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earliest　philosophers；　are　still　a　mystery　to　the　latest；　tell　me

if　there　really　exists　upon　the　earth　any　book；　any　manuscript；

in　which　their　discoveries；　their　tenets；　are　to　be　learned？〃



At　the　words；　〃august　fraternity；〃　I　need　scarcely　say　that　my

attention　had　been　at　once　aroused；　and　I　listened　eagerly　for

the　stranger's　reply。



〃I　do　not　think；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；　〃that　the　masters　of

the　school　have　ever　consigned；　except　by　obscure　hint　and

mystical　parable；　their　real　doctrines　to　the　world。　　And　I　do

not　blame　them　for　their　discretion。〃



Here　he　paused；　and　seemed　about　to　retire；　when　I　said；　somewhat

abruptly；　to　the　collector；　〃I　see　nothing；　Mr。　D；　in　this

catalogue　which　relates　to　the　Rosicrucians！〃



〃The　Rosicrucians！〃　repeated　the　old　gentleman；　and　in　his　turn

he　surveyed　me　with　deliberate　surprise。　　〃Who　but　a　Rosicrucian

could　explain　the　Rosicrucian　mysteries！　　And　can　you　imagine

that　any　members　of　that　sect；　the　most　jealous　of　all　secret

societies；　would　themselves　lift　the　veil　that　hides　the　Isis　of

their　wisdom　from　the　world？〃



〃Aha！〃　thought　I；　〃this；　then；　is　'the　august　fraternity'　of

which　you　spoke。　　Heaven　be　praised！　　I　certainly　have　stumbled

on　one　of　the　brotherhood。〃



〃But；〃　I　said　aloud；　〃if　not　in　books；　sir；　where　else　am　I　to

obtain　information？　　Nowadays　one　can　hazard　nothing　in　print

without　authority；　and　one　may　scarcely　quote　Shakespeare　without

citing　chapter　and　verse。　　This　is　the　age　of　facts；the　age　of

facts；　sir。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；　with　a　pleasant　smile；　〃if　we

meet　again；　perhaps；　at　least；　I　may　direct　your　researches　to

the　proper　source　of　intelligence。〃　　And　with　that　he　buttoned

his　greatcoat；　whistled　to　his　dog；　and　departed。



It　so　happened　that　I　did　meet　again　with　the　old　gentleman；

exactly　four　days　after　our　brief　conversation　in　Mr。　D's　book…

shop。　　I　was　riding　leisurely　towards　Highgate；　when；　at　the　foot

of　its　classic　hill；　I　recognised　the　stranger；　he　was　mounted　on

a　black　pony；　and　before　him　trotted　his　dog；　which　was　black

also。



If　you　meet　the　man　whom　you　wish　to　know；　on　horseback；　at　the

commencement　of　a　long　hill；　where；　unless　he　has　borrowed　a

friend's　favourite　hack；　he　cannot；　in　decent　humanity　to　the

brute　creation；　ride　away　from　you；　I　apprehend　that　it　is　your

own　fault　if　you　have　not　gone　far　in　your　object　before　you　have

gained　the　top。　　In　short；　so　well　did　I　succeed；　that　on

reaching　Highgate　the　old　gentleman　invited　me　to　rest　at　his

house；　which　was　a　little　apart　from　the　village；　and　an

excellent　house　it　was；small；　but　commodious；　with　a　large

garden；　and　commanding　from　the　windows　such　a　prospect　as

Lucretius　would　recommend　to　philosophers：　　the　spires　and　domes

of　London；　on　a　clear　day；　distinctly　visible；　here　the　Retreat

of　the　Hermit；　and　there　the　Mare　Magnum　of　the　world。



The　walls　of　the　principal　rooms　were　embellished　with　pictures

of　extraordinary　merit；　and　in　that　high　school　of　art　which　is

so　little　understood　out　of　Italy。　　I　was　surprised　to　learn　that

they　were　all　from　the　hand　of　the　owner。　　My　evident　admiration

pleased　my　new　friend；　and　led　to　talk　upon　his　part；　which

showed　him　no　less　elevated　in　his　theories　of　art　than　an　adept

in　the　practice。　　Without　fatiguing　the　reader　with　irrelevant

criticism；　it　is　necessary；　perhaps；　as　elucidating　much　of　the

design　and　character　of　the　work　which　these　prefatory　pages

introduce；　that　I　should　briefly　observe；　that　he　insisted　as

much　upon　the　connection　of　the　arts；　as　a　distinguished　author

has　upon　that　of　the　sciences；　that　he　held　that　in　all　works　of

imagination；　whether　expressed　by　words　or　by　colours；　the　artist

of　the　higher　schools　must　make　the　broadest　distinction　between

the　real　and　the　true；in　other　words；　between　the　imitation　of

actual　life；　and　the　exaltation　of　Nature　into　the　Ideal。



〃The　one；〃　said　he；　〃is　the　Dutch　School；　the　other　is　the

Greek。〃



〃Sir；〃　said　I；　〃the　Dutch　is　the　most　in　fashion。〃



〃Yes；　in　painting；　perhaps；〃　answered　my　host；　〃but　in

literature〃



〃It　was　of　literature　I　spoke。　　Our　growing　poets　are　all　for

simplicity　and　Betty　Foy；　and　our　critics　hold　it　the　highest

praise　of　a　work　of　imagination；　to　say　that　its　characters　are

exact　to　common　life；　even　in　sculpture〃



〃In　sculpture！　　No；　no！　THERE　the　high　ideal　must　at　least　be

essential！〃



〃Pardon　me；　I　fear　you　have　not　seen　Souter　Johnny　and　Tam

O'Shanter。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　the　old　gentleman；　shaking　his　head；　〃I　live　very　much

out　of　the　world；　I　see。　　I　suppose　Shakespeare　has　ceased　to　be

admired？〃



〃On　the　contrary；　people　make　the　adoration　of　Shakespeare　the

excuse　for　attacking　everybody　else。　　But　then　our　critics　have

discovered　that　Shakespeare　is　so　REAL！〃



〃Real！　　The　poet　who　has　never　once　drawn　a　character　to　be　met

with　in　actual　life；who　has　never　once　descended　to　a　passion

that　is　false；　or　a　personage　who　is　real！〃



I　was　about　to　reply　very　severely　to　this　paradox；　when　I

perceived　that　my　companion　was　growing　a　little　out　of　temper。

And　he　who　wishes　to　catch　a　Rosicrucian；　must　take　care　not　to

disturb　the　waters。　　I　thought　it　better；　therefore；　to　turn　the

conversation。



〃Revenons　a　nos　moutons；〃　said　I；　〃you　promised　to　enlighten　my

ignorance　as　to　the　Rosicrucians。〃



〃Well！〃　quoth　he；　rather　sternly；　〃but　for　what　purpose？　　Perhaps

you　desire　only　to　enter　the　temple　in　order　to　ridicule　the

rites？〃



〃What　do　you　take　me　for！　　Surely；　were　I　so　inclined；　the　fate

of　the　Abbe　de　Villars　is　a　sufficient　warning　to　all　men　not　to

treat　idly　of　the　realms　of　the　Salamander　and　the　Sylph。

Everybody　knows　how　mysteriously　that　ingenious　personage　was

deprived　of　his　life；　in　revenge　for　the　witty　mockeries　of　his

'Comte　de　Gabalis。'〃



〃Salamander　and　Sylph！　　I　see　that　you　fall　into　the　vulgar

error；　and　translate　literally　the　allegorical　language　of　the

mystics。〃



With　that　the　old　gentleman　condescended　to　enter　into　a　very

interesting；　and；　as　it　seemed　to　me；　a　very　erudite　relation；　of

the　tenets　of　the　Rosicrucians；　some　of　whom；　he　asserted；　still

existed；　and　still　prosecuted；　in　august　secrecy；　their　profound

researches　into　natural　science　and　occult　philosophy。



〃But　this　fraternity；〃　said　he；　〃however　respectable　and

virtuous；virtuous　I　say；　for　no　monastic　order　is　more　severe

in　the　practice　of　moral　precepts；　or　more　ardent　in　Christian

faith；this　fraternity　is　but　a　branch　of　others　yet　more

transcendent　in　the　powers　they　have　obtained；　and　yet　more

illustrious　in　their　origin。　　Are　you　acquainted　with　the

Platonists？〃



〃I　have　occasionally　lost　my　way　in　their　labyrinth；〃　said　I。

〃Faith；　they　are　rather　difficult　gentlemen　to　understand。〃



〃Yet　their　knottiest　problems　have　never　yet　been　published。

Their　sublimest　works　are　in　manuscript；　and　constitute　the

initiatory　learning；　not　only　of　the　Rosicrucians；　but　of　the

nobler　brotherhoods　I　have　referred　to。　　More　solemn　and　sublime

still　is　the　knowledge　to　be　gleaned　from　the　elder　Pythagoreans；

and　the　immortal　masterpieces　of　Apollonius。〃



〃Apollonius；　the　imposter　of　Tyanea！　are　his　writings　extant？〃



〃Imposter！〃　cried　my　host；　〃Apollonius　an　imposter！〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　I　did　not　know　he　was　a　friend　of　yours；　and

if　you　vouch　for　his　character；　I　will　believe　him　to　have　been　a

very　respectable　man；　who　only　spoke　the　truth　when　he　boasted　of

his　power　to　be　in　two　places　at　the　same　time。〃



〃Is　that　so　difficult？〃　said　the　old　gentleman；　〃if　so；　you　have

never　dreamed！〃



Here　ended　our　conversation；　but　from　that　time　an　acquaintance

was　formed　between　us　which　lasted　till　my　venerable　friend

departed　this　life。　　Peace　to　his　ashes！　　He　was　a　person　of

singular　habits　and　eccentric　opinions；　but　the　chief　part　of　his

time　was　occupied　in　acts　of　quiet　and　unostentatious　goodness。

He　was　an　enthusiast　in　the　duties　of　the　Samaritan；　and　as　his

virtues　were　softened　by　the　gentlest　charity；　so　his　hopes　were

based　upon　the　devoutest　belief。　　He　never　conversed　upon　his　own

origin　and　history；　nor　have　I　ever　been　able　to　penetrate　the

darkness　in　which　they　were　concealed。　　He　seemed　to　have　seen

much　of　the　world；　and　to　have　been　an　eye…witness　of　the　first

French　Revolution；　a　subject　upon　which　he　was　equally　eloquent

and　instructive。　　At　the　same　time　he　did　not　regard　the　crimes

of　that　stormy　period　with　the　philosophical　leniency　with　which

enlightened　writers　（their　heads　safe　upon　their　shoulders）　are；

in　the　present　day；　inclined　to　treat　the　massacres　of　the　past：

he　spoke　not　as　a　student　who　had　read　and　reasoned；　but　as　a　man

who　had　seen　and　suffered。　　The　old　gentleman　seemed　alone　in　the

world；　nor　did　I　know　that　he　had　one　relation；　till　his

executor；　a　distant