-
Articles/Ads
Article ANCIENT WRITERS AND MODERN" PRACTICES, ← Page 3 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ancient Writers And Modern" Practices,
and as dark and mysterious in their language as in their matter . He died in 1637 . Eludd it was then—or whoever was the author of the " SummumBonuin , " in 1629—who must be considered as the immediate father of Ereemasonry , as Andrea was its remote father . We think there is little or no doubt as to the authorship of this
extraordinary and wild work , a copy of which is now before us , on the title page of which is " Robertus Eludd , alias De Eluctibus , Armiger , et in Medicina Doctor , Oxoniensis . " The work is entitled " Medicina Catholica , " & c , which we conclude is synonymous with " Summum Bonum , " and bears the date 1629 y the one assigned to the work by De Quincey . The origin of Ehidd ' s acquaintance with
Rosicrucianism is unknown , but all the books relating ; to alchemy or other occult knowledge , were at once sent from Germany over to England , and , if in German , were speedily translated for the benefit of English students . He may therefore have gained his knowledge from the three books of Andrea , or he may ( as is more probably the case ) have acquired it from Michael Maier , with whom he was intimate durino ; his stay in England , and with whom he corresponded
afterwards ; he must at least have been early acquainted with it , as he published his "Apology " The first question here to be considered is—Why did Eludd drop the name of Rosicrueians ? The reason our author assigns is that his apology for them was attacked by the celebrated Father Mersenne . Eludd replied , and Mersenne being no match for him either in learning or polemic wit , Gasseudi published in 1630 a rejoinder to
Eludd , in which he ridiculed his principles in general , and his belief in the legend of the Rosicrueians in particular . On this , we are told , that finding himself unable to contend with Gassendi , and not even to assign to the Rose Croix a local habitation , he published an answer in 1633 , in which he formally withdrew the title of Rosicrueians , and spoke of them as " the formerly so-called Rosicrucian
Brothers , whom we now call ' Sapientes , bophoi , or Wise . This , then , is the answer given to the question respecting the abandonment of the name of Rosicrueians . The second question ( supposing , for the sake of argument , that no records of Ereemasonry did exist , that De Quincey ' s hypothesis is correct , and that the present soeiety of Freemasons did originate in the so-called offspring of Andrea ' s hoax , Rosicrueianism ) is—Why and when did the name of
Freemasons arise ? In 1633 , it seems , the old name was abolished ; but , as yet , no new name was substituted , in default of which they were temporarily termed " Sophi , " or " Wise men , " A more distinctive appellation , however , was necessary for men who wished to form themselves into a separate and exclusive society , and
accordmgiy we are told that the immediate hint tor the name ol freemasons was derived from the legend contained in the " Fama Eraternitatis " before alluded to . The house alluded to in this work was intended by Andrea as an allegorical house , " that would remain invisible to the godless world for ever " ( though many in Germany had inquired for it all over the empire as a material fabric ) , and , in fact ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ancient Writers And Modern" Practices,
and as dark and mysterious in their language as in their matter . He died in 1637 . Eludd it was then—or whoever was the author of the " SummumBonuin , " in 1629—who must be considered as the immediate father of Ereemasonry , as Andrea was its remote father . We think there is little or no doubt as to the authorship of this
extraordinary and wild work , a copy of which is now before us , on the title page of which is " Robertus Eludd , alias De Eluctibus , Armiger , et in Medicina Doctor , Oxoniensis . " The work is entitled " Medicina Catholica , " & c , which we conclude is synonymous with " Summum Bonum , " and bears the date 1629 y the one assigned to the work by De Quincey . The origin of Ehidd ' s acquaintance with
Rosicrucianism is unknown , but all the books relating ; to alchemy or other occult knowledge , were at once sent from Germany over to England , and , if in German , were speedily translated for the benefit of English students . He may therefore have gained his knowledge from the three books of Andrea , or he may ( as is more probably the case ) have acquired it from Michael Maier , with whom he was intimate durino ; his stay in England , and with whom he corresponded
afterwards ; he must at least have been early acquainted with it , as he published his "Apology " The first question here to be considered is—Why did Eludd drop the name of Rosicrueians ? The reason our author assigns is that his apology for them was attacked by the celebrated Father Mersenne . Eludd replied , and Mersenne being no match for him either in learning or polemic wit , Gasseudi published in 1630 a rejoinder to
Eludd , in which he ridiculed his principles in general , and his belief in the legend of the Rosicrueians in particular . On this , we are told , that finding himself unable to contend with Gassendi , and not even to assign to the Rose Croix a local habitation , he published an answer in 1633 , in which he formally withdrew the title of Rosicrueians , and spoke of them as " the formerly so-called Rosicrucian
Brothers , whom we now call ' Sapientes , bophoi , or Wise . This , then , is the answer given to the question respecting the abandonment of the name of Rosicrueians . The second question ( supposing , for the sake of argument , that no records of Ereemasonry did exist , that De Quincey ' s hypothesis is correct , and that the present soeiety of Freemasons did originate in the so-called offspring of Andrea ' s hoax , Rosicrueianism ) is—Why and when did the name of
Freemasons arise ? In 1633 , it seems , the old name was abolished ; but , as yet , no new name was substituted , in default of which they were temporarily termed " Sophi , " or " Wise men , " A more distinctive appellation , however , was necessary for men who wished to form themselves into a separate and exclusive society , and
accordmgiy we are told that the immediate hint tor the name ol freemasons was derived from the legend contained in the " Fama Eraternitatis " before alluded to . The house alluded to in this work was intended by Andrea as an allegorical house , " that would remain invisible to the godless world for ever " ( though many in Germany had inquired for it all over the empire as a material fabric ) , and , in fact ,