The Sequel to the Count of Gabalis

I said to him very civilly, gently touching his hand with my cane.
Before I respond to the polite compliment you have come to
bring me from so far away, have the goodness
to tell me if you are a Kabbalist Kabbalist: a follower of Kabbalah, a school of Jewish mysticism,
a Rabbi, or a Rosicrucian Rosicrucian: a member of a secret brotherhood of sages claiming ancient esoteric wisdom. I am Mas-
ter Jean le Brun, he replied to me,
the great Jordanus Brunus original: Jordanus Brunus, the Latin name for Giordano Bruno (1548–1600), the Italian philosopher and occultist who was burned at the stake for heresy. was my
great-great-great-grandfather, and you are ill-advi-
sed and an ignorant man. Master Jean le
Brun, I replied, I find myself in agree-
ment with the second "compliment"; for I know
neither you, nor your great-great-great-grandfather:
but tell me what cause you
have to give me the first epi-
thet referring to being called "ill-advised", and to come from the depths of Ire-
land to compliment me in such a way?
Why, he said to me, have you
then stolen from me in this wretched Book the
glory that I deserved? Why
do you give to our pupil Des-
cartes René Descartes (1596–1650), the French philosopher often credited with starting modern Western philosophy., the glory that is only due to
Jordanus and to Joannes Brunus?
Why do you raise him to the Heavens? And
why do you say decisively,
that he has brought more light to the