D A N C E R S H A T T E M I S T S . 
565 
the word Lvx or light, is compounded. Hence a Rosicrucian philoso- 
pher is one who, bv the assistance of the dew, seeks for light, or the 
philosophers stone. See Gassendi’s Examen Phiiosophia Fluddange, 
sect. 15. tom. iii. p. 261, and Renaudot’s Conferences Publiques, tom. 
iv. p. 87. 
At the head of these fanatics were, Robert Fludd, an English phy- 
sician, Jacob Behmen, a mystic writer, and Michael Mayer. The 
principles which serve as a kind of centre of union to the Rosicrucian 
society, are the following, They all maintain that the dissolution of 
bodies by fire is the only way by which men arrive at true wisdom, 
and come to discern the first principles of things. They all acknow- 
ledge a certain analogy and harmony between the powers of nature 
and the doctrines of religion, and believe that the Deity governs the 
kingdom of grace by the same laws with which he rules the kingdom 
of nature ; and hence they use cliemical denominations to express the 
truths of religion. They all hold that there is a sort of divine energy, 
or soul, diffused through the universe, which some call the archeus, 
others the universal spirit, &c. They all talk in the most superstitious 
manner of what they call the signatures of things, of the powers of 
stars over all corporeal beings, and their particular influence upon 
the human race, of the efficacy of magic, and the various ranks and 
orders of demons. These demons they divide into two orders, — sylphs 
and gnomes ; from which system Pope borrowed his beautiful ma- 
chinery for the Rape of the Locke. In fine^ the Rosicrucians and all 
their fanatical followers agree in throwing out the most crude incom- 
prehensible notions and ideas, in the most obscure, quaint, and mysti- 
cal expressions. 
Dancers. 
Thc Dancers were a sect which sprung up about 1373, in Flanders, 
and places adjacent. It was their custom all of a sudden to fall a 
dancing, and, holding each other’s hands, to continue thereat till, 
being nearly suffocated with violent exertions, they fell down breathless 
together. During these intervals of vehement agitation, they pretended 
to be favoured with wonderful visions. Like the Whippers, they 
Meandered from place to place, begging their victuals, holding their 
secret assemblies, and treating the priesthood and worship of the 
church with the utmost contempt. “Thus it appears,” as Dr. Haweis 
observes, “ that the French Convulsionists and the Welsh Jumpers, 
have had their predecessors of the same stamp. There is nothing 
new under the sun.” 
Hattemists. 
These are a modern Dutch sect, so denominated from Pontian Van 
Hattem, a minister in Zealand, towards the close of the seventeenth 
century, who being addicted to the sentimentsof Spinoza, was degraded 
from his pastoral office. The Verschousts and Hattemists resemble 
each other in their religious systems, though they never formed one 
communion. The founders of these sects deduced from the doctrine 
