Atlantean, on writings delivered to them by miracle: "There was also in
both these writings, as well the Book, as the Letter, wrought a great
miracle, conform to that of the Apostles, in the original Gift of
Tongues. For there being at that time in this land Hebrews, Persians,
and Indians, besides the natives, every one read upon the Book, and
Letter, as if they had been written in his own language."-Francis
Bacon, New AtlantisThe "Gift of Tongues", or "glossolalia", is the speaking of an unintelligible language, presumed to be the language of angels. In the context F.Bacon uses it, the language is understandable by anyone who speaks any language. In the Kennedy/Churchill book on the VMs, it is pointed out that "some researchers" into the VMs have believed the text may reflect glossolalia.
But Bacon's description often interpreted as an example of his form of universal language, or as he called it, "Alphabet of Nature". A wonderful paper by Robert Batchelor of Stanford explains Bacon's interest and intent in such a language, and points out how Descartes felt it would only work in a fantasy world as New Atlantis. The article can be found here. The section II, "From Cipher to Code", refers to Bacon. This is also of interest, as the well known Voynich researcher, Friedman, suspected the VMs was written in a universal language.
"He had on him a gown with wide sleeves, of a kind of water chamolet, of an excellent azure colour, fair more glossy than ours; his under apparel was green; and so was his hat, being in the form of a turban, daintily made, and not so huge as the Turkish turbans; and the locks of his hair came down
below the brims of it."-New Atlantis
Not an exact match... but the woman on the right has a blue gown with wide sleeves. And she appears to be meeting the man on the left, who has a more traditional Renaissance garb.... and a green hat, with the hair coming down below the brim. The point being that the New Atlantis, which was written sometime between 1610 and 1624, does have clothing mentioned which is close to the clothing shown in the Voynich.
"We have high towers; the highest about half a mile in height; and
some of them likewise set upon high mountains; so that the vantage of
the hill with the tower is in the highest of them three miles at least.
And these places we call the Upper Region; accounting the air
between the high places and the low, as a Middle Region. We use these
towers, according to their several heights, and situations, for
insolation, refrigeration, conservation; and for the view of divers
meteors; as winds, rain, snow, hail; and some of the fiery meteors
also."
In the Voynich, the rosettes page's upper center rosette seems to be
a "height" (see below). In the center of the star pattern is what seems
to be a tower, shown at left. It actually faces downward on the page,
I've rotated it 180 degrees. I don't feel this is too improper, as the buildings
on the rosettes page(s) are facing in all different directions... there
is no set "projection" for this scene.
"...these towers, according to their several heights, and situations..."
Well here is certainly an odd "situation"... a tower, in a hole. Above it, another
hole. Now this, from New Atlantis, "We have large and deep
caves of several depths: the deepest are sunk six hundred fathom: and
some of them are digged and made under great hills and mountains..."
This image is from the rosettes page, and is the "west side" of the central upper
rosette, from which I cropped the tower in the image above. If you look at the
sides of this image, you can clearly see the intention was to show a great height.
Click on the image for a large view. Click here to see the "east" side
of the central rosette, which similarly implies a great height.
I find it fascinating that in New Atlantis you have descriptions of these observation
towers of great height, on mountains, and of deep caves... and in the the
Voynich there is this seemingly fantastical, and unidentifiable (so far), arrangement
of towers and mountains.
This is the upper right hand corner of the rosette page from the Voynich. the circle with the "T" in it closely resembles a T/O map, which represented, in medieval times, the known world. The upper portion faced East, and represented Asia. The lower left was Europe, and the lower right, Africa. The "T" was the Mediterranean Sea. In this image, you can see paths connecting the corresponding Europe and Asian portions of the (possible) T/O map, with the upper right rosette. If this is a T/O map, and the rest of the rosettes page is also a map (as it well may be, as it has buildings and paths on it), then the intention of the artist can arguably be interpreted as showing a place outside of Europe, Asia and Africa.
From New Atlantis:
"When the king had forbidden to all his people navigation into any part that was not under his
crown, he made nevertheless this ordinance; that every twelve years there should be set forth, out of this kingdom
two ships, appointed to several voyages; That in either of these ships there should be a mission of three of the
Fellows or Brethren of Salomon's House; whose errand was only to give us knowledge of the affairs and state of those
countries to which they were designed, and especially of the sciences, arts, manufactures, and inventions
of all the world; and withal to bring unto us books, instruments, and patterns in every kind..." And:
"For the several employments and offices of our fellows; we have twelve that sail into foreign countries,
under the names of other nations, (for our own we conceal); who bring us the books, and abstracts, and
patterns of experiments of all other parts. These we call Merchants of Light."
From New Atlantis:
"Only this I must tell you, that none of
you must go above a karan,' (that is with
them a mile and an half) 'from the walls
of the city, without especial leave."
This statement refers to Renfusa.
The two important points are that it is walled,
and that it is the first city the sailors visit.
The rosettes page from the Voynich shows
what can be interpreted as a walled city in
the upper right. It seems to be connected with
a "path" to the T/O map shown above.
As it turns out, it is not unheard of to find utopias illustrated in literature. In fact it was quite common.
I've put together this page listing several of them. Many of these illustrations are from, or close, to the time frame this
and the Voynich/Drebbel theory speculate the Voynich was actually created.
Other links:
1) And here is an overview of my theories.
2) Rosettes Page Structures. All, or most, of the various towers, castles and
houses of the rosettes pages.
