An important work for all students of Theosophy, Gnosticism, and comparative Esotericism. It contains an exact translation of the original sources of information, and is the only monograph on the subject. Handsomely printed and bound. THE THEOSOPHICAL PUBLISHING SOCIETY, 7, DUKE STREET, ADELPHI, LONDON, W.C. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 1: _Jacob Boehme_ says: “If an essence (a form of will-substance) enters into another whose nature is of a different character, an antagonism is created and a strife for supremacy ensues. One quality disrupts the other, which ultimately causes the death of the form; for whatever is not in harmony cannot live eternally; but whatever is in perfect harmony has no elements of destruction within itself; for in such an organism all the elements love each other, and love is the creator and preserver of life.”—“Mysterium magnum,” xxi. 5.] [Footnote 2: Let it be clearly understood that by using the term “religious” we do not refer to any of the existing systems of religious doctrines or forms of worship; but to the spiritual recognition of divine truth.] [Footnote 3: The order here adopted is to facilitate the comparison with the above given classification; the planets not being stationary, but shifting their positions and significations according to the aspects we take.] [Footnote 4: Even of his cotemporaneous disciples there were few capable of grasping his ideas and of leading the life necessary for that purpose. He says: “Twenty-one of my servants have become victims of the executioner (the spirit of this world); Gode may help them! Only a few have thus far remained with me.” (“Defensio,” VI.)] [Footnote 5: See “The Life of Theophrastus Paracelsus,” London, 1887.] [Footnote 6: This is not correct; Paracelsus says: “The anatomy of man is twofold. One aspect consists in dissecting the body, so as to find out the position of its bones, muscles, veins, &c.; but this is the least important; the other is more important, and means to introduce a new life into the human organism; to see the transmutations taking place therein, to know what the blood is and what kind of {symbol}, {symbol} and {symbol} (Sulphur, Salt and Mercury) it contains.” (“Paramirum,” Lib. I. Cap. 6.)] [Footnote 7: Prof. Rud. Virchow’s lecture on Pathology, delivered in London, March 6th, 1893.]