Chapter One—Introduction. Occult Literature—Allegorical language of the Rosicrucian books—Its secret meaning

7

Chapter Two—The Hermetic Philosophy. The Neoplatonists—Ammonius Saccas—Plotinus—Malchus Porphyrius—Jamblichus—Proclus —Hierocles.

14

Chapter Three—Mediaeval Philosophers. "Magic," according to Cornelias Agrippa.

14

Chapter Four—Among the Adepts. "The Brotherhood of the Golden and Rosy Cross"—Occult and mysterious powers—Adepts and Sages—Alchymists and Goldmakers—The True History of Flamel—The Count de Saint Germain—Cagliostro—The art of making alchemical gold—Well-authenticated facts.

35

Chapter Five—The Rosicrucian "Orders." "History" of the Rosicrucians—The Universal Reformation; the Fama Fraternitatis and the Confessio—Truth and Fiction—The Chemical Marriage of Christian Rosencruetz—Valentin Andreae—The Sphinx Rosaceae—Andreas von Carolstadt Theophrastus Paracelsus—Rosicrucian Literature.

49

Chapter Six—Pseudo Rosicrucians. Imposters and Fools. Mysticism during the Middle Ages—Secret Societies—Schroepfer—J. C. Woellner and Bischofswerder—Political Influence—The Jesuits and the Illuminati—Weishaupt King Frederic William II.

59

Appendix—The Principles of the Yoga-Philosophy of the Rosicrucians and Alchemists.

Chapter Seven—in the Pronaos of the Temple of the True Cross. The Cross and the Rose—Rosicrucian Rules—The duties of a Rosicrucian —The Secret Signs of the Rosicrucians—Rosicrucian Jewels—Rosicrucian Symbols—Signs from the Heart of the celestial Mother—Signs referring to the Divine child.

75

Chapter Eight—Alchemy. The Science and Art of Alchemy—The Prima Materia—The Spiritus Universalis—The Secret Fire—The four alchemical rules—The five things necessary to observe in the practice of Alchemy—Axiomata Hermetica

85