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228 HISTORY OF THE ROSICRUCIANS.
Heretics," states that a comparison between Andreas' undoubtedly
authentic writings and those of the Rosicruciau
manifestoes do not allow any doubt that he is their author.
V. The earliest edition of Boccalini's " Ragguagli di
Parnasso " was published at Venice in 1612. Andreas is
known to have been an Italian scholar; he was also an omnivo-
rous reader; he is said to have admired Boccalini, and to have
imitated his style ; and thence it is argued that he it was
who translated Advertisement 77 of the first centuria,
under the title of the " Universal Reformation of the Whole
Wide World."
VI. An intimate friend of Andreas, Professor Besoldt,
positively
declares that the character of the Rosicrucian
manifesto is plain enough, and considers it a marvellous
and unexplainable circumstance that so many persons had
mistaken that object. From this it is concluded that he
was a repository of the secret concerning their authorship,
and as he was in the confidence of Andreas, that Andreas
was the author.
In this case, the question discussed in the introduction
is, of course, definitely set at rest. The symbolism
of the
Rose-Cross is of no high significance as a badge of the
secret society.
It does not give expression to the arcana of
the alchemical and celestial Dew of the Wise, nor contain
the secret of the menstruum of the Red Dragon. It is
simply the hereditary device of the founder, and its mean-
ing is to be sought in German heraldry,
and not in
mysticism.
Those who accredit Andreas with the authorship of the
Rosicrucian manifestoes interpret his reasons very variously.
According to Arnold, he had already written many satirical
pamphlets upon the corruptions and hypocrisy of the period