“IfanyonedesirestoseethebrethrenoftheRose-crossfromcuriosityonly，hewillnevercommunicatewithus。Butifhiswillreallyinduceshimtoinscribehisnameintheregisterofourbrotherhood，we，whocanjudgeofthethoughtsofallmen，willconvincehimofthetruthofourpromises。Forthisreasonwedonotpublishtotheworldtheplaceofourabode。Thoughtalone，inunisonwiththesincerewillofthosewhodesiretoknowus，issufficienttomakeusknowntothem，andthemtous。“
　　ThoughtheexistenceofsuchasocietyasthatoftheRose-crosswasproblematical，itwasquiteevidentthatsomebodyorotherwasconcernedinthepromulgationoftheseplacards，whichwerestuckuponeverywallinParis。Thepoliceendeavouredinvaintofindouttheoffenders，andtheirwantofsuccessonlyservedtoincreasetheperplexityofthepublic。Thechurchverysoontookupthequestion；
　　andtheAbbeGaultier，aJesuit，wroteabooktoprovethat，bytheirenmitytothePope，theycouldbenootherthandisciplesofLuther，senttopromulgatehisheresy。Theirveryname，headded，provedthattheywereheretics；acrosssurmountedbyarosebeingtheheraldicdeviceofthearch-hereticLuther。OneGarassesaidtheywereaconfraternityofdrunkenimpostors；andthattheirnamewasderivedfromthegarlandofroses，intheformofacross，hungoverthetablesoftavernsinGermanyastheemblemofsecrecy，andfromwhencewasderivedthecommonsaying，whenonemancommunicatedasecrettoanother，thatitwassaid“undertherose。“OthersinterpretedthelettersF。R。C。tomean，notBrethrenoftheRose-cross，butFratresRorisCocti，orBrothersofBoiledDew；andexplainedthisappellationbyallegingthattheycollectedlargequantitiesofmorningdew，andboiledit，inordertoextractaveryvaluableingredientinthecompositionofthephilosopher’sstoneandthewateroflife。
　　Thefraternitythusattackeddefendedthemselvesaswellastheywereable。Theydeniedthattheyusedmagicofanykind，orthattheyconsultedthedevil。Theysaidtheywereallhappy；thattheyhadlivedmorethanacentury，andexpectedtolivemanycenturiesmore；
　　andthattheintimateknowledgewhichtheypossessedofallnaturewascommunicatedtothembyGodhimselfasarewardfortheirpietyandutterdevotiontohisservice。Thosewereinerrorwhoderivedtheirnamefromacrossofroses，orcalledthemdrunkards。Tosettheworldrightonthefirstpoint，theyreiteratedthattheyderivedtheirnamefromChristianRosencreutz，theirfounder；and，toanswerthelattercharge，theyrepeatedthattheyknewnotwhatthirstwas，andhadhigherpleasuresthanthoseofthepalate。Theydidnotdesiretomeddlewiththepoliticsorreligionofanymanorsetofmen，althoughtheycouldnothelpdenyingthesupremacyofthePope，andlookinguponhimasatyrant。Manyslanders，theysaid，hadbeenrepeatedrespectingthem；themostunjustofwhichwas，thattheyindulgedincarnalappetites，and，underthecloakoftheirinvisibility，creptintothechambersofbeautifulmaidens。Theyasserted，onthecontrary，thatthefirstvowtheytookonenteringthesocietywasavowofchastity；andthatanyoneamongthemwhotransgressedinthatparticularwouldimmediatelylosealltheadvantagesheenjoyed，andbeexposedoncemoretohunger，woe，disease，anddeath，likeothermen。Sostronglydidtheyfeelonthesubjectofchastity，thattheyattributedthefallofAdamsolelytohiswantofthisvirtue。Besidesdefendingthemselvesinthismanner，theyenteredintoafurtherconfessionoftheirfaith。Theydiscardedforeveralltheoldtalesofsorceryandwitchcraft，andcommunionwiththedevil。Theysaidtherewerenosuchhorrid，unnatural，anddisgustingbeingsastheincubiandsuccubi，andtheinnumerablegrotesqueimpsthatmenhadbelievedinforsomanyages。Manwasnotsurroundedwithenemieslikethese，butwithmyriadsofbeautifulandbeneficentbeings，allanxioustodohimservice。Theairwaspeopledwithsylphs，thewaterwithundinesornaiads，thebowelsoftheearthwithgnomes，andthefirewithsalamanders。Allthesebeingswerethefriendsofman，anddesirednothingsomuchasthatmenshouldpurgethemselvesofalluncleanness，andthusbeenabledtoseeandconversewiththem。Theypossessedgreatpower，andwereunrestrainedbythebarriersofspaceortheobstructionsofmatter。Butmanwasinoneparticulartheirsuperior。Hehadanimmortalsoul，andtheyhadnot。
　　Theymight，however，becomesharersinman’simmortality，iftheycouldinspireoneofthatracewiththepassionoflovetowardsthem。
　　Henceitwastheconstantendeavourofthefemalespiritstocaptivatetheadmirationofmen；andofthemalegnomes，sylphs，salamanders，andundines，tobebelovedbyawoman。Theobjectofthispassion，inreturningtheirlove，impartedaportionofthatcelestialfirethesoul；andfromthattimeforththebelovedbecameequaltothelover，andboth，whentheirallottedcoursewasrun，enteredtogetherintothemansionsoffelicity。Thesespirits，theysaid，watchedconstantlyovermankindbynightandday。Dreams，omens，andpresentimentswerealltheirworks，andthemeansbywhichtheygavewarningoftheapproachofdanger。But，thoughsowellinclinedtobefriendmanfortheirownsakes，thewantofasoulrenderedthemattimescapriciousandrevengeful:theytookoffenceonslightcauses，andheapedinjuriesinsteadofbenefitsontheheadsofthosewhoextinguishedthelightofreasonthatwasinthem，bygluttony，debauchery，andotherappetitesofthebody。
　　TheexcitementproducedinParisbytheplacardsofthebrotherhood，andtheattacksoftheclergy，woreitselfawayafterafewmonths。Thestoriescirculatedaboutthembecameatlasttooabsurdevenforthatageofabsurdity，andmenbegantolaughoncemoreatthoseinvisiblegentlemenandtheirfantasticdoctrines。
　　GabrielNaudeatthatconjuncturebroughtouthis“AvisalaFrancesurlesFreresdelaRose-croix，“inwhichheverysuccessfullyexposedthefollyofthenewsect。Thiswork，thoughnotwellwritten，waswelltimed。ItquiteextinguishedtheRosicruciansofFrance；and，afterthatyear，littlemorewasheardofthem。Swindlers，indifferentpartsofthecountry，assumedthenameattimestocloaktheirdepredations；andnowandthenoneofthemwascaught，andhangedforhistoogreatingenuityinenticingpearlsandpreciousstonesfromthepocketsofotherpeopleintohisown，orforpassingofflumpsofgildedbrassforpuregold，madebytheagencyofthephilosopher’sstone。Withtheseexceptions，oblivionshroudedthem。
　　ThedoctrinewasnotconfinedtoaspheresonarrowasFrancealone；itstillflourishedinGermany，anddrewmanyconvertsinEngland。Thelattercountriesproducedtwogreatmasters，inthepersonsofJacobBohmenandRobertFludd；pretendedphilosophers，ofwhomitisdifficulttosaywhichwasthemoreabsurdandextravagant。
　　Itwouldappearthatthesectwasdividedintotwoclasses，——thebrothersRoseaeCrucis，whodevotedthemselvestothewondersofthissublunarysphere；andthebrothersAureaeCrucis，whowerewhollyoccupiedinthecontemplationofthingsDivine。Fluddbelongedtothefirstclass，andBohmentothesecond。FluddmaybecalledthefatheroftheEnglishRosicrucians，andassuchmeritsaconspicuousnicheinthetempleofFolly。
　　Hewasbornintheyear1574，atMilgate，inKent；andwasthesonofSirThomasFludd，TreasurerofWartoQueenElizabeth。Hewasoriginallyintendedforthearmy；buthewastoofondofstudy，andofadispositiontooquietandretiringtoshineinthatsphere。Hisfatherwouldnot，therefore，presshimtoadoptacourseoflifeforwhichhewasunsuited，andencouragedhiminthestudyofmedicine，forwhichheearlymanifestedapartiality。Attheageoftwenty-fiveheproceededtotheContinent；andbeingfondoftheabstruse，themarvellous，andtheincomprehensible，hebecameanardentdiscipleoftheschoolofParacelsus，whomhelookeduponastheregenerator，notonlyofmedicine，butofphilosophy。HeremainedsixyearsinItaly，France，andGermany；storinghismindwithfantasticnotions，andseekingthesocietyofenthusiastsandvisionaries。OnhisreturntoEngland，in1605，hereceivedthedegreeofDoctorofMedicinefromtheUniversityofOxford，andbegantopracticeasaphysicianinLondon。
　　Hesoonmadehimselfconspicuous。HeLatinizedhisnamefromRobertFluddintoRobertusaFluctibus，andbeganthepromulgationofmanystrangedoctrines。Heavowedhisbeliefinthephilosopher’sstone，thewateroflife，andtheuniversalalkahest；andmaintainedthattherewerebuttwoprinciplesofallthings，——whichwere，condensation，theborealornorthernvirtue；andrarefaction，thesouthernoraustralvirtue。Anumberofdemons，hesaid，ruledoverthehumanframe，whomhearrangedintheirplacesinarhomboid。Everydiseasehaditspeculiardemonwhoproducedit，whichdemoncouldonlybecombatedbytheaidofthedemonwhoseplacewasdirectlyoppositetohisintherhomboidalfigure。Ofhismedicalnotionsweshallhavefurtheroccasiontospeakinanotherpartofthisbook，whenweconsiderhiminhischaracterasoneofthefirstfoundersofthemagneticdelusion，anditsoffshoot，animalmagnetism，whichhascreatedsomuchsensationinourownday。
　　Asifthedoctrinesalreadymentionedwerenotwildenough，hejoinedtheRosicruciansassoonastheybegantomakeasensationinEurope，andsucceededinraisinghimselftohighconsiderationamongthem。ThefraternityhavingbeenviolentlyattackedbyseveralGermanauthors，andamongothersbyLibavius，Fluddvolunteeredareply，andpublished，in1616，hisdefenceoftheRosicrucianphilosophy，underthetitleofthe“Apologia，compendiaria，FraternitatemdeRosea-cruce，SuspicionisetInfamiaemaculisaspersam，abluens。“ThisworkimmediatelyprocuredhimgreatrenownupontheContinent，andhewashenceforthlookeduponasoneofthehigh-priestsofthesect。Ofsomuchimportancewasheconsidered，thatKepplerandGassendithoughtitnecessarytorefutehim；andthelatterwroteacompleteexaminationofhisdoctrine。Mersennealso，thefriendofDescartes，andwhohaddefendedthatphilosopherwhenaccusedofhavingjoinedtheRosicrucians，attackedDr。aFluctibus，ashepreferredtobecalled，andshowedtheabsurdityofthebrothersoftheRose-crossingeneral，andofDr。aFluctibusinparticular。Fluctibuswrotealongreply，inwhichhecalledMersenneanignorantcalumniator，andreiteratedthatalchymywasaprofitablescience，andtheRosicruciansworthytobetheregeneratorsoftheworld。ThisbookwaspublishedatFrankfort，andwasentitled“SummumBonum，quodestMagiae，Cabalae，Alchimiae，FratrumRoseae-Crucisverorum，etadversusMerseniumCalumniatorem。“Besidesthis，hewroteseveralotherworksuponalchymy，asecondanswertoLibaviusupontheRosicrucians，andmanymedicalworks。HediedinLondonin1637。
　　AfterhistimetherewassomediminutionofthesectinEngland。
　　Theyexcitedbutlittleattention，andmadenoefforttobringthemselvesintonotice。Occasionally，someobscureandalmostincomprehensibleworkmadeitsappearance，toshowtheworldthatthefollywasnotextinguished。EugeniusPhilalethes，anotedalchymist，whohasveiledhisrealnameunderthisassumedone，translated“TheFameandConfessionoftheBrethrenoftheRosieCross，“whichwaspublishedinLondonin1652。Afewyearsafterwards，anotherenthusiast，namedJohnHeydon，wrotetwoworksonthesubject:theoneentitled“TheWiseMan’sCrown，ortheGloryoftheRosieCross；“andtheother，“TheHolyGuide，leadingthewaytouniteArtandNature，withtheRosieCrosseuncovered。“Neitheroftheseattractedmuchnotice。Athirdbookwassomewhatmoresuccessful:itwascalled“A