Friendly Missive of an Adept of Hermetic Science and Art

arrived. For nearly 20 years I have lived outside of Europe, and spent this entire time in Africa and Asia with both vexation and delight. An unfortunate accident led me out of Europe; a fortunate occurrence brought me back into it. In the meantime, the constellations—which exist according to God’s will—have, through their orderly course, made me feel many (in my opinion) disorderly effects of harsh influences. The author uses the Baroque metaphor of the "Gestirn" (stars or constellations) to describe the workings of Divine Providence or destiny over his life.

Although the desired end now sweetens everything, and at last gives me pleasure upon the quiet shore of rest, to thoughtfully overlook with the eyes of the mind the wild sea of the world, wherein I so often met with misfortune and suffered shipwreck. I had hardly arrived here in London, however, when at my lodging during the first supper, with a Fren- The text breaks off mid-word; the catchword "zöischen" indicates the word is "Franzöischen," an archaic reference to a Frenchman.