JOH. VAL. ANDREAE The author's name is Latinized; he is better known in German as Johann Valentin Andreae (1586–1654), a theologian and social reformer famous for his "Christianopolis" and his influence on the Rosicrucian movement.

P O E T I C W O R K S original: "D I C H T U N G E N". In this context, it refers to the creative and literary writings of the author.

Serious Consideration for our Age. original: "Beherzigung unsers Zeitalters." A call for the current generation to take the author's moral and social lessons to heart.

J. G. H E R D E R. Johann Gottfried Herder (1744–1803) was a towering figure of the German Enlightenment and Weimar Classicism. His editing of this volume reflects his effort to revive the works of older German thinkers for a modern audience.