Palmtree [1617] was the
result of the earlier effort and the writings of Andreaes on the alleged
origin and aims of the rosicrucians are connected with the other need. The
battle of the White Mountain and the unfortunate consequences that
followed killed both attempts, as it were, in the germ." (Z. Gesch, d.
Bauh., p. 20.) Note by the way that the name of the "Fraternity of the Red
Cross" was taken from symbols which were already employed in the
societies. In regard to this it is quite mistaken accuracy to maintain
that it was correctly called "Bruderschaft des Rosenkreutz" and not "des
Rosenkreutzes," as the "Handbuch d. Freimaurerei," p. 259, emends it.
Vatter Christian Rosenkreutz is indeed evidently only a composite
legendary personage as the bearer of a definite symbolism (Christ, rose,
cross), (and may have been devised merely in jest). The name does not come
from the personality of the founder but the personality of the founder
comes from the name. The symbols and expressions that lie at the
foundations are the earlier.

The attempt mentioned, to find a common name, did not permanently succeed.
The visionaries and "heretics" decried as "Rosicrucians" and "alchymists"
were considered as enemies and persecuted. It is irrelevant whether there
was an organized fraternity of rosicrucians; it was enough to be known as
a rosicrucian. (Keller, Z. Gesch. d. B., p. 21.) The great organization
did not take place until a great European power spread over it its
protecting hand, i.e., in 1717, when in England the new English system of
"Grand Lodges of Free and Accepted Masons" arose. (Keller, D. Soc. d.
Hum., p. 18.) We see that Keller arrives by another and surer way than
Katsch at the same result, and shows the continuity of the alchemists or
rosicrucians and the later freemasons, if not in exactly the same way that
Katsch has outlined it. In particular Keller gets along without the
unproved statement that there were organized rosicrucians (outside of the
later gold- and rose-crosses). He shows what is much more important,
namely that there were societies that might have borne the name of
rosicrucians (or any similar name).

[Occult image.]

Figure 1.

Several interesting peculiarities should not be omitted, as for instance,
that Leibniz, about 1667, was secretary of an alchemist's society (of
so-called rosicrucians) in Nuremberg. Leibniz describes alchemy as