THE

FORTUNATE ISLES.

His Majesty being set,

Enter, running, JOHPHIEL, an airy spirit, and (according to the Magi) the intelligence of Jupiter's sphere: attired in light silks of several colours, with wings of the same, a bright yellow hair, a chaplet of flowers, blue silk stockings, and pumps, und gloves, with a silver fan in his hand.

Johp. Like a lightning from the sky,
Or an arrow shot by Love,
Or a bird of his let fly;

Be't a sparrow, or a dove:

Johphiel, an airy spirit, and (according to the Magi) the Intelligeuce of Jupiter's sphere.] Jonson is so accurate in all his positions (however unimportant they may appear in themselves) that it can scarcely be doubted that he had authority for the rank of Johphiel. I will not question the assertion of the "Magi;" but Agrippa (alsó a wise-man) affirms that "Jo. phiel is one of the presiding angels in the Intelligible World, and that he reigns in the sphere of the zodiac." This seems a pretty wide command! The name of the spirit of the " sphere of Jupiter, is Zadkiel." Occ. Phil. B. 2. c. xiii.

Nothing in Jonson is done at random. Whatever was the subject of his verse, he came to it with a mind fully furnished, and what appears, at first sight, the mere sportiveness of invention, will be found, upon falling into the track of his VOL. VIII. F

With that winged haste, come I,
Loosed from the sphere of Jove,
To wish good-night

To your delight.

Enter MEREFOOL, a melancholic student, in bare and worn clothes, shrowded under an obscure cloke, and the eves of an old hat.

Mere. [fetching a deep sigh.] Oh, ho! Johp. In Saturn's name, the father of my lord, What over-charged piece of melancholy Is this, breaks in between my wishes thus, With bombing sighs?

Mere. No! no intelligence!

Not yet and all my vows now nine days old!
Blindness of fate! puppies had seen by this time;
But I see nothing that I should, or would see!
What mean the brethren of the Rosy-cross,
So to desert their votary?

Johp. O! 'tis one

Hath vow'd himself unto that airy order,

studies, (which is seldom my lot,) to be the result of laborious and excursive reading. In the Alchemist, for example, the directions given to Abel, for insuring the prosperity of his shop,

66

-On the east side of your shop, aloft,
Write Mathlai, Tarmiel, and Baraborat;

Upon the north part, Rael, Velel, Thiel," Vol. iv. p. 41. have probably been regarded as a mere play of fancy; but they appear to be derived from the very depths of magical science. 66 Angeli secundi cæli regnantes die Mercurii, quos advocari oportet a quatuor mundi partibus :

Ad Orientem:

Mathlai, Tarmiel, Baraborat.

Ad Septentrionem :

Thiel, Rael, Velel, &c.

Elem. Magica Petri de Albana.

And now is gaping for the fly they promised him. I'll mix a little with him for my sport.

[Steps aside.
Mere. Have I both in my lodging and my diet,
My clothes, and every other solemn charge,
Observed them, made the naked boards my bed,
A faggot for my pillow, hungred sore!
Johp. And thirsted after them!

Mere. To look gaunt, and lean!
Johp. Which will not be.

Mere. Who's that?-Yes, and outwatch'd,
Yea, and outwalked any ghost alive

In solitary circle, worn my boots,

Knees, arms, and elbows out!

Johp. Ran on the score!

Mere. That have I-who suggests that?-and

for more

Than I will speak of, to abate this flesh,
And have not gain'd the sight-

Johp. Nay, scarce the sense.

Mere. Voice, thou art right-of any thing but a cold

Wind in my stomach.

Johp. And a kind of whimsie

Mere. Here in my head, that puts me to the staggers,

Whether there be that brotherhood, or no. Johp. Believe, frail man, they be; and thou shalt see.

Mere. What shall I see?

Johp. Me.

Mere. Thee! where?

Johp. [comes forward.] Here, if

Be master Merefool.

you

Mere. Sir, our name is Merryfool, But by contraction Merefool.

Johp. Then are you

The wight I seek; and, sir, my name is Johphiel,
Intelligence to the sphere of Jupiter,
An airy jocular spirit, employ'd to you
From father Outis.

Mere. Outis! who is he?

Johp Know ye not Outis? then you nobody:

know

The good old hermit, that was said to dwell
Here in the forest without trees, that built
The castle in the air, where all the brethren
Rhodostaurotic live. It flies with wings,

And runs on wheels; where Julian de Campis'
Holds out the brandish'd blade.

2 Outis! who is he?] Outis is Greek for no-body; here is an allusion to the trick Ulysses put on Polyphemus when he had shut him in his cave, and asked him what his name was, which Ulysses said was Outis. WHAL.

Holds out the brandish'd blade.] For my knowledge of this person, I am indebted to the kindness and activity of my friend, F. Cohen, who rummaged him out from a world of forgotten lumber in the old German language.

"Send Brieff oder Bericht an alle welche von der Newen Brüderschafft des Ordens vom Rozen Creutz gennant, etwas gesehen oder von andern per modum discursus der sachen beschaffenheit vernom

men.

"Es sind viel die im schranken lauffen, etliche aber gewinnen nur das kleinot, darumb ermahne ich,

Julianus de Campis,
OGDCRFE,

dass diejenigen welche von einer glücklichen direction und gewünschtes impression guberniret worden, sich nicht durch ihrer selbst eigenen diffidens oder uppigheit unartiges judiciren wendig lassen. "Milita bonam militiam, servans fidem, et accipies coronam gloriæ.

"Gedruckt im Jahr 1615."

"A Letter Missive, or account addressed to all those who have [as yet] read any thing concerning the New Fraternity, entitled the order of the Rosy Cross, or who have become acquainted with the matter by the verbal relations of others.

Mere. Is't possible

They think on me?

Johp. Rise, be not lost in wonder,

But hear me: and be faithful. All the brethren Have heard your vows, salute you, and expect you, By me, this next return. But the good father Has been content to die for

you.

"Many enter the cabinet, but few acquire the treasure Therefore I,

Julianus de Campis,
OGDCRFE,

warn all who wish to be guided by a happy direction and desirable impression, not to suffer themselves to be misled by their own mistrust, or by the loose judgment of forward people. "Printed in the year 1615."

It is probable that this Julian de Campis, (an assumed name) was among the earliest writers on this fantastic subject, and that Jonson derived some information from his Letter Missive. Mr. Cohen, however, assures me that there is nothing in it respecting the brandished blade."

It is somewhat singular that the origin of the Rosicrucians should not have been discovered. Neither Paracelsus nor Agrippa, (daring dreamers as both were,) has any approaches to this singular sect, which, as far as can be discovered, did not spring to light till the end of the sixteenth century. It seems not unreasonable to conjecture that the folly had birth in one of those hot-beds, so prolific of

-all monstrous, all prodigious things, "Gorgons and hydras, and chimeras dire,"

a German lodge of Free Masons: thus much, at least, is certain, that they pretend to the brandished blade, which is even now one of their hieroglyphics.

A curious disquisition, I will not say a profitable one, might be written on this subject, on which nothing satisfactory has hitherto appeared. The Count de Gabalis wisely broke off just in time to hide his utter ignorance of it; indeed, he only refines upon the rude visions of Paracelsus; and Gabriel Naudé, who wrote expressly on the Rosicrucians, is loose and declamatory, and has little to the purpose. He notices, however, a work entitled "Speculum Sophisticum Rhodost auroticum," which our poet had perhaps seen.-But I forget-satque superque.