rs； 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 mon； 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 e； and gave many examples； received； it said； from many gods。 eros had taught them how to fashion forms in which a divine soul could dwell； and whisper what they would into sleeping minds； and ate forms from which demonic beings could pour madness； or unquiet dreams； into sleeping blood； and hermes； that if you powerfully imagined a hound at your bedside it would keep watch there until you woke； and drive away all but the mightiest demons； but that if your imagination was weakly； the hound would be weakly also； and the demons prevail； and the hound soon die； and aphrodite； that if you made； by a strong imagining； a dove crowned with silver and had it flutter over your head； its soft cooing would make sweet dreams of immortal love gather and brood over mortal sleep； and all divinities alike had revealed with many warnings and lamentations that all minds are continually giving birth to such beings； and sending them forth to work health or disease； joy or madness。 if you would give forms to the evil powers； it went on； you were to make them ugly； thrusting out a lip； with the thirsts of life； or breaking the proportions of a body with the burdens of life； but the divine powers would only appear in beautiful shapes； which are but； as it were； shapes trembling out of existence； folding up into a timeless ecstasy； drifting with half？shut eyes； into a sleepy stillness。 the bodiless souls who descended into these forms were what men called the moods； and worked all great changes in the world； for just as the magician or the artist could call them when he would； so they could call out of the mind of the magician or the artist； or if they were demons； out of the mind of the mad or the ignoble； what shape they would； and through its voice and its gestures pour themselves out upon the world。 in this way all great events were acplished； a mood； a divinity； or a demon； first descending like a faint sigh into mens minds and then changing their thoughts and their actions until hair that was yellow had grown black； or hair that was black had grown yellow； and empires moved their border； as though they were but drifts of leaves。 the rest of the book contained symbols of form； and sound； and colour； and their attribution to divinities and demons； so that the initiate might fashion a shape for any divinity or any demon； and be as powerful as avicenna among those who live under the roots of tears and of laughter。
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Rosa AlchemicaIV
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a couple of hours after sunset michael robartes returned and told me that i would have to learn the steps of an exceedingly antique dance； because before my initiation could be perfected i had to join three times in a magical dance； for rhythm was the wheel of eternity； on which alone the transient and accidental could be broken； and the spirit set free。 i found that the steps； which were simple enough； resembled certain antique greek dances； and having been a good dancer in my youth and the master of many curious gaelic steps； i soon had them in my memory。 he then robed me and himself in a costume which suggested by its shape both greece and egypt； but by its crimson colour a more passionate life than theirs； and having put into my hands a little chainless censer of bronze； wrought into the likeness of a rose； by some modern craftsman； he told me to open a small door opposite to the door by which i had entered。 i put my hand to the handle； but the moment i did so the fumes of the incense； helped perhaps by his mysterious glamour； made me fall again into a dream； in which i seemed to be a mask； lying on the counter of a little eastern shop。 many persons； with eyes so bright and still that i knew them for more than human； came in and tried me on their faces； but at last flung me into a corner with a little laughter； but all this passed in a moment； for when i awoke my hand was still upon the handle。 i opened the door； and found myself in a marvellous passage； along whose sides were many divinities wrought in a mosaic； not less beautiful than the mosaic in the baptistery at ravenna； but of a less severe beauty； the predominant colour of each divinity； which was surely a symbolic colour； being repeated in the lamps that hung from the ceiling； a curiously？scented lamp before every divinity。 i passed on； marvelling exceedingly how these enthusiasts could have created all this beauty in so remote a place； and half persuaded to believe in a material alchemy； by the sight of so much hidden wealth； the censer filling the air； as i passed； with smoke of ever？changing colour。
i stopped before a door； on whose bronze panels were wrought great waves in whose shadow were faint suggestions of terrible faces。 those beyond it seemed to have heard our steps； for a voice cried： is the work of the incorruptible fire at an end？ and immediately michael robartes answered： the perfect gold has e from the atbanor。 the door swung open； and we were in a great circular room； and among men and women who were dancing slowly in crimson robes。 upon the ceiling was an immense rose wrought in mosaic； and about the walls； also in mosaic； was a battle of gods and angels； the gods glimmering like rubies and sapphires； and the angels of the one greyness； because； as michael robartes whispered； they had renounced their divinity； and turned from the unfolding of their separate hearts； out of love for a god of humility and sorrow。 pillars supported the roof and made a kind of circular cloister； each pillar being a column of confused shapes； divinities； it seemed； of the wind； who rose as in a whirling dance of more than human vehemence； and playing upon pipes and cymbals； and from among these shapes were thrust out hands； and in these hands were censers。 i was bid place my censer also in a hand and take my place and dance； and as i turned from the pillars towards the dancers； i saw that the floor was of a green stone； and that a pale christ on a pale cross was wrought in the midst。 i asked robartes the meaning of this； and was told that they desired to trouble his unity with their multitudinous feet。 the dance wound in and out； tracing upon the floor the shapes of petals that copied the petals in the rose overhead； and to the sound of hidden instruments which were perhaps of an antique pattern； for i have never heard the like； and every moment the dance was more passionate； until all the winds of the world seemed to have awakened under our feet。 after a little i had grown weary； and stood under a pillar watching the ing and going of those flame？like figures； until gradually i sank into a half？dream； from which i was awakened by seeing the petals of the great rose； which had no longer the look of mosaic； falling slowly through the incense？heavy air； and； as they fell； shaping into the likeness of living beings of an extraordinary beauty。 still faint and cloud？like； they began to dance； and as they danced took a more and more definite shape； so that i was able to distinguish beautiful grecian faces and august egyptian faces； and now and again to name a divinity by the staff in his hand or by a bird fluttering over his head； and soon every mortal foot danced by the white foot of an immortal； and in the troubled eyes that looked into untroubled shadowy eyes； i saw the brightness of uttermost desire as though they had found at length； after unreckonable wandering； the lost love of their youth。 sometimes； but only for a moment； i saw a faint solitary figure with a rosa veiled face； and carrying a faint torch； flit among the dancers； but like a dream within a dream； like a shadow of a shadow； and i knew by an understanding born from a deeper fountain than thought； that it was eros himself； and that his face was veiled because no man or woman from the beginning of the world has ever known what love is； or looked into his eyes； for eros alone of divinities is altogether a spirit； and hides in passions not of his essence if he would mune with a