I. What aim does he willi the Order to have ? 2. What

means he would choofe to advance this aim ? 3. Whom he vvifhcs to keep out of the Order r 4. What lubjects he wifhes not to be difcufTed in it ?
Our candidate is now Illuminatus Minor. It is needlefs to narrate the mummery of reception, and it is enough to fay, that it nearly refembles that of the Mafonic Chevalier du Soleil, known to every one much converfant in Mafonry. Weifhaupt's preparatory dif- courfe of reception is a piece of good compofuion, v/hether confidered as argumentative, (from topics in- deed, that are very gratuitous and fanciful,) or as a fpecimen of that declamation which was fo much prac- tifed by Libanius and the other Sophiils, and it gives a diftindt and captivating account of the profcfled aim of the Order.
The Illuminatus Miner Iczrns a good deal more of the Order, but by very fparing morfels, under the fam.e inn:ru6bor. The tafk has now become more delicate and difficult. The chief part of it is the rooting out of prejudices in politics and religion ; and Wciihaupc has fliovvn much addrefs in the method which he has employed. Not the moft hurtful, but the moll eafily refuted were the firft fubjecls of difcuffion, fo that the pupil gets into the habits of vidtory -, and his reverence for the fyflems of either kind is diminifhed Vv'hen they are found to have harboured fuch untenable opinions. The proceedings in the Ecle6tic Lodges of Mafonry, and the harangues of the Brother Orators, teemrd with the boldefl: fentiments both in politics and reli- gion. Enlightening, and the triumph of rcafon, had been the ton of the country for fome time pad, and every inftitution, civil and religious, had been the fub- je6t of the moil free criticifm. Above all, the Cofmo- politifm, imported from France, where it had been
N the
C,S THE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. ll.
the favourite topic of the cnthufiaftical crconomifls, was now become a general theme of difcuflion in all fo- cieties that had any pretenfions to cultivation. It was a fubje6t of ealy and agreeable declamation; and the Literati found in it a fubjedl admirably fitted for fhew- ing their talents, and ingratiating themfelves with the young men of fortune, whole minds, unfufpicious as yet and generous, were lired with the fair profpedls fet before them of univerfal and attainable happinefs. And the pupils of the lUuminati were fliili more warmed by the thought that they vv^erc to be the happy inftruments of accomplifliing all this. And though the dodlrines of univerfal liberty and equality, as imprefcriptible rights of man, might fometimes ftartle thofe v/ho pof- fefied the advantage of fortune, there were thoufands of younger fons, and of m.en of talents without for- tune, to whom thefe were agreeable founds. And v/e mufl: particularly obferve, that thofe who were now the pupils were a fet of picked fubje6ls, whofe characters and peculiar biafes were well known by their conduct during their noviciate as Minervals. They were therefore fuch as, in all probability, would not boggle at very free fenciments. We might rather expecfl a partiality to doctrines which removed fome restraints which formerly checked them in the indul- gence of youthful paffions. Their infcrudlors, who have thus relieved their minds from feveral anxious thoughts, mud appear men of fuperior minds. This was a notion mofh carefully inculcated ; and they could fee nothing to contradidl it ; for, except their own Mentor, they knew none ; they heard of Supe- riors of different ranks, but never faw them; and the fame mode of inftrudiion that was praclifed during their noviciate was Hill retained. More particulars of the Order were flowly unfolded to them, and they were taught that their Superiors were men of diftinguiflied
talents,
CHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. ^^
talents, and were Superiors for this reafon alone. They were taught, that the g;eac opportunities which the Superiors had for oblervacion, and their habits of con- tinually occupying their thoughts wich the great ob~ jecls of this Order, had enlarged their views, even far beyond the narrow limits of nations and kingdoms, which they hoped would one day coale fee into one great Society, where confideracion would attach to ta- lents and worth alone, and that pre-eminence in thefe would be invariably attended wirh all the enjoyments of influence and pov/er. And they were told that they would gradually become acquainted vvith theih great and venerable Chara6lers, as ihey advanced in the Order. In earneft of this, they were made ac- quainted with one or two Superiors, and with fe- veral Illuminati of their own rank. Alio, to whet their zeal, they are now made infcrudtors of one or two Minervals, and report their progrefs to their Su- periors. They are given to underiland that nothing can fo much recommend them as the fuccefs with which they perform this tafk. It is declared to be the beft evidence of their ufefulnefs in the great de- figns of the Ordrr.
The baleful effects of general fuperdicion, and even of any peculiar religious prepoifellion, are now ftrong- ly inculcated, and the difcernrnttnt of the pupils in thefe matters is learned by queilions which are given them from time to time to difcufs. Theic are mana- ged with delicacy and circumfpcclion, that the cim.id may not be alarmed. In like manner, the political doctrines of the Order are inculcated with the utmod caution. After the mind of the pupil has been warm- ed by the pictures of univerfai happinefs, and convin- ced that it is a polTible thing to unite all the inhabi- tants of the earth in one great focirty ; and ni'zcr it has been made out, in fome meafure to the iatii, faction
of
lOO THE ILLUMINATI. C'HAP. II.
of the pupil, that a great addition of happinefs would be trained by the abolition of national diftindiions and animofitics ; it may frequently be no hard tafl^ to make him think that patriotifm is a narrow-minded monopo- iifing fentiment, and even incompatible with the more enlarged views of the Order j namely, the uniting the vvhole human race into one great and happy fociety. Princes are a chief feature of national diftindlion. Princes, therefore, may now be fafely reprefented as iinnecefiTary. If fo, loyalty to Princes lofes much of its facred chara6ler ; and the fo frequent enforcing of it in our comm.on political difcuffions m.ay now be ea- fjiy made to appear a felfifn maxim of rulers, by which they may more eafily enflave the people ^ and thus, it may at laft appear, that religion, the love of our par- ticular country, and loyalty to our Prince, fhould be refilled, if, by thefc partial or narrow viev^s, we pre- vent the accomplif]:iment of that Cofmo-political hap- pinefs v;hich is continually held forth as the great ob- ject of the Order. It is in this point of view that the terms of devotion to the Order, which are inferted in the oath of adrniilion, are now explained. The au- thority of the ruling powers is therefore reprefented as of inferior moral Vv^eight to that of the Order. '^ Thefe powers are defpots, when they do not conduft them- lelves by its principles ; and it is therefore our duty " to furround them with its members, fo that the profane may have no accefs to them. Thus we are able mofl: powerfully to promote its interefts. If *^ any perfon is more difpofed to liflen to Princes " than to the Order, he is not fit for it, and muft rife *^ no higher. We muft do our utmofl to procure the " advancement of liluminati into all important civil '' offices."
Accordingly the Order laboured in this with great zeal ^nd fuccefs. A correfpondence was difcovered,
in
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CHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. lOI
in which it is plain, that by their influence, one of the greateft ecclefiaftical dignities was filled up in oppofi- tion to the right and authority of the Archbiilaop of Spire, who is there reprefented as a tyrannical and bi- goted pried. They contrived to place their Members as tutors to the youth of diftijidlion. One of them. Baron Leuchtfenring, took the charge of a young prince without any lalary. They infinuated themfclves into all public offices, and particularly into courts of juftice. In like manner, the chairs in the Univerfity of Ino-olftadt were (with only two exceptions) occupied by Illuminati. *^ Rulers who are members mufl be " promoted through the ranks of the Order only in proportion as they acknowledge the goodnefs of its e;reat object, and manner of procedure. Its objedt may be faid to be the checking the tyranny of princes, nobles, and pritfts, and eftabiiiliing an *^ univerfal equality of condition and of religion." The pupil is now informed, ** that fuch a religion is '^ contained in the Order, is the perfection of Chrif- " tianity, and v/ili be imparted to him in due time."
Thefe and other principles and maxims of the Or- der are partly comm.unicated by the verbal inilrudion of the Mentor, partly by writings, which mull be punctually returned, and partly read by the pupil at the Mentor's houfe, (but without taking extradts,) in fuch portions as he fhall direCt. The refcripts by the pupil mult contain difcuffions on thefe fubjecis, and anecdotes and defcriptions of living charadlers; and thefe muft be zealoufiy continued, as the chief mean of advancement. All this while the pupil knows only his Mentor, the Minervals, and a few others of his own rank. All mention of degrees, or other bu- finefs of the Order, mud be carefully avoided, even in the meetings with other members: '' For the Or- *^ der wifhes to be fecret, and to work in filence ; for
" thus
102 THE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. U.
" thus it is better fccured from the opprelTion of the *^ ruling powers, and becaufc this fccrecy gives a '' greater zed to the whole."
This fhort account of the Noviciate, and of the lowed clafs of illuminati, is all we can get from the authority of Mr. Weifhaupt. The higher degrees were not pubiillied by him. Many circumftances ap- pear fufpicious, are certainly fufceptible of different turns, and may eafily be pufhed to very dangerous extremes. The accounts given by the four prorcffors ^ confirm thefe lufpicions. They declare upon oath, that they make all thefe accufations in confequence of what they heard in the meetings, and of what they knew of the Higher Orders.
But fmce the time of the fuppreflion by the Eledlor, difcoveries have been made which throw great light on the fubje(5l. A coile6lion of original papers and correfpondence was found by learching the houfe of one Zwack (a Member) in 1786. The following year a much larger colle6tion v/as found at the houfe of Baron BaiRis ; and fmce that time Baron Knigge, the mod active Member next to Weifliaupt, pubiillied an account of fome of the higher degrees, which had been formed by himfelf A long while ader this were publifhed, Neuefte Arheitung des Spcirtacus und Philo in der Illuminaten Orderly and Hchere Grciden das Ilium. Or- dens. Thefe two works give an account of the whole fccret conditution of the Order, its various degrees, the manner of conferring them., the indrudtions to the intrants, and an explanation of the connc6i:ion of the Order with Free Mafonry, and a critical hidory. We fhall give fome extracts from fuch of thefe as have been publidied.
Weifhaupt was the founder in 1776. In 1778 the number of Members was confiderably increafed, and the O.'-der was fully edablifhed. The Members took
antique
CHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. lOJ
antique names. Thus Weidiaupt took the name of Spartacus, the man Vv^ho headed the infurredlion of flaves, which in Pompey's time kept Rome in terror and uproar for three years. Zvvack was called Cato. Knio-cxe was Philo. Baifus was Hannibal. Hertel
DO
was Marius. Marquis Conftanza was Diomedes. — Nicolai, an eminent and learned bookfellcr in Berlin, and author of feveral works of reputation, took the name of Lucian, the great icoffer at all religion. An- other was Mahomet, &c. It is remarkable, that ex- cept Cato and Socrates, we have not a name of any- ancient who was eminent as a teacher and pra6cifer of virtue. On the contrary, they feem to have afreclcd the charafters of the free-thinkers and turbulent fpirits of antiquity. In the fame manner they gave ancient names to the cities and countries of Europe. Munich was Athens, Vienna was Rome, &c.
Sparta CMS to CatOy Feb, 6, 1778.
*^ Men hut eft defaire valoir la raijon. As a fubor- *^ dinate obje6t I fhall endeavour to gain fecurity to " ourfclves, a backing in cafe of misfortunes, and af- *' fiitance from v^ithout. I fhall therefore prefs the *^ cultivation of fcience, efpecially fuch fciences as *^ may have an influence on our reception in the world, *^ We have to flruggle with pedantry, with intole- '^ ranee, with divines and ftatefmen, and above all, '^ princes and prieits are in our way. Men are unfit ** as they are, and mufl be form.ed ; each clafs muft ^^ be the fchool of trial for the next. This will be te- " dious, becaufe it is hazardous. In the lad claffes I '^ propofe academ/ks under the dire6lion of the Order. ^* This will fecure us the adherence of the Literati.
'^ Science

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104 TME ILLUMINATI. CHAP. II.
" Science iLall here be the lure. Only thofe v,^ho are aliliredly proper fubjeiSls fliall be picked out from among the inferior claffes for the higher mylleries, which contain the firfl principles and means of pro- moting a happy life. No religionift muft^ on any *^ account, be admitted into thefe : For here we work *^ at the difcovery and extirpation of fuperllition and '' prejudices. The inftrudlions fliall be fo conduced '' that each fiiail difclofe what he thinks he conceals *^ within his own bread, what are his ruling propenli- '^ ties and paflions, and how far he has advanced in '^ the command of himfeif This will anfwer all the ^' purpofes of auricular confefTion. And, in particu- lar, every perfon fliall be made a fpy on another and on all around him. Nothing can efcape our fight J by thefe means we fliall readily difcover who are contented, and receive with relifli the peculiar *' flate-doClrines and religious opinions that are laid *' before them ; and, at laft, the trud-worthy alone will be admitted to a participation of the whole maxims and political conflitution of the Order. In a council compofed of fuch mxcmbers we fliall labour at the contrivance of means to drive by degrees the enemies of reafon and of humanity out of the world, and to efliablifli a peculiar morality and religion fit- ted for the great Society of Mankind. *' But this is a tickiifla projcifi:, and requires the ut- moft circumfpeftion. The fqueam.ifli will fl:art at the fight of religious or political novelties ; and they mufl: be prepared for them. We mufl; be par- ticularly careful about the books which we recom- *^ mendi I fhall confme them at firll to moralifl:s and *^ reafoning hiflrorians. This will prepare for a patient *^ reception, in the higher clafles, of works of a bolder '' flight, fuch as Robinet's Syfterne do la Nature — Fdu " tique Naliirelle — Fhilofophie de la Nature — Syfteme So-
'^ cial—-^
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CHAP. lU THE ILLUMINATI. IO5
'^ cial — The writings of Mirabaiid, &c. Helvetius '^ is fie only for the ilrongeft llomachs. If any one *^ has a copy already, neicher praife nor iind fault with *^ him. Say nothing on fuch fubje£ts to intrants, for *' we don't know how they will be received — -tolks are not yet prepared. IViarius, an excellent man, mud be dealt with. His fbomach, which cannot yet di- gefl fuch firong food, mull acquire a better tone. The allegory on which I am to found the myfteries '^ of the Higher Orders is the fire -wor/Jjlp of the Magi. '^ We mufi: have fome worfnip, and none is lb appofite. '' Let there be light, and tpiere shall be '^ LIGHT. This is m.y motto, and is my fundamental '^ principle. The degrees will be Fener Orderly Parfen *' Orden* ; all very practicable. In the courfc through " thefe there will be no sta bene (this is t\-\t anfwer " given to one v/ho folicits preferment, and is refufed). '^ For I eno;ap;e that none fhall enter this clafs who has *^ not laid afide his prejudices. No man is fit for our " Order who is not a Erutus or a Catiline, and is noc- " readv to go every length. — Tell me how you like '' thisV^
Spartacus to Cato^ March 1778.
" To colle6t unpublifned works, and information '^ from the archives of States, will be a mod uieful fcr- *' vice. We lliall be able to iliow in a verv ridiculous light the claimiS of our defpots. Marius (keeper of the archives of the Eledtorate) has ferreted out a no- ble document, which we have got. He makes it, forfooth, a cafe of confcience — how fiiiy that — fmce
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* This Is evidently the Myjiere da Mithrus mentioned by Barruel, in his Hillory of Jacobiniim, and had been cairied into France by Bede and Bufche.
O '' only

106 THE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. 11.
*' only that x^fin which is ultimately produ6live of mif- chief. In this cafe, where the advantap-e far exceeds the hurt> it is meritorious virtue. It v/ill do more '' good in our hands than by remaining for icoo years '' on the dufty fhelf."
There was found in the hand- writing of Zwack a prujed: for a Sifterhood, in fubferviency to the defigns of the likjminati. In it are the following pailages :
'' It will be of great fervice, and procure us both *' much information and mo.xey^ and will fuit charm- " ingly the tafte of many of our trueft members, who *5 arc lovers of the fex. It fhould confift of two clalfes, the virtuous and the freer hearted (i. e. thofe who fly out of the common track of prudifn manners) ; they raufi; not know of each other, and mull be iin- " der the dirediion of men, but without knowing ir. '•'' Proper books mufl: be put into their hands, and fuch " (but fecretly) as are flattering to their pafilons.'*
There are, in the fame hand-writing, Defcription of a flrong box, which, if forced open, Ihall blow up and deilroy its contents — Several receipts for procuring abortion — A compofition which blinds or kills when fpurted in the face — A fliect, containing a receipt for fympathetic ink — Tea for procuring abortion — Herb^ quae haheyit qualitate?n deleieream — A method for filling a bed-chamber withpeftilential vapours — How to take cfr impreilions of feals, fo as to ufe them afterwards as feals — -A collection of fome hundreds of luch imprel- fions, with a lift of their owners, princes, nobles, clergymen, merchants, &c. — K receipt ad excitandum fiircr'eryi uterinum^ — Amanufcript intitled, '' Better than Horus." It was afterwards printed and diftributed at Leipzig fair, and is an attack and bitter fatire on all re- ligion. This is in the hand-writing of Ajax. As alfo a difiertation onfuicicie. — N. B. His filter-in-law threw her- felffrom the top of a tower. There was alfo a fc t of
portraits.
GHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. IC7
portraits, or chara6lers of eighty-five ladles in Munich ; with recommendations of fome of them for members of a Lodge of Sifter Iliuminatss ; alfo injunclions to all the Superiors to learn to Vv^rite with both hands ; and that they (hould ufe more than one cypher.
Immediately after the publication of thefe writings, many defences appeared. It was faid that the dread- ful medical apparatus were with propriety in the hands of Counfellor Zwack, who was a judge of a criminal court, and whofe duty it was therefore to know fuch things. The fame cxcufe was offered for the collec- tion of feals ; but how came thele things to be put up . with papers of the liluminati, and to be in the hand- v/ritingof one of that Order? Weilhaupt fays, *' Thefe '' things were not carried into efFe ^^ and are juflifiable when taken in proper connec- *^ tion/' This however he has not pointed outi but he appeals to the account of the Order, which he had publifhed at Regenfourg, and in which neither thefe things are to be found, nor any poiTibility of a con- nexion by which they may be juftified. *' All men," fays he, '^ are fubjecb to errors, and the be ft man is he " v/ho beft conceals them. I have never been guilty '^ of any fuch vices or follies : for proof, I appeal to " the whole tenor of my life, which my reputation, *' and my ftruggles with hoftile cab^ils, had brought " completely into public viev/long before the inftitu- *' tion of this Order, wirhout abating any thing ofthat '^ flattering regard which wa " perfons of my country and its neighbourhood; a re- '' gard v/ell evinced by .their confidence in me as the '^ beft inftru6lor of their children." In fome of his private letters, we learn the means which he employed to acquire this influence among the youth, and they are fuch as could not fail. But v/e muft not anticipate. *' It is v/cll known that I have made the chair which I
•^^ occupied
lOS THE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. II.
^ occupied in the iiniverfity of Ingoldadt, the reforr ^ of the firft clafs of the German youths whereas for- ' merly it had only brought round it the low-born ^ pradiitioners in the courts ot law. I have gone ^ throuphthe whole circle of human enquiry. I have ^ exorcifcd fpirits — raifed ghofts — difcovered trea- ^ fures — -interrogated the Cabala — batte Lcto gejpielt — I ' have never tranfmuted metals." — (A very pretty and refpedlable circle indeed, and what , vulgar fpirits would fcarcely have included within the pale of their curiofity.) — "^ The Tenor of my life has been the op- ' pofitc of every thing that is vile; and no man can ^ lay any fuch thing to my charge. I have reafon to ^ rejoice that thefe writings have appeared ; they are a ' vindication of the Order and of iPiy conduct. lean ^ and muil declare to God, and I do it now in the ^ mofl folemn manner, that in my whole life I never ^ faw or heard of the fo much condemned fecrtt wri- ' tings; and in particular, reipecling thefe abomina- ^ ble means, fuch as poiloning, abortion, &c. was it *" ever known to me in any cafe, that any of my friends ^ or acquaintances ever even thought of them, advif- ^ ed them, or made any ufe of them. I was indeed ^ always a fchemer and projector, but never could en- ' gage much in detail. My general plan is good, ^ though in the ttetail there may be faults. I had mv- ^ felf to form. In another fituation, and in an a6"tive *^ fbation in life, I lliouid liave been keenly occupied, ^ and the founding an Order would never have com.e
- into my head. But I would have executed much
- greater things, had not government ahvays oppofed *'' my exertion^, and placed others in the fituations *♦ whic)i fuited my talents. It was the full convi6lion *^' of tins and of what could be done, if every mian v/ere '-' placed in ih(^ ofrice for wr.ich he was fitted by nature ^^ and a proper education, v^hich iiril fuggcfted to me.
'' the
/
CHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. IO9
'^ the plan of Illnmination." Surely Mr. Welfnaupt had a very ferious charge, the education of youth ; and his encouragement in that charge was the mod flatter- ing that an liluminatus could wifn for 3 becaufc he had brought round him the youth whofe influence in fo- ciety was the greatefc, and who v/ould moflrof all con- tribute to the difl^ufmg good principles, and exciting to sood conduft through the whole ftate. " I did not," fays he, " bring deifm into Bavaria more than into *' Rome. I found it here, in great vigour, more a- " bounding than in any of the neighbouring Protefl:ant *^ ftates. I am proud to be known to the world as *^ the founder of the Order of Illuminatii and I repeat '^ my v^ifh to have for my epitaph.
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Hicfitus eft Ph.€thcn, currus auriga-paterm^ *' !^iiem fi ncn tennit, wagriis tamen excidit aiifisy
The fccond difcovery of fecret correfpondence at Sanderfdorit, the feat of Baron Batz, (Hannibal,) con- tains Hill more intereflins; fad:s.
Spartacus to Cato.
^^ What fliall I do ? I am deprived of all help. So- crates, who would infift on being a man of confe- *^ quence among us, and is really a man of talents, '• and of a right zvay cf thinkings is eternally befatted. *^ Aup-ufius is in the worll eiliination imaorinable. Al- '^ cibiades fits the day long widi the vintner's pretty " wife, and there he fghs and pines. A few days " ago, at Corinrh, Tioerius attempted to ravilh the '^ wire or Dcmocides, and her hulhand came in upon " therh. Good heavens ! vvhat Areopagit^ I have got. ^^ When the worthy man Marcus Aurelius comes to ^' Athens, (Munich/) what will he think ? What a
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no THE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. II.
*' meeting of diiTolutej immoral wretches, whoremaf- *^ ters, iiars, bankrupts, braggarts, and vain fools ! ^' When he fees all this, what will he think ? He will *' be alliamed to enter into an Afibciation," (obferve Reader, that Spartacus writes this in Augufl 1783, in the very time that he would have murdered Cato's iif- ter, as we fliall fee,) '^ where the chiefs raife the *' highefi expectations, and exhibit fuch wretched ex- '^ amples ; and all this from felf-will, from fenfuality. *' Am I not in the right — that this man — that any fuch worthy man — whofe name alone would give us the feledion of all Gerrnany, will declare that the whole province of Grecia, (Bavaria,) innocent and guilty, mud be excluded. I tell you, we may ftu- ^^ dy, and write, and toil till death. We may facri- *^ hce to the Order, our health, our fortune, and our " reputation, (alas, the lofs !) and thefe Lords, fol- '^ lowing their own pleafures, will vv^hore, cheat, fteal, '^ and drive on like fhamelefs ralcals j and yet muft ''^ deed, my dearefc friend, we have only enflaved " ourfclves."
Jn another part of this fine correfpondence, Dio- medes has had the good fortune to intercept a Q^L. (^ibus Licet,) in which it is laid, and fupported by proofs, that Cato had received 250 florins as a bribe for his fentence in his capacity of a judge in a criminal court (the end had furely fandified the micans.) In another, a Minerval complains of his Mentor for hav- ing by lies occafioned the difmifTion of a phyfician from a family, by which the Mentor obtained, in the iame capacity, the cuftom of the houfe and free accefs, which favour he repaid by debauching the wifci and he prays to be informed whether he may not get ano- ther Mentor, faying that although that man had always given him the mod excellent inftrudcions, and he
doubted
CHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. Hi
doubted not would continue them, yet he fek a difguft at the hypocnfyy which would certainly diminifh the imprclTion of the mod faiutary truths, (Is it not dii- treffing to think, that this promifing youth will by and by laugh at his former fimplicity, and follow the fleps and not the inftru6lions of his phyfician.) la another place, Spartacus vvrites to Marius, (in confi- dence,) that another v/orthy Brother, an Jrecpcigiti^.^ had ilolen a gold and a filvcr watch, and a ring, from Brutus, (SavioliyJ and begs Marius, in anuthcr letter, to try, while it was yet poffibie, to get the things reftored, becaufe the culprit was a mofl excellent rnan^ (Vortreffiich^) and of vail ufe to the Order, hav- inoc the direction of an eminent feminary of youno ?en- tlemen-, and becaufe SavioH was much in good compa- ny, and did not much care for the Order, except in fo far as it gave him an opportunity of knowing and leading fome of them, and of fceering his v/ay at court.
I cannot help inferting here, though not the mod proper place, a part of a provincial report from Knigo-e, the man of the whole Aeropagit^ who lliows any rhino- like urbanity or gentlenefs ot mind.
*' Of my whole colony, (Wefcphalia,) the moft bril- " liant isClaudiopolis (Iseuwled), There they work, " and direct, and do wonders."
If there ever was a fpot upon earth where men may be happy in a frate of cultivated fociety, it was the lit- tle principality of Ncuwied. I faw it in* 1770. The town was neat, and the palace handfome and in pood tafte. But the country was beyond conception delight- ful j not a cottage that was out of repair, not a hedge out of order j it had been the hobby (pardon me the word) of the Prince, who made it his ^W/)'emipioymenc to go through his principality regularly, and aiTiit eve- ry houfholder, of whatever condition, with his advice,
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112 THE ILLUMINATl. CHAP. II.
and with his purfe j and, when a freeholder could not of himfelf put things into a thriving condition, the Prince fent his workmen and did it for him. He en- dowed fchools for the comimon people, and two acade- mies for the gentry and the people of bufinefs. He gave little portions to the daughters, and prizes to the well-behaving fons of t!ie labouring people. His own houfhold was a pattern of elegance and economy 3 his fons were fent to Paris to learn elegance, and to En- gland to learn fcience and agriculture. In fhort, the whole was like a romance (and was indeed romantic). I heard it fpoken of with a fmiie at the table of the Biihop of Treves, at Ehrenbretilein, and was induced to fee it next day as a curiofity : And yet even here, the fanaticifm of Knigge would diilribure his poifon, and tell the blinded people, that tlicy were in a ftate of fm and mifery, that their Prince was a defpot, and that they v/ould never be hapov till he was miade to fjy, and till they were all made equal.
They got their wiili ; the fwarm of French locufis fat down on Neuwied's beautiful Melds in 1793, and entrenched themfelvcs ; and in three months, Prince and farmers houfes, and cottages, and fchools, and academies — all had vanillied 3 and all the fubje6ls were made equal. But when they complained co the French General (Rene le Grand) of being plundered by his folditrs, he anfwercd, with a contemptuous and cut- ting; Ij.ug-h, '* All is ours — we have left vou your eves " to cryc" — {Report to the Convention^ vi^thjune 17 95. J
Difcite juftitiam mcniti^ et ncn temnere divos !
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CHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. Ilj
To proceed :
Spartccus to Cato.
'* By this plan we fnali dired all mankind. \x\ this *' manner, and by the fimpkfl: means, we fhall {tt all *' in motion and in flames. The occupations mufi: be '^ fo allotted and contrived, that v/c may, in fecretj " influence all political tranfadions." N. B. This al- ludes to a part that is with-held from the public, be- caufc it contained the allotment of the mofl: rebellious and profligate occupations to feveral perfons whofe common names couid not be traced. " I have confi* dered," lays Spartacus, '' evci-y thing, and fo pre- pared it, that if the Order lliould this day go to ruin, ' I fliall in a year re-eftablifh it more brilliant than ever." Accordingly it got up again in about tfiis fpace of time, under the name of the German Union, appearing in the form of Reading Societies. One of rhefe was fet up in Zwack's houfe j and this raifing a fufpicion, a vifltation was m.ade at Landfl-iut, and the firft fct of the private papers were found. The fcheme was, however, zealoufly profecuted in other parts of Germany, as we fliall fee by and by. " Nor," con- tinues Spartacus, " will it flgnify though all fliould be *^ betrayed and printed. I am fo certain of fuccefs, in *' fpite of all obftacles, (for the fprings are in every *' heart,) that I am indifl^erent, though it fhould in- volve my life and my liberty. What ! have thoufands throvv'n away their lives about ho?ncios and hcmoioufics *' and (liail not this caufe warm even the heart of a '' coward ? But I have the art to draw advantage even ^- from misfortune -, and when you v/ould think me funk to the bottom, I fliall rife with new vigour. ' Who v/ould have thought, that a profcfTor at Ingol-
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114 rH£ ILLUMINATI, CHAP. 11.
*' ftadt was to become the teacher of the profefibrs of *' Gottingen, and of the greatefl men in Germany?"
Spartacus to Catc,
'^ Send me back my degree of Illuminatus Miner ; " it is the wonder of all men here (I may perhaps find *' time to give a trandation of the difcourfe of rccep- " tion, which contains all that can be faid of this Af- " fociation to the public) ; as alfo the two lad flieets *' of my degree, which is in the keeping of Marius, *' and Celfus, under loo locks, which contains my ^^ hiftory of the lives of the Patriarchs." N. B. No- thing very particular has been difcovered of thefe lives of the Patriarchs. He fays, that there were above fixty flieets of it. To judge by the care taken of it, it muft be a favourite work, very hazardous, and very catching.
In another letter to Cato, we have fome hints of the higher degrees, and concerning a peculiar morality, and a popular religion, which the Order was one day to give the world. He fiys, ^' There muft (a la Je- *^ Jiiite) not a fmgle purpofe ever come in fight that is ^^ ambiguous, and that m.ay betray our aims againfl ^^ religion and the ftate. One miUil fpeak fbmctimes " one way and fometimes another, but fo as never to " contradi6l ourfelves, and {o that, with refped to *' our true way of thinking, we may be impenetrable. " When our firongeil thino-s chance to o-ive offence, " they mufb be explained as attempts to draw anfwers ^* which difcover to us the fentiments of the perfon " we converfe with." N. B. This did not always fuc- ceed with him.
Spartacus fays, fpeakingof the priefls degree, ^^ One '' would almoft imagine, that this degree, as I have ma-
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CHAP. If. THE ILLUMINATI. II5
" nacred ir, is genuine Chriftianity, and that its end *' was to free the Jews from flavery. I fay, that Free Mafonry is concealed Chrifiianity. My explanation of the hieroglyphics, at leafc, proceeds on this fup- pofition ; and as I explain things, no man need be ^^ afhamed of being a Chriftian. Indeed 1 afterwards " throw away this name, and fubftitute Reafon. But " I alTure you this is no fmali affair; a new religion, " and a new (late-government, which fo happily ex- " plain one and all of thefe fymbols, and combine them in one degree. You may think that this is my chief work ; but I have three other degrees, ^^ all different, for my clafs of higher myderies, in " comparifon with which this is but child's play; bur '^ thefe I keep for myielf as General, to be bellowed '- by me only on the BenemeritlJJimiy' (furely fuch as Cato, his deareft friend, and the poffeffor of fuch pret- ty fecrets, as abortives, poifons, pcdilcnrial vapours> &c.). " The promoted may be Areopagices or not, " Were you here I fliould give you this degree with- '' out hefitation. But it is too important to be intruf- ted to paper, or to be bellowed otherwife than from my own hand. It is the key to hiftory, to religion, and to every ftate-government in the world."* " Spartacus proceeds, " There fhall be but three *' copies for all Germany. You can't imagine what I *^ refpedt and curiofity my priefi- degree has raifed ; " and, which is wonderful, a famous Proteflant di- '^ vine, who is now of the Order, is perfuaded that
'' the
* I obferve, in other parts of his correfpondence where he fpeaks of this, feveral fmgular phrafes, which are to be found in two books ; Anliquete clevoilee par fes Ufages, and Origine du Defpotifme Oriental. Thefe contain indeed much of the maxims inculcated in the reception difcourfe of the degree llhananitus Minor. Indeed 1 have found, that Weifhaupt is much lefs an inventor than he is ge- nerally thought.
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Il6 •» THE ILLUMINATI. CHi^P. II.
'' the religion contained in it is the true fenfe of Chrif- '' tianity. O man, man ! to what may'st thou '^ NOT BE PERSUADED. Who woiild imagine thai; I " was to be the founder of a new religion ?''
In this fcheme of Mafonic Chriftianity, SparCacus and Philo laboured ferioufly together. Spartacus fent him the materials, and Philo worked them up. Ic will therefore illuftrate this capital point of the confti- tution of the Order, if we take Philo's account of it.
Philo to Cato,
^^ We muil: confider the ruling propenfities of every ^f age of the world. At prefent the cheats and tricks " of the priefts have roufed all men againlt them, and ^' againft Chriftianity. But, at the fame time, fuper- *-^ ftition and fanaticifm rule with unlimited dom.inion, ^^ and the underftanding of man really feems to be *^ going backwards. Our taflc, therefore, is doubled. «f We muft give fuch an account of things, that fana- *' tics fhouid not be alarmed, and that fhall, notwith- ^^ (landing, excite a fpirit of free enquiry. We mufl " not throw avv'ay the good with the bad, the child ^^ with the dirty water; but we mud make the fecret *^ do6lrines of Chriftianity be received as the fecrcts ^^ of genuine Free Mafonry. But farther, we have to ^^ deal with the defpotifm of Princes. This increafes ^^ every day. But then, the fpirit of freedom breathes *' hidden fchools of wifdom, Liberty and Equality, ^^ the natural and imprefcriptible rights of man, warm *^ and glow in every breaft. We muft therefore unite •^ thefe extremes. We proceed in this manner.
*' Jefus Chrift eft"ablift:ied no new Religion; he ^^ would only fet Religion and Reafon in their ancient
" riahts.
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CHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. II7.
*^ rif^hts. For this piirpofe he would uniLe men in a " common bond. He would fie them for this by «f fpreading a juft morality, by enlightening the un- ^^ all prejudices. He would teach all men, in tiie firfb place, to govern themfelves. Rulers would then be needlefs, and equality and liberty would take place without any revolution, by the naturval and " gentle operation of reafon and expediency. This ^^ threat Teacher allows himfelf to explain every part *^ of the Bible in conformity to thefe purpofes ; and ^' he forbids all wrangling among his fcholars, becaufe every man m>ay there find a reafonable application to his peculiar do6lrines. Let this be true or fldfe, it " does not fignify. This was a fimple Religion, and *^ it w^as fo fcW infpired ; but the minds of his hearers '' were not fitted for receiving thefe doctrines. 1 told ^' you, fays he, but you could not bear it. Many '^ therefore Vv'ere called, but few were chofen. To ^^ this eie6l were entruRed the mofl important fecrets; " and even among them there were degrees of infbr- " mation. There v.'as a feventy, and a twelve. All '^ this was in the natural order of things, and acccrd- '^ ino: to the habits of the Tews, and indeed of all an- tiquicy. The Jewifh Theofophy was a myftery; like the Eleufinian, or the Pythagorean, unfit for ^ the vulgar. And thus the doctrines of Chrifbianity were committed to the Adept i, in a BijcipUna Arcani, By thefe they were maintained like the Veflal Fire. — They were kept up only in hidden focieties, v^ho handed them dovv/n to pofterity ; and they are nov/ pofil-jred by the genuine Free Maioris." N. B. This explains the origin of many anonymous pamphlets which appeared about this time in Germa- ny,- fliov/ing that Free Mafonry was Chridianity. — Thev have doubtlefs been the works of Spartacus and
his
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Il8 THE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. II.
his partifans among the Ecledic Mafons. Nicholaj, the great apodle of" infidelity, had given very favour- able reviews of thefe performances, and having always ll:ievvn himfelf an advocate of fuch writers as depreci- ated Chrittianity, it was natural for him to take this opportunity of bringing it flill lov>^er in the opinion of the people. Spartacus therefore conceived a high opi- nion of the importance of gaining Nicholai to the Or- der. He had before this gained Leuchtfenring, a hot- headed fanatic, who had fpied Jefuits in every corner, and fet Nicholai on his journey through Germany, to hunt them out. This m^an finding them equally hated by the Iliuminati, was eafily gained, and was moil zealous in their caufe. He engaged Nicholai, and Spartacus exults exceedingly in the acquifition, faying, '' that he was an unwearied champion, et quidem conten- tijfimusy Of this man Philo fays, -^ that he had fpread this Chriftianity into every corner of Ger- many. I have put meaning," fays Philo, " to all thefe dark i'ymbols, and have prepared b0th de- *' grecs, introducing beautiful ceremonies, which I *' have felc6led from among thofe of the ancient com- '^ m.unions, combined with thofe of the Rofaic Ma- *' fonry; and now," fays he, " it will appear that we ^' are the only true Chriftians. We fliail now be in a '^ condition to fay a few words to Priefls and Princes. ^' I have fo contrived things, that I would admit even *^ Popes and Kings, after the trials which I have pre- '' fixed , and they would be glad to be of the Order." But how is all this to be reconciled with the plan of Illumination, which is to banifh Chriflianity altoge- ther ? Philo himfeif in many places fays, *^ that it is '' only a cloak, to prevent fqueamiili people from '^ ftarting back." This is done pretty much in the fame way that was prad:ifcd in the French Mafonry. In one of their Rituals the Mafler's degree is made
typical
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CHAP. II.
THE ILLUMINATK
119
typical of the death of Jefiis Chrift, the preacher of Brotherly love. But, in the next ttep, the Chevalier du SoleiL it is Reafon that has been dellroved and en- tombed, and the Mafter in this deo-ree, the Sublime Philcfcphe^ occafions the difcovery of the place where the body is hid -, Reafon rifes again, and fupcrftition and tyranny difappear, and all becomes clear y man be- comes free and happy.
Let us hear Spartacus again.
SpartacuSy in miother place,
" We muft, i/?, gradually explain away all our pre- " paratory pious frauds. And when perfons of difcern- *^ ment find fault, we muft defire them to confidcr the '^ end of all our labour. This fandHfies our means, '^ v/hich at any rate are harmleA, and have been ufc- '' fuJ, even in this cafe, becauie they procured us a *^ patient hearing, when otherwife men would have " turned away from us like petted children. 1 his '* will convince them of our fcntiments in all the in- tervening points i and our ambiguous exprelTions will then be interpreted into an endeavour to draw anfwers of any kind, which may Inow us the mincis of our pupils, idj We muft unfold, from hiftory and other writingrs, the orio-in and fabrication of all religious lies whatever; and then, yl, We give a critical hiflory of the Order. But I cannot bcit laugh, when i think of the ready reception which " all this has met with from the e;rave and learned di-» '^ vines of Germany and of England ; and I wonder '^ how their William failed w^hen he attempted to elta- biifh a Deiftical Worfhip in London, (what can this mean ?) for, I am certain, that it muft have been moil; acceptable to that learned and free people. But

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I20 THE ILLUMINATI. CKAP. II.
*' they had not the enlightening of our days." I may here remark, that Weilhaupt is prefuming too much on the jofnorance of his friend, for there was a orreat deal of this enlightening in England at the time he fpeaks of, and if 1 am not miftaken, even this cele- brated Profellor of Irreligion has borrowed mod of his fchtme from this kingdom. This to be fure is nothing in our praife. But the Pantheisticon of Toland refembles Weifliaupt's Illumination in every thing but its rebellion and its villainy. Toland's Socratic Lodge is an elegant pattern for Weifliaupt, and his Triumph of Reafon, his Philofophic Happinefs, his God, or Anhna Mundi^ are all lb like the harili fydem of Spar- tacus, that I am convinced that he has copied them, {lamping them vvith the roughnefs of his own charac- ter. But to go on j Spartacus fays of the Englifli : '' Their poet Pope made his ElTay on Man a fyftem '^ of pure naturalifm, without knowino- it, as Brother " Chryfippus did with my PrieiVs Degree, and was equally aftonidied when this was pointed out to him. Cliryfippus is religious, but not fupcrftitious. Bro- ther Lucian (Nicolai, of whom I have already faid *' fo much) fays, that the grave Zolikofer now allows '' that it v/ould be a very proper thing to eflabliili a *' Deiflical Worfhip at Berlin. I am nor afraid but '' things will go on very well. But Philo, who was *• entrufccd with framing tlie Prieft's Degree, has de- ^' fcroyed it witliout any necelTity j it would, forfooth, *' ftartie thofe who have a hankering for Religion. But *' I always told you that Philo is fanatical and prudifli. '' I gave him fine materials, and he has fcufFed it full *^ of ceremonies and child's play, and as Minos fays, **^ c'cft jciier la religion. But all th.is may be corrc6led ^' in the revifion by the Areopagita:.'"
N. B. I have already mentioned Baron Knigge's Gonverfion to Illuminatifm by the M. de Co ifcanza,
whof:
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CHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. 121
whofe name in the Order was Diomedes. Knigge (henceforth Philo) was, next to Spartacus, the moil: ferviceable man in the Order, and procured the great- eft number of members. It was chiefly by his exer- tions among the Mafons in the Proteilant countries, that the EcleElic Syfteni was introduced, and afterwards brought under the dircd^tion of the Iliuminati. This conqueft was owing entirely to his very extenfive con- nections among the Mafons. He travelled like a phi- lofopher from city to city, from Lodge to Lodge, and even from houfe to houfe, before his Illumination, try- ing to unite the Mafons, and he now went over the fame ground to extend the Ecle5lic Syftem^ and to get the Lodges put under the direction of the Iliuminati, by their choice of the Mafter and Wardens. By this the Order had an opportunity of noticing the conduct of individuals 3 and when they had found cut their ' manner of thinking, and that they Vv^ere fit for their purpofe, they never quitted them till they had gained them over to their party. We have feen, that he was by no means void of religious imprefiions, and we of- ten find him offended wnth the acheiiln of Spartacus. Knigge was at the fame time a man of the world, and had kept good company. Weifhaupt had paiTcd his life in the habits of a college : therefore he knew Knigge's value, and communicated to him all his pro- jeds, to be dreffed up by him for the tafte of Ibciety. Philo was of a much more affedionatc difpofition, with fomething of a devotional turn, and v/as fhocked at the hard indifference of Spartacus. After labour- ing four years with great zeal, he v^as provoked with the difingenuous tricks of Spartacus, and he broke off all connexion v/ith the Society in 1784, and fome rime, after publifhed a declaration of all that he had done in it. This is a moft excellent account of the plan and principles of the Order, (at leaft as he conceived it,
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122 THE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. H.
for Spartacus liaci much deeper views,) and fhows that the aim of ic was to abolilh Chriftianity, and ail the fiatc-governmerus in Europe, and to eftablifh a great repubiic. Bur it is full of romantic notions and cnthu- fiafiic declamation, on the hackneyed topics of uni- verfal citizenlliip, and liberty and equah'ty. Spartacus p,ave him line, and allowed him to work on, knowing that he could difcard him when he chofe. I fnall after tliis give fome exiracls from Philo's letters, from w^hich the reader vj'xW fee the vile behaviour of Spartacus, and the nature of his ultimate views. In the mean time we may proceed with the account of the princiules of the fyitem.
Spm'taais to Cato,
^' Nothing would be more profitable to us than a rigi)t hiilory of mankind. Defpoiifm has robbed them of their liberty. How can the weak obtain proteciion ? Only by union; but this is rare. No- '' thing can bring this about but hidden focieties. *' Hidden fchools of wifdom are the means which will '* one day free men from their bonds. Thefe have in all ages been the archives of nature, and of the rights of men ; and by them fhall human nature be " raifed from her fallen fiate. Princes and nations '' lliali vanifb from the earth. The human race will '' then become one family, and the world will be che '^ dwelling of rational men.
*' Morality alone can do this. The Flead of every family Vvili be what Abraham was, the patriarch, the priefc, and the unlettered lord of his family, and '' Reafon will be the code of lavv^s to all mankind. " This," fays Spartacus, *' is our great secret. True, there may be fome diiuirbance , but by and
'' by
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CHAP. II. THE ILLUMIXATI.
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^^ by the Aineqiial will become equal ; and after z\e '^ ftorm all wlil be calm. Can the unhappy confe- ^* quenccs remain w'len the grounds of dilicnfion are *^ removed ? Roufe yourfelves therefore, O men ! af- '^ fert your rights, and then will Reafon rule with un- " perceived fway j and all shall be happy.*
" Morality will perform all this; and morality is ^^ the fruit of lilumiiiation ; duties and rights are rcci- " procal. V/here Odavius has no right, Caco owes ^^ him no duty. lilumdnadon fhews us our rights, and " Morality follows ; that Morality which teaches us '^ to be cfdge, to be out of vmrdrnfrnf^ loh^ full grown ^ *' and to walk without the leading ftrhigs of pr lefts and '^ princes.''
'' Jcfus of Nazareth, the Grand Mafter of our Or- «^ der, appeared at a time when the world was in the '^ utmofc diforder, and among a people who f^or ages '^ had groaned under the yoke of bondage. He taught ^^ them the lefjbns of Reafon. To be n^ore eitective, «^ he took in the aid of Religion — of opinions which '^ were current — -and, in a very clever mannerist com- ^^ thefe he wrapped up his lelibn!. — -he taught by para- *^ bles. Never did any prophet lead men fo eafily and «' fo fccurely along the road of liberty. He concealed ^' trines; but fully difciofed them t® a chofen fev/. Pie *' fpeaks of a kingdom of the upright and faithful j his ^^ Father's kingdom, whofe children we alfo are. Let " us only take Liberty and Equality as the great aim
" of
* Happy France ! Cradle of Illumination, where the morning of Reafon has dawned, difpelling the clouds of Monarchy and Chriftianity, where the babe has fucked the blood of the uneniight- ened, and Murder ! Fire ! Help ! has been the lullaby to fmg it to lleep.
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124 THE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. II.
" of his dodlrines^ and Morality as the way to attain it, " and everv thino; in the New Teftament will be com- '^ prehenfible ; and Jefus will appear as the Redeemer '^ offlaves. Man is fallen from the condition of Li- berty and Equality, the state of pure nature. He is under fubordination and civil bondage, arifing from the vices of man. This is the fall, and
" ORIGINAL SIN. The KINGDOM OF GRACE is that
reftoration which may be brought about by Illumi- nation and a juft Morality. This is the new birth. When man lives under government, he is fallen, his worth is gone, and his nature tarniflied. By (libdu- ing our paffions, or limiting their cravings, we may recover a great deal of our original worth, and live ** in a ftate of grace. This is the redemption of men '^ — this is accomplillied by Morality ; and when this '■^ is fpread over the world, we have the kingdom
'^ CF THE JUST.
^' But, alas ! t\At tafk of felf- formation was too hard for the fubjedls of the Roman empire, corrupted by every fpecies of profligacy. A chofcn few received the doctrines in fecret, and they have been handed down to us (but frequently almofi; buried under rub- bifh of man's invention) by the Free Mafons. Thefe three conditions of human fociety are exprelTed by the rough, the fplit, and the polifhed ftone. The rough lione, and the one that is fplit, exprefs our condition under civil government \ rough by twtxy fretting inequality of condition ; and fplit, fince we
*^ are no longer one family ; and are farther divided by differences of government, rank property, and religion ; but when reunited in one family, we are reprefented by the polifhed flone. G. is Grace -,
^' the Flaming Star is the Torch of Reafon. Thofe
'^ who pofTefs this knowledge are indeed illuminati.
'* Hiram is our ficliticus Grand Mailer, flain for the
*' redemf-
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CHAP. II. thI: illuminati. 125
^' PvEDEMPTiON OF SLAVES ; the Nine Mafcers are " the Founders of the Order. Free Mafonry is a '^ Royal Arc, inafmuch as it teaches us to walk with- '^ out trammels, and to govern ouriclves."
Reader, are you not curious to karn fomethingof this all-powerful morality, fo operative on the heart of the truly illuminated — 0^ i\\\s> dijciplina ^rc^;/?", entrufted only to the chofen few, and handed down to Profeffor Weifhaupt, to Spartacus, and his aflbciates, who have cleared it of the rubbifh heaped on it by the dim-fight- ed Mafons, and now beaming- in its native luPtre on the minds of the /Ireopagit^ ? The teacliers of ordinary Chriftianity have been labouring for almcft 2000 years, with the New Teftament in their hands ; many of them with great addrefs, and many, I believe, with honeft zeal. But alas ! they cannot produce fuch won- ^ derful and certain effedls, (for obferve, that Weifliaupt repeatedly aiTures us that his means are certain,) pro- bably for want of ih'is difdplma m^canij of whofe efficacy fo much is faid. Moil fortunately, Spartacus has given us a brilliant fpecimen of the ethics which illu- minated himfelf on a trying occafion, v/here an ordi- nary Chriftian would have been much perplexed, or would have taken a road widely dilrerent from that of this illuftrious apoltle of light. And feeing that fc^veral of the Areopagitae CO -o^)tx2iitd in the tranfadlion, and that it was carefully concealed from the profane and dim-fighted world, we can have no doubt but that it was conduced according to the difciplina arcani of Il- lumination. I fnall give it in his own words.
Spartacus to Marias^ September 1783.
" I am now in the mofr embarraOlne: ficuation ; it '*' robs me of all red, and makes nie unfit for every
120 THE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. II.
" thing. I am in danger of lofing at once my honour '* and my reputation, by which I Iiave long had fuch '' influence. What think you r — my fiiltr- in-law is *^ wich child. I have fent her to Euriphon, and am *' endeavouring to procure a marriage-licence from " Rome. How much depends on this uncertainty — '^ and there is not a moment to lofe. Should I fail, *' what is to be done ? Vv^hat a return do I make by *^ this to a perfon to whom 1 am fo mjjch obliged!'* (We fnall fee the probable m.eaning of this exclama- tion by and by). '^ We have tried eveiy method in *' our power to deflroy the child ; and I hope (he is " determiined on every thing — even d — ," (Can this mean death ?) **^ But aias ! Euriphon is, I fear, too ti- *' mid," (alas ! poor woman, thou art now under the difci^lina arcaniy) '^ and I fee no other expedient, " Couki I be but allured of the filence of Celfus, (a ** phyfician at Ingoiltadt,) he can relieve me, and he " promt fed me as much three years ago. Do fpeak to *^ him, if you tiiink he will be fiaunch. I would not Jet *' Cuto" (his dearell friend, and his chief or only con- fident in the fcheme of Illum.ination) '^ know it yet, becaufe the affair in otherrcfpeds requires his whole friendihip." (Cato had all the pretty receipts.) Could you but help me our of this diftrefs, you would give me life, honour, and peace, and ftrength to work again in the great cauje. It you cannot, be affured I will venture on the moil defperate llroke,'* (poor filler !) '^ for it is fixed. — I will not lofc my ho- *^ nor.r. I cannot conceive what devil has made me go " aft ray — nie who have always been Jg careful on fuch oc- '^ caficns. As yet all is quiet, and none know of it but " you and Euriphon. WVre it but time to undertake " any thing — but alas ! it is the fourth month. Thofe *' damned pritfts too — for the adlion is fo criminally " accounted bv them, and fcandaiifes the blood. This
*^ makes
(C
c
CHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. 1 2^
*^' makes the utmofl efforts and the inoR" defperatc '' nieafures abfoluteiy neceflai-y/'
It will throw {bme light on this tranfadtion if we read a letter from Spartacus to Cato about this time.
" One thing more, my deareft friend — \¥ould it be «' agreeable to you to have me for a l>rother-in-law ? " If this fhould be ao:reeabie, and if it can be brouofhc ^« about without prejudice to my honour, as I hope it ^^ may, I am not without hopes that the connection " may take place. But in the mean time keep it a '* fecret, and only give me permiflion to enter into '^ correfpondence on the fubjed vv^ith the good lady, *^ to whom I beg you will offer my refpedlful compli- ^^ ments, and I will explain myfeif more fully to you " by word of mouth, and tell you my whole (ituation. '^ But I repeat it — the thing mud be gone about with '' addrefs and caution. 1 would not for all the world '^ deceive a perfon who certainly has not deferved fo
What interpretation can be put on this ? Cato feems to be brother to the poor woman — he was unwittingly to furnifh the drugs, and he v/as to be dealt with about confentini}: to a marriasfe, which could not be alto^e- ther agreeable to him, fince it required a difpeniation, fhe being already the fiRer- in-law of Weifiiaupt, either the filter of his former v/ife, or the widow of a deceafed brother. Or perhaps Spartacus really wifnes to marrv Cato's fiRcr, a different perfon from the poor v/oman in the draw ; and he conceals this adventure from his trufty friend Cato, till he f:^es what becomes of it. The child may perhaps be got rid of, and then Spar- tacus is a free man. There is a letter to Cato, thank- ino; him for his friendfhip in the affair of the child— but it gives no light. I mert v/ith another PiCcount, that the fifter of Zvvack threw herfelf from the top of a tower, and^beat out her brains. But it is not faid
that
128 THE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. II.
that it was an only fider; if it was, the probability is, that Spartacus had paid his addrelTes to her, and llic- ceedcd, and that the fcbfequent affair of his marriage with his fifier-in-law, or fomething worfe, broke her heart. This feenis the bell account of the matter. For Hertel (Marius) writes to Zwack in November 1782 : ^^ Spartacus is this day gone home, but has left *' his fifter-in-law pregnant behind (this is from BaiTus *^ HofF). About the new year he hopes to be made ^^ merry by a — — , who will be before all kings and " princes~a young Spartacus. The Pope alfo will '^ refpe6l him, and legitimate him before the time.'*
Now, vulgar Chriitian, compare this with the for- mer declaration of Weifhaupt, where he appeals to the tenor of his former life, which had been ib feverely fcrucinifcd, without dimiiniihing his high reputation and great influence, and his i^^^norance and abhorrence of all thofe things found in Cato's repofito- ries. You fee this was a furprife — he had formerly proceeded cautioufiy — ^^ He is the brft man," fays Spartacus, *^ who befh conceals his fault?." — He was difappointed by Celfus, who had p'om'ifed him his ajjij- tance en Juch occaftcns three years ago, during all which time he had been buf)/ in '^ forming himfelf." How far he has advanced, the reader may judge.
One is curious to know what became of the poor woman : fhe was afterwards taken to the houfe of Ba- ron Baifus 3 but here the foolifn v/oman, for want of that courage which Illumination and the bright prof- pe6t of eternal fleep fiiould have produced, took fright at the dijciplini arcani, left the houfe, and in the hidden fociety of a midwife and nurfe brought forth a young Spartacus, who now lives to thank his father for his endeavours to mjjrder him. A '^ damned pr left y'' the good Bifhop of Freyfingen, knowing the cogent rea- fons, procured the difpenfation, and Spartacus was
obliged,
GMAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. I29
obliged, like another dim-fighted mortal, to marry her.*^ The fcandal was hufhed, and would not have been difcovered had it not been for thefe private wri- tings.
But Spartacus fays " that when you think " him funk to the bottom, he will fpring up with " double vigour." In a fubfequent work, call- ed Short Amendment of my Plan, he fays, '^ If men were " not habituated to wicked manners, his letters would " be their own juftification/' He does not fay that he is without fault; '' but they are faults of the under- '' (landing — not of the heart. He had, firftof all, to *' form himfelf; and this is a work of time.'' In the affair of his fifter-in-law he admits the fads, and the attempts to deftroy the child; " but this is far from ^^ proving any depravity of heart. In his condition, " his honour at flake, what elfe was left him to do ? *^ His greateft enemies, the Jefuits, have taught that *^ in fuch a cafe it is lawful to miake away with the *^ child," and he quotes authorities from their books.* " In the introdu6lory fault he has the example of the *^ bed of men. The fecond was its natural confe- '' quence, it was altogether involuntary, and, in the " eye of a philofophical judge" (I prefumeofthe Gal- lic School) " who does not fquarc himfelf by the harfh *' letters of ^ blood-thirfty lawgiver,, he has but a very trifling account to fettle. He had become a public teacher, and was greatly followed ; this example might have ruined many young ?nen. The eyes of the '^ Order alfo were fixed on him. The edifice refted " on his credit ; had he fallen, hs could no longer have
R ^^ been
* This is flatly contradi6led in a pamphlet by F. Stattler, a Ca- tholic clergyman of moft rerpe6lable charai^ler, who here expofes, in the moft incontrovertible manner, the impious plots of Weiihaupt, his total difregard to truth, his counterfeit antiques, and all his lies againll the Jefuits.
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130 THE ILLUMINATl. CHAP. U.
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cc
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i'^^;^ in a cGndition to treat the matters cf virtue Jo as to make a liiliing imprej/icn. It was chiefly his anxiety to Ibpport the credit of the Order v;hich determined him to take this ftep. It makes /^/r him, but by no means againft him ; and the per ions who are moft in fault are the llavilh inquifitors, who hav^e pub- iifhed the tranfa^tion, in order to make his charac- ^* ter more remarkable, and to hurt the Order through his perfon; and they have not fcrupled, for rhis hel- lidi purpofe, to ftir up a chiki againft his father ! 1 !" I make no reflections on this very remarkable, and highly ufeful ftory, but content myfelf with faying, that this juftification by Weifhaupt (which I have been careful to give in his own words) is the greateft inftance of eff^rontery and infult on the fentimenrs of mankind that I have ever met with. We are all fuppofcd as completely corrupted as if we had lived under the full blaze of Illumination.
In other places of this curious correfpondence we learn that Minos, and others of the /Ireopagit^r^ v/anted to introduce Atheifm at once, and not go hedging in the manner they did ; affirming it was eafier to iliew at once that Atheifm was friendly to fociety, than to explain all their Mafonic Chriftianity, which they were afterwards to fliew to be a bundle of lies. Indeed this purpofe, of not only abolilhing Chriftianity, but ail pofitivc religion whatever, was Weiftiaupt's favourite icheme from the beginning. Before he canvailed for his Order, in 1774, he publiftied a fi6litious antique, which he called Sidonii ApcLlinarus Fragmenta^ to pre- pare (as he exprefsly fays in another place) mens minds for the dodtrines of Reafon, which contains ail the de- teftable dodlrines of Robinet's book Dela Nature. The publication of the fecond part was ftopped. Weifhaupt lays in his Apology for the Illuminati, that be- fore 1780 he had rcti acted his opinions about Materi- al ifm.
CHAP. 11. THE JLLUMINATI. I3I
alifm, and about the inexpediency of Princes. But this is falfe : Philo fays exprefslyj that every thing re- mained on its original footing in the whole pradicc and dogmas of the Order when he quitted it in July 1784. Ail this was concealed, and even the abomi- nable Mafonry, in the account of the Order which Weifliaupt pubiiihed at Regenfburg ; and it required the conftant efforts of Philo to prevent bare or flat Atheifm from being uniformly taught in their degrees. He had told the council that Zeno w^ould not be under a roof with a man who denied the immortality of the foul. He complains of Minus's cramming irreligion down their throats in every meeting, and fays, that he frightened many from entering the Order. '^ Truth," fays Philo, " is a clever, but a modeft girl, who muft '' be led by the hand like a gentlewoman, but not " kicked about like a whore.'* Spartacus complain^ much of the fqueamifhnefs of Philo 3 yet Philo is not a great deal behind him in irreligion. When defcrib- ing to Cato the Chriftianity of the Priefli-degree, as he had manufa(5lured it, he fays, '' It is all one whc- " ther it be true or falfe, we mud have it, that we " may tickle thole who have a hankering for religion/* All the odds fecms to be, that he was of a gentler dif- pofition, and had more deference even for the abfurd prejudices of others. In one of his angry letters to Cato he fays : '^ The vanity and felf- conceit of Spar- *' tacus would have got the better of all prudence, had I not checked him, and prevailed on the Areopagitte but to defer the developement of the bold principles till we had firmly fccured the man. I even wilhed to entice the candidate the more by giving him back *^ ail his former bonds of fecrecv, and leaving him at *^ liberty to walk out without fear; and I am certain " that they were, by this time, fo engaged that we " lliould not have loft one man. Br.t Spartacus had *' compofed an exhibition of his laft principles, for a
*^ difcourfe
IJi THE ILLUMINATI. CHAP. 11.
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difcourfe of reception, in which he painted his three favourite myfterious degrees, which were to be con- ferred by him alone, in colours which had fafcina- ted his own fancy. But they were the colours of hell, and would have feared the moft intrepid ; and *^ becaufe I reprefented the danger of this, and by force obtained the omifTion of this picture, he be- came my implacable enemy. I abhor treachery and profligacy, and leave him to blow himfelfand " his Order into the air.'*
Accordingly this happened. It was this which ter- rified one of the four profefTors, and made him impart his doubts to the reft. Yet Spartacus feems to have profited by the apprehenfions of Philo -, for in the laft reception, he, for\the firft time, exa6ls a bond from the intrant, engaging himfelf for ever to the Order, and fwearing that he will never draw back. Thus ad- mitted, he becomes a fure card. The courfe of his life is in the hands of the Order, and his thoughts on a thoufand dangerous points ; his reports concerning his neighbours and friends ; in fhort, his honour and his neck. The Deift, thus led on, has not far to go before he becomes a Naturalift or Atheift ; and then the eternal Deep of death crowns all his humble hopes. Before giving an account of the higher degrees, J {hall juft extraS: from one letter more on a fmgular fubjedl.
Minos to Sehajlian^ 1782.
^' The propofal of Hercules to eftablilh a Minerval *' fchool for girls is excellent, but requires much cir- " cumfpedlion. Philo and I have long converfed on ^' this fubjedl. We cannot improve the world vvith- " out improving women, who have fuch a mighty in- ^^ fluence on the men. But how fhall we get hold of
'' them ?
CHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI, IJJ
" them ? How will their rciationsj particulariy their '' mothers, immerfed in prejudices, confcnc that others *' lliall influence their education ? ¥/e muil begin with *^ grown girls. Hercules propofes the wife of Ptoie- *^ my Magus. I have no ohjedion ; and I have four *' ftep-daughters, fine girls. The oldeft in particular '^ is excellent. She is twenty-four, has read much, is above all prejudices, and in religion fhe thinks asldo. They have much acquaintance among the young la- " dies their relations. (N. B. We don't know the rank **^ of Minos, but as he does not iifc the word Damen, ^' but Frauenzlmmerj it is probable that it is not high.) '^ It may immediately be a very pretty Society, under *^ the managemicnt of Ptolemy's wife, but really un- '^ der bis management. You muft contrive pretty de- " grees, and drefles, and ornaments, and elegant and " decent rituals. No man mud be admitted. This '^ Vv'ill make them become more keen, and they will '^ go much farther than if we were prefcnt, or than if *^ they thought that we knew of their proceedings. *^ Leave them to the fcope of their ov/n fancies, and '^ they Vv'ill foon invent myfteries which will put us to " the blufh, and create an enthufiafm which we can never equal. They will be our great apoftles. Re- fle6l on the refpect, nay the awe and terror infpired by the female miydics of antiquity. (Think of the '^ Daniads — ^think of the Thcban Bacchantes.^ Ptole- '^ my's wife mutt diredl: them, and fhe will be inilrudb- '^ ed by Ptomlemy, and mjy dep daughters will con- *' fult with me. We muft aiv/ays be at hand to pre- *' vent the introdudtion of any improper quedion. Vv'c " mud prepare themes for their difcufTion — thus we '^ fhall confefs them, and infpire them with our ftnti- ^^ ments. No m^an however mud come near them. " This will fire their roving fancies, and we may ex- " pe(5t: rare myderies. But I am doubtful whether
" this
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134 "^^'^ ILLUMiNATI. CHAP. II.
*^ this AiTociatlr.n will be durable. Yv'omen are fickle '' iVing from degree to degree, through a heap of in- '-^ lio-niricant ceremonies, which will foon lofe their ^' novelty and iniluence. To red fcrioufly in one '^ rank, and to be lliii and filent when they have found '* out that the whole is a cheat, (hear the words of an '^ experienced Mafon,) is a tafk of which they are in- ^^ capable. They have not our motives to perfevere *' for years, allowing themfelvcs to be led about, and *' even then to hold their tongues when they find that " they have been deceived. Nay there is a rifk that ** they may take it into their heads to give things an *' oppofite turn, and then, by voluptuous allurements, " heightened by alTeded modcfty and decency, which *' give them an irrcfiltible empire over the beft men, " they may turn our Order upfide down, and in their '^ turn will lead the new one."
Such is the information which may be got from the private correfpondence. It is needlefs to make more extrads of every kind of vice and trick. I have taken fuch as fhew a little of the plan of the Order, as far as the degree of Illummatus Mincr^ and the vile pur- pofes which are concealed under all their fpecious de- clamation. A very minute account is given of the plan, the ritual, ceremonies, &c. and even the inftruc- tions and difcourfes, in a book called the Achte Ilhi- minaty publilhcd at Edcjfa (Frankfurt) in 1787. Philo fays, *' that this is cpiite accurate, but that he does *' not know the author." I proceed to give an ac- count of their higher degrees, as they are to be fccn n the book called Ihuefie Arbeitung des Sfartacus mid Philo. And the authenticity of the accounts is atteil- ed by Grollman, a private gentleman of independent fortune, who read them, figned and fealed by Sparta- cus and the Areopagit^e,
The
1
CHAP. II. THE ILLUMINATI. I35
The feries of ranks and progrcfs of the pupil were arranged as follows :
Prcparacion,
NovicCj
_^_ iviiijcrvdi,
„__ I Hum in. Minor.
fSym- C Apprentice,
I iclic
Masonry,-^ C- Maftcr,
\ n , 7 ^ Ilhim, Mr jar, Scotch Novice
L (^ iUum. cttngenSj bcoccnKnighr.
C Leffcr SP;^%^^-r Pricfr, Mysteries, ,^ o ^
i Greater ^ - '^