steres." 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