Standingontheconfineswhichseparateusfromaknowledgeofmaterialthings，apatientobserverofatoms，Idestroyforms，I
dissolvethebondsofcombinations；IimitatedeaththatImaylearnhowtoimitatelife。Istrikeincessantlyatthedoorofcreation，andIshallcontinuesotostrikeuntilthedayofmydeath。WhenIamdeadtheknockerwillpassintootherhandsequallypersistentwiththoseofthemightymenwhohandedittome。Fabulousanduncomprehendedbeings，likePrometheus，Ixion，Adonis，Pan，andothers，whohaveenteredintothereligiousbeliefsofallcountriesandallages，provetotheworldthatthehopeswenowembodywerebornwiththehumanraces。Chaldea，India，Persia，Egypt，Greece，theMoors，havetransmittedfromonetoanotherMagic，thehighestofalltheoccultsciences，whichholdswithinit，asapreciousdepositthefruitsofthestudiesofeachgeneration。InitlaythetiethatboundthegrandandmajesticinstitutionoftheTemplars。Sire，whenoneofyourpredecessorsburnedtheTemplars，heburnedmenonly，——theirSecretlived。ThereconstructionoftheTempleisavowofanunknownnation，araceofdaringseekers，whosefacesareturnedtotheOrientof/life/，——allbrothers，allinseparable，allunitedbyoneidea，andstampedwiththemarkoftoil。Iamthesovereignleaderofthatpeople，sovereignbyelection，notbybirth。Iguidethemonwardtoaknowledgeoftheessenceoflife。Grand-master，Red-Cross-bearers，companions，adepts，weforeverfollowtheimperceptiblemoleculewhichstillescapesoureyes。ButsoonweshallmakeourselveseyesmorepowerfulthanthosewhichNaturehasgivenus；weshallattaintoasightoftheprimitiveatom，thecorpuscularelementsopersistentlysoughtbythewiseandlearnedofallageswhohaveprecededusintheglorioussearch。Sire，whenamanisastrideofthatabyss，whenhecommandsbolddiverslikemydisciples，allotherhumaninterestsareasnothing。Thereforewearenotdangerous。Religiousdisputesandpoliticalstrugglesarefarawayfromus；wehavepassedbeyondandabovethem。NomantakesothersbythethroatwhenhiswholestrengthisgiventoastrugglewithNature。Besides，inourscienceresultsareperceivable；wecanmeasureeffectsandpredictthem；whereasallthingsareuncertainandvacillatinginthestrugglesofmenandtheirselfishinterests。Wedecomposethediamondinourcrucibles，andweshallmakediamonds，weshallmakegold！WeshallimpelvesselsastheyhaveatBarcelonawithfireandalittlewater！Wetestthewind，andweshallmakewind；weshallmakelight；weshallrenewthefaceofempireswithnewindustries！Butweshallneverdebaseourselvestomountathronetobecrucifiedbythepeoples！”
InspiteofhisstrongdeterminationnottobetakeninbyItalianwiles，theking，togetherwithhisgentlemistress，wasalreadycaughtandsnaredbytheambiguousphrasesanddoublingsofthispompousandhumbuggingloquacity。Theeyesofthetwoloversshowedhowtheirmindsweredazzledbythemysteriousrichesofpowerthusdisplayed；
theysaw，asitwere，aseriesofsubterraneancavernsfilledwithgnomesattheirtoil。Theimpatienceoftheircuriosityputtoflightallsuspicion。”But，”criedtheking，”ifthisbeso，youaregreatstatesmenwhocanenlightenus。””No，sire，”saidLorenzo，naively。”Whynot？”askedtheking。”Sire，itisnotgiventoanymantoforeseewhatwillhappenwhenthousandsofmenaregatheredtogether。Wecantellwhatonemanwilldo，howlonghewilllive，whetherhewillbehappyorunhappy；butwecannottellwhatacollectionofwillsmaydo；andtocalculatetheoscillationsoftheirselfishinterestsismoredifficultstill，forinterestsaremen/plus/things。Wecan，insolitude，seethefutureasawhole，andthatisall。TheProtestantismthatnowtormentsyouwillbedestroyedinturnbyitsmaterialconsequences，whichwillturntotheoriesinduetime。Europeisatthepresentmomentgettingthebetterofreligion；to-morrowitwillattackroyalty。””ThentheSaint-Bartholomewwasagreatconception？””Yes，sire；forifthepeopletriumphitwillhaveaSaint-Bartholomewofitsown。Whenreligionandroyaltyaredestroyedthepeoplewillattackthenobles；afterthenobles，therich。WhenEuropehasbecomeameretroopofmenwithoutconsistenceorstability，becausewithoutleaders，itwillfallapreytobrutalconquerors。Twentytimesalreadyhastheworldseenthatsight，andEuropeisnowpreparingtorenewit。Ideasconsumetheagesaspassionsconsumemen。Whenmaniscured，humanitymaypossiblycureitself。Scienceistheessenceofhumanity，andweareitspontiffs；whosoconcernshimselfabouttheessencecareslittleabouttheindividuallife。””Towhathaveyouattained，sofar？”askedtheking。”Weadvanceslowly；butwelosenothingthatwehavewon。””Thenyouarethekingofsorcerers？”retortedtheking，piquedatbeingofnoaccountinthepresenceofthisman。
Themajesticgrand-masteroftheRosicrucianscastalookonCharlesIX。whichwitheredhim。”Youarethekingofmen，”hesaid；”Iamthekingofideas。Ifweweresorcerers，youwouldalreadyhaveburnedus。Wehavehadourmartyrs。””Butbywhatmeansareyouabletocastnativities？”persistedtheking。”HowdidyouknowthatthemanwhocametoyourwindowlastnightwasKingofFrance？Whatpowerauthorizedoneofyoutotellmymotherthefateofherthreesons？Canyou，grand-masterofanartwhichclaimstomouldtheworld，canyoutellmewhatmymotherisplanningatthismoment？””Yes，sire。”