V. Whether the Eosicrucians pretended to manufacture

material gold is a question which is difficult to decide from
the materials contained in their manifestoes. They acknow-
ledge the fact of transmutation, and call it a " great gift of
God ; " but "as it bringeth not always with it a knowledge
of Nature, while this knowledge bringeth forth both that
and an infinite number of other natural miracles, it is right
that we be rather earnest to attain to the knowledge of
philosophy, nor tempt excellent wits to the tincture of
metals sooner then to the observation of Nature." What-
ever may be thought of this reasoning, it definitely places
1 "Confessio Fraternitatis," c. xi. 2 Ibid.

ROSICRUC1ANISM, ALCHEMY, AND MAGIC. 207

the Rosicrucians in that school of alchemy to which I made
reference at the close of the first chapter, and whose aim
was to accomplish the spiritual side of the magnum opus, or
great work of alchemical reconstruction. For them the
transmutation of metals being no operation of common
chemistry,1 both the " Fama " a»d " Confessio " appear to
condemn indiscriminately all professors of the purely phy-
sical process, which they call " the ungodly and accursed
gold-making." Here, as in their other opinions, they echo
Paracelsus. " What shall I say to you about all your
alchemical prescriptions, about all your retorts and bottles,
crucibles, mortars, and glasses ; about all your complicated
processes of distilling, melting, cohibiting, coagulating, sub-
limating, precipitating, and filtering, all the tomfoolery for
which you throw away your time and your money. All
such things are useless, and the labour over them is lost.
They are rather an impediment than a help to arrive at the
truth." After the same fashion, the " Confessio " de-
nounces the " monstrous symbols and enigmas " by which
pseudo-chymists impose upon credulous curiosity. Ac-
cording to Dr Hartmann, " Paracelsus asserts that it is pos-
sible to make gold and silver by chemical means ; still he
condemns such experiments as useless, and it seems to be
more than probable that even in such chemical experiments
as may have succeeded, something more than merely
chemical manipulations was required to make them suc-
cessful."5 Eliphas Le>i, one of the most profound com-
mentators on Paracelsus, declares that " there is light in
gold, gold in light, and light in all things." Thus the first

1 On this point see "Mysteries of Magic," Biographical and
Critical Preface, p. xliii.

2 Hartmann's " Paracelsus," pp. 177, 178.

208 HISTORY OF THE ROSICRUCIANS.

matter of the magnum opus is both within and about us,
and " the intelligent will, which assimilates light, directs
the operations of substantial form, and only employs
chemistry as a very secondary instrument." l

At the same time the Eosicrucians claimed to be in pos-
session of u great treasures of gold," and of the purse of
Fortunatus. There seems no special reason to doubt that
they intended this to be literally construed, and the " Fama "
definitely states that it was a project of their founder, C. R.,
to institute a society in Europe " which might have gold,
silver, and precious stones sufficient for to bestow them on
kings."