those nearest to the petals. The book was written upon vellum, and in
beautiful clear letters, interspersed with symbolical pictures and
illuminations, after the manner of the Splendor Soils.

The first chapter described how six students, of Celtic descent, gave
themselves separately to the study of alchemy, and solved, one the
mystery of the Pelican, another the mystery of the green Dragon,
another the mystery of the Eagle, another that of Salt and Mercury.
What seemed a succession of accidents, but was, the book declared,
the contrivance of preternatural powers, brought them together in the
garden of an inn in the South of France, and while they talked
together the thought came to them that alchemy was the gradual
distillation of the contents of the soul, until they were ready to
put off the mortal and put on the immortal. An owl passed, rustling
among the vine-leaves overhead, and then an old woman came, leaning
upon a stick, and, sitting close to them, took up the thought where
they had dropped it. Having expounded the whole principle of
spiritual alchemy, and bid them found the Order of the Alchemical
Rose, she passed from among them, and when they would have followed
she was nowhere to be seen. They formed themselves into an Order,
holding their goods and making their researches in common, and, as
they became perfect in the alchemical doctrine, apparitions came and
went among them, and taught them more and more marvellous mysteries.
The book then went on to expound so much of these as the neophyte was
permitted to know, dealing at the outset and at considerable length
with the independent reality of our thoughts, which was, it declared,
the doctrine from which all true doctrines rose. If you imagine, it
said, the semblance of a living being, it is at once possessed by a
wandering soul, and goes hither and thither working good or evil,
until the moment of its death has come; and gave many examples,