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HISTORY OF THE ROSICRUCIANS.
" Their general assemblies are held in the pyramids of
Egypt j but, like the rock whence the spring of Moses issued,
these pyramids proceed with them into the desert, and
follow them into the ' Land of Promise.' '
No authority is given for this statement, and it is in all
probability one of those romantic falsifications with which
Eliphas Levi took pleasure in mystifying his readers, and
which make him absolutely worthless as a sober historian.
This manifesto, whatever its original form, attracted
general and chiefly hostile attention, and it was accounted
for in various ways by the pamphleteers of the period.
Naud6 considers it a hoax. "If we seek for the precise
origin of this squall of wind which now whistles over our
country, we shall find that the report of this fraternity
having been spread abroad some short time since in Ger-
many, certain professors, doctors, and students of this city
were moved by curiosity to investigate the matter by means
of the new books which were made known to them by pub-
lishers after their return from the Frankfort fair ; but dis-
covering nothing except chimeras and rodomontade therein,
they preferred, while awaiting the farce,
selves by this comedy
Quam protinus urbi
Pandere, res alta sylva et caligine mersas,
and compromise their reputation by becoming
to divert them-
its first de-
nouncers, judging that there were fools enough in Paris to
prevent this folly from stagnating. And, in fact, about
three months ago one of these individuals, knowing that
the King being at Fontainebleau, the realm tranquil, and
Mansfield too remote for daily news, there was a scar-
city of topics on 'Change, as well as in all circles, con-
cluded to supply you with gossip by placarding the public