THE HIGHEST

GOOD,

The True Subject of True Magicoriginal: Magiae; in this context, it refers to "natural magic," the study of the hidden powers within the natural world and the divine order, rather than sorcery., Kabbalahoriginal: Cabalae; a system of mystical Jewish origin used by Christian scholars to understand the hidden meanings of the Bible and the nature of the Divine., Alchemyoriginal: Alchymiae; the spiritual and physical art of transformation and purification., and of the true Brothers of the Rosy Crossoriginal: Roseae Crucis; the Rosicrucians, a secret society of mystics and philosophers popular in the early 17th century..

Published in praise of the aforementioned Sciences, and to the disgrace of that notorious slanderer, Brother Marin MersenneA French priest and mathematician (1588–1648) who famously attacked the mystical and occult philosophies of Robert Fludd.,

An engraving centered on the page depicts a large, intricate rose in full bloom on a thorny stem with leaves. Arched above the rose is the text "THE ROSE GIVES HONEY TO THE BEES" original: DAT ROSA MEL APIBUS. A bee is crawling on the upper right petals of the rose, while another bee flies nearby on the right. The landscape background shows a shoreline; on the left, a wooden frame or trellis holds a spider web. On the right, a row of traditional straw beehives (skeps) sits on a wooden platform elevated over the water. A distant city is visible on the horizon.