(Vol. vii., p. 619.)
When Pope, in dedicating his _Rape of the Lock_ to Mrs. Arabella Fermor,
was desirous of putting within the reach of that lady the information which
MR. E. S. TAYLOR has sought through your pages, he wrote:
"The _Rosicrucians_ are a people that I must bring you acquainted with.
The best account of them I know is in a French book called _Le Compte
de Gabalis_, which, both in its title and size, is so like a novel,
that many of the fair sex have read it for one by
mistake."--_Dedicatory Letter to the Rape of the Lock._
This celebrated work was written by the Abbe Montfaucon de Villars, and
published in 1670. "C'est une partie (says Voltaire, _Siecle de Louis
XIV._) de l'ancienne mythologie des Perses. L'auteur fut tue en 1675 d'un
coup de pistolet. On dit que les sylphes l'avaient assassine pour avoir
revele leurs mysteres." In 1680, an English translation appeared (_penes
me_), entitled:
"The Count of Gabalis; or the Extravagant Mysteries of the Cabalists,
exposed in Five Pleasant Discourses on the Secret Sciences. Done into
English by P. A. (Peter Ayres), Gent., with short Animadversions.
London printed for B. M., printer to the Royal Society of the Sages at
the Signe of the Rosy Crusian."
The original French work went through several editions: my own copy bears
the imprint of _Amsterdam_, 1715, and has appended to it _La Suite du
Compte de Gabalis, ou Entretiens sur les Sciences secretes, touchant la
nouvelle Philosophie_," &c.
So much in deference to Pope,--whose only object, however, was to make Mrs.
Fermor acquainted with so much of Rosicrucianism as was necessary to the
comprehension of the machinery of his poem. MR. E. S. TAYLOR must go
farther afield if he is desirous of "earning the _vere adeptus_," and
becoming, like Butler's _Ralpho_--
For MYSTIC LEARNING wondrous able,
In magic _Talisman_ and _Cabal_,
Whose primitive tradition reaches
As far as ADAM'S first green breeches;
Deep-sighted in INTELLIGENCES,
IDEAS, ATOMS, INFLUENCES;
And much of TERRA-INCOGNITA,
Th' intelligible world could say;
A deep OCCULT PHILOSOPHER,
As learned as the wild Irish are,
Or SIR AGRIPPA; for profound
And solid lying much renowned.
He ANTHROPOSOPHUS and FLUDD,
And JACOB BEHMEN understood;
Knew many an amulet and charm,
That would do neither good nor harm;
In ROSY-CRUCIAN lore as learned
As he that _vere adeptus_ earned."
_Hudibras_, Part i. Canto 1.
These lines enumerate, in a scarcely satirical form, the objects and
results of a study of _Rosicrucianism_, in so far as it differs from that
of alchemy and the occult sciences. The history of the _Rosicrucians_,--or
rather the inquiry as to whether actually existed at any time such a
college or brotherhood, and, if so, to what degree of antiquity can it lay
claim,--forms another and, perhaps, somewhat more profitable subject of
attention. This question, however, having been fully discussed elsewhere, I
will conclude by a _catalogue raisonne_ of such books and essays (the most
important of which are readily obtainable) as will enable your
correspondent to acquire for himself the information he seeks.
Allgemeine und General Reformation der ganzen weiten Welt, beneben der
Fama Fraternitatis, oder Enstehung der Bruederschaft des loeblichen
Ordens des _Rosenkreutzes_, &c. 8vo. Cassel, 1614. [Ascribed to John
Valentine Andrea. In this pamphlet occurs the _first_ mention of the
society; no allusion being made to it in the works of Bacon,
Paracelsus, Agrippa, &c. It was republished at Frankfort in 1617 under
a somewhat different title. Appended to it is a tract entitled
"Sendbrieff, oder Bericht an Alle welche von den _neuen_ Bruederschafft
des Ordens von _Rosen-Creutz_ genannt etwas gelesen," &c. This work
contains a full account of the origin and tenets of the brotherhood,
{107} and is the source whence modern writers have drawn their
information. It called into existence a host of pamphlets for and
against the very existence and tenets of the society.]
Histoire de la Philosophie Hermetique, accompagnee d'un Catalogue
raisonne des Ecrivains de cette Science, par l'Abbe Lenglet du Fresnoy.
3 vols. 12mo. Paris, 1742.
Theomagia, or the Temple of Wisdom, containing the Occult Powers of the
Angels of Astromancy in the Telesmatical Sculpture of the Persians and
Aegyptians; the knowledge of the _Rosie-Crucian_ Physick, and the
Miraculous in Nature, &c., by John Heydon. 8vo. 1664. [The works of
this enthusiast are extremely curious and rare. He is also the author
of the following.]
The Wiseman's Crowne, or the Glory of the _Rosie-Cross_, &c.; with the
Regie Lucis, and Holy Household of _Rosie-Crucian_ Philosophers. 8vo.
1664.
Elhavarevna, or the English Physitian's Tutor in the Astrabolismes of
Mettals _Rosie-Crucian_, Miraculous Sapphiric Medicines of the Sun and
Moon, &c., all Harmoniously United, and Operated by Astromancy and
Geomancy, in so Easie a Method that a Fine Lady may practise and
compleat Incredible, Extraordinary Telesmes (and read her Gallant's
devices without disturbing her fancy), and cure all Diseases in Yong
and Old, whereunto is added Psonthonphancia, &c. 8vo. 1665.
Dictionnaire Infernal; ou Repertoire des Etres, Apparitions de la
Magique, des Sciences occultes, Impostures, &c., par Collin de Plancy.
8vo. Paris, 1844.
To render this list more complete, a great number may be added, the titles
of which will be found in the following essays, from which much information
on the subject will be gained:--
New Curiosities of Literature. By George Soane, B.A. 2 vols. 8vo.
London, 1849. [In vol. ii. p. 135. is an able and interesting essay
entitled "_Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry_," in which the author, with
considerable success, endeavours to show that _Rosicrucianism_ had no
existence before the sixteenth century, and is a mere elaboration of
Paracelsian doctrines: and that _Freemasonry_ is nothing more than an
offspring from it, and has, consequently, no claim to the antiquity of
which it boasts.]
Swift's Tale of a Tub. [In Section X. of this wonderful book will be
found a caustic piece of satire on the futility of the _Rosicrucian_
philosophy.]