Literary notes about arcanum (AI summary)
The term “arcanum” is deployed in literature to evoke a sense of secret, mystical knowledge that lies just beyond ordinary understanding. It often signifies a hidden principle or method—an enigma of nature or human experience—whether it denotes the supposedly untouchable essence of romance and wisdom ([1], [2]) or serves as a metaphor for profound, elusive truths that can only be accessed by a select few ([3], [4]). At times, “arcanum” is even used to suggest a literal or symbolic reserve of power, such as alchemical secrets or the key to universal order ([5], [6], [7]). Its application extends to naming exclusive societies and institutions, thereby underscoring both its esoteric significance and its grounding in cultural or political contexts ([8], [9], [10]). In these varied contexts, “arcanum” becomes a literary tool that bridges the mundane and the mystical, inviting readers to explore the boundaries of what is known and what remains shrouded in mystery ([11], [12]).
- "You—" he said haltingly, "you, who have never known a woman—how can you touch the arcanum of romance?" "The seer must know the hearts of men.
— from The Last Ditch by Will Levington Comfort - This is a supreme arcanum of angelic wisdom.
— from Angelic Wisdom about Divine Providence by Emanuel Swedenborg - That no man may enter therein save the anointed, having the arcanum of Hermes.
— from The Secret Doctrine, Vol. 2 of 4 by H. P. (Helena Petrovna) Blavatsky - But this is an arcanum which enters into the understanding of only a few.
— from Earths In Our Solar System Which Are Called Planets, and Earths In The Starry Heaven Their Inhabitants, And The Spirits And Angels There by Emanuel Swedenborg - It is the key of the Grand Arcanum, the root of the Tree of Life, the science of Good and Evil.
— from Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry by Albert Pike - The grand arcanum 's not for men to see all; My music has some mystic diapasons; And there is much which could not be appreciated
— from Don Juan by Baron George Gordon Byron Byron - You are possessed of the grand arcanum, the philosophers stone.
— from St. Leon: A Tale of the Sixteenth Century by William Godwin - He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, and in politics is a Liberal.
— from A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time
A Collection of Persons Distinguished in Professional and Political Life, Leaders in the Commerce and Industry of Canada, and Successful Pioneers - He is a veteran of the Odd Fellows Association and also a member of the Royal Arcanum.
— from Montreal from 1535 to 1914. Vol. 3. Biographical by William H. (William Henry) Atherton - Charles Bennett is a member of numerous social and fraternal societies, including the Masons, Royal Arcanum, Elks and Eagles.
— from The History of Orange County New York - Some have thought to explain the prodigy by that superior instinct known as intuition; but the discovery of the word does not open the arcanum.
— from Delsarte System of Oratory by Delaumosne - I thought it best that the building at Arcanum
— from The Letters of Cicero, Volume 1The Whole Extant Correspodence in Chronological Order by Marcus Tullius Cicero