The Fame and Confession of the Fraternity of R. C.

Front matter

auxTOC|::The Publisher to the Reader

Publisher's Note

THE

Publiher to the Reader.

It is the Obervation of uch as skill Dreams, That to travel in our leep a long way, and all alone, is a ign of Death. This it eems the Poet knew: for when the Queen of Carthage was to dye for Love, he fits her with this Melancholy Viion:

——Longam Incomitata videtur Ire Viam.——

Now the ue I make of it, is this: I would be o wie, as to prognoticate. I do therefore promie my preent Work not only Life, but Acceptance: for in this my Dream (and I know you will call it o) I travel not without Company. There were ome Gentlemen beides my elf, who affected this Fame, and thought it no Diparagement to their own: but it was their pleaure it hould receive light at my hands, and this made them defer their own Copies, which otherwie had pat the Pres. I have, Reader, but little more to ay, unles I tell thee of my Jutice, and now thou halt ee how ditributive it is. The Tranlation of the Fama belongs to an unknown hand, but the Abilities of the Tranlator I quetion not. He hath indeed mitaken Damacus for Damcar in Arabia, and this I would not alter, for I am no Pedant to correct another mans Labours. The Copy was communicated to me by a Gentleman more learned then my elf, and I hould name him here, but that he expects not either thy thanks or mine. As for the Preface, it is my own, and I wih thee the full Benefit of it, which certainly thou cant not mis, if thou com’t to it with clear eyes, and a purged pirit. Conider that Prejudice obtructs thy Judgment; for if thy Affections are engag’d, though to an Ignis fatuus, thou dot think it a Guide, becaue thou dot follow it. It is not Opinion makes Things Fale or True: for men have deny’d a great part of the World, which now they inhabit: and America as well as the Philoophers Stone, was ometimes in the Predicament of Impoibilities. There is nothing more aburd, then to be of the ame mind with the Generality of Men, for they have entertain’d many gros Errors, which Time and Experience have confuted. It is indeed our Sluggihnes and Incredulity that hinder all Dicoveries, for men contribute nothing towards them but their Contempt, or, which is wort, their Malice. I have known all this my elf, and therefore I tell it thee: but what ue thou wilt make of it, I know not. To make thee what Man hould be, is not in my power, but it is much in thy own, if thou know’t thy Duty to thy elf. Think of it, and Farewell.

E. P.

Epistle

TO THE

Wie and undertanding

.

WIdom (aith Solomon) is to a man an infinite Treaure, for he is the Breath of the Power of God, and a pure Influence that floweth from the Glory of the Almighty; he is the Brightnes of Eternal Light, and an undefiled Mirror of the Majety of God, and an Image of his Goodnes; he teachech us Sobernes and Pru- dence, Righteounes and Strength; he undertands the Subtilty of words, and Solution of dark entences; he foreknoweth Signs and Wonders, and what hall happen in time to come; with this Treaure was our firt Father Adam fully endued: Hence it doth appear, that after God had brought before him all the Creatures of the Field, and the Fowls under Heaven, he gave to every one of them their proper names, according to their nature.

Although now through the orrowful fall into in this excellent Jewel Widom hath been lot, and meer Darknes and Ignorance is come into the World, yet notwithtanding hath the Lord God ome- times hitherto betowed, and made manifet the ame, to ome of his Friends: For the wie King Solomon doth tetifie of himelf, that he upon earnet prayer and deire did get and obtain uch Widom of God, that thereby he knew how the World was created, thereby he undertood the Nature of the Elements, alo the time, beginning middle, and end, the increae and decreae, the change of times through the whole Year, the Revolution of the Year, and Ordinance of the Stars; he undertood alo the properties of tame and wilde Beats, the caue of the raigning of the Winds, and minds and intents of men, all orts and natures of Plants, vertues of Roots, and others, was not unknown to him. Now I do not think that there can be found any one who would not wih and deire with all his heart to be Partaker of this noble Treaure; but eeing the ame Felicity can happen to none, except God himelf give Widom, and end his holy Spirit from above, we have therefore et forth in print this little Treatie, to wit, Famam & Confesionem, of the Laudable Fraternity of the Roie Cros, to be read by every one, becaue in them is clearly hewn and dicovered, what concerning it the World hath to expect.

Although thee things may eem omewhat trange, and many may eteem it to be but a Philo- phical hew, and no true Hitory, which is publihed and poken of the Fraternity of the Roie Cros; it hall here ufficiently appear by our Confesion, that there is more in receu then maybe imagined; and it hall be eaily undertood, and oberved by every one (if he be not altogether voyd of undertanding) what now adays, and at thee times, is meant thereby.

Thoe who are true Diciples of Widom, and true Followers of the Spherical Art, will conider better of thee things, and have them in greater etimation, as alo judg far otherwie of them, as hath been done by ome principal Perons, but epecially of Adam Haelmeyer, Notarius Publicus to the Arch Duke Maximilian, who likewie hath made an Extract ex criptis Theologicis Theophrasti, and written a Treatie under the Title of Jeuiter, wherein he willeth, that every Chritian hould be a true Jeuit, that is, to walk, live, be, and remain in Jeus: He was but ill rewarded of the Jeuits, becaue in his Anwer written upon the Famam, he did name thoe of the Fraternity of the Roie Cros, The highly illuminated men, and undeceiving Jeuits; for they not able to brook this, layd hands on him, and put him into the Calleis, for which they likewie have to expect their reward.

Bleed Aurora will now henceforth begin to appear, who (after the paing away of the dark Night of Saturn) with her Brightnes altogether extinguiheth the hining of the Moon, or the mall Sparks of Heavenly Widom, which yet remaineth with men, and is a Forerunner of pleaant Phebus, who with his clear and fiery glitering Beams brings forth that bleed Day, long wihed for, of many true-hearted; by which Day-light then hall truly be known, and hall be een all heavenly Treaures of godly Widom, as alo the Secrets of all hidden and unviible things in the World, according to the Doctrine of our Forefathers, and ancient Wiemen.

This will be the right kingly Ruby, and mot excellent hining Carbuncle, of the which it is aid, That he doth hine and give light in darknes, and to be a perfect Medicine of all imperfect Bodies, and to change them into the bet Gold, and to cure all Dieaes of Men, eaing them of all pains and mieries.

Be therefore, gentle Reader, admonihed, that with me you do earnetly pray to God, that it pleae him to open the hearts and ears of all ill hearing people, and to grant unto them his bleing, that they may be able to know him in his Omnipotency, with admiring contemplation of Nature, to his honour and praie, and to the love, help, comfort and trengthening of our Neighbors, and to the retoring of all the dieaed.

Preface

The Preface.

If it were the Buines of my Life or Learning, to procure my elf that noye which men call Fame, I am not to eek what might conduce to it. It is an Age affords many Advantages, and I might have the choyce of everal Foundations, whereon to build my elf. I can ee withall, that Time and Imployment have made ome perons Men, whom their firt Adventures did not finde uch. This uddain Growth might give my Imperfections alo the Confidence of uch another tart: but as I live not by common Examples, o I drive not a Common Deign. I have taken a coure different from that of the World, for (Readers) I would have you know, that whereas you plot to et your elves up, I do here contrive to bring my elf down. I am in the Humor to affirm the Eence, and Exitence of that admired Chimæra, the Fraternitie of R. C. And now Gentlemen I thank you, I have Aire and Room enough: methinks you neak and teal from me, as if the Plague and this Red Cros were ineparable. Take my Lord have mercy along with you, for I pitty your ickly Braines, and certainly as to your preent State the Incription is not uneaonable. But in lieu of this, ome of you may advie me to an Aertion of the Capreols of del Phæbo, or a Review of the Library of that dicreet Gentleman of the Mancha, for in your Opinion thoe Knights and thee Brothers are equally Inviible. This is bard meaure, but hal not init to diprove you: if there be any amongt the Living of the ame Bookih faith with my elf, They are the Perons I would peak to, and yet in this I hal act modetly, I invite them not, unles they be at Leaure.

When I conider the unjut Cenure and indeed the Contempt, which Magic even in all Ages hath undergone, I can (in my opinion) finde no other Reaons for it, but what the Profeors themelves are guilty of by Mi-contruction, and this in Reference to a double Obcurity, of Life and Language. As for their nice (or to peak a better truth) their Concientious Retirements, whereby they did eparate themelvs from diolute and brutih pirits, it is that which none can oberly dicommend; nay it is a very purging Argument, and may erve to wipe of thoe contracted, envious candals, which Time and Man have injuriouly fatned on their Memory. For if we reaon dicreetly, we may not afely trut the Traditions and Judgement of the World, concerning uch perons who equetred themelves from the World, and were no way addicted to the Affairs or Acquaintance thereof. It is true, they were loers by this Alienation, for both their life and their Principles were croe to thoe of their Adveraries: They lived in the hade, in the calm of Concience and olitude, but their Enemies moved in the Sun-hine, in the Eye of worldly Tranactions, where they kept up their own Repute with a clamorous Defamation of thee innocent and contented Eremits. The econd Obtacle to their Fame, was partly the implicity of their tyle, which is Scripture-like, and commonly begins like Solomon’s Text, with Mi Fili. But that which poil’d all, and made them Contemptible even to ome degree of mierie, was a corrupt Delivery of the Notions and Vocabula of the Art: for Magic like the Sun, moving from the Eat, carried along with it the Orient all Termes, which our Wetern Philoophers who skil’d not the Arabic or Chaldce, &c. did mot unhappily and corruptly trancribe, and verily at this day they are o trangely abus’d, it is more then a Task togues at their Original. But this is not all, for ome were o ingular, as to invent certain Barbarous Termes of their own, and thee conceited Riddles, together with their Magiterial way of Writing (for they did not o far condecend as to Reaon their Poitions) made the world conclude them a Fabulous Generation. Indeed this was a trange coure of Theirs, and much different from that of Trimegitus, in whoe genuine works there ts not one Barbarous yllable, nor any point aerted, without mot pregnant and Demontrative Reaons. Certainly Hermes as to his coure of life was public and princely, in his Doctrine clear and Rational, and hence it was that not onely his own times, but even all ubequent Generations were mot contant Tributaries to his Honour. On the contrary (if we may conjecture by Effects) there ucceeded him in his School certain Melancholy envious Spirits, whoe obcure incrutable writings render’d their Authors Contemptible, but made way for that new noye of Aritotle, which men call Philoophie. I may ay then of thee later Magicians what Solinus ometimes aid of thoe contentious ucceors of Alexander the Great: That they were born, Ad egetem Romanæ gloriæ, non ad Hæreditatem tanti Nominis.

It is equally true, That ome skulking Philoophers whiles they enviouly uppret the Truth, did occaionally promote a Lye: for they gave way to the Enemies growth, till at lat the Tares poet the Field, and then was the true Graine cat into the Fire. Nor indeed could it be otherwie, for this Buhel being placed over the Light, the Darknes of it invited Ignorance abroad: and now teps out Aritotle like a Pedler with his pack, the Triumphs of whoe petulant School had but two weak upporters, Obcurity and Envie. Both thee proceeded from the Malignancie of ome eminent Authors, whom God had blet with Dicoveries Extraordinary: Thee to ecure themelves and the Art, judged it their bet coure to blot out the path, that uch as were unworthy might never be able to follow them. It cannot be denyed but this Mytery and cloud of the letter carried with it both Dicretion and Neceitie, but what poyl’d all was the Exces of the Contrivers, for they past all Decencie both in the Meaure, and the Maner of it. I could be numerous in Examples, and proofs of this kind, but that I hold it uperfluous to paue at a point which is acknowledged on all Hands. To be hort then, this Umbrage and Mit of their Text required ome Comment and Clearnes, but few being able to Expound, the World ran generally to the other ide and the School-men have got the Day, not by Weight but by Number. This conidered, it cannot be thought unreaonable and certainly not uneaonable, if a Society concious of the Truth, and skil’d in the abtrue principles of Nature, hall endeavour to rectifie the world: for hitherto we have been abued with Greek Fables and a pretended knowledge of Caues, but without their much deired Effects. We plainly ee, that if the leat Dieae invades Us, the School-men have not one Notion, that is o much a charm, as to cure Us: and why then hould we imbrace a Philoophie of meer words, when it is evident enough, that we cannot live but by Works. Let us not for hame be o tupid any more, for ’tis a Barbarous Ignorance to maintaine that for Truth which our own dayly Experience can aure us to be Fale. But ome body will reply, That the Antiquitie of this Peripatim may claim ome Reverence; and we mut complementally invite it abroad, not churlihly turn it out of Doors. This in my opinion were to dance before Dagon, as David did before the Ark: to pay that repect to a Lye, which is due onely to the Truth, and this is Anwer ufficient. As for that Fraternity, whoe Hitory and Confeion I have here adventured to publih, I have for my own part no Relation to them, neither do I much deire their Acquaintance: I know they are Maters of great Myteries, and I know withal that nature is o large, they mas as wel Receive as Give. I was never yet o lavih an Admirer of the, as to prefer them to all the World, for it is poible and perhaps true, that a private man may have that in his poeion, wherof they are Ignorant. It is not their title and the noye it hath occaion’d, that makes me commend them; The Acknowledgement I give them, was firt procured by their Books, for there I found them true Philoophers, and therefore not Chimæra’s (as mot think) but Men. Their Principles are every way Corre- pondent to the Ancient and Primitive Widome, nay, they are cononant to our very Religion, and confirm every point thereof. I quetion not but mot of their Propoals may eem Irregular to common Capacities; but where the Prerogative and Power of Nature is known, there will they quickly fall even, for they want not their Order and Sobriety. It will be expected perhaps, that I hould peak omething as to their Perons and Habitations, but in this my cold Acquaintance will excue me; or had I any Familiarity with them, I hould not doubt to ue it with more Dicretion. As for their Exitence, (if I may peak like a School-man,) there is great reaon we hould believe it, neither do I ee how we can deny it, unles we grant, that Nature is tudied, and Books alo written and publihed by ome other Creatures then Men. It is true indeed, that their Knowledg at firt was not purchaed by their own Diquiitions, for they received it from the Arabians, amongst whom it remained as the Monument and Legacy of the Children of the Eat. Nor is this at all improbable, for the Eatern Countries have been always famous for Magical and Secret Societies. Now am I to eek how far you will believe me in this, becaue I am a Chritian; and yet I doubt not but you will believe a Heathen, becaue Aritotle was one.

Take then amongst you a more acceptable Ethnic, I mean Philotratus, for thus he delivers himelf in the life of Apollonius. He brings in his Tyaneus dicouring with Prince Phraotes, and amongst other Quetions propoed to the Prince, Apollonius asks him, Where he had learnt his Philoophy, and the Greek Tongue, for amongt the Indians (aid this Greek) there are no Philoophers? To this imple Quære the Prince replies, γελῥφας, and with a notable Sarcam, ὁι ωὶ παλαιὸι, &c. Our Forefathers (aid he) did ask all thoe who came hither in hips, if they were not Pirates; for they conceived all the World (but themelves) addicted to that vice, though a great one: But you Grecians ask not thoe trangers who come to you, if they be Philoophers. To this he adds a very diolute Opinion of the ame Grecians, namely, that Philoophy, which of all Donatives is ζείοτατον, the Divinet, hould be eteemed amongt them as a thing indifferent, and proportionate to all Capacities: And this, I am ure (aith Phraotes to Apollonius) is a king of Piracy tolerated amongt you: Νὶ ὅτι μὺ παοᾀ ὑμῖν ταωτὸν τᾡ λησεύφν ἐσὶν, οἶδα, which being applyed here to Philoophy, I hould make bold to render it Sacriledg. But the Prince proceeds, and chools his Novice, for uch was Apollonius, who was never acquainted with any one Mytery of Nature. I undertand (aith he) that amongt you Grecians there are many Intruders, that injutly apply themelves to Philoophy, as being no way conformable to it: Thee uurp a Profeion which is not their own; as if they hould firt rob men of their Clothes, and then wear them, though never o diproportionate; and thus do you proudly tradle in borrowed Ornaments. And certainly, as Pirates, who know themelves liable to innumerable tortures, do lead a ottish and a looe kind of life: Even o amongt you, thee Pirates and Plunderers of Philoophy are wholly given to Luts and Compotations; and this I uppoe is an Evil that proceeds from the Blindnes and Improvidence of your Laws. For hould any Man-tealer be be found amongt you, or hould any adulterate your Coyn, thee were Offences Capital, and punihed with Death: But for uch as counterfeit and corrupt Philoophy, your Law corrects them not, neither have you any Magitrate ordained to that purpoe. Thus we ee in what repect the Greek Sophitry was with the Indians, and that clamorous Liberty they had to ditract one another; ome of them being Epicures, ome Cynics, ome Stoics, ome again Peripatetics, and ome of them pretended Platonics. It is not to be doubted, but the cuffling and quabling of thee Sectaries did at lat produce the Sceptic, who finding nought in the Schools but Oppoition and Bitternes, reolved for a new coure, and ecured his Peace with his Ignorance.

Phraotes having thus returned that Calumny, which Apollonius bestowed on the Indians, to the Boom of this conceited Greek, gives him now an Accompt of his own Colledg, I mean the Brachmans, with the Excellent and wholeom Severity of their Dicipline. And here I cannot but oberve the Inolence of Tyaneus, who being a meer tranger in the Indies, notwithtanding runs into a poitive Aburdity, and before he had convered with the Inhabitants, concludes them no Philoophers. Thee bad Manners of his I could (and perhaps not unjutly) derive from the Cutomary Arrogance of his Country-men, whoe kindnes to their own Iue ditinguish’d not the Greeks and the Sages: but the ret of the world they dicriminated with a certain Sheep-mark of their own, and branded them with the name of Barbarians. How much an Aperion this is, we hall quickly undertand, if we attend the Prince in his Dicoure, for thus he intructs Apollonius. Amongt us Indians (aith he) there are but few admitted to Philoophy, and this is the manner of their Election. At the Age of eighteen years the peron to be elected comes to the River Hyphais, and there meets with thoe Wie men, for whoe ake even you alo Apollonius are come into thee parts. There he doth publiquely profes a very ardent deire and affection to Philoophy; for uch as are otherwie dipoed, are left to their own Liberty, to follow what Profeion they pleae. This done, the next conideration is, whether he be decended of honet parents or no; and here they look back even to three Generations, that by the Dipoition and Qualities of the Ancetors, they may gues at thoe of the Child. If they find them to have been men of a known Integrity, then they proceed to his Admiion; but firt they try him, and prove him with everal Tentations. For example, Whether he be naturally modet, or rather acts a counterfeit Bahfulnes for a time, being otherwie impudent and lacivious: Whether he be ottih and gluttonous, or no: Whether he be of an inolent bold pirit, and may prove Re- fractory, and diobedient to his Tutors? Now thoe that are appointed to examine him, have the skill to read his Qualities in his countenance; for the Eyes dicover mot of mens Manners, and in the Brows and Cheeks there are many excellent Indicia, whereby Wie men, and uch as are skill’d in the Myteries of Nature, may dicover our minds and dipoitions, as Images are dicovered in a glas. And certainly ince Philoophy amongt the Indians is had in very great Honor, it is neceary that thoe who would know the ecrets of it, hould be tempted and proved by all poible Tryels, before ever they be admitted. This was then the Dicipline of the Brachmans, and indeed of all the Magi in the Election and Proof of their Pupils. But all this was News to Apollonius, and therefore he asks Phraotes, if thee Wie-men, mentioned in his Dicoure, were of the ame order with thoe, who did ometimes meet Alexander the Great, and had ome Conference with him σεὶ τῦ ὀυραῶ, concerning Heaven, for it eems they were Atrolo- gers. To this the Prince anwers, that thee Planet-mongers were the Οξυδράπαι, who were a people dipoed to the Wars: σοφίαν τὲ μεταχφρισαδζ φασιν, οὐδὲν χσησὸν εἰδότες; And for Knowledg (aith he) they make a great Profeion of it, but indeed they know nothing that is Excellent. But he proceeds: Οἱ ᾖ ἀτεχνῶς σοφοὶ, &c. Thoe Wie-men (aith he) who are truly uch, dwell between the River Hyphais and Ganges, into which place Alexander never came, not that he durt not attempt it, ἀλλ’ ≡ιμαι τὰ ἱεοὰ, ἀπεσήμηνεν ἀυτῶ, but as I think (aith the Prince) the Reverence due to their Myteries kept him off. To this he adds, that Alexander knew the River Hyphais was paable, and that he might with eae beleagure the City, wherein thee Magi did dwell; ἀλλὰ τώ γετύρσιν, but their Tower (aith he) had he brought with him a thouand uch Souldiers as Achilles was, and three thouand uch as Ajax, he could never have taken it. To this he gives his Reaon, namely, that the Magi did not make any allies to beat off their Enemies, but keeping quietly within their gates, they detroyed them with Thunder and Lightening. Here was a tory might have tartled Apollonius, who knew not the power of Gun-powder, but in thee our days there is nothing more familiar and credible. But notwithtanding the Improvements of this fatal Invention are not known even to the preent Generations, for the Pyrography of Cornelius Agrippa, and the Powder of Friar Bacon were never yer brought to the Field. And now let us hear the Friar himelf, who dicouring of everal wonderful Experiments, tellus us amongst the ret of a ecret Compoition, which being form’d into Pills, or little Balls, and then cat up into the Air, would break out into Thunders and Lightenings, more violent and horrible then thoe of Nature. Præter vero hæc (aith he) unt alia tupenda Naturæ: nam Soni velut Tonitrûs & Corucationes pount fieri in Aere: imo majori horrore quam illa quæ fiunt, per Naturam. Nam modica materia adaptata, cilicet ad quantitatem unius pollicis, onum facit Horribilem, & Corucationem otendit vehementem: et hoc fit multis modis, quibus Civitas, aut Exercitus detruatur. Mira unt hæc, i quis ciret uti ad plenum in debitâ quantitate & materiâ. Thus he. But let us return to Apollonius, for now he trots like a Novice to the River Hyphais, and carries with him a Commendatory Letter to the Brachmans, having requeted the Prince to tell them he was a good Boy. Here thee admirable Eatern Magicians preent him with uch Rarities as in very truth he was not capable of. Firt of all they hew him (as Philotratus decribes it) a certain Azure, or Sky-colour’d Water, and this Tincture was extreamly predominant in it, but with much Light and Brightnes. This trange Liquor (the Sun hining on it at Noon) attracted the Beams or Splendor to it elf, and did ink downwards, as if coagulated with the Heat, but reflected to the Eyes of the Beholders a mot beautiful Rain-bow. Here we have a perfect Decription of the Philoophers Mercury, but there is omthing more behind. Apollonius confeeth how the Brachmans told him afterwards, that this Water was ὂπὸῤῥητον τὸ ὕδας, a certain ecret Water, and that there was hid under it, or within it, γῆ σανδαρακίνη, a Blood-red Earth. In a word, they told him that none might drink, or tate of that Liquor, neither was it drawn at all for any ordinary ues. After this mot myterious Water, they hew him alo a certain myterious Fire, and here for my part I do not intend to comment. From this Fire he is brought to certain Tubs, or ome uch Veels, whereof the one was called the Veel of Rain, and the other the Veel of Winds: all which are mot deep and excellent Allegories. But thee Rarities imply no more then the Rudiments of Magic. Let us now come to the Medecine it elf, and the admirable Effects thereof. The Brachmans (aith Apollonius) anointed their Heads αγεκτς ωδφ φας μάκω, with a gummy Medicine, and this made their Bodies to team at the pores, and weat in that abundance, as if (aith he) they had purged themelves with Fire. This is enough to prove them Philoophers. And now let us ee what kind of Habitation they had, and how much a parallel it is to that place or dwelling of R. C. which his Followers call Locus S. Spiritus. The Wie-men (aith Apollonius) dwell on a little Hill, or Mount, and on the Hill there reted always a Cloud, in which the Indians hous’d themelves (for o the word ignifies,) and here did they render themelves viible or inviible, at their own will and dicretion. This Secret of Inviibility was not known to the Dutch Boor nor to his Plagiary, the Author of the Manna: but the Fraternity of R. C. can move in this white Mit. Ut nobicum autem convenias (ay they) necee et hanc lucem cerbas, ine enim hac luce, Impoibile et nos videre, nii quando volumus. But Tyaneus tells us omething more; namely, that the Brachmans themelves did not know whether this Hill 'was compaed about with Walls, or had any Gates that did lead to it, or no; for the Mit obtructed all Dicoveries. Conider what you read, for thus ome body writes concerning the Habitation of R. C. Vidi aliquando Olympicas domos, non procul à Fluviolo & Civitare notâ, quas S. Spiritus vocari imaginamur. Helicon et de quo loquor, aut biceps Parnaus, in quo Equus Pegaus fontem aperuit pe- rennis aquæ adhuc tillantem, in quo Diana e lavat, cui Venus ut Pediequa, & Naturnus ut Anteambulo, conjunguntur. Intelligenti nimium, Inexperto minimum hoc erit dictum. But to clear the Propect a little more, let us hear Apollonius in a certain peech of his to the Ægyptians, decribing this Elyium of the Brachmans: Εἶδόν φησιν Ινδὲς Βοαχμᾶνας ὀιoιῶτας ὀπὶ τῆς γῆς, κὶ ἐκ ὲπ’ ἀυτῆς. I have een (aith he) the Brachmans of India dwelling on the Earth, and not on the Earth: they were guarded without Walls, and poeing nothing, they enjoyed all things. This is plain enough, and on this Hill have alo a deire to live, if it were for no other reaon, but what the Sophit ometimes oplyed to the Mountains: Hos primum rol alutat, ultimoque deerit. Quis lolam non amet, dies longiores habentem? But of this place I will not peak any more, let the Readers hould be o mad, as to entertain a upicion, that I am of the Order. I hal now therefore proceed to the Theory of the Brachmans, and this only o far as their Hitory will give me leave. I find Jarchas then eated in his Throne, and about him the ret of his Society, where having firt placed Apollonius in the Seat Royal of Phraotes, Jarchas welcomes him with this unconfined Liberty: Ἐς άτα ὅ τι βέλφ, παοὰ ἄνδοας γὰς ἤκεις πάντα εἰδότας. Propound (aid he) what Quetions thou wilt, for thou art come to Men that know all things. Here Tyaneus puts in, and very wiely asks them, What Principles the World was compounded of? To this the Brachmans reply, It was compounded of the Elements. Is it made then (aith Apollonius) of the four Elements? No (aid the great Jarchas) but of Five. Here the Grecian is puzzled; for beides Earth (aith he) and Water, Air, and Fire, I know not any thing: What then is this fifth Subtance? It is (aith Jarchas) the Æther, which is the Element of Spirits: for thoe Creatures which draw in the Air, are Mortal; but thoe which draw in the Æther, are Immortal. And here I cannot but oberve the gros Ignorance of Apollonius, who being a profet Pythagorean, had never heard of the Æther, that famous Pythagorean Principle.