The Hieroglyphic Monad by Dr John Dee, the 2000 paperback from Weiser Books, is part of the collection at the Reading Room.

“This book, written in thirteen days in 1564 by the renowned Elizabethan magus, Dr. John Dee, explains his discovery of the unity underlying the universe, as expressed in a hieroglyph, or symbol. His monad represents the alchemical process and goal of the Magus who, in partaking of the divine, achieves that gnostic regenerative experience of becoming God, and thus furthers the redemption and transmutation of worlds.

Everything, Dee states, is dependent upon the circle and the straight line, which, in turn, are formed from the point. From this point revolve Sun and Moon, intersected to suggest their conjunction and generative faculty. These rest upon a cross, the ternary and quaternary, and all are mounted upon two connected half circles, the original fire of creation. The key to the glyph is in the meditation and study of it, and all it suggests to the ‘creative memory.’ It is not surprising that Dee’s contemporaries in the universities chose to ignore this valuable treatise on a key to the universe, thus causing him to have engraved upon the frontispiece, ‘Who does not understand should either learn or be silent.’—an admonition as true today as it was then.”

The Hermetic Library Reading Room is an imaginary and speculative future reification of the library in the physical world, a place to experience a cabinet of curiosities offering a confabulation of curation, context and community that engages, archives and encourages a living Western Esoteric Tradition. If you would like to contribute to the Hermetic Library Reading Room, consider supporting the library or contact the librarian.