Secret History of a Rosicrucian

rather it seemed to be grounded in a way of thinking original: "Denkungsart" in
which the activity of the intellect unites with the feelings of the
heart, in order to bring that pure harmony into life,
which pleases through its The phrase "noble simplicity" (edle Einfalt) was a central aesthetic and moral ideal of the German Enlightenment, suggesting beauty and virtue that are unpretentious and natural. noble simplicity,
without blinding through any sort of brilliance. One did not
admire them; but one loved them. One was not
carried away; but one felt deeply at ease
in their company. They did not speak enticingly of the Order The Masonic Order.; but
they also did not affect to hide that they were
Freemasons. They spoke of the nature of the
society with approval and respect, and of its
purpose with that elevated liveliness, which ennobles
all thoughts and sensations based on love,
and imparts a gentle enthusiasm to their expressions,
whereby at the same time the imagination original: "Phantasie"; in 18th-century psychology, this was the faculty of the mind that processed and stored sensory images and feelings. is set
into activity, while only the heart seems to
open itself.

Every elevated sensation of the social virtues original: "geselligen Tugenden"; these were the interpersonal ethics—such as friendliness, empathy, and honesty—that were considered essential for a refined civil society.
is in itself as soul-satisfying as it is charming.
It excites no desires while it grants
enjoyment. It places man in a situation
where nothing strains his attention or demands
his reflection. He makes no observations,
because he enjoys immediately, and the imagination
gains material for future times, in order
to [recall] a moment of pure pleasure in
memory again...