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Ad00902
VNDER 11 IK DISTIN'GUISBED PATROffAOE OV The Right Hon . the Baroness BURDETT-COUTTS . rpHE Annual Ball of tho Burdett-Coutts Lodge , No . 1278 , will X tako placo at tho Cannou Street Hotol , ou Monday , 'itst February 1881 . Double Ticket ( Lady and Gentleman ) Uls ) v . ,. „ .,,.: „ . „ ,. ( Jentlomau ' s Sin-le 'l'ickot lis tkl f , „ . N , . Lady ' s do . do 10 s 6 d j t 0 -y'lMI , ls-Which will include Supper and li ? , 'ht Refreshments all the eveuiiiif . Dancing will commence ut Nine o ' clock preHsoI . v . — : o : — Ike Proceeds of the Hull will lie decoted exclusively to the iCumiue Charities , and the kind * ui'i < ort of the Lodge mid it * Friend * in earnestly solicited , — : o : — Tickets call be obtuiucU of A . HAYES , t Royal Excliango Buildings . It . W . OLLIVIKK , US Old ISoud Street ; and of R . i . STURTKVANT , Hon . Sec , Bonner's Hall Fields , B .
Ad00903
BKMra & wWMVT JjfS Sfi 55 miW « WSra 23 GREAT QUEEN STREET , W . O .
A Rosicrucian Essay Of The Xviith Century.
A ROSICRUCIAN ESSAY OF THE XVIITH CENTURY .
Soc : Rosier : in Aiiglitl
A Paper read lefore the Yorh College at a Regular Meeting held at Yorh , on the 20 th November 1880 , hy R . W . Frater T . B . Whytehead , IX ° , Chief Adept . FRATKES , —To-day lam about tosubmit for your consideration acurious , though I believe representative , specimen of Rosicrucian Literature . It is commonly said that the writings of the old Rosicrncians were
unintelligible to ordinary readers , and some persons have been uncharitable enough to suggest that their solution would have been an Enigma even to the authors themselves . Yoa will I think agree with me that the essay , a translation of which I am abont to read to you , is sufficiently occult in its meaning to render it worthy of a very distinguished place amongst the incomprehensible literature , which remains to us of the school of Andrea . Perhaps it would not have
been worth while tronbling you with the subject at all , were it not that allusions occur in reference to emblems in Masonry well known to many of us , and which seem to me to hint at an early connection between Rosicrucianism and what are known now as " Hi » h Grades . " The pamphlet in question is a large duodecimo of 17 pages printed about 260 years ago , and is thus described on the title page , which like the body of the work is a strange combination of dog Latin and obsolete German :
RAPTUS PHIL 0 S 0 PHICUS that is Philosophical Revelations rendered perfectly plain and inteVii gible and dedicated humbly to the celebrated- ' and distinguished Fraternity , Sacred Order R . C , by Rhodophilus Staurophorus , an unworthy vassal ( clientem ) of that most wise and Divinely inspired Fraternity of the most Sacred Order R . C , who is inwardly sick of love and all in a blaze with longing . —Anno 1619 .
The writer begins with a preface to the Reader indited in Latin hexameters and pentameters , which runs thus : Behold they come , the excellent and closel y knit Society of the wise ones of the Rosy Cross ; they come from Christ . The terrified foe of mankind jealously multiplies his gigantic deceptions day and night in order to confound by his arts the united
society ; to snatch away the little flock by means of death . But though the world and Hell rage , Christ defends the band . None can injure the Fratres . Behold they come ; the society of the Rosy Cross , foretold for many ages , unconquerable even by tried philosophers . The disputatious band of our Lyceus arises , and pours out many scommata ( sic ) a » ainst
the sacred ones , friends of the Gods . An evil tongue profits the sophist ; a shameless tongue betrays the ignorant . Bnt though the world and Hell rage , Christ defends the band . None can injure the Fratres . Behold they come ; the Society of the Rosy Cross , long expected b
y the world . A pious society , a society of Christ , foretold of the ancient prophets , beloved of the wise , and approved of God . It is therefore meet for the Society to appear with watchful breast . Lot each brother lay bare the cloads of his error , for error surrounds ns all . But to desire not to be aware of error—this is the greatest follv of all . J
Behold they come , the Society of the Rosy Cross , dispersed through the whole world . The wise man rejoices in heart and mind . But the opposing spirit of evil rages , and the envious sophist bursts with jealousy . But though tho world and Hell rage , Christ defends the band . None
^ n injure the Fratres . ( And then he signs , with what I conclude is his motto in tho Society . ) Vim Passa Virtus Major Enitescit . R . C
A Rosicrucian Essay Of The Xviith Century.
Coming to tho hotly of the essay we find it printed in tho moat singular maiinor ; old black letter Gorman toxt most of it , but here and thero German words spelt with Roman letters , aud Latin words in German text and so on . Thero aro even composite words , formed of equal parts of Latin aud Gorman . Somo of tho German words aro obsolete and not iu any modern dictionary , but I will read you what
you may safely regard as a freo translation . Llo says : — Onco on a day when 1 tho undersigned could noither sleep nor rest , I cogitated the means by which , through tho help of God , ono might get access to tho over celebrated aud distinguished Fraternity R . C . Whilst thus meditating I was entranced , and seemed to travel a . ni . p . ( sit- ) to tho high thought of tho Fraternity , R . C . Before mo I
saw a number of roads but knew not which would take me thither , [ n the midst was a very rough and stony path , so grass-grown as to bo difficult to see . Few conld find it , or liked it , for the difficulties it presentod . In the distance thorn walked on this road a God-like youth in white robes . In distress , I stood , uncertain of my way . Thero was no ono to enquire of , though tho other roads wero crowded ,
bnt I thought the yonth in white beckoned me . I hesitated , because of tho wild beasts which infested the path and the other difficulties , but as I was well clad and shod , and carried a costly gamahen ( sic ) , which had efficacious virtues against wild beasts , I finally sot off on the road , bnt could not overtake the youth . I had struggled along for a considerable distance when a strong lion
which had broken loose , aud had a piece of chain round his nuck , ran at mo with open month . In expectation of death I prayed the Gods to aid mo when the little cupid flow to mo and with his bow shot the lion in the heart , who ran away roaring and plunged into a neighbouring well , which was dedicated to Apollo and Diana . Thanking tho Gods I ran to the well to look after the lion but found him
drowned . Exhausted and thirsty , I pulled up the backet , but found it full of milk . I poured it out , thinking the shepherds had left it there , for it was noon ; pulling it r | p again , I found it blood , and poured it out also , astonished at the prodigy . ( Here occurs an incomprehensible passage about the relative
proportions of the contents of tho buckets , and which would almost lead ns to suppose that tho sentence contained some oocult chemical analysis . ) Soon after leaving the well I recollected leaving something , and turned back , when a raven flew off tho roof of the well , changing as it flew into a peacock , a swan , & c . I thought it was a spectre
( Gespensl ) , but climbed the roof of the well , enrions to see what there was , and there I fonnd dead in a nest some young and tender birds with their heads pecked in by tho wicked raven . Angry , I leaped down to follow the raven , when the old one , a bird of an unknown form , camo flying , and as soon as it had seen the wretched death of its voting ones it began to scream and to strike its breast with its
beak until the blood run into the nest in streams and soaked the young ones , by means of which and tho snn's heat they were revived . Astonished at the miracle , I proceeded . Now approached me , beautifully dressed and adorned , a graceful female , sitting on a high chair of seven steps in a small chariot covered with groy eloth , lined with white . Her dress was crimson
and byssus ( sic ) . On her head was a golden crown . In front was inlaid a brilliaut and Royal carbuncle . Her horses were two grim bears . Before her went an animal with antlers . The driver was Vulcan . On each side of the chariot walked two maidens ; one was dressed in black and looked melancholy , and carried in her hand a skull , emblem of mortality . Another was dressed in white . In her hand she carried
a goblet of water to sprinkle herself . The third was in yellow , and carried nnder her left arm a pair of bellows ; and the fourth , in red , carried a flaming torch . The female in the carriage carried a gold crucifix . We exchanged salutes , and she asked me where I was going and what spirit had led me thither to so lonely a place . I said I searched for the Gentlemen Brothers of the R . Q . and the youth
who had met her had brought me . She replied , " You have ventured a great thing , but yon will not gain your object unless you learn why I have met yon . " I asked her to enlighten me , aud offered my willing services in return . She replied , " You can be my servant , but you must follow me . " I promised . She then continued— "Pay attention , and remember that my fierce animalsgive yon the beginning , I the middle , my first animal the end , " and saying this she pulled
from her bosom a book of strange appearance , but containing , con' fnsedly written , everything in Heaven and Earth . This book she , g : ive me , blessed me , and passed on . Thauking her , I opened the book , and fonnd it was called AZOTII , and correctly , for everything was to be found in it . At the foot of the page stood these two letters —F . R . I turned it over and found : Folio 1—Description of the ¦ ancient and highly esteemed art of magic , with its specialities , and hy what means they are acquired .
i Fol . 18—Necromancy . j Fol . 3—Astrology . Fol . 1—Book of the Sealed Arts . Fol . 13—Geomancy . Fol . t )—Pyromancy .
Fol . 5—Hydromancy . Fol . 13—Cbaomancy . Fol . IS—Attained Medicine . Fol . 9—Book of Attained Philosophy . Fol . 18—Attained Mathematics , with all belonging to them .
In short , there were all the known and unknown arts and sciences in the world . I was amazed , for the book was similar in oharacter to a specuhim archetypum , though very different , and I had often before seen it , but through mental blindness never recognised it . I had not time to read its contents , for the youth in white waited my coming ,
I so I put my treasure for safety iu my bundle . Reaching him , we exchanged snlntrs , and he asked me if I knew the woman who met iw . I said , " No , but she > vns of noble birth . " " Yes , " he replied , " it was Nature , who at proseut is unknown to the learned and wise , and no one can meet her unless he follow me on this road . " He then
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ad00902
VNDER 11 IK DISTIN'GUISBED PATROffAOE OV The Right Hon . the Baroness BURDETT-COUTTS . rpHE Annual Ball of tho Burdett-Coutts Lodge , No . 1278 , will X tako placo at tho Cannou Street Hotol , ou Monday , 'itst February 1881 . Double Ticket ( Lady and Gentleman ) Uls ) v . ,. „ .,,.: „ . „ ,. ( Jentlomau ' s Sin-le 'l'ickot lis tkl f , „ . N , . Lady ' s do . do 10 s 6 d j t 0 -y'lMI , ls-Which will include Supper and li ? , 'ht Refreshments all the eveuiiiif . Dancing will commence ut Nine o ' clock preHsoI . v . — : o : — Ike Proceeds of the Hull will lie decoted exclusively to the iCumiue Charities , and the kind * ui'i < ort of the Lodge mid it * Friend * in earnestly solicited , — : o : — Tickets call be obtuiucU of A . HAYES , t Royal Excliango Buildings . It . W . OLLIVIKK , US Old ISoud Street ; and of R . i . STURTKVANT , Hon . Sec , Bonner's Hall Fields , B .
Ad00903
BKMra & wWMVT JjfS Sfi 55 miW « WSra 23 GREAT QUEEN STREET , W . O .
A Rosicrucian Essay Of The Xviith Century.
A ROSICRUCIAN ESSAY OF THE XVIITH CENTURY .
Soc : Rosier : in Aiiglitl
A Paper read lefore the Yorh College at a Regular Meeting held at Yorh , on the 20 th November 1880 , hy R . W . Frater T . B . Whytehead , IX ° , Chief Adept . FRATKES , —To-day lam about tosubmit for your consideration acurious , though I believe representative , specimen of Rosicrucian Literature . It is commonly said that the writings of the old Rosicrncians were
unintelligible to ordinary readers , and some persons have been uncharitable enough to suggest that their solution would have been an Enigma even to the authors themselves . Yoa will I think agree with me that the essay , a translation of which I am abont to read to you , is sufficiently occult in its meaning to render it worthy of a very distinguished place amongst the incomprehensible literature , which remains to us of the school of Andrea . Perhaps it would not have
been worth while tronbling you with the subject at all , were it not that allusions occur in reference to emblems in Masonry well known to many of us , and which seem to me to hint at an early connection between Rosicrucianism and what are known now as " Hi » h Grades . " The pamphlet in question is a large duodecimo of 17 pages printed about 260 years ago , and is thus described on the title page , which like the body of the work is a strange combination of dog Latin and obsolete German :
RAPTUS PHIL 0 S 0 PHICUS that is Philosophical Revelations rendered perfectly plain and inteVii gible and dedicated humbly to the celebrated- ' and distinguished Fraternity , Sacred Order R . C , by Rhodophilus Staurophorus , an unworthy vassal ( clientem ) of that most wise and Divinely inspired Fraternity of the most Sacred Order R . C , who is inwardly sick of love and all in a blaze with longing . —Anno 1619 .
The writer begins with a preface to the Reader indited in Latin hexameters and pentameters , which runs thus : Behold they come , the excellent and closel y knit Society of the wise ones of the Rosy Cross ; they come from Christ . The terrified foe of mankind jealously multiplies his gigantic deceptions day and night in order to confound by his arts the united
society ; to snatch away the little flock by means of death . But though the world and Hell rage , Christ defends the band . None can injure the Fratres . Behold they come ; the society of the Rosy Cross , foretold for many ages , unconquerable even by tried philosophers . The disputatious band of our Lyceus arises , and pours out many scommata ( sic ) a » ainst
the sacred ones , friends of the Gods . An evil tongue profits the sophist ; a shameless tongue betrays the ignorant . Bnt though the world and Hell rage , Christ defends the band . None can injure the Fratres . Behold they come ; the Society of the Rosy Cross , long expected b
y the world . A pious society , a society of Christ , foretold of the ancient prophets , beloved of the wise , and approved of God . It is therefore meet for the Society to appear with watchful breast . Lot each brother lay bare the cloads of his error , for error surrounds ns all . But to desire not to be aware of error—this is the greatest follv of all . J
Behold they come , the Society of the Rosy Cross , dispersed through the whole world . The wise man rejoices in heart and mind . But the opposing spirit of evil rages , and the envious sophist bursts with jealousy . But though tho world and Hell rage , Christ defends the band . None
^ n injure the Fratres . ( And then he signs , with what I conclude is his motto in tho Society . ) Vim Passa Virtus Major Enitescit . R . C
A Rosicrucian Essay Of The Xviith Century.
Coming to tho hotly of the essay we find it printed in tho moat singular maiinor ; old black letter Gorman toxt most of it , but here and thero German words spelt with Roman letters , aud Latin words in German text and so on . Thero aro even composite words , formed of equal parts of Latin aud Gorman . Somo of tho German words aro obsolete and not iu any modern dictionary , but I will read you what
you may safely regard as a freo translation . Llo says : — Onco on a day when 1 tho undersigned could noither sleep nor rest , I cogitated the means by which , through tho help of God , ono might get access to tho over celebrated aud distinguished Fraternity R . C . Whilst thus meditating I was entranced , and seemed to travel a . ni . p . ( sit- ) to tho high thought of tho Fraternity , R . C . Before mo I
saw a number of roads but knew not which would take me thither , [ n the midst was a very rough and stony path , so grass-grown as to bo difficult to see . Few conld find it , or liked it , for the difficulties it presentod . In the distance thorn walked on this road a God-like youth in white robes . In distress , I stood , uncertain of my way . Thero was no ono to enquire of , though tho other roads wero crowded ,
bnt I thought the yonth in white beckoned me . I hesitated , because of tho wild beasts which infested the path and the other difficulties , but as I was well clad and shod , and carried a costly gamahen ( sic ) , which had efficacious virtues against wild beasts , I finally sot off on the road , bnt could not overtake the youth . I had struggled along for a considerable distance when a strong lion
which had broken loose , aud had a piece of chain round his nuck , ran at mo with open month . In expectation of death I prayed the Gods to aid mo when the little cupid flow to mo and with his bow shot the lion in the heart , who ran away roaring and plunged into a neighbouring well , which was dedicated to Apollo and Diana . Thanking tho Gods I ran to the well to look after the lion but found him
drowned . Exhausted and thirsty , I pulled up the backet , but found it full of milk . I poured it out , thinking the shepherds had left it there , for it was noon ; pulling it r | p again , I found it blood , and poured it out also , astonished at the prodigy . ( Here occurs an incomprehensible passage about the relative
proportions of the contents of tho buckets , and which would almost lead ns to suppose that tho sentence contained some oocult chemical analysis . ) Soon after leaving the well I recollected leaving something , and turned back , when a raven flew off tho roof of the well , changing as it flew into a peacock , a swan , & c . I thought it was a spectre
( Gespensl ) , but climbed the roof of the well , enrions to see what there was , and there I fonnd dead in a nest some young and tender birds with their heads pecked in by tho wicked raven . Angry , I leaped down to follow the raven , when the old one , a bird of an unknown form , camo flying , and as soon as it had seen the wretched death of its voting ones it began to scream and to strike its breast with its
beak until the blood run into the nest in streams and soaked the young ones , by means of which and tho snn's heat they were revived . Astonished at the miracle , I proceeded . Now approached me , beautifully dressed and adorned , a graceful female , sitting on a high chair of seven steps in a small chariot covered with groy eloth , lined with white . Her dress was crimson
and byssus ( sic ) . On her head was a golden crown . In front was inlaid a brilliaut and Royal carbuncle . Her horses were two grim bears . Before her went an animal with antlers . The driver was Vulcan . On each side of the chariot walked two maidens ; one was dressed in black and looked melancholy , and carried in her hand a skull , emblem of mortality . Another was dressed in white . In her hand she carried
a goblet of water to sprinkle herself . The third was in yellow , and carried nnder her left arm a pair of bellows ; and the fourth , in red , carried a flaming torch . The female in the carriage carried a gold crucifix . We exchanged salutes , and she asked me where I was going and what spirit had led me thither to so lonely a place . I said I searched for the Gentlemen Brothers of the R . Q . and the youth
who had met her had brought me . She replied , " You have ventured a great thing , but yon will not gain your object unless you learn why I have met yon . " I asked her to enlighten me , aud offered my willing services in return . She replied , " You can be my servant , but you must follow me . " I promised . She then continued— "Pay attention , and remember that my fierce animalsgive yon the beginning , I the middle , my first animal the end , " and saying this she pulled
from her bosom a book of strange appearance , but containing , con' fnsedly written , everything in Heaven and Earth . This book she , g : ive me , blessed me , and passed on . Thauking her , I opened the book , and fonnd it was called AZOTII , and correctly , for everything was to be found in it . At the foot of the page stood these two letters —F . R . I turned it over and found : Folio 1—Description of the ¦ ancient and highly esteemed art of magic , with its specialities , and hy what means they are acquired .
i Fol . 18—Necromancy . j Fol . 3—Astrology . Fol . 1—Book of the Sealed Arts . Fol . 13—Geomancy . Fol . t )—Pyromancy .
Fol . 5—Hydromancy . Fol . 13—Cbaomancy . Fol . IS—Attained Medicine . Fol . 9—Book of Attained Philosophy . Fol . 18—Attained Mathematics , with all belonging to them .
In short , there were all the known and unknown arts and sciences in the world . I was amazed , for the book was similar in oharacter to a specuhim archetypum , though very different , and I had often before seen it , but through mental blindness never recognised it . I had not time to read its contents , for the youth in white waited my coming ,
I so I put my treasure for safety iu my bundle . Reaching him , we exchanged snlntrs , and he asked me if I knew the woman who met iw . I said , " No , but she > vns of noble birth . " " Yes , " he replied , " it was Nature , who at proseut is unknown to the learned and wise , and no one can meet her unless he follow me on this road . " He then