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decorations and iron boot…heels； whatever； in a word； may have been
said or done amiss； in that childishness which （as their own wisest
writers often lament） so often defaces the noble childlikeness of
the German spirit； let it be always remembered that under the
impulse first given by Freemasonry； as much as that given by such
heroes as Stein and Scharnhorst； Germany shook off the chains which
had fallen on her in her sleep； and stood once more at Leipsic； were
it but for a moment； a free people alike in body and in soul。
Remembering this； and the solid benefits which Germany owed to
Masonic influences； one shrinks from saying much of the
extravagances in which its Masonry indulged before the French
Revolution。 Yet they are so characteristic of the age； so
significant to the student of human nature； that they must be hinted
at； though not detailed。
It is clear that Masonry was at first a movement confined to the
aristocracy； or at least to the most educated classes； and clear；
too； that it fell in with a temper of mind unsatisfied with the dry
dogmatism into which the popular creeds had then been frozen
unsatisfied with their own Frenchified foppery and pseudo…
philosophyunsatisfied with want of all duty； purpose； noble
thought； or noble work。 With such a temper of mind it fell in： but
that very temper was open （as it always is） to those dreams of a
royal road to wisdom and to virtue； which have haunted； in all ages；
the luxurious and the idle。
Those who will； may read enough； and too much； of the wonderful
secrets in nature and science and theosophy； which men expected to
find and did not find in the higher degrees of Masonry； till old
Vossthe translator of Homerhad to confess； that after 〃trying
for eleven years to attain a perfect knowledge of the inmost
penetralia； where the secret is said to be； and of its invisible
guardians；〃 all he knew was that 〃the documents which he had to make
known to the initiated were nothing more than a well got…up farce。〃
But the mania was general。 The high…born and the virtuous expected
to discover some panacea for their own consciences in what Voss
calls； 〃A multitude of symbols； which are ever increasing the
farther you penetrate； and are made to have a moral application
through some arbitrary twisting of their meaning； as if I were to
attempt expounding the chaos on my writing…desk。〃
A rich harvest…field was an aristocracy in such a humour； for quacks
of every kind； richer even than that of France； in that the Germans
were at once more honest and more earnest； and therefore to be
robbed more easily。 The carcass was there： and the birds of prey
were gathered together。
Of Rosa； with his lodge of the Three Hammers； and his Potsdam gold…
making；of Johnson； alias Leuchte； who passed himself off as a
Grand Prior sent from Scotland to resuscitate the order of Knights
Templars； who informed his disciples that the Grand Master Von Hund
commanded 26；000 men； that round the convent （what convent； does not
appear） a high wall was erected； which was guarded day and night；
that the English navy was in the hands of the Order； that they had
MSS。 written by Hugo de Paganis （a mythic hero who often figures in
these fables）； that their treasure was in only three places in the
world； in Ballenstadt； in the icy mountains of Savoy； and in China；
that whosoever drew on himself the displeasure of the Order；
perished both body and soul； who degraded his rival Rosa to the
sound of military music； and after having had； like every dog； his
day； died in prison in the Wartburg；of the Rosicrucians； who were
accused of wanting to support and advance the Catholic religionone
would think the accusation was very unnecessary； seeing that their
actual dealings were with the philosopher's stone； and the exorcism
of spirits： and that the first apostle of the new golden
Rosicrucian order； one Schropfer； getting into debt； and fearing
exposure； finished his life in an altogether un…catholic manner at
Leipsic in 1774； by shooting himself；of Keller and his Urim and
Thummim；of Wollner （who caught the Crown Prince Frederick William）
with his three names of Chrysophiron； Heliconus； and Ophiron； and
his fourth name of Ormesus Magnus； under which all the brethren were
to offer up for him solemn prayers and intercessions；of Baron
Heinrich von Ekker and Eckenhofen； gentleman of the bed…chamber and
counsellor of the Duke of Coburg Saalfeld； and his Jewish colleague
Hirschmann； with their Asiatic brethren and order named Ben Bicca；
Cabalistic and Talmudic； of the Illuminati； and poor Adam
Weisshaupt； Professor of Canon and National Law at Ingoldstadt in
Bavaria； who set up what he considered an Anti…Jesuitical order on a
Jesuit model； with some vague hope； according to his own showing； of
〃perfecting the reasoning powers interesting to mankind； spreading
the knowledge of sentiments both humane and social； checking wicked
inclinations； standing up for oppressed and suffering virtue against
all wrong； promoting the advancement of men of merit； and in every
way facilitating the acquirement of knowledge and science；〃of this
honest silly man； and his attempts to carry out all his fine
projects by calling himself Spartacus； Bavaria Achaia； Austria
Egypt； Vienna Rome； and so forth；of Knigge； who picked his honest
brains； quarrelled with him； and then made money and fame out of his
plans； for as long as they lasted；of Bode； the knight of the
lilies of the valley； who； having caught Duke Ernest of Saxe Gotha；
was himself caught by Knigge； and his eight； nine； or more ascending
orders of unwisdom；and finally of the Jesuits who； really with
considerable excuses for their severity； fell upon these poor
foolish Illuminati in 1784 throughout Bavaria； and had them exiled
or imprisoned；of all this you may read in the pages of Dr。 Findel；
and in many another book。 For； forgotten as they are now； they made
noise enough in their time。
And so it befell； that this eighteenth century； which is usually
held to be the most 〃materialistic〃 of epochs； was； in fact； a most
〃spiritualistic〃 one； in which ghosts； demons； quacks； philosophers'
stones； enchanters' wands； mysteries and mummeries； were as
fashionableas they will probably be again some day。
You have all heard of Cagliostro〃pupil of the sage Althotas；
foster…child of the Scheriff of Mecca； probable son of the last king
of Trebizond； named also Acharat； and 'Unfortunate child of Nature；'
by profession healer of diseases； abolisher of wrinkles； friend of
the poor and impotent； grand…master of the Egyptian Mason…lodge of
High Science； spirit…summoner； gold…cook； Grand…Cophta； prophet；
priest； Thaumaturgic moralist； and swindler〃born Giuseppe Balsamo
of Palermo；of him； and of his lovely Countess Seraphinanee
Lorenza Feliciani？ You have read what Goetheand still more
important； what Mr。 Carlyle has written on him； as on one of the
most significant personages of the age？ Remember； then； that
Cagliostro was no isolated phenomenon； that his successnay； his
having even conceived the possibility of success in the brain that
lay within that 〃brass…faced； bull…necked； thick…lipped〃 headwas
made possible by public opinion。 Had Cagliostro lived in our time；
public opinion would have pointed out to him other roads to honour
on which he would doubtless have fared as well。 For when the silly
dace try to be caught and hope to be caught； he is a foolish pike
who cannot gorge them。 But the method most easy for a pike…nature
like Cagliostro's； was in the eighteenth century； as it may be in
the latter half of the nineteenth； to trade； in a materialist age；
on the unsatisfied spiritual cravings of mankind。 For what do all
these phantasms betoken； but a generation ashamed of its own
materialism； sensuality； insincerity； ignorance； and striving to
escape therefrom by any and every mad superstition which seemed
likely to give an answer to the awful questionsWhat are we； and
where？ and to lay to rest those instincts of the unseen and infinite
around it； which tormented it like ghosts by day and night： a sight
ludicrous or pathetic； according as it is looked on by a cynical or
a human spirit。
It is easy to call such a phenomenon absurd； improbable。 It is
rather rational； probable； say certain to happen。 Rational； I say；
for the reason of man tells him； and has always told him； that he is
a supernatural being； if by nature is meant that which is cognisable
by his five senses： that his coming into this world； his relation
to it； his exit from itwhich are the three most important facts
about himare supernatural； not to be explained by any deductions
from the impressions of his senses。 And I make bold to say； that
the recent discoveries of physical sciencenotably those of
embryologygo only to justify that old and general belief of man。
If man be told that the microscope and scalpel show n