Reviews:
This book is part of a ’series’ by Yates including “The Art Of Memory”, “Giordano Bruno And The Hermetic Tradition” and “Theatre Of The World”. "The Rosicrucian Enlightenment” is purely historical again and in the time Yates wrote this book several things were unclear or even unknown. She did some groundbreaking investigations though. The Rosicrucian manifests were not written by a Rosicrucian society, since this was non-existant and a “ludibrium” (’joke’ is not the best translation, but still) according to the writer of the manifests Johann Valentin Andrea. Yates does think that there was at least something behind the ideas, but on the other hand, the manifests breathe the occult traditions of the Renaissance. The writer tells us about the influence of the English occultist John Dee on the Rosicrucian writings, the most prominent people who associated themselves with the invisable Rosicrucian society the German alchemist Michael Maier and the Brittish Paracelsian doctor Robert Fludd. When Rosicrucianity became something you didn’t want to be associated with Andrea more severely took distance from his earlier writings, but did found a real Christian society. Anyway, a nice history of the Rosicrucian history, but I think you do have to read a more recent one too.
'Brilliant analysis of events, movements, relationships and consequences. Her book is compulsive reading, and forces the reader back not only to alternative accounts of early seventeenth-century movements, which seem superficial, but to Dr Yates's other books.' - Asa Briggs
'No one has done more than she to recreate, from unexpected material, the intellectual life of past ages. It is Dr Yates's great achievement to identify the ideas and, by delicate scholarship and profound study of symbolism, to provide them with a pedigree and a home. A brilliant and exciting book.' - Hugh Trevor-Roper, The Sunday Times
'Zestful, stylish, full of suggestive ways forward, Yates's bold reassessment of Rosicrucianism is provoking, exhilarating and indispensable.' - Diarmaid MacCulloch, BBC History Magazine
Brilliant analysis of events, movements, relationships and consequences. Her book is compulsive reading, and forces the reader back not only to alternative accounts of early seventeenth-century movements, which seem superficial, but to Dr Yatess other books. - Asa Briggs
No one has done more than she to recreate, from unexpected material, the intellectual life of past ages. It is Dr Yatess great achievement to identify the ideas and, by delicate scholarship and profound study of symbolism, to provide them with a pedigree and a home. A brilliant and exciting book. - Hugh Trevor-Roper, The Sunday Times
Zestful, stylish, full of suggestive ways forward, Yatess bold reassessment of Rosicrucianism is provoking, exhilarating and indispensable. - Diarmaid MacCulloch, BBC History Magazine
Product Description
A history of the role that the occult has played in the formation of modern science and medicine, The Rosicrucian Enlightenment has had a tremendous impact on our understanding of the western esoteric tradition.
Product Details
* Paperback: 352 pages
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0415267692
* ISBN-13: 978-0415267694
