24767966 mackey encyclopedia of freemasonry vol 1 1914

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58 SECRET SOCIETIES

M a r s h a l l , o v e r r a n G e r m a n y w i t h a s e c t o f n e w T e m p l a r s , n o t



t o b e c o n f o u n d e d w i t h t h e T e m p l a r s t h a t a f t e r w a r d s j o i n e d

t h e m a s o n i c f r a t e r n i t y . B u t H u n d s e e m s a f t e r a l l t o h a v e

r e n d e r e d n o r e a l s e r v i c e s t o t h e S t u a r t s ; though when

C h a r l e s E d w a r d v i s i t e d G e r m a n y , t h e s e c t a r i e s r e c e i v e d h i m

i n t h e m o s t g a l l a n t m a n n e r , p r o m i s i n g h i m t h e m o s t e x t e n -

s i v e s u p p o r t , a n d a s k i n g o f h i m t i t l e s a n d e s t a t e s i n a k i n g d o m

w h i c h h e h a d y e t t o c o n q u e r . T h u s h e w a s b r o u g h t t o t h a t

s t a t e o f m e n t a l i n t o x i c a t i o n w h i c h a f t e r w a r d s l e d h i m t o

m a k e a n a b s u r d e n t r y i n t o R o m e , p r e c e d e d b y h e r a l d s , ' who

proclaimed him king . H u n d s e e m s , i n t h e s a d s t o r y o f t h e

S t ua r t s , t o h a v e a c t e d t h e p a r t o f a s p ec u l a t o r ; a n d t h e r i te

ro f t h e S t r i c t O b s e r v a n c e , p e r m e a t e d b y t h e J e s u i t i c a l l e a v e n ,

h a d p r o b a b l y a n a i m v e r y d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h e r e - e s t a b l i s h m e n t

o f t h e p r o s c r i b e d d y n a s t y . I t i s c e r t a i n t h a t a t o n e t i m e

t h e p o w e r o f t h e N e w T e m p l a r s w a s v e r y g r e a t , a n d p r e p a r e d

t h e w a y f o r t h e I l l u m i n a t i .



XVTHE CHAPTER OF CLERMONT AND THE

STRICT OBSERVANCE

4 3 4 . J e s u i t i c a l I n f l u e n c e . - C a t h o l i c ceremonies, unknown

i n a n c i e n t F r e e m a s o n r y , w e r e i n t r o d u c e d f r o m 1 7 3 5 t o I 7 4 o ;

i n t h e C h a p t e r o f C l e r m o n t , s o c a l l e d i n h o n o u r o f L o u i s o f

B o u r b o n , P r i n c e o f C l e r m o n t , a t . t h e t i m e g r a n d m a s t e r o f

t h e O r d e r i n F r a n c e . F r o m t h a t t i m e , t h e i n f l u e n c e o f t h e



THE RELAXED OBSERVANCE

436 . O r g a n i s a t i o n o f R e l a x e d O b s e r v a n c e .-In 1767, t h e r e

a r o s e a t V i e n n a a s c h i s m o f t h e S t r i c t O b s e r v a n c e ; t h e d i s - '

s e n t i e n t s , w h o c a l l e d t h e m s e l v e s " C l e r k s o f the Rela xed

Observ ance "-the nic kname of Relaxed Observ ance had

o r i g i n a l l y b e e n a p p l i e d b y t h e m e m b e r s o f t h e S t r i c t O b s e r -

vance, a s a term of contemp t to all other r ites-decl ari ng

t h a t t h e y a l o n e p o s s e s s e d t h e s e c r e t s o f t h e a s s o c i a t i o n , a n d

A b e r d e e n k n e w e v e n l e s s t h a n t h e i r G e r m a n f r i e n d s , f o r t h e y



k n e w o n l y t h e f i r s t t h r e e d e g r e e s . S t a r k , t h o u g h f o u n d o u t ,

w a s n o t t o b e p u t d o w n , b u t w r o t e a b o o k e n t i t l e d ` ° T h e

C o p i n g S t o n e , " i n w h i c h h e r e p r e s e n t e d t h e S t r i c t O b s e r v a n c e

a s h o s t i l e t o r e l i g i o n , s o c i e t y , a n d t h e s t a t e .

438 . R i t e o f Z i n z e n d o r f . - T h i s w a s n o t t h e f i r s t a t t a c k

ma de on the system of Hund . , I n 1 7 6 6 , C o u n t Z i n z e n d o r f ,

c h i e f p h y s i c i a n i n t h e P r u s s i a n a r m y , w h o h a d b e e n r e c e i v e d

i n t o t h e S t r i c t O b s e r v a n c e , w a s s t r u c k f r o m t h e l i s t o f m e m b e r s

o f t h e l o d g e o f t h e T h r e e G l o b e s . I n r e v e n g e , h e f o u n d e d a t

B e r l i n a n d P o t s d a m l o d g e s o n t h e T e m p l a r s y s t e m , w h i c h ,

h o w e v e r , h e s o o n a b a n d o n e d , a n d c o m p o s e d a n e w r i t e , i n -

v e n t e d b y h i m s e l f , a n d c o n s i s t i n g o f s e v e n d e g r e e s , w h i c h

w a s p r o t e c t e d b y F r e d e r i c k t h e G r e a t . The new Order mad e

f i e r c e a n d s u c c e s s f u l w a r b o t h o n t h e S t r i c t a n d t h e R e l a x e d

O b s e r v a n c e .

439 . A f r i c a n A r c h i t e c t s . ;About 1765,Brother Von Kopp er

i n s t i t u t e d i n P r u s s i a , u n d e r t h e a u s p i c e s o f F r e d e r i c k I I . , t h e



Xvl l

THE CONGRESS OF WILHELMSBAD

440 . V a r i o u s C o n g r e s s e s .-To put an end to the numerous

dis putes ra ging among masonic bodies, var ious congresses

w e r e h e l d . In 1 7 7 8 , a congress was convened a t Lyons ; i t

l a s t e d a m o n t h , b u t w a s w i t h o u t r e s u l t . In 1785, another

was held at Par is, but the time was wasted i n idle di s-

p u t e s w i t h C a l i o s t r o . The most imp ortant was that whic h

assembled a t i helmsba d in 1782, • under the presid ency

6 SECRET SOCIETIES

o f W i l h e l m s b a d w a s t h e r e t e n t i o n o f t h e t h r e e s y m b o l i c a l



d e g r e e s , w i t h t h e a d d i t i o n o f a n e w d e g r e e , t h a t o f t h e

` 1 K n i g h t s o f B e n e f i c e n c e , " w h i c h w a s b a s e d o n t h e p r i n c i p l e s

e n u n c i a t e d i n S t . M a r t i n ' s b o o k , Des E r r e u r s e t d e l a V e r i t e ,

a n d t h e T a b l e a u N a t u r e l . T h e f o u n d a t i o n o f t h e n e w O r d e r

w a s a t t r i b u t e d t o t h e i n f l u e n c e o f t h e J e s u i t s , b e c a u s e t h e

t h r e e i n i t i a l l e t t e r s o f C h e v a l i e r s B i e n f a i s a n t s , C .H. B . , a r

e q u a l t o 3 , 8 , 2 = 1 3 , s i gn i f y i n g t h e l e t t e r N , m e a n i n g N o s t r i

Another resul t was a league between Mas onry a nd the

I l l u m i n a t i - a n d i t i s s t i l l a m a t t e r o f s p e c u l a t i o n w h e t h e r

t h e s e l a t t e r w e r e n o t b e h i n d t h e J e s u i t s - b r o u g h t a b o u t b y

t h e e x e r t i o n s o f S p a r t a c u s o r W e i s h a u p t , w h o h a d l o n g a g o

d i s c e r n e d t h e i n f l u e n c e h e c o u l d o b t a i n b y t h e c o - o p e r a t i o n

o f t h e M a s o n s , w h o m h e , o f c o u r s e , e m p l o y e d a s h i s u n -

c o n s c i o u s t o o l s . B u t J e s u i t i c a l i n f l u e n c e , a t t h a t t i m e , w a s

t o o • p o w e r f u l t o b e o v e r c o m e ; t h e y s i d e d w i t h , a n d t h u s

s t r e n g t h e n e d t h e i n f l u e n c e o f , t h e d u k e ; h e n c e t h e o p p o s i -

t i o n o f G e r m a n y t o t h e p r i n c i p l e s o f t h e F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n ,

THE CONGRESS OF WILHELMSBAD 63

k n o w t h a t t h e k i n g a c t e d a c c o r d i n g l y , t o t h e g r e a t d i s g u s t



o f h i s a l l i e s , t o w h o m h e d i d n o t c o m m u n i c a t e t h e r e a s o n s

o f h i s w i t h d r a w a l . S o m e y e a r s a f t e r w a r d s o u r c e l e b r a t e d

actor Fleury, who acquir ed such reputation by his per-

forma nce at the T h e a t r e F r a n c a i s in "The Two Pa ges,"

i n w h i c h p i e c e h e r e p r e s e n t e d F r e d e r i c k t h e G r e a t t o p e r -

f e c t i o n , c o n f e s s e d t h a t h e a c t e d t h e g h o s t w h e n F r e d e r i c k

W i l l i a m I I I , w a s m y s t i f i e d b y a n a p p e a r a n c e , w h i c h h a d

been planned by Genera l Dumouriez . Dumonri ez was a

Freemas on .



XVIII

M ASONRY AND NAPOLEONISM

444 .M a s o n r y p r o t e c t e d b y N a p o l e o n . - W i t h renewed cour

f r i v o l i t i e s a n d m i l i t a r y p o m p , t h e t h e a t r i c a l s p i r i t o f M a s o n r

r e v i v e d . T h e i n s t i t u t i o n , s o a c t i v e b e f o r e a n d d u r i n g t h

Revolution, b ecause i t was governed by men who rightl

u n d e r s t o o d a n d w o r t h i l y r e p r e s e n t e d i t s p r i n c i p l e s , d u r i n

t h e E m p i r e f e l l i n t o a c a d e m i c p u e r i l i t i e s , s e r v i l e c o m p l i a n c e

a n d e n d l e s s s q u a b b l e s . T h a t p e r i o d , w h i c h m a s o n i c w r i t e r s

G r a n d M a s t e r A d j u n c t , t o b e i n r e a l i t y t h e o n

MASONRY AND NAPOLEONIS 65

b e a d o f t h e



I :

I :

Order. G r a d u a l l y a l l t h e r i t e s e x i s t i n g i n F

t h e i r a d h e s i o n t o t h e i m p e r i a l p o l i c y , e l e c t i n g

t h e i r c h i e f d i g n i t a r y , s o t h a t h e e v e n t u a l l y p

m a s o n i c t i t l e s t h a n a n y o t h e r m a n b e f o r e o r a

1805 he was ma de Gra nd Mas ter Adjunct

O r i e n t ; i n 1 8 o 6 , S o v e r e i g n G r a n d M a s t e r o f

G r a n d C o u n c i l ; i n t h e s a m e y e a r , G r a n d M a s

of Heroden of Kil winning ; i n 1 8 0 7 , Suprem e

F r e n c h r i t e ; i n t h e s a m e y e a r , G r a n d M a s t e r

s o p h i c S c o t c h r i t e ; i n 1 8 0 8 , Grand Ma ster of

C h r i s t ; i n 1 8 o g , National Gra nd Mas ter of

o f t h e H o l y C i t y ; i n t h e s a m e y e a r , P r o t e c t o r

P h i l o s o p h i c D e g r e e s . As every new lodge e

France had to pay the grand master a heavy

y i e l d e d . t o h i m a n a n n u a l r e v e n u e o f t w o m i l l i o

445 . S p r e a d o f F r e e m a s o n r y .-But m a s o n i c

a g a i n r a n h i g h . T h e a r c h - c h a n c e l l o r , a c c u s t o

n e e g a v e i n

m b a c d r e s a s

s e s s e d m o r e

e r h i m . In

the Gr and

e Supr eme

o f t h e r i t e

e a d o f t h e

t h e P h i l o -

h e O r d e r o f

he Kni ghts

f the High

a b l i s h e d i n

e , M a s o n r y

o f f r a n c s .

s p u t e s s o o n

ed and qt-

66 SECRET SOCIETIES

tween France and England . B u t h a v i n g n o p u b l i c l i f e , n o



p a r l i a m e n t a r y d e b a t e s , n o o p p o s i t i o n j o u r n a l s , t h e g r e a t e r

p a r t o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n t o o k r e f u g e i n t h e l o d g e s , a n d e v e r y

s m a l l t o w n h a d i t s o w n . In 1 8 1 2 , t h e r e e x i s t e d o n e t h o u s a n d

a n d e i g h t y - n i n e l o d g e s , a l l d e p e n d i n g o n t h e G r a n d O r i e n t

the army had six ty-nine, and the lodge was opened and

c l o s e d w i t h t h e c r y , V i v e l ' E m p e r e u r !

446 . T h e C l o v e r L e a v e s .-This was an Order founded i

Germany a bout i8o8 b y J o h n d e W i t t , c a l l e d V o n D o r r i n g

( 5 5 5 ) , a m e m b e r o f a l m o s t e v e r y s e c r e t s o c i e t y t h e n e x i s t -

i n g , e m b r a c i n g s o m e o f t h e g r e a t e s t G e r m a n s t a t e s m e n , t o

f u r t h e r t h e p l a n s o f N a p o l e o n , i n t h e h o p e t h a t h i s s u c c e s s e s

m i g h t l e a d t o t h e m e d i a t i s a t i o n o f a l l G e r m a n s t a t e s , w h i c h ,

w i t h F r a n c e , w e r e t o f o r m b u t o n e e m p i r e . The name wa s

d e r i v e d f r o m t h e f a c t t h a t t h r e e m e m b e r s o n l y w e r e k n o w n

t o o n e a n o t h e r .

447 . O b s e q u i o u s n e s s o f F r e e m a s o n r y .-Nap oleon, u n a b l e a n

u n w i l l i n g t o s u p p r e s s F r e e m a s o n r y , e m p l o y e d i t i n t h e a r m y ,

MASONRY AND NAPOLEONISM 67

H e i s a l s o s a i d t o h a v e m a d e c e r t a i n p r o m i s e s t o i t ; b u t a s



h e f a i l e d t o k e e p t h e m , t h e M a s o n s t u r n e d a g a i n s t h i m , a n d

h a d a l a r g e s h a r e i n h i s f a l l . T h i s , h o w e v e r , i s n o t v e r y

probabl e, and is attrib uting too much influence to an

O r d e r w h i c h h a d o n l y r e c e n t l y r e c o v e r e d i t s e l f . St i l l , t h e

a n t i - N a p o l e o n i c l e a v e n f e r m e n t e d i n t h e M a s o n i c s o c i e t y .

S a v a r y , t h e m i n i s t e r o f p o l i c e , w a s a w a r e o f i t i n 1 8 i o , a n d

w a n t e d t o a p p l y t o t h e s e c r e t m e e t i n g s o f F r e e m a s o n s t h e

a r t i c l e o f t h e p e n a l c o d e , f o r b i d d i n g t h e m ; b u t C a m b a c e r A s

o n c e m o r e s a v e d t h e i n s t i t u t i o n , w h i c h s a v e d n e i t h e r h i m n o r

h i s p a t r o n . F r e e m a s o n r y , i f n o t b y o v e r t a c t s , a t l e a s t b y

i t s i n d i f f e r e n c e , h e l p e d o n t h e d o w n f a l l o f N a p o l e o n . B u t i t

w a s n o t a l t o g e t h e r i n a c t i v e , f o r e v e n w h i l s t t h e N a p o l e o n i c

s t a r i l l u m i n e d a l m o s t a l o n e t h e p o l i t i c a l h e a v e n s o f E u r o p e ,

a M a s o n i c l o d g e w a s f o r m e d w h o s e o b j e c t w a s t h e r e s t o r a -

t i o n o f t h e B o u r b o n s , w h o s e a c t i o n m a y b e p r o v e d b y o f f i c i a l

d o c u m e n t s t o h a v e e x t e n d e d t h r o u g h t h e F r e n c h a r m y , a n d



XIX

FREEM ASONRY, THE RESTORATION AND

THE SECOND EM P IRE

449 . T h e S o c i e t y o f " F r a n c e R e g e n e r a t e d ."- The Restora

t i o n , w h o s e b l i n d n e s s w a s o n l y e q u a l l e d b y i t s m e d i o c r i t y

w h i c h , u n a b l e t o c r e a t e , p r o p o s e d t o i t s e l f t o d e s t r o y w h a

e v e n t i m e r e s p e c t s , t h e m e m o r i e s a n d g l o r i e s o f a p e o p l e

could not pleas e Freemasonry much . Hostil e to Nap oleo

i n h i s l a s t y e a r s , i t c o u l d n o t a p p r o v e o f t h e c o n d u c t o f t h

THE RESTORATION AND SECOND EMPIRE 69

d i d n o t s a v e t h e s o c i e t y f r o m p o l i c e p e r s e c u t i o n . In 1 8 2 1 ,



t h i s l o d g e w a s c l o s e d , a n d n o t r e o p e n e d t i l l 183o . Towar ds

t h e s a m e t i m e w a s f o u n d e d t h e l o d g e o f " ° T r i n o s o p h i s t s . "

In 1 8 2 1 , the Supreme Grand Council rose to the surfa ce

a g a i n , a n d w i t h i t t h e d i s p u t e s b e t w e e n i t a n d t h e G r a n d

O r i e n t . T o e n t e r i n t o t h e i r s q u a b b l e s w o u l d b e a s a d w a s t e

o f t i m e , a n d I t h e r e f o r e p a s s t h e m o v e r .

451 . P o l i t i c a l I n s i g n i f i c a n c e of Masonry.- The Freema sons

a r e s a i d t o h a v e b r o u g h t a b o u t t h e J u l y r e v o l u t i o n o f 1 8 3 0 ,

b u t p r o o f s a r e w a n t i n g , a n d I t h i n k t h e y m a y b e a b s o l v e d

f r o m t h a t c h a r g e . L o u i s - P h i l i p p e , w h o w a s p l a c e d o n t h e

t h r o n e b y t h a t r e v o l u t i o n , t o o k t h e O r d e r u n d e r h i s p r o t e c -

t i o n , a n d a p p o i n t e d h i s s o n , t h e D u k e o f O r l e a n s , G r a n d

Mas ter . O n t h e D u k e ' s d e a t h , i n 1 8 4 2 , h i s b r o t h e r , t h e

Duke de Nemours, succeeded him i n the dignity . I n t h i s

l a t t e r y e a r , t h e d i s p u t e s b e t w e e n t h e G r a n d O r i e n t a n d t h e

S u p r e m e G r a n d C o u n c i l w e r e a m i c a b l y s e t t l e d . Agai n we

a r e t o l d t h a t a t a m a s o n i c c o n g r e s s h e l d a t S t r a s b u r g t h e

70 SECRET SOCIETIESo b l i g e d t o r e s i g n i n c o n s e q u e n c e o f t h e m a s o n i c b o d y h a v i n g



pas sed a vote of censure upon him for his expr essions i n

fa vour of the temp oral power of the Pope, uttered i n the

storm y di sc ussi on of the French Senate i n the month of

J u n e o f t h a t y e a r . T h e G r a n d O r i e n t w a s a g a i n a l l i n c o n -

f u s i o n . Nap oleon III. n o w i n t e r f e r e d , e s p e c i a l l y a s P r i n c e

Nap oleon was p roposed for the offic e of Gr and Ma ster

w h i c h e x c i t e d t h e j e a l o u s y o f t h e M u r a t i s t s , w h o p u b l i s h e d

p a m p h l e t s o f t h e m o s t v i t u p e r a t i v e c h a r a c t e r a g a i n s t t h e i r

a d v e r s a r i e s , w h o o n t h e i r s i d e r e p l i e d w i t h c o r r e s p o n d i n g

b i t t e r n e s s . N a p o l e o n i m p o s e d s i l e n c e o n t h e l i t i g a n t s , p r o -

hibi ted attendance at lodges, pr omis ed that he hims elf

would ap point a Gra nd Master, and ad vised his c ousin to

undertak e a l ong voya ge to the United States . Depri ved

of the right of electi ng its own chief, the autonomy of

Freemasonry becam e an ill usion, its progra mme useless,

and its my stery a fa rce . In the meanwhil e, the quarrels ,

o f t h e p a r t i s a n s o f t h e d i f f e r e n t c a n d i d a t e s c a l m e d d o w n

THE RESTORATION AND SECOND EMPIRE 71

t h e m w i t h t h e a b i l i t y a n d f e a r l e s s n e s s t h a t d i s t i n g u i s h t h e



f o l l o w e r s o f L o y o l a ? I f e a r n o t .

` B e s i d e s , t h e M a s o n s , t h o u g h t h e y t a l k l o u d l y o f f r a t e r n i s a -

t i o n a n d e q u a l i t y , w h e n d r i v e n a t b a y b e c o m e t h e s t a n c h e s t

c o n s e r v a t i v e s , w h e r e f o r e t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l a t L y o n s , i n t h e

y e a r 1 8 7 0 , solemnly excommunica ted Freemasonry, and in

188o e x a c t e d f r o m e v e r y c a n d i d a t e f o r a d m i s s i o n t o t h e

s o c i e t y a d e c l a r a t i o n t h a t h e w a s n o t a M a s o n .



XXFREEMASONRY IN ITALY

454 .Whimsic al Masonic Societies.-We have but few

notic es of the earl y s tate of Freemasonry in Italy . Wea r e t o l d t h a t i n 1512 t h e r e w a s f o u n d e d a t F l o r e n c e a s o c i e t y

under the name of " The Trowel," com posed of lear ned and

l i t e r a r y m e n , w h o i n d u l g e d i n a l l k i n d s o f w h i m s i c a l f r e a k s ,

a n d w h o m a y h a v e s e r v e d a s p r o t o t y p e s t o t h e O r d e r o f " The

M o n k s o f t h e S c r e w , " e s t a b l i s h e d t o w a r ds t h e e n d o f t h e l a s t

FREEMASONRY IN ITALY 7 3

t h e I l l u m i n a t i , m y s t i c a l a n d a l c h y m i s t i c a l , a n d i n o p p o s i t i o n

t o t h e R o s i c r u c i a n s , c a l l e d t h e " I n i t i a t e d B r e t h r e n o f A s i a , "



which had been founded at Vienna . I t o n l y a c c e p t e d c a n -

d i d a t e s w h o h a d p a s s e d t h r o u g h t h e f i r s t t h r e e d e g r e e s o f

t h e Y o r k r i t e . L i k e E g y p t i a n M a s o n r y , i t w o r s h i p p e d t h e

T e t r a g r a m m a t o n , a n d c o m b i n e d t h e d e e p e s t a n d m o s t p h i l o -

s o p h i c a l i d e a s w i t h t h e m o s t c u r i o u s s u p e r s t i t i on s .

456. F r e e m a s o n r y a t N a p l e s .- In the kingdom of Naples

the Ma sons a mounted to ma ny thousands . An edic t of

C h a r l e s I I I . ( 1 7 5 1 ) , a n d a n o t h e r o f F e r d i n a n d IV . ( 1 7 5 9 ) ,

c l o s e d t h e l o d g e s , b u t i n a s h o r t t i m e t h e e d i c t s b e c a m e

a d e a d l e t t e r , a n d i n v a i n d i d t h e m i n i s t e r , T a n u c c i , h o s t i l e

t o t h e i n s t i t u t i o n , s e e k t o r e v i v e t h e m . T h e i n c i d e n t o f a

n e o p h y t e d y i n g a f e w d a y s a f t e r h i s i n i t i a t i o n g a v e a p r e t e x t

f o r f r e s h p e r s e c u t i o n . T h e M a s o n s , a s s e m b l e d a t a b a n q u e t ,

w e r e a r r e s t e d ; a n d i n v a i n d i d L e v y , a l a w y e r , u n d e r t a k e t h e i r

d e f e n c e . He was expelled the kingdom ; h i s b o o k i n f a v o u r

o f t h e O r d e r w a s p u b l i c l y b u r n t b y t h e e x e c u t i o n e r . But

74 SECRET SOCIETIESb e f o r e t h e k i n g , o p e n l y d e c l a r e d t h e o b j e c t s , s y s t e m s , s e a l s ,

g o v e r n m e n t , a n d p o s s e s s i o n s o f t h e O r d e r . He was sent bac



t o h i s p a l a c e , a n d t h e r e g u a r d e d b y t r o o p s , l e s t h e s h o u l d b e

k i l l e d b y h i s f o r m e r c o l l e a g u e s . Freema sons have al so bee

d i s c o v e r e d a t F l o r e n c e , a n d t h e P o p e a n d t h e E m p e r o r h a v e

s e n t t h i t h e r t w e n t y - f o u r t h e o l o g i a n s t o p u t a s t o p t o t h e d i s

o r d e r . T h e k i n g a c t s w i t h t h e g r e a t e s t m e r c y t o w a r d s a l

i m p l i c a t e d , t o a v o i d t h e g r e a t d a n g e r s t h a t m i g h t e n s u e f r o m

a c o n t r a r y c o u r s e . He has a lso ap pointed f our p ersons o

g r e a t s t a n d i n g t o u s e t h e b e s t m e a n s t o d e s t r o y s o a b o m i n a b l

a s e c t ; a n d h a s g i v e n n o t i c e t o a l l t h e o t h e r s o v e r e i g n s o

Europe of his di scovery, and the abomi nable ma xim s of th

s e c t , c a l l i n g u p o n t h e m t o a s s i s t i n i t s s u p p r e s s i o n , w h i c h i

w i l l b e f o l l y i n t h e m t o r e f u s e t o d o . F o r t h e O r d e r d o e s n o

c o u n t i t s m e m b e r s b y t h o u s a n d s , b u t b y m i l l i o n s , e s p e c i a l l y

among Jews a nd Pr otestants. Their fri ghtful max ims ar

o n l y k n o w n t o t h e m e m b e r s o f t h e f i f t h , s i x t h , a n d s e v e n t

lodges, while those of the fi rs t three know nothing, an

FREEMASONRY IN ITALY 75

b r e t h r e n w e r e i n a n y w a y m o l e s t e d . A l o d ge w a s r e - e s t a b -

l i s h e d a f t e r w a r d s , w h i c h w a s d i s c o v e r e d i n 1 7 8 5 , w h e n a l l i t s



c o n t e n t s w e r e a g a i n b u r n t o r o t h e r w i s e d e s t r o y e d . F r o m t h e

r i t u a l , w h i c h w a s f o u n d a m o n g t h e o t h e r e f f e c t s , i t a p p e a r s

t h a t t h e c a n d i d a t e f o r i n i t i a t i o n w a s l e d , h i s e y e s b e i n g

b a n d a g e d , f r o m s t r e e t t o s t r e e t , o r c a n a l t o c a n a l , s o a s t o

p r e v e n t h i s t r a c i n g t h e l o c a l i t y , t o t h e R i o M a r i n o , w h e r e

h e w a s f i r s t c o n d u c t e d i n t o a r o o m h u n g w i t h b l a c k , a n d

i l l u m i n e d b y a s i n g l e l i g h t ; t h e r e h e w a s c l o t h e d i n a l o n g

g a r m e n t l i k e a w i n d i n g s h e e t , b u t b l a c k ; h e p u t o n a c a p

s o m e t h i n g l i k e a t u r b a n , a n d h i s h a i r w a s d r a w n o v e r h i s

f a c e , a n d i n t h i s e l e g a n t f i g u r e h e w a s p l a c e d b e f o r e a

l o o k i n g - gl a s s , c o v e r e d w i t h a b l a c k c u r t a i n , t i n d e r w h i c h

w e r e w r i t t e n t h e w o r d s , " I f t h o u b a s t t r u e c o u r a g e , a n d

a n h o n e s t d e s i r e t o e n t e r i n t o t h e O r d e r , d r a w a s i d e t h e

c u r t a i n , a n d l e a r n t o k n o w t h y s e l f . " H e m i g h t t h e n r e m o v e

t h e b a n d a g e a n d l o o k a t h i m s e l f . H e w a s t h e n a g a i n b l i n d -

f o l d e d , a n d p l a c e d i n t h e m i d d l e o f t h e r o o m , w h i l e t h i r t y

7 6 SECRET SOCIETIESa n d t h o u s h a l t f i n d i n u s n o t h i n g b u t f a i t h f u l s u b j e c t s , e v e r

d e v o t e d t o t h y a u g u s t p e r s o n ! "



460 . T h e F r e e m a s o n r y o f t h e P r e s e n t i n I t a l y . - V e r y l i t t l e

n e e d , o r c a n , b e s a i d a s r e g a r d s t h e a c t i v e p r o c e e d i n g s o f

I t a l i a n m a s o n i c l o d g e s o f t h e p r e s e n t d a y , t h o u g h t h e y h a v e

b e e n r e c o n s t i t u t e d a n d u n i t e d u n d e r o n e o r t w o h e a d s . But

their pr ogram me deserves attention, as p ointing out those

reforms , needed not only in Ital y, but everywhere where

Freemasonry exists . T h e d e c l a r e d o b j e c t , t h e n , o f I t a l i a n

F r e e m a s o n r y i s , t h e h i g h e s t d e v e l o p m e n t o f u n i v e r s a l p h i l a n -

thropy ; t h e i n d e p e n d e n c e a n d u n i t y o f s i n g l e n a t i o n s , a n d

f r a t e r n i t y a m o n g e a c h o t h e r ; t h e t o l e r a t i o n o f e v e r y r e l i g i o n ,

a n d a b s o l u t e e q u a l i t y o f w o r s h i p ; the moral and ma teria l

p r o g r e s s o f t h e m a s s e s . ' I t m o r e o v e r d e c l a r e s i t s e l f i n d e p e n -

d e n t o f e v e r y g o v e r n m e n t , a f f i r m i n g t h a t I t a l i a n F r e e m a s o n r y

w i l l n o t r e c o g n i s e a n y o t h e r s o v e r e i g n p o w e r o n e a r t h b u t

r i g h t r e a s o n a n d u n i v e r s a l c o n s c i e n c e . I t f u r t h e r d e c l a r e s

-a nd this deserves pa rtic ular attention-that Freemasonry

FREEMASONRY IN ITALY 77

I n d e t e r m i n i n g t h e r e l a t i o n s o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l t o h i s

e q u a l s , F r e e m a s o n r y d o e s n o t r e s t r i c t i t s e l f t o r e c o m m e n d i n g



t o d o u n t o o t h e r s w h a t w e w i s h o t h e r s w o u l d d o u n t o u s ;

b u t i n c u l c a t e s t o d o g o o d , o p p o s e e v i l , a n d n o t t o s u b m i t t o

i n j u s t i c e i n w h a t s o e v e r f o r m i t p r e s e n t s i t s e l f . Freemasonry

l o o k s f o r w a r d t o t h e d a y w h e n t h e i r o n p l a t e s o f t h e Monitor

a n d t h e M e r r i m a c w i l l b e b e a t e n i n t o s t e a m - p l o u g h s ; when

m a n , r e d e e m e d b y l i b e r t y a n d s c i e n c e , s h a l l e n j o y t h e p u r e

p l e a s u r e s o f i n t e l l i g e n c e ; w h e n p e a c e , f e r t i l i s e d b y t h e

w e a l t h a n d s t r e n g t h n o w d e v o t e d t o w a r , s h a l l b r i n g f o r t h

t h e m o s t b e a u t i f u l f r u i t o f t h e t r e e o f l i f e .

461 . R e f o r m n e e d e d . - G r e a t l y , t h e r e f o r e , i s t h e a c a d e m i c

p u e r i l i t y o f r i t e s t o b e r e g r e t t e d , w h i c h d r a g s b a c k i n t o

t h e p a s t a n i n s t i t u t i o n t h a t o u g h t t o l a u n c h f o r w a r d i n t o

t h e f u t u r e . I t i s s e l f - e v i d e n t t h a t F r e e m a s o n r y i n t h i s s t a t e

c a n n o t l a s t , t h a t a r e f o r m i s n e c e s s a r y ; a n d a s D e C a s t r o ,

f r o m w h o m t h e a b o v e i s t a k e n , t h i n k s t h a t i t w o u l d b e a n

h o n o u r t o I t a l y t o b e t h e l e a d e r i n s u c h a r e f o r m , i t w o u l d



XXI

CAGLIOSTRO AND EGYP TIAN M ASONRY

462 . L if e o f ' Ca gl io st ro .-Joseph Balsa mo, the disci ple

a n d s u c c e s s o r o f S t . Germ ai n, who pretended at the Court

o f L o u i s XV . t o have been the contemp orary of Charl es V .

F r a n c i s I . , a n d C h r i s t , - a n d t o p o s s e s s t h e e l i xi r o f l i f e a n d

m a n y o t h e r s e c r e t s , h a d v a s t e r d e s i g n s a n d a l o f t i e r a m b i t i o n

t h a n h i s t e a c h e r , a n d w a s o n e o f t h e m o s t a c t i v e a g e n t s o f

F r e e m a s o n r y i n F r a n c e a n d t h e r e s t o f E u r o p e . He was b orn

CAGLIOSTRO AND EGYPTIAN MASONRY 79

R o m e , w h e r e h e w a s a r r e s t e d o n t h e c h a r g e o f a t t e m p t i n g

t o f o u n d a m a s o n i c l o d g e , a g a i n s t w h i c h a p a p a l b u l l h a d



r e c e n t l y b e e n p r o m u l g a t e d , a n d t h r o w n i n t o t h e C a s t l e o f S t .

Angelo, in 1789 . He was c ondemned to death, b ut the

p u n i s h m e n t w a s c o m m u t e d t o p e r p e t u a l i m p r i s o n m e n t . His

w i f e w a s s h u t u p i n a c o n v e n t , a n d d i e d s o o n a f t e r . Hav ing

b e e n t r a n s f e r r e d t o t h e C a s t l e o f S a n L e o , h e a t t e m p t e d t o

s t r a n g l e t h e m o n k s e n t t o c o n f e s s h i m , i n t h e h o p e o f e s c a p -

i n g i n h i s g o w n ; b u t t h e a t t e m p t f a i l e d , a n d i t i s s u p p o s e d

t h a t h e d i e d , a p r i s o n e r , i n 1 7 9 5 .

463 . The Egyptia n R i t e .- The E g y p t i a n r i t e i n v e n t e d b y

C a g l i o s t r o i s a m i x t u r e o f t h e s a c r e d a n d p r o f a n e , o f t h e

s e r i o u s a n d l a u g h a b l e . H a v i n g d i s c o v e r e d a M S . o f G e o r g e

Cofton, in which was p ropounded a singular scheme for

t h e r e f o r m o f F r e e m a s o n r y i n a n a l c h y m i s t i c a n d f a n t a s t i c

s e n s e , C a g l i o s t r o f o u n d e d t h e r e o n t h e b a s e s o f h i s m a s o n i c

system, taki ng advantage of human credulity, e n r i c h i n g

h i m s e l f , a n d a t t h e s a m e t i m e s e c o n d i n g t h e a c t i o n o f o t h e r

80 SECRET SOCIETIESc o u r s e w i t h t h e s e v e n p r i m i t i v e a n g e l s , a n d t h a t i t s p o s

s e s s o r s w o u l d e n j o y a p h y s i c a l r e g e n e r a t i o n f o r , 5 5 5 7 y e a r s



af ter which they would through gentle sleep p as s i nt

heaven. The pentagon had a s m uch succ ess with the upp e

ten thousand of London, Par is , and St . P e t e r s b u r g , a s t h

p h i l o s o p h e r ' s s t o n e e v e r e n j o y e d ; a n d l a r g e s u m s w e r e g i v e

f o r a f e w g r a i n s o f t h e r e j u v e n a t i n g prima m ateria .

464 . C a g l i o s t r o ' s Hydr omancy .- But beside masonic de

l u s i o n s , C a g l i o s t r o m a d e u s e o f t h e t h e n l i t t l e u n d e r s t o o

wonders of ma gnetism to attra ct ad herents ; and as man

pers ons are seduced by the wine-cup, s o he mad e dupes o

m a n y b y m e a n s o f t h e w a t e r - b o t t l e , w h i c h d e v i c e , a s m i g h

b e s h o w n , w a s v e r y a n c i e n t , a n d c o n s i s t e d i n d i v i n a t i o n b

hydromancy . & c h i l d , g e n e r a l l y a l i t t l e g i r l , a n d c a l l e

t h e D o v e , w a s m a d e t o l o o k i n t o a b o t t l e o f w a t e r , a n d s e

t h e r e i n e v e n t s , p a s t , p r e s e n t , a n d t o c o m e ; a n d a s C a g l i o s t

was reall y a man of observation, he made many shrew

guesses as to the future, and sometim es fortune fa voure

CAGLIOSTRO AND EGYPTIAN MASONRY 8 i

` W i s d o m , ' h a v e e x p r e s s e d t h e i r a r d e n t w i s h t o p l a c e t h e m -

s e l v e s u n d e r o u r r u l e , t o b e e n l i g h t e n e d i n t r u e M a s o n r y .



W e a r e p l e a s e d t o a c c e d e t o t h e i r w i s h , " & c .

L o d g e s a l s o w e r e f o u n d e d a t S t r a s b u r g , a l a d i e s ' l o d g e

a t T h e H a g u e , a n o t h e r a t R o v e r e d o , a n o t h e r a t M i t a u , a n d

a v e r y g r a n d o n e n e a r B a s l e , i n a s u m p t u o u s t e m p l e , e r e c t e d

f o r t h e p u r p o s e . T h e g o o d c i t i z e n s o f B a s l e a l w a y s a p -

p r o a c h e d i t w i t h f e e l i n g s o f a w e , b e c a u s e t h e y i m a g i n e d

C a g l i o s t r o d e s t i n e d i t t o b e h i s t o m b .



XXII

ADOPTIVE MASONRY

466 . H i s t o r i c a l N o t i c e .-Accord ing to one of the funda-

m e n t a l l a w s o f M a s o n r y - a n d a r u l e p r e v a i l i n g i n t h e g r e a t e r

my steries of antiq uity-women cannot be receiv ed into the

Ord er . W o m e n c a n n o t k e e p s e c r e t s , a t l e a s t s o M i l t o n s a y s ,

through the mouth of Dal il a-

° ~ G r a n t i n g , a s I d o , i t w a s a w e a k n e s s

ADOPTIVE MASONRY 8 3

a G r a n d M i s t r e s s , a n I n s p e c t o r a n d a n I n s p e c t r e s s , a D e p o s i t o r

and a Depositri x, a Conductor and a Conductress



. Theb u s i n e s s o f t h e l o d g e i s c o n d u c t e d b y t h e s i s t e r h o o d , t h e

b r e t h r e n o n l y a c t i n g a s t h e i r a s s i s t a n t s ; b ut the Grand

M i s t r e s s h a s v e r y l i t t l e t o s a y o r t o d o , s h e b e i n g o n l y a n

honorar y compa nion to the Grand Mas ter . T h e f i r s t , o r

a p p r e n t i c e ' s , d e g r e e i s o n l y i n t r o d u c t o r y ; i n t h e s e c o n d , o r

c o m p a n i o n , t h e s c e n e o f t h e t e m p t a t i o n i n E d e n i s e m b l e m a t i -

c a l l y r e p r e s e n t e d ; t h e b u i l d i n g o f t h e t o w e r o f B a b e l i s t h e

s u b j e c t o f t h e m i s t r e s s ' s d e g r e e ; a n d i n t h e f o u r t h , o r t h a t

o f p e r f e c t m i s t r e s s , t h e o f f i c e r s r e p r e s e n t M o s e s , A a r o n , a n d

t h e i r w i v e s , a n d t h e c e r e m o n i e s r e f e r t o t h e p a s s a g e o f t h e

I s r a e l i t e s t h r o u g h t h e w i l d e r n e s s , a s a s y m b o l o f t h e p a s s a g e

of men and women through this to another and better l ife .

T h e l o d g e - r o o m i s t a s t e f u l l y d e c o r a t e d , a n d d i v i d e d b y c u r -

t a i n s i n t o f o u r c o m p a r t m e n t s , e a c h r e p r e s e n t i n g o n e o f t h e

f o u r q u a r t e r s o f t h e g l o b e , t h e e a s t e r n , o r f a r t h e r m o s t , r e p r e -



XXIII

ANDROGYNOUS MASONRY469 . Origin and Tendency .-Gal lantry a l r e a d y m a k e s i t s

app earance in Adoptive Mas onry ; a n d t h i s g a l l a n t r y , w h i c h

for so ma ny ages was the study of Fra nce, and was there

r e d u c e d t o a n i n g e n i o u s a r t , m a n u f a c t u r e d o n i t s o w n a c c o u n t

r i t e s a n d d e g r e e s t h a t w e r e m a s o n i c i n n a m e o n l y . P o l i t i c

w e r e d e t h r o n e d b y a m o r o u s i n t r i g u e s ; and the enumera tors

o f g r e a t e f f e c t s s p r u n g f r o m t r i f l i n g c a u s e s m i g h t i n t h i s

ANDROGYNOUS MASONRY 8 5

C a l a t r a v a . " They, as it . were, ser ved as models to the

c a n o n e s s e s , w h o , t i l l t h e e n d o f t h e l a s t c e n t u r y , b r o u g h t



c o u r t l y p o m p a n d m u n d a n e p l e a s u r e s i n t o t h e v e r y c l o i s t e r s

o f F r a n c e , a n d c o m p e l l e d a u s t e r e m o r a l i s t s t o e x c u s e i t b y

s a y i n g t h a t i t w a s d a n s l e g o u t d e l a n a t i o n .

471 . O t h e r A n d r o g y n o u s S o c i e t i e s .- In the Ord er of the

" Compa nions of Penelope, or the Pal la di um of Lad ies, "

whose statutes are sa id to hav e been dr awn up by Fenelon

( w i t h h o w m u c h t r u t h i s e a s i l y i m a g i n e d ) , t h e t r i a l s c o n s i s t

i n showing the candi date that work is the pal la dium of

wo men ; w h e n c e w e m a y a s s u m e t h e p u r s u i t s o f t h i s s o c i e t y

t o h a v e b e e n v e r y d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h e e q u i v o c a l o c c u p a t i o n s

o f o t h e r O r d e r s . The Ord er of the "Mopses " o w e d i t s o r i g i n

t o a r e l i g i o u s s c r u p l e . Pope Clement XII. h a v i n g i s s u e d , i n

1 7 3 8 , a Bull c ondemni ng Freemas onry, Clement Augustus,

D u k e o f B a v a r i a a n d E l e c t o r o f C o l o g n e , i n s t i t u t e d , u n d e r

the ab ove nam e (deri ved fr om the German word Mops, a

y o u n g m a s t i f f , t h e s y m b o l o f f i d e l i t y ) , w h a t w a s p r e t e n d e d t o

86 SECRET SOCIETIESknown, but which existed in Pa ris in 1 7 7 7 , and was sup-

ported by the most di stinguished persons, ba d a l auda ble

c u s t o m , w h i c h m i g h t b e i m i t a t e d b y o t h e r s o c i e t i e s , v i z . , t o



i n s c r i b e i n a b o o k , o n e o f w h i c h i s s t i l l e x t a n t , t h e p r a i s e -

w o r t h y a c t i o n s o f t h e m a l e a n d f e m a l e m e m b e r s o f t h e a s s o -

c i a t i o n . B u t o n e o f t h e m o s t d e s e r v i n g m a s o n i c a n d r o g y n o u s

i n s t i t u t i o n s w a s t h a t o f t h e " S o v e r e i g n C h a p t e r o f t h e S c o t c h

L a d i e s o f F r a n c e , " f o u n d e d i n 1 8 i o , a n d d i v i d e d i n t o l e s s e r

a n d g r e a t e r m y s t e r i e s , a n d w h o s e i n s t r u c t i o n s a i m e d c h i e f l y

at leadi ng the neophyte back to the occup ations to which

t h e s t a t e o f s o c i e t y c a l l e d h i m o r h e r . To provi de food and

work for those wanting either, to afford them ad vic e and

help, and sa ve them from the cruel a lternative of cr ime-

s u c h w a s t h e s c o p e o f t h i s s o c i e t y , w h i c h l a s t e d t i l l t h e y e a r

1828 . The fashion of androgynous l odges was revi ved i n

Sp a in in 18 77 . From the C h a i n e d ' U n i o n , a ma sonic p ub-

l i c a t i o n , w e l e a r n t h a t s e v e r a l s u c h l o d g e s w e r e f o r m e d a b o u t

t h a t d a t e , r e c e i v i n g l a d i e s o f t h e h i g h e s t r a n k . Thus the


l o d g e t h e s q u a d r o n , a n d t h e s i s t e r s p e r f o r m e d t h e f i c t i t i o u s

` v o y a g e t o t h e i s l a n d o f F e l i c i t y s o n s l a v o i l e d e s f r e r e s e t

p i l o t d e s p a r e u x ;



and the candida te promised "never to

r e c e i v e a f o r e i g n s h i p i n t o h e r p o r t a s l o n g a s a s h i p o f t h e

O r d e r w a s a n c h o r e d t h e r e . "

T h e O r d e r o f t h e ` ° L o v e r s o f P l e a s u r e " w a s a m i l i t a r y

i n s t i t u t i o n , a p a l e r e v i v a l o f t h e c e r e m o n i e s o f c h i v a l r y a n d

t h e c o u r t s o f l o v e , i m p r o v i s e d i n t h e F r e n c h c a m p i n G a l i c i a .

From the di scourse of one of the orators we select the

f o l l o w i n g p a s s a g e : " O u r s c o p e i s t o e m b e ll i s h o u r e xi s t e n c e ,

a l w a y s t a k i n g f o r o u r g u i d e t h e w o r d s , ` H o n o u r , J o y , a n d

D e l i c a c y . ' O u r s c o p e , m o r e o v e r , i s t o b e f a i t h f u l t o o u r

c o u n t r y a n d t h e a u g u s t s o v e r e i g n w h o f i l l s t h e u n i v e r s e w i t h

h i s g l o r i o u s n a m e , t o s e r v e a c a u s e w h i c h o u g h t t o b e g r a t e f u l

t o e v e r y g e n t l e s o u l , t h a t o f p r o t e c t i n g y o u t h a n d i n n o c e n c e ,

a n d o f e s t a b l i s h i n g b e t w e e n t h e l a d i e s a n d o u r s e l v e s a n

e t e r n a l a l l i a n c e , c e m e n t e d b y t h e p u r e s t f r i e n d s h i p . " T h i s

s o c i e t y , i t i s s a i d , w a s m u c h f a v o u r e d b y N a p o l e o n I . , a n d

8 8 SECRET SOCIETIEScovered with love-knots, whereupon the iron chains were

t a k e n o f f , a n d g a r l a n d s o f f l o w e r s , c a l l e d " c h a i n s o f l o v e , "

s u b s t i t u t e d . The ca ndid ates' were then conducted to the



a l t a r , w h e r e t h e y t o o k t h e o a t h o f s e c r e c y ; and thence to

the my sterious groves i n the neighbourhood of the Templ e

o f L o v e , w h e r e i n c e n s e w a s o f f e r e d u p t o V e n u s a n d h e r s o n .

I f i t w a s a k n i g h t w h o h a d b e e n i n i t i a t e d , h e e x c h a n g e d h i s

c r o w n o f m y r t l e f o r t h e r o s e o f t h e l a s t i n i t i a t e d n y m p h ;

a n d i f a n y m p h , s h e e x c h a n g e d h e r r o s e f o r t h e m y r t l e c r o w n

of Brother Sentim ent . T h e h o r r o r s o f t h e R e v o l u t i o n s c a t -

t e r e d t h e s e k n i g h t s a n d n y m p h s , w h o , l i k e t h o u g h t l e s s c h i l -

d r e n , w e r e p l a y i n g o n a v o l c a n o .

474 .Germ an Order of the Rose .- Another order of the

Rose was founded i n Germa ny in 1784 by one Francis

Matthaus Grossi nger, who ennobled him self b y as suming

t h e t i t l e o f F r a n c i s R u d o l p h v o n G r o s s i n g . He was b orn

i n 1752 at Komorn, in Hungar y ; h i s f a t h e r w a s a b u t c h e r ,

h i s m o t h e r t h e d a u g h t e r o f a t a n n e r . G r o s s i n g w a s a J e s u i t ,


si lhouette, supp osed to repr esent the Lad y of Rosenwald ,

s o i n d i s t i n c t a n d b l u r r e d , a s t o l o o k m o r e l i k e a b l o t t h a n a

p o r t r a i t . M e m b e r s a l s o w e r e f u r n i s h e d w i t h a s m a l l t i c k e t ,



g i v i n g t h e e x p l a n a t i o n o f c e r t a i n t e r m s u s e d b y G r o s s i n g i n

his "Rules a nd Regulations" ; t h u s F r e e m a s o n s w e r e c a l l e d

" Gamblers " ; J e s u i t s , " Fox es " ; I l l u m i n a t i , " W a s p s " ;

G h o s t - s e e r s , " G n a t s , " & c . The " Rules " were called " A

Shell or Cas e for Thorns " ; members, to recognise each

o t h e r , w o u l d s a y , " Thorns," to which the other would

r e p l y , " F o r e s t , " a f t e r w h i c h e a c h w o u l d p r o d u c e h i s r i b b o n

a n d t i c k e t . In 1786 the Ord er c ounted a bout one hundred

a n d t w e n t y , m e m b e r s , b u t h a v i n g n o i n n a t e v i t a l i t y , b e i n g , i n

f a c t , b u t a c o m p a n y o f t r i f l e r s , m a n y o f t h e m w i t h d r e w o n

findi ng the whole Ord er but a sc heme of Gr ossing to put

money into his p ocket, and s o it was swept away i nto the

l i m b u s o f f a s h i o n a b l e f o l l i e s .

476 . O r d e r of Harmony .- The Ord er of the Rose havi ng

c o l l a p s e d , G r o s s i n g i n 1 7 8 8 f o u n d e d , u n d e r a f i c t i t i o u s n a m e ,

90 SECRET SOCIETIES

master ma sons, their wives, and unmarried s isters an

d a u g h t e r s . I t r e f e r s t o c i r c u m s t a n c e s r e c o r d e d i n c h a p t e r s

x i . a n d xi i . o f S t . J o h n ' s G o s p e l . I n t h e s e w o m e n ' s l o d g e s



t h e b a n q u e t i n g h a l l i s d i v i d e d i n t o E a s t , W e s t , S o u t h , a n d

N o r t h s i d e s ( t h e f o u r w a l l s ) ; t h e g r a n d m i s t r e s s s i t s i n t h e

E a s t ; t h e t e m p l e o r l o dg e i s c a l l e d E de n ; t h e d o o r s a r

c a l l e d b a r r i e r s , t h e g l a s s e s , l a m p s , t h e w i n e i s c a l l e d r e d o i l

t o p u t o i l i n t h e l a m p s i s t o f i l l t h e g l a s s e s , t o e x t i n g u i s h t h e

l a m p i s t o d r i n k t h e w i n e , t o " f i r e ! " i s t o d r i n k . T h e s i g

i s t o p l a c e t h e h a n d s o n t h e b r e a s t , s o t h a t t h e r i g h t l i e s o n

t h e l e f t , a n d t h e t w o t h u m b s j o i n i n g f o r m a t r i a n g l e . The

w o r d i s 1 1 E v e , " r e p e a t e d f i v e t i m e s . G e n t l e m e n a r e a l l o w e d

t o b e p r e s e n t . A s t h e r e a d e r w i l l h a v e o b s e r v e d , t h e d e g r e e

i s a n i m i t a t i o n o f t h e L o g e I m p 4 r i a l e d ' A d o p t i o n d e s F r a n c s

C h e v a l i e r s , d e s c r i b e d i n § 4 6 6 .



XXIV

SCHISMATIC RITES AND SECTS

4 7 8 . S c h i s m a t i c R i t e s a n d S e c t s .-The p r e t e n d e d d e r i v a t i o n

of Freemasonry fr om the Knights Temp lar s has a lr eady b een

r e f e r r e d t o ; b u t M a s o n r y , t h e s y s t e m , n o t t h e n a m e , e x i s t e d

before the Ord er of the Templ e, a nd the Templ ar s them-

selves had mas onic rites and degrees three hundred years

b e f o r e t h e i r d o w n f a l l . Those who, however, m ai ntain the

92 SECRET SOCIETIES"What was it before? Nothing." The members met ever

y e a r i n t h e c h a p e l o f t h e C a s t l e o f G n a d e n s t a d t , a n d a l s o

kept the 15th M ar ch and 16th Apr i l as holy d ay s



Nearl y a ll the degrees of the Scotch rite are s chism atic

In lik e manner, al l the Engli sh and America n orders of

c h i v a l r y , a n d t h e i r c o n c l a v e s a n d e n c a m p m e n t s , a r e p a r o d i e s

o f a n c i e n t c h i v a l r y .

I n 1 9 5 8 , L a c o r n e , a d a n c i n g - m a s t e r , a n d P i r l e t , a t a i l o r ,

inv ented the degree of the " Counci l of the Emp erors o

the East a nd West," whose mem bers ass umed the titles o

" S o v e r e i g n P r i n c e M a s o n s , S u b s t i t u t e s G e n e r a l o f t h e R o y a

Art, G rand Superintendents and Offi cers of the Grand a nd

Sovereign Lodge of St. John of Jerusal em ." The ri tua

c o n s i s t e d o f t w e n t y - f i v e d e g r e e s , a n d a s i t w a s c a l c u l a t e

b y i t s s o u n d i n g t i t l e s a n d s p l e n d o u r o f r i t u a l t o f l a t t e r t h

v a n i t y o f t h e f r i v o l o u s , i t w a s a t f i r s t v e r y s u c c e s s f u l ; a n

Lac orne conferred on one of his c reatures , a Hebrew, the

degree of Inspector, a nd sent him to Amer ic a to sprea d

SCHISMATIC RITES AND SECTS 93

t h e , R u s s i a n s i d e n t i f y w i t h t h e F r e e m a s o n s , a n d t h e r e f o r e

c a l l " F a r m a s s o n i , " a c o r r u p t i o n o f f r a n c - m a c o n s . The Far-

m a s s o n i r e g a r d p r i e s t h o o d a n d r i t u a l a s a p a g a n d e p r a v a t i o n



o f t h e f a i t h a n d o f t h e t r u e d o c t r i n e ; t h e y s e e k , a s m u c h a s

p o s s i b l e , t o s p i r i t u a l i s e C h r i s t i a n i t y , a n d t o g r o u n d i t s o l e l y

o n t h e B i b l e a n d t h e i n w a r d i l l u m i n a t i o n o f b e l i e v e r s . The

e a r l i e s t t r a c e s o f t h e m a r e t o b e f o u n d a t t h e e n d o f t h e

seventeenth century, and their ap pear ance coinci des with

t h a t o f c e r t a i n G e r m a n m y s t i c s a n d t h e o s o p h i s t s i n M o s c o w .

T h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t o f t h e s e w a s a P r u s s i a n s u b - o f f i c e r , w h o

was ca rri ed to Moscow, havi ng been taken pr isoner b y the

Russi ans d uring the Seven Year s' Wa r .

4 8 0 . T h e G o r m o g o n e s . - T h i s O r d e r w a s f o u n d e d i n E n g l a n d

i n 1 7 2 4 . The nam es and b irthpla ces of the members were

written in cip her, and the Ord er was sa id to have been

brought by a Chinese manda ri n (a Jesuit miss ionary ?) to

England, it b eing in great rep ute in China (Rome), and

t o p o s s e s s e x t r a o r d i n a r y s e c r e t s

94 SECRET SOCIETIESwith the "Noachi te or Russia n Knight," which is the 21st

d e g r e e o f t h e A n c i e n t S c o t c h r i t e .

482 . Argonauts.-This O r d e r w a s f o u n d e d , f o r h i s a m u s e -



ment, b y a Freemason, Konrad von Rhetz, r esidi ng at

Rid da gshausen, near Brunswick . He had been the ma ster

o f a l o d g e o f t h e R e l a x e d O b s e r v a n c e , b u t f e l l o u t w i t h h i s

brethren, and ceased f rom vi siting any lodge . Near hi s

r e s i d e n c e t h e r e i s a l a r g e l a k e w i t h a n i s l a n d i n t h e c e n t r e .

O n t h i s h e b u i l t a t e m p l e a n d p r o v i d e d b o a t s t o c a r r y v i s i t o r s

t o i t , w h e r e , i f t h e y d e s i r e d i t , t h e y w e r e i n i t i a t e d i n t o t h e

new Ord er . Persons of posi tion and of either sex mi ght

cl ai m reception as a ma tter of right, and ma ny Brunswick

Freemas ons belonged to it . The Gra nd Mas ter, or Gra nd

A d m i r a l a s h e w a s c a l l e d , e n t e r t a i n e d a l l v i s i t o r s f r e e o f

expense, nor was there any cha rge for initia tion . Theg r e e t i n g w a s " L o n g l i v e p l e a s u r e ! " T h e t e m p l e w a s b u i l t

i n t h e a n t i q u e s t y l e , t h o u g h w i t h q u a i n t d e c o r a t i o n s a n d ' a

SCHISMATIC RITES AND SECTS 95

t h e w o r k o f t h e l o d g e , t h e y a b o l i s h e d t h e p r a c t i c e o f s t u d y -

ing geometry, exc epting that form mentioned by Hudi br as -



" F o r h e , b y g e o m e t r i c s c a l e ,

C o u l d t a k e t h e s i z e o f p o t s o f a l e ;

R e s o l v e b y s i n e s a n d t a n g e n t s s t r a i g h t ,

I f b r e a d o r b u t t e r w a n t e d w e i g h t . "

Some of the memb ers pr oved that a good knife and fork in

the hands of a dexterous brother, over pr oper ma teria ls,

w o u l d g i v e g r e a t e r s a t i s f a c t i o n a n d a d d m o r e t o t h e r o t u n -

d i t y o f t h e l o d g e t h a n t h e b e s t s c a l e a n d c o m p a s s i n E u r o p e ;

a d d i n g t h a t a l i n e , a s q u a r e , a p a r a l l e l o g r a m , a r h o m b u s , a

r h o m b o i d , a t r i a n g l e , a t r a p e z i u m , a c i r c l e , a s e m i - c i r c l e , a

q u a d r a n t , a p a r a b o l a , a h y p e r b o l a , a c u b e , a p a r a l l e l e p i p e d o n ,

a p r i s m , a p r i s m o i d , a p y r a m i d , a c y l i n d e r , a c u r v e , a c y l i n -

d r o i d , a s p h e r e , a s p h e r o i d , a p a r a b o l o i d , a c y c l o i d , a p a r a -

c e n t r i c , f r u s t u m s , s e g m e n t s , s e c t o r s , g n o m o n s , p e n t a g o n s ,

h e x a g o n s , p o l y g o n s , e l l i p s e s , a n d i r r e g u l a r f i g u r e s o f a l l s o r t s ,



xxv

DIFFUSION OF THE ORDER48 5 . Freema sonry in Spa in and Portugal . - - - I n 1 7 2 6 , t h

G r a n d L o d g e o f E n g l a n d g r a n t e d a p a t e n t f o r t h e e s t a b l i s h

m e n t o f a l o d g e a t G i b r a l t a r ; a nother wa s f ounded in th

f o l l o w i n g y e a r a t M a d r i d , w h i c h , d e c l a r i n g i t s e l f i n d e p e n d e n t

o f f o r e i g n s u p e r v i s i o n , e s t a b l i s h e d . l o d g e s a t C a d i z , B a r c e l o n a

V a l l a d o l i d , a n d o t h e r p l a c e s . The Inquisi tion, s eeing th

da nger that threatened the Church, persec uted the Ord er

DIFFUSION OF THE ORDER y r

Petersb urg, and sent thither a Gr and Ma ster . The Or der

s p r e a d i n t h e p r o v i n c e s , a n d i n 1763 t h e l o d g e " C l i o " was

opened at Moscow. C a t h e r i n e I I . w i s h e d t o k n o w i t s s t a t u t e s ,

p e r c e i v i n g t h e a d v a n t a g e o r i n j u r y t h e y m i g h t b r i n g t o h e r



g o v e r n m e n t a s s h e e i t h e r p r o m o t e d o r p e r s e c u t e d t h e a s s o c i a -

t i o n . I n t h e e n d s h e d e t e r m i n e d t o p r o t e c t t h e O r d e r ; and

i n a c o u n t r y w h e r e t h e c o u r t l e a d s o p i n i o n , l o d g e s s o o n b e -

ca me the fashion . But Mas onry thus becomi ng the amuse-

m e n t o f a w e a l t h y n o b i l i t y , i t s o o n l o s t s i g h t o f i t s p r i m i t i v e

o b j e c t s . In no other country . p r o b a b l y d i d t h e b r o t h e r h o o d

p o s s e s s s u c h g o r g e o u s t e m p l e s ; b u t , d e p r i v e d o f t h e v i v i f y -

i n g a n d i n v i g o r a t i n g a i r o f l i b e r t y , i t s s p l e n d o u r c o u l d n o t

s a v e i t f r o m a d e a t h o f i n a n i t i o n .

487 . Freemas onry in Switzerl and . -E n g l i s h p r o s e l y t i s m ,

a l w a y s t h e m o s t a c t i v e , e s t a b l i s h e d a l o d g e a t G e n e v a i n 1 7 3 7 ,

whose firs t Grand M aster was George Ham ilton . Two year s

a f t e r w a r d s , t h e f o r e i g n e r s d w e l l i n g a t L a u s a n n e u n i t e d a n d

f o u n d e d t h e l o d g e c a l l e d t h e " P e r f e c t U n i o n o f F o r e i g n e r s . "

98 SECRET SOCIETIES489. Freemasonry i n Holland and Germ any .- In Holl an

the Freema sons opened a l odge in 1 7 3 1 ,under the war ra n

of the Gra nd Lodge of England ; i t w a s , h o w e v e r , o n l y w h a

i s c a l l e d a l o d g e o f e m e r g e n c y , h a v i n g b e e n c a l l e d t o i n i t i a t



the Duke of Tusca ny, af terward s Franci s I., Emperor o

G e r m a n y ( 4 5 4 ) . T h e f i r s t r e g u l a r l o d g e w a s e s t a b l i s h e d a

The Hague in 1 7 3 4 , w h i c h , f i v e y e a r s a f t e r , t o o k t h e n a m e o

« M o t h e r - l o d g e ." Numer ous lodges were opened throughou

t h e c o u n t r y , a n d a l s o i n t h e D u t c h c o l o n i e s ; and the Free

ma sons founded m any s chools, with the avowed object o

w i t h d r a w i n g i n s t r u c t i o n f r o m c l e r i c a l i n f l u e n c e .

In Germany lodges were numerous as early as the mid dle

o f l a s t c e n t u r y , s o t h a t i n t h e p r e s e n t o n e w e h a v e w i t n e s s e d

t h e c e n t e n a r i e s o f m a n y o f t h e m - a s , f o r i n s t a n c e , i n 1 8 3 7

of that of Ham burg ; i n 1 8 4 0 , o f t h a t o f B e r l i n ; i n 1 8 4 1

o f t h o s e o f B r e s l a u , B a i r e u t h , L e i p z i g , a n d m a n y m o r e .

490 . F r e e m a s o n r y i n T u r k e y , A s i a , A f r i c a , a n d O c e a n i a .

T h e O r d e r a l s o s p r e a d i n t o T u r k e y , w h e r e , h o w e v e r , a s m a

DIFFUSION OF THE ORDER 99

Y o r k r i t e , w h i l s t t h e C l e r i c s , M o n a r c h i s t s , a n d C e n t r a l i z e r s

a d o p t e d t h e S c o t c h r i t e , t h e t w o p a r t i e s c a r r y i n g o n a r e -

l e n t l e s s w a r . T e x a s , V e n e z u e l a , a n d t h e t u r b u l e n t r e p u b l i c s



o f S o u t h A m e r i c a , a l l h a d t h e i r m a s o n i c l o d g e s , w h i c h w e r e

i n m a n y c a s e s p o l i t i c a l c l u b s i n d i s g u i s e . T h u s t h e a s s a s s i -

n a t i o n o f G a r c i a M o r e n o , t h e P r e s i d e n t o f t h e R e p u b l i c o f

E c u a d o r , i n 1 8 7 5 , w a s t h e w o r k o f t h e m a s o n i c c l u b s . The

m u r d e r e r , o n e R a j o , o n b e i n g p r o m i s e d h i s l i f e i f h e w o u l d

d e n o u n c e h i s a c c o m p l i c e s , c o o l l y r e p l i e d : " I t w o u l d b e u s e -

l e s s t o s a v e m y l i f e ; i f y o u s p a r e d i t , m y c o m p a n i o n s w o u l d

s o o n t a k e i t ; I w o u l d r a t h e r b e s h o t t h a n s t a b b e d. "

T h e l o d g e s i n t h e t e r r i t o r y n o w f o r m i n g t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

d a t e a s f ar b a c k a s 1 7 2 9 . U n t i l t h e c l o s e o f t h e r e v o l u t i o na r y

w a r t h e s e w e r e u n d e r t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n o f t h e G r a n d L o d g e o f

Engla nd ; b u t a l m o s t e v e r y S t a t e o f t h e U n i o n n o w h a s i t s

o w n G r a n d L o d g e , i n d e p e n d e n t o f a l l f o r e i g n p o w e r .

I n d i f f e r e n t p a r t s o f t h e g l o b e t h e r e a r e a b o u t 9o Grand

Lodges, near ly 1 2 , 0 0 0 lodges, numbering al together about



XXVI

P ERSECUTIONS OF FREEMASONRY

492 . C a u s e s o f P e r s e c u t i o n .-The secr ecy with whic h the

m a s o n i c b r o t h e r h o o d h a s a l w a y s s u r r o u n d e d i t s p r o c e e d i n g s

i s , n o d o u b t h i g h l y g r a t e f u l t o t h e m e m b e r s , b u t i t h a s i t s

d r aw b ac k s . The outsid e worl d, who ca nnot beli eve that

m a s o n i c m e e t i n g s , w h i c h a r e s o j e a l o u s l y g u a r d e d a g a i n s t t h e

i n t r u s i o n o f n o n - M a s o n s , h a v e n o o t h e r p u r p o s e t h a n t h e r e -

h e a r s a l o f a n o w t o t a l l y u s e l e s s a n d p o i n t l e s s r i t u a l , f o l l o w e d

PERSECUTIONS OF FREEMASONRY 101

The parl iam ent of Par is, however, r efused to register the

p a p a l b u l l ; and an ap ology for the Order was publi shed at

Dublin . B u t P h i l i p V



. o f S p a i n d e c l a r e d t h e g a l l e y s f o r l i f e ,

o r p u n i s h m e n t o f d e a t h w i t h t o r t u r e t o b e t h e d o o m o f F r e e -

ma sons ; a very la rge number of whom he caused to be

a r r e s t e d a n d s e n t e n c e d . P e t e r T o r r u b i a , G r a n d I n q u i s i t o r o f

S p a i n , h a v i n g f i r s t m a d e c o n f e s s i o n a n d r e c e i v e d a b s o l u t i o n ,

e n t e r e d t h e O r d e r f o r t h e e x p r e s s p u r p o s e o f b e t r a y i n g i t .

He joined in 1751, a nd ma de himsel f ac quai nted with the

e n t i r e r a m i f i c a t i o n s o f t h e c r a f t ; and in consequence memb ers

o f n i n e t y - s e v e n l o d g e s w e r e s e i z e d a n d t o r t u r e d o n t h e r a c k .

Ferd ina nd VI. d e c l a r e d F r e e m a s o n r y t o b e h i g h - t r e a s o n , a n d

punishabl e with death. When the French bec am e ma sters

o f S p a i n , F r e e m a s o n r y w a s r e v i v e d a n d o p e n l y p r a c t i s e d , t h e

memb ers of the Gra nd Lodge of Ma dr id meeting in the hall

previously occupied by their a rch-enemy the Inquisition .

With the return of Ferd ina nd VII . , w h o r e - e s t a b l i s h e d t h e

102 SECRET SOCIETIESf o r n o t r e v e a l i n g t h e s e c r e t s o f M a s o n r y . He had , however,

t o a p p e a r i n a n a u t o - d a f f , a n d w a s s e n t e n c e d t o f i v e y e a r s '

w o r k a s a g a l l e y s l a v e ; b u t t h e B r i t i s h G o v e r n m e n t c l a i m i n g



him a s a subject, he was released before the term of his

punishment expi red . Thirty- three years pa ssed without

anything more being hear d of Freema sonry i n Portugal ;

but in 1776, two members of the cra ft were arr ested, and

remai ned upwards of fourteen months in p ris on . In 1792,

Queen Maria I . o r d e r e d a l l F r e e m a s o n s t o b e d e l i v e r e d o v e r

t o t h e I n q u i s i t i o n ; a v e r y f e w f a m i l i e s e s c a p e d t o N e w Y o r k ,

w h e r e t h e y l a n d e d w i t h t h e w o r d s , Asylum q uwrim us . Amongt h e i r A m e r i c a n b r e t h r e n t h e y f o u n d n o t o n l y a n a s y l u m , b u t

a new home . The French Emp ir e ushered in better da ys ;

b u t w i t h t h e r e s t o r a t i o n o f t h e o l d r e g i m e c a m e t h e f o r m e r

p r e j u d i c e s a n d p e r s e c u t i o n s . In 181 8, John VI . p r o m u l g a t e d

f r o m t h e B r a z i l s a n e d i c t a g a i n s t a l l s e c r e t s o c i e t i e s , i n c l u d -

ing Freemasonry ; and, agai n in 1823, a sim ila r though

PERSECUTIONS OF FREEMASONRY 103

i n t r o d u c t i o n ( 1 7 3 6 ) o f F r e e m a s o n r y , f o r b a d e i t u n d e r p e n a l t y

o f d e a t h . A t p r e s e n t t h e k i n g i s a t t h e h e a d o f t h e S w e d i s h

c r a f t . T h e K i n g F r e d e r i c k A u g u s t u s , I I I . o f P o l a n d c a u s e d ,



i n 1 7 3 0 , e n a c t m e n t s t o b e p u b l i s h e d , f o r b i d d i n g , u n d e r p a i n

o f s e v e r e p u n i s h m e n t , t h e p r a c t i c e o f F r e e m a s o n r y i n h i s

kingdom, I n 1 7 5 7 , t h e S y n o d o f S t i r l i n g a d o p t e d a r e -

s o l u t i o n d e b a r r i n g a l l F r e e m a s o n s f r o m t h e o r d i n a n c e s o f

r e l i g i o n . In 1799, Lord Radnor pr oposed i n the English

P a r l i a m e n t a b i l l a g a i n s t s e c r e t s o c i e t i e s , a n d e s p e c i a l l y

a g a i n s t F r e e m a s o n r y ; a n d a s i m i l a r b u t e q u a l l y f r u i t l e s s

attempt a gainst the Ord er was m ad e in 1814 by Lord

L i v e r p o o l . The Society is now acknowledged by law ; t h e

P r i n c e o f W a l e s i s a t t h e h e a d o f t h e c r a f t .

494 . Anti - M a s o n i c P u b l i c a t i o n s .-n e o f t h e e a r l i e s t

E n g l i s h p u b l i c a t i o n s a g a i n s t F r e e m a s o n r y i s "The Free-

ma sons ; an Hudib ra stic Poem" (London, 1 7 2 3 ) . I t i s

w r i t t e n i n t h e c o a r s e s t s t y l e o f i n v e c t i v e , d e s c r i b i n g t h e

M a s o n s a s a d r u n k e n s e t o f r e v e l l e r s , p r a c t i s i n g k i n d s

104 SECRET SOCIETIES

Lindner's "Mac -Benach" (1818 ), and Hengstenberg's and

M o l l e r ' s i n q u i t e r e c e n t y e a r s , a r e s a m p l e s o f s u c h w r i t i n g s .

O n e o f t h e m o s t v o l u m i n o u s w o r k s a g a i n s t F r e e m a s o n r y



i s t h a t o f D r . E . E . E c k e r t , o f D r e s d e n . I t i s i n t h r e e t h i c k

v o l u m e s , p r i n t e d a t v a r i o u s p l a c e s ( 1 8 5 . 2 - 8 0 ) . T h e t i t l e i s ,

" Pr oofs for the Condemnation of Freema sonry a s the

S t a r t i n g P o i n t o f a l l D e s t r u c t i v e A c t i v i t y ." He sees

Ma sonry everywhere, even i n C h i n e s e s e c r e t s o c i e t i e s !

A c c o r d i n g t o E c k e r t , F r e e m a s o n s w e r e t h e o r i g i n a t o r s o f

the Illuminati and Burschenschaft in Germany, of the

J a c o b i n s a n d J u s t e M i l i e u i n F r a n c e , o f t h e C a r b o n a r i i n

I t a l y , o f t h e L i b e r a l s i n S p a i n , a n d t h e G i o v i n e I t a l i a !

H e w a s e x p e l l e d f r o m B e r l i n i n c o n s e q u e n c e o f h i s a t t a c k s

o n h i g h l y - p l a c e d M a s o n s . T h e l a t e s t w o r k o f i m p o r t a n c e

h o s t i l e t o M a s o n r y i s b y t h e l a t e P e r e D e s c h a m p s , i n t h r e e

l a r g e v o l u m e s , e n t i t l e d , " L e s S o c i 6 t e s S e c r e t e s e t l a S o c i r t e "

( P a r i s a n d A v i g n o n , 1 8 8 2 - 8 3 ) . T h e w r i t e r , a p r i e s t , s e e s o n l y

PERSECUTIONS OF FREEMASONRY 1 0 5

u n t r u t h o f t h i s s t a t e m e n t w a s s e r i o u s l y d e b a t e d by the

" l e a r n e d d i v i n e s " a s s e m b l e d a t T r e n t ! A n d t h e y l e f t t h e

m a t t e r i n d o u b t . T h e r e v e r e n d f a t h e r s s e e m t o h a v e b e e n



p a r t i c u l a r l y s h o c k e d a t t h e l i b e r t i e s t a k e n w i t h t h e d e v i l ' s

p e r s o n a l i t y ; y e t t h e y m u s t k n o w t h a t t h e d e v i l h a s f o r a g e s

b e e n a n o b j e c t o f r i d i c u l e , t h e t h e m e o f r i b a l d s o n g s a n d

j o k e s e v e n i n t h e m y s t e r y p l a y s .

Dr . B a t a i l l e w r o t e a b o o k e n t i t l e d , 1 1 The Devil in the

N i n e t e e n t h C e n t u r y , " w h i c h i s a s p e c i m e n o f t h e g r o s s e s t

s u p e r s t i t i o n , w h i c h w a s r i d i c u l e d i n a r e p l y a f t e r w a r d s p u b -

l i s h e d b y a C o u n t H. C . , a n d w h e r e i n h e r e g r e t s t h a t a l a r g e

n u m b e r o f h i g h p e r s o n a g e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y a m o n g t h e c l e r g y ,

should have been thus i mposed upon . Dr . B a t a i l l e i n h i s

b o o k r e f e r r e d l a r g e l y t o d e v i l - w o r s h i p i n t h e E a s t ; C o u n tH . C . c o n t r a d i c t s m o s t o f t h e d o c t o r ' s s t a t e m e n t s .

XXVII



FU TILITY OF MODERN FREEMASONRY

495 .V a i n P r e t e n s i o n s o f M o d e r n F r e e m a s o n r y .-After t h i s

n e c e s s a r i l y c o m p r e s s e d a c c o u n t o f F r e e m a s o n r y , p a s t a n d p r e -

s e n t , t h e q u e s t i o n n a t u r a l l y s u g g e s t s i t s e l f - W h a t i s i t s p r e s e n t

u s e ? Are its pr etensi ons not groundl ess? Is it not a n

i n s t i t u t i o n w h i c h h a s o u t l i v e d t h e o b j e c t o f i t s f o u n d a t i o n ?

I s n o t i t s p r e s e n t e x i s t e n c e a d e l u s i o n a n d a n a n a c h r o n i s m ?

S i n c e a l l t h a t i s s a i d a n d d o n e i n t h e l o d g e s h a s f o r m a n y

y e a r s b e e n i n p r i n t , i s t h e h o l d i n g o u t o f t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n

o f s e c r e t s n o t a d e l u s i o n , a n d t h e i m p o s i t i o n o f c h i l d i s h o a t h s

not a f ar ce? The answers to all these questions m ust be

FUTII4TY OF MODERN FREEMASONRY i o 7

496 . V a n i t y o f M a s o n i c C e r e m o n i a l .-There a r e t h o u s a n d s

o f e x c e l l e n t m e n w h o h a v e e n e v e r s e e n t h e i n s i d e o f a l o d g e ,

and y et ar e genuine Freema sons, i . e . liberal -minded and



enlightened men, d evoted to the study of Nature and the

p r o g r e s s o f m a n k i n d , m o r a l a n d i n t e l l e c t u a l ; men devoid of

a l l p o l i t i c a l a n d r e l i g i o u s p r e j u d i c e s , t r u e c o s m o p o l i t a n s .

And there ar e thousands who have p as sed through every

ma sonic d egree, and y et ar e not Masons ; men who tak e

a p p e a r a n c e s f o r r e a l i t i e s , t h e m e a n s f o r t h e e n d , t h e c e r e -

monies of the lodge for Freema sonry . But the lod ge, with

a l l i t s s y m b o l s , i s o n l y t h e form o f t h e m a s o n i c t h o u g h t . In

t h e p r e s e n t a g e , h o w e v e r , t h i s f o r m , w h i c h w a s very s u i t a b l e ,

n a y , n e c e s s a r y , f o r t h e t i m e w h e n i t w a s i n s t i t u t e d , b e c o m e s

a n anachronism . The a f f e c t a t i o n o f M p o s s e s s i n g a , _ s e c r e t _ i s

a c h i l d i s h a n d m i s c h i e v o u s w a X n e s s . T h ' e ' objects modern

M a s o n s p r o f e s s t o p u r s u e a r e b r o t h e r l y l o v e , r e l i e f , a n d t r u t h ;

s u r e l y t h e p u r s u i t o f t h e s e o b j e c t s c a n n o t n e e d a n y s e c r e t

i o 8 SECRET SOCIETIES

cr eate a ma rk et for their goods- who mi ght do some good

by teaching moral and natural philosophy from a d eeper

ground than the scholas tic and grossl y ma teri al b asi s on



w h i c h a l l t e a c h i n g a t p r e s e n t i s f o u n d e d , a n d b y r e s c u i n g

sci ence fr om the degra ded position of handma iden to mere

p h y s i c a l c o m f o r t , i n t o w h i c h m o d e r n m a t e r i a l i s m h a s f o r c e d i t

4 9 8 .Decay of Freema sonry .- The mor e I study Free

ma sonry, the more I am repell ed by i ts pretences . Thef a c i l i t y a n d f r e q u e n c y w i t h w h i c h w o r t h l e s s c h a r a c t e r s a r e

r e c e i v e d i n t o t h e O r d e r ; t h e m a n n e r i n w h i c h a l l i t s s t a t u t e s

a r e d i s r e g a r d e d ; t h e d i s l i k e w i t h w h i c h e v e r y b r o t h e r w h o

i n s i s t s o n r e f o r m i s l o o k e d u p o n b y t h e r e s t ; t h e d i f f i c u l t y

of expelli ng obnoxious m embers ; t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f m a n y

s p u r i o u s r i t e s , a n d t h e d e c e p t i v e n e s s o f t h e r i t e s t h e m s e l v e s ,

d e s i g n e d t o e x c i t e c u r i o s i t y w i t h o u t e v e r s a t i s f y i n g i t ; t h

p u e r i l i t y o f t h e s y m b o l i s m ; t h e p a l t r i n e s s o f t h e s e c r e t w h e n

r e v e a l e d t o t h e c a n d i d a t e , a n d h i s i l l - c o n c e a l e d d i s g u s t w h e n

FUTILITY OF MODERN FREEMASONRY i o 9

r e n e w e d , f o r n o t e v e n t h e M a s o n i c m a r r i a g e s , i n t r o d u c e d b y

F r e n c h l o d g e s , w i l l p e r p e t u a t e i t s e x i s t e n c e . I h a v e b e f o r e m e

a c c o u n t s o f t w o s u c h m a r r i a g e s , p e r f o r m e d w i t h o u t t h e u s u a l

e c c l e s i a s t i c o r c i v i l c e r e m o n i e s , t h e o n e i n t h e l o d g e La



Fra nce Mac onniq ue in Paris in 1,887, and the other in a

l o d g e a t T o u l o u s e , i n t h e s a m e y e a r , a s a l s o o f t w o o t h e r s ,

c e l e b r a t e d i n P a r i s , i n 1 8 8 2 , w h e n M . E l y s 6 , e R e c l u s , a F r e e -

m a s o n , a n d o n e o f t h e f i v e w e l l - k n o w n A n a r c h i s t b r o t h e r s ,

g a v e a w a y t w o o f h i s d a u g h t e r s t o t w o b r o t h e r s , a t a d i n n e r

h e l d i n a p r i v a t e h o u s e , s i m p l y d e c l a r i n g t h e t w o c o u p l e s

b y t h a t m e r e d e c l a r a t i o n t o b e m a r r i e d . But the lad ies d o

n o t a p p r o v e o f t h e s e h o l e - a n d - c o r n e r e s p o u s a l s .

499 .Mas onic Opi nions of Masonry. - M a s ons have been

very indi gnant with me for m ak ing these statements ; b u t

h o n e s t m e m b e r s o f t h e c r a f t k n o w , a n d o c c a s i o n a l l y a d m i t ,

t h a t I a m r i g h t . In 1798 a Ma son wrote in the Monthly

M a g a z i n e , "The landlord ( who is a lways a b rother) p ro-

m o t e s h a r m o n y , a s i t i s c a l l e d , b y p r o v i d i n g c h o i c e s u p p e r s

' 1 1 0 SECRET SOCIETIESa n d p l a t i t u d e s . I t s ' p e r i o d i c a l l i t e r a t u r e - i n t h i s c o u n t r y a

a l l e v e n t s - i s e s s e n t i a l l y o f t h e G r u b S t r e e t k i n d , c o n s i s t i n

o f m e r e t r a d e - c i r c u l a r s , s u p p o r t e d b y p u f f i n g m a s o n i c t r a d e s

m e n a n d v a i n o f f i c i a l s , w h o l i k e t o h a v e t h e i r w o r k i n g i



t h e l o d g e t r u m p e t e d f o r t h i n a f a s h i o n w h i c h o c c a s i o n a l l

t r e n c h e s o n i m b e c i l i t y , a s c o u l d r e a d i l y b e s h o w n b y e x t r a c t

from newspaper reports . All attempts per ma nently t

e s t a b l i s h m a s o n i c p e r i o d i c a l s o f a h i g h e r o r d e r h a v e h i t h e r t

fai led f rom want of encouragement. The fac t is, men o

e d u c a t i o n t a k e v e r y l i t t l e i n t e r e s t i n M a s o n r y , f o r i t h a

n o t h i n g t o o f f e r t h e m i n a n i n t e l l e c t u a l p o i n t o f v i e w ; b e

ca use even Ma sons who have attai ned to every n e p l u s u l t r

o f t h e i n s t i t u t i o n , k n o w l i t t l e o f i t s o r i g i n a n d m e a n i n g .

5ooa . T h e Q u a t u o r C o r o n a t i L o d g e .-The l i t e r a r y ' s h o r

c o m i n g s o f M a s o n r y I h a v e , i n t h e i n t e r e s t s o f t r u t h , a n d a

a n i m p a r t i a l h i s t o r i a n b e e n c o m p e l l e d t o p o i n t o u t i n t h

p r e v i o u s s e c t i o n , h a v e b e e n r e c o g n i s e d b y i n t e l l i g e n t M a s o n s

a n d s u c h r e c o g n i t i o n h a s , i n . 1 8 8 4 , l e d t o t h e f o u n da t i o n o



INTERNATIONAL, COM M U NE, AND

ANARCHISTS

5 o 1 . I n t r o d u c t o r y R e m a r k s . - T h e r e e x i s t s a t p r e s e n t i n a

s t a t e o f s u s p e n d e d a n i m a t i o n a n a s s o c i a t i o n o f w o r k i n g - o r

r a t h e r , t a l k i n g - m e n , p r e t e n d i n g t o h a v e f o r i t s o b j e c t t h e

u n i t i n g i n o n e f r a t e r n a l b o n d t h e w o r k e r s o f a l l c o u n t r i e s ,

a n d t h e a d v o c a t i n g o f t h e i n t e r e s t s o f l a b o u r , a n d t h o s e o n l y .

T h o u g h i t p r o t e s t s a g a i n s t b e i n g a s e c r e t s o c i e t y , i t y e t

i n d u l g e s i n s u c h u n d e r h a n d d e a l i n g s , i n s i d i o u s l y e n d e a v o u r -

ing to work mi sc hief between empl oyers and emp loyed, a nd

a i m i n g a t t h e s u b v e r s i o n o f t h e e x i s t i n g o r d e r o f t h i n g s ,



INTERNATIONAL, COMM UNE, & c . 1 1 5

read er will p roba bly rememb er the fact that men who had

b e l o n g e d t o t h e S h e f f i e l d t r a d e - u n i o n s , b u t w i t h d r e w f r o m

t h e m , w e r e a s s a s s i n a t e d , t h e i r h o u s e s b l o w n u p , a n d e v e r y

i m a g i n a b l e k i n d o f t y r a n n y a n d p e r s e c u t i o n p r a c t i s e d u p o n



t h e m f o r t h e s p a c e o f s o m e f i f t e e n y e a r s . S t i l l , a s t h e m a j o r i t y

of the Par isi an workm en were innocent of the crim es of

.the Commune, so the trad e-unions were not answera bl e for

the doings of a r estricted number of their members . But

these trad e-unions, d ating from ab out the year 18 33, ar e

s t i l l t o b e c o n d e m n e d , b e c a u s e t h e y a r e t h e i n s t i g a t o r s a n d

u p h o l d e r s o f s t r i k e s , t h e g r e a t e s t c u r s e , n o t o n t h e b a t e d

c a p i t a l i s t , b u t o n t h e p o o r w o r k m a n . Now the Internati onal

w a s a c o m b i n a t i o n o f t r a d e - u n i o n s , w i t h t h e a d d i t i o n a l p o i s o n

o f C o m m u n i s m d i f f u s e d t h r o u g h o u t i t s s y s t e m .

503 . H i s t o r y o f t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l .-The f i r s t a t t e m p t a t

an international s ociety was ma de by a sma ll number

of Germ an workm en in London, who had been exp ell ed

emeute

116 SECRET SOCIETIESal so undertook to agitate in favour of Poland, for which

pur pose it co-oper ated with the National League for th

Independence of P oland . The London Interna tional Exhi-

bi tion of 1862 i nduced the French Government to assi st



ma ny French work men with means to visit that exhibition

" a v i s i t , " s a i d t h e F r e n c h p r e s s , " w h i c h w i l l e n a b l e o u r

work men to study the great work s of a rt and i ndustry

remove the leaven of i nternational di scord, and r eplac e

n a t i o n a l j e a l o u s i e s b y f r a t e r n a l e m u l a t i o n ." It is im pos

sib le to say how far these French work men studied th

w o r k s o f a r t a n d i n d u s t r y e x h i b i t e d i n 1 8 6 2 , b u t i t i s q u i t

c e r t a i n t h a t t h e o l d l e a v e n o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l d i s c o r d , w h i c

u p t o t h a t t i m e h a d n o t b e e n v e r y f o r m i d a b l e , w a s s p e e d i l y

r e p l a c e d b y a n e w l e a v e n o f s o c i a l d i s c o r d , n o t s o v i r u l e n t a t

f i r s t , i t i s t r u e , a s i t s u b s e q u e n t l y b e c a m e i n t h e a f t e r - d a y s o f

t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l . M a n y o f t h e o r i g i n a l m e m b e r s o f t h i s a s -

s o c i a t i o n , i n f a c t , e v e n t u a l l y w i t h d r e w f r o m i t , a s t h e y r e f u s e d

INTERNATIONAL, COMMUNE, & c . 117

c o m m i t t e e , h o l d i n g i t s p o w e r s b y t h e r e s o l u t i o n o f t h e p u b l i c

meeting held o n S e p t e m b e r 2 8 , 1 8 6 4 , a t ' S t . M a r t i n ' s H a l l ,

t h e n d e c l a r e d t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o r k i n g - M e n ' s A s s o c i a t i o n

t o b e e s t a b l i s h e d ; a n d c o n g r e s s e s w e r e a p p o i n t e d t o b e h e l d



a t d i f f e r e n t t i m e s a n d p l a c e s , t o , d e c i d e o n t h e m e a s u r e s t o

be tak en to found the work ing-men's Eldora do. Manys o c i e t i e s a t f i r s t w e r e a f f i l i a t e d , b u t d i s s e n s i o n s s o o n b r o k e

out among them, a nd ma ny, such a s the Italia n Working-

M e n ' s S o c i e t y , w i t h d r e w a g a i n . I n 1 8 6 6 , a m e e t i n g o r c o n -

gress was held at Geneva, where it was deci ded that an

inquir y into the condition of the worki ng clas ses of a ll

countries s hould b e mad e respecting ra te of wages, hours

o f l a b o u r , & c . And this inquir y, which never was ma de on

t h e p a r t o f t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l , w a s t o b e a p r e l i m i n a r y t o

p r a c t i c a l m e a s u r e s - n o w o n d e r t h a t t h e a s s o c i a t i o n p r o d u c e d

n o t h i n g p r a c t i c a l . At this Geneva Congress r esoluti ons

were pas sed in fav our of transferri ng ra ilway s and other

means of locomotion to the people, and of destroying the

118 SECRET SOCIETIESt i v i t y , " " s c i e n ti f i c a n d r at i o n a l e xp l o i t a t i on , " " s o c i al l i qu i da -

t i o n , " & c . ' N o c o n g r e s s m e t i n 1 8 7 0 , i n c o n s e q u e n c e o f t h e

wa r ; b u t t h e p r o g r a m m e t h a t w a s t o h a v e f o r m e d t h e s u b j e c t

o f d i s c u s s i o n h a s b e e n p u b l i s h e d . , T h e f i r s t q u e s t i o n w a s



O n t h e n e c e s s i t y o f a b o l i s h i n g t h e p u b l i c d e b t . The thir d

Concerning prac tical means for converting landed and

f u n d e d p r o p e r t y i n t o s o c i a l p r o p e r t y . The fi fth : Condi-

t i o n s o f c o - o p e r a t i v e p r o d u c t i o n o n a n a t i o n a l s c a l e . The

Belgian Commi ttee proposed as an ad di tional question

C o n c e r n i n g t h e p r a c t i c a l m e a n s f o r c o n s t i t u t i n g a g r i c u l t u r a l

s e c t i o n s i n t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l . T h u s p r i v a t e p r o p e r t y w a s t o

b e a b o l i s h e d , p r i v a t e e n t e r p r i s e d e s t r o y e d , a n d t h e p o i s o n o f

C o m m u n i s m , w i t h w h i c h l a r g e t o w n s a r e n o w i n f e c t e d , t o b e

d i f f u s e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e c o u n t r y . ' What would these m en

h a v e d o n e c o u l d t h e y , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r i n t e n t i o n , h a v e m e t

i n P a r i s i n 1870? T h e p e r t i n a c i t y w i t h w h i c h t h e c a u s e o

P o l a n d i s s o u g h t t o b e i d e n t i f i e d w i t h t h e o b j e c t s o f t h e

I n t e r n a t i o n a l h a s a l r e a d y b e e n a l l u d e d t o . Poland seems

INTERNATIONAL, COMM U NE, & c . 119

a r t e r y o f t h e S t r a n d s h a l l h a v e b e e n b u r n t , a n d t h e p u b l i c

b u i l d i n g s , t h e b a r r a c k s e s p e c i a l l y , s h a l l h a v e b e e n b l o w n u p ,

a s w a s t h r e e y e a r s a g o t h e C l e r k e n w e l l p r i s o n . " P e r h a p s t h e

w r i t e r w a s o n l y j o k i n g ; a n d i f I t h o u g h t t h e l e a d e r s o f t h e



I n t e r n a t i o n a l p o s s e s s e d a n y M a c h i a v e l l i a n t a l e n t , I s h o u l d

s a y t h e y t h e m s e l v e s c a u s e d t h e l e t t e r t o b e w r i t t e n t o g i v e

t h e w o r l d a n e x a g g e r a t e d i d e a o f t h e i r p o w e r - t h e r e i n i m i -

t a t i n g t h e P r e s i d e n t o f t h e L o n d o n R e p u b l i c a n C l u b , w h o

b o a s t e d o f h i s p o w e r o f p u l l i n g d o w n t h e m o n a r c h y , a s t h a t

w o u l d b e t h e r e a d i e s t m e a n s o f a t t r a c t i n g f r e s h m e m b e r s ;

f o r t h e i d e a o f b e l o n g i n g t o a p o w e r f u l a n d u n i v e r s a l l y

d i f f u s e d b r o t h e r h o o d e x e r c i s e s a g r e a t f a s c i n a t i o n o v e r t h e

m i n d s o f o n l y p a r t i a l l y e d u c a t e d m e n , s u c h a s f o r m t h e b u l k

o f t h e w o r k i n g c l a s s e s .

506 . T h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l A b r o a d . -Abroad, however, its

ac tion was much more mark ed . I t f o m e n t e d s e r i o u s r i o t s

i n H o l l a n d , B e l g i u m , a n d F r a n c e ; a n d i n t h e l a s t - n a m e d

c o u n t r y i t e s p e c i a l l y s t i m u l a t e d Communism , a nd sup-

X2 0 SECRET SOCIETIESrefused to all y itself to any of them or to meddl e with

poli tics, but declar ed social q uestions par am ount to all

p o l i t i c a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n s ; a n d t o t h e p o s i t i o n t h u s a s s u m e d b y

t h e a s s o c i a t i o n i t w a s d u e t h a t t h e I m p e r i a l G o v e r n m e n t d i d



n o t m o l e s t i t , b u t t h a t t h e m i n i s t e r s a l l o w e d i t t o d e v e l o p

i t s e l f , h o p i n g a t t h e c o n v e n i e n t m o m e n t t o w i n i t o v e r t o

t h e i r i n t e r e s t . These mi nisters consid ered themselv es very

p r o f o u n d p o l i t i c i a n s , w h e n t h e y h a d f o m e n t e d a q u a r r e l b e -

t w e e n P r u s s i a a n d A u s t r i a ; t r u s t i n g , w h e n t h e s e t w o p o w e r s

should mutually have exhausted each other, to seize the

Rhenis h provi nces . They l ooked upon themselv es as sma ll

M a c h i a v e l l i s w h e n t h e y p e r m i t t e d t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l t o g r o w

i n o r d e r s o m e d a y t o u s e i t a g a i n s t a m u t i n o u s b o u r g e o i s i e

The Emp eror ha d a n oppor tunity on September 2 , a t S e d a n ,

a n d t h e E m p r e s s o n S e p t e m b e r 4 , a t P a r i s , t o j u d g e o f t h e

v a l u e o f s u c h p o l i c y . However, the scheme of the as soci a-

t i o n h a v i n g b e e n s e t t l e d i n L o n d o n i n 1 8 6 4 , t h e o r g a n i s e r s

a

INTERNATIONAL, COMMUNE, &c . 1 2 1

a w a y t o d e c l a r e w a r a g a i n s t t h e G o v e r n m e n t , t h e l a t t e r d e -

t e r m i n e d t o p r o s e c u t e i t . The associa tion was decl ar ed to

b e d i s s o l v e d , a n d f i f t e e n o f t h e l e a d e r s w e r e e a c h f i n e d o n e

h u n d r e d f r a n c s . T h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l t a k i n g n o n o t i c e o f t h e



d e c r e e o f d i s s o l u t i o n , a s e c o n d p r o s e c u t i o n w a s i n s t i t u t e d ,

and nine of the ac cused were condemned to im pr is onment

f o r t h r e e m o n t h s . T h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l n o w h i d i t s e l f a m i d s t

t h e m u l t i t u d e o f w o r k i n g - m e n ' s s o c i e t i e s o f a l l d e s c r i p t i o n s

t h a t w e r e e i t h e r a u t h o r i s e d o r a t l e a s t t o l e r a t e d , a n d m a d e

e n o r m o u s p r o g r e s s , s o t h a t i t s c h i e f s a t l a s t d e c l a r e d t h e m -

selv es abl e to do without any extra neous supp ort . The

I n t e r n a t i o n a l , s a i d o n e o f t h e s p e a k e r s a t t h e B a s l e C o n g r e s s

( 1 8 6 9 ) , i s a n d m u s t b e a s t a t e w i t h i n s t a t e s ; l e t t h e s e g o

o n a s s u i t s t h e m , u n t i l o u r s t a t e i s t h e s t r o n g e s t . Then,

on the ruins of these, we shall erect our own fully pr e-

p a r e d , s u c h a s i t e x i s t s i n e v e r y s e c t i o n . The V o l k s s t i m m e ,

t h e A u s t r i a n o r g a n o f t h e s o c i e t y , s a i d : "To us the red

f l a g i s t h e s y m b o l o f u n i v e r s a l l o v e o f m a n k i n d . Let our

122 SECRET SOCIETIESr e f o r m s v o t e d b y t h e S e n a t e , i n J a n u a r y 1 8 7 0 , w a s v i o l e n t l y

o p p o s e d b y t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l , w h o d e c l a r e d i n f a v o u r o f a

r e p u b l i c . O n t h e o c c a s i o n o f t h e p l o t o f t h e O r s i n i s h e l l s ,

t h e s o c i e t y , i n d e f e n d i n g i t s e l f a g a i n s t t h e c h a r g e o f h a v i n g

h a d a n y s h a r e i n i t , d e c l a r e d t h a t i t d i d n o t w a r a g a i n s t



i n d i v i d u a l p e r p e t r a t o r s o f c o u p s d ' e t a t , but that it was a

p e r m a n e n t c o n s p i r a c y o f a l l t h e o p p r e s s e d , w h i c h s h a l l e x i s t

u n t i l a l l c a p i t a l i s t s , p r i e s t s , a n d p o l i t i c a l a d v e n t u r e r s s h a l l

have disapp eared. Such a decla ration of. w a r a g a i n s t a l l

men that had a ny interest in the mai ntenance of publ ic

order, a nd especia ll y agai nst ma ny men formi ng the then

I m p e r i a l G o v e r n m e n t , n a t u r a l l y i n d u c e d a t h i r d p r o s e c u t i o n

Thirty- eight memb ers were indic ted, ma ny of whom we

meet again as a ctiv e members of the Commune . Some were

ac quitted, others condemned to one year's im pr isonment

N o o n e s u s p e c t e d t h a t t h e n a m e s o f t h e s e o b s c u r e w o r k m e n ,

condemned as memb ers of a secr et soci ety, would soon be

c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e m o s t h o r r i b l e d i s a s t e r s o f P a r i s , a n d t h a t

INTERNATIONAL, COMMUNE, & c . 12 3

c a l l e d t h e m , s h o u l d o b t a i n a n y s h a r e o f p o w e r , w a s v e r y

g a l l i n g t o t h e d e m a g o g u e s . A t L y o n s a n d M a r s e i l l e s , h o w -

e v e r , t h e s u p r e m e p o w e r f e l l i n t o t h e h a n d s o f t h e l o w e s t

w r e t c h e s . T h e C o m m u n e i n s t a l l e d a t L y o n s b e g a n i t s w o r k

b y r a i s i n g t h e r e d f l a g - t h a t o f t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l . A t P a r i s



t h e a s s o c i a t i o n p r e t e n d e d a t f i r s t t o b e m o s t a n x i o u s t o f i g h t

t h e P r u s s i a n s . W h e n t h e b a t t a l i o n s w e r e s e n t t o t h e f r o n t ,

h o w e v e r , i t w a s f o u n d t h a t t h o s e c o m p r i s i n g m o s t I n t e r -

n a t i o n a l s w e r e t h e m o s t r e a d y " t o f a l l b a c k i n g o o d o r d e r , "

o r e v e n t o f l e e i n g r e a t d i s o r d e r a t t h e f i r s t a l a r m ; a nd

G e n e r a l C l e m e n t T h o m a s p o i n t e d o u t t h i s i n s t r u c t i v e f a c t

t o t h e r e a d e r s o f t h e J o u r n a l Q f f i e i e l . But when a f ew

P r u s s i a n r e g i m e n t s e n t e r e d P a r i s , t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l , t h r o u g h

i t s c e n t r a l c o m m i t t e e , a n n o u n c e d t h a t t h e m o m e n t f o r a c t i o n

was come ; a n d s o t h e m e m b e r s s e i z e d t h e c a n n o n s s c a t t e r e d

i n v a r i o u s p a r t s o f t h e c i t y , a n d t h e n b e g a n t h a t s e r i e s o f

e x c e s s e s , f o r w h i c h t h e C o m m u n e w i l l a l w a y s e n j o y a n i n -

f a m o u s n o t o r i e t y .

124 SECRET SOCIETIESL e t u s i n v i t e o u r b r e t h r e n t o o u r h o m e s , a n d p r o t e c t t h e m .

The pri nci pl es of the Comm une ar e ours ; we acc ept the

r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f t h e i r a c t s . " T h e E n g l i s h I n t e r n a t i o n a l i s t s

were too few to pr ove their ap pr obati on of the Commune

by any p ublic d emonstration ; b u t i n p r i v a t e t h e y d i d s o



v e r y e n e r g e t i c a l l y . One of the mem bers even decla red

that the good tim e "was r eall y coming ." "Soon," s ai d

he, "we shall b e abl e to dethrone the Queen of Engla nd,

turn Bucki ngham Pa la ce into a workshop, a nd pull down

the York c olumn, a s the noble French peopl e has pull ed

down the Vendom e colum n ." (Be it obser ved here, that

a s t h i s c o l u m n c h i e f l y c o m m e m o r a t e d F r e n c h v i c t o r i e s o v e r

t h e G e r m a n s , t h i s a c t o f v a n d a l i s m h a s b y s o m e a u t h o r i t i e s

b e e n a t t r i b u t e d t o t h e i n f l u e n c e o f P r u s s i a n g o l d l i b e r a l l y

d i s t r i b u t e d t o c e r t a i n p a t r i o t i c m e m b e r s o f t h e C o m m u n e . )

But the London section of the International c lea rl y put

forth its v iews on the conduct of t h e Commune The

pam phlet, "The Civi l Wa r i n Fra nce," publis hed f or the

INTERNATIONAL, COMMUNE, & c . 1 2 5

these sma ll sums s eemed dif fi cult to be got in, and the

s t a t u t e s w e r e v e r y s e v e r e u p o n d e f a u l t e r s . But there were

t a x e s t o p a y t o t h e s e c t i o n s , w h i c h r a i s e d t h e y e a r l y c o n -

t r i b u t i o n s t o s e v e n o r e i g h t f r a n c s . N o r w a s t h i s a l l . In

t h e v a r i o u s l e g a l p r o s e c u t i o n s t h e s o c i e t y b a d t o u n d e r g o



t h e r e w a s f r e q u e n t r e f e r e n c e t o t h e c a i s s e f e d e r a t i v e d u s o u ,

t h o u g h t h e e x p r e s s i o n w a s n o w h e r e e x a c t l y d e f i n e d . S o f a r

as has been asc ertained i t all uded to a voluntary weekly

s u b s c r i p t i o n o f f i v e c e n t i m e s , c o l l e c t e d i n w o r k s h o p s a n d

f a c t o r i e s , f r o m w o r k m e n w h o d i d n o t b e l o n g t o t h e a s s o c i a -

t i o n , b u t i n t e n d e d t o j o i n i t , o r t o s u p p o r t i t w i t h o u t j o i n i n g

i t . I n t h e s t a t u t e s o f t h e P a r i s i a n b r a n c h , A r t i c l e 9 f u r t h e r

s a i d t h a t t h e c o u n c i l m a y , i f n e c e s s a r y , v o t e l a r g e r s u m s t h a n

t h e g e n e r a l b u d g e t w o u l d j u s t i f y , a n d p r o p o r t i o n a t e l y i n c r e a s e

the amount of c ontributions pay abl e by the members . But

t h e m o s t p o w e r f u l a r m o f t h e a s s o c i a t i o n , w h e n a n y p a r t i c u l a r

o b j e c t w a s t o b e a t t a i n e d , s u c h , f o r i n s t a n c e , a s t h e s u c c e s s

. T h u s t h e s u c c e s s f u l t e r m i n a -

126 SECRET SOCIETIESwanted to destroy their f ormer works hops a nd dr ive away

t h e m o g s t h a t h a d t a k e n t h e i r p l a c e s . Fortunately we re-

s t r a i n e d t h e m , b u t w e a r e g r e a t l y b o t h e r e d b y t h i s a f f a i r

( n o e s s o m m e s b i e r e m b l t & p a r c e t t e a f a i r e ) . "

5 A t t e m p t t o R e v i v e t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l .-An I n t e r n a t i o n a



1 1.

Tra des U nion Congress was held in London in 1888 for the

a v o w e d p u r p o s e o f r e v i v i n g t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l , w h i c h c o l l a p s e d

i n 1 8 7 1 , t h o u g h b r a n c h e s o f i t , s u c h a s t h e J u r a s s i c F e d e r a -

t i o n o f W o r k m e n , t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l B r e t h r e n , t h e C o u n c i l o

D y n a m i t e , a t w h o s e m e e t i n g s i n C h i c a g o t h e e d i t o r o f F r e i h e i

p r e s i d e d , c o n t i n u e t o v e g e t a t e . B u t t h e d i s c u s s i o n s a s t o t h

m e a n s o f p h y s i c a l l y a n d m o r a l l y r a i s i n g t h e w o r k i n g c l a s s e s

as y et remai n mere tal k . As one of the speakers at the

L o n d o n C o n g r e s s r e m a r k e d , " T h e c h i e f d i f f i c u l t y i n t h e w a

o f t h e r e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l l i e s i n t h e a p a t h y

and indi fference of the workm en themselv es," which s hows

t h a t t h e w o r k m e n a r e a f t e r a l l n o t s u c h f o o l s a s a g i t a t o r s



BOOK XIII

POLITICAL SECRET SOCIETIES



CHINESE SOCIETIES

5 1 3-Earliest Secret Chinese Societies.-The earliest notice

we have of a secret Chinese league is towards the closeof the Han dynasty (A . D . 185) . Three patriots, havingthen associated themselves, defended the throne against the

Yellow Cap " rebels, a society numbering among its mem-

bers the flower of Chinese litterateurs . From that time until

1 3 2 SECRET SOCIETIES

their society was to flood the earth. To avoid the appear-ance of all belonging to one society, they gave different

names-some borrowed from previously existing sects-tothe branches they established. Thus they were known asthe Triad Society, the Blue Lotus Hall, the Golden Orchid



I

District, and others. These soon attracted the attention of

Government, and for some time they were kept in checkAbout 1826 the chief leader of the League was one KwangSan . It was reported that, to make himself ferocious he

once drank gall, taken out of a murdered man's body, mixed

with wine. He resided chiefly at the tin-mines of Loocoot,where the brethren then swarmed . The directing powerwas vested in three persons ; the chief, with the title of

Koh, i . e . the Elder ; the two others took that of HiongThi, i . e . Younger Brothers. In the Malacca branches thethree chiefs were called Tai-Koh, eldest brother, Ji-Koh,

second brother, and San-Koh, third brother. The oath ofsecrecy was taken by the aspirant kneeling before an image,

CHINESE SOCIETIES 133

be still in existence, and about the year 1870 it started into

activity again ; in Sarawak it assumed such a threateningaspect that the Government made a law decreeing death to

every member ipso facto . The disturbances at Singapore in

18'7 2 also were due to the secret societies of the Chinese in



the Straits Settlements . On that occasion the Sam-Sings,

or " fighting men," were the chief rioters, taking the part of

the street hawkers, against whom some severe regulationshad been issued. Murder and incendiarism, torturing andmaiming, are the usual practices of the League, which again

made itself very obnoxious in 1883 and 1885 . The sectionof the " Black Flag," the remnant of the Taepings, as also

the ` , White Lily," were the most active in their demonstra-

tions against the Tsing dynasty. The last police reports

from the protected state of Perak, in the Malay Peninsula,

say that in 1888 secret societies "caused endless trouble

and anxiety," although in 1887 four members of the Ghee

1 34 SECRET SOCIETIES

leased, is no doubt fresh in the memory of the reader. Heasserted that he was kidnapped by the Chinese Ambassador's

people, by being induced to walk into the Ambassador'shouse; but it is a curious circumstance that San Wen, who

evidently knew something of London, should not have known



where the Chinese Embassy was located, especially after all

the excitement caused by Li Hung Chang's visit to theContinent and to England .

In justice to the Taepings and other secret associations

in China, it must be stated that the insurrection was and

is the war of an oppressed nationality against foreign in-

vaders. The Mantchoos or Tsing dynasty are an alien tribe,

ruling over the vast Chinese empire ; their government is

one of the most despotic the world has ever seen ; their laws

are so ruthless and unjust, that it would seem they could

never be carried out, did not the blood of millions, perishing

by every kind of frightful death that the most diabolical

cruelty could invent, attest the fact of their being obeyed


one master, two introducers, one fiscal, thirteen coun-cillors, several agents, who are otherwise known as " grass

shoes,"" iron planks," or " night brethren," and some

minor officials, who, as indicative of their rank, wear flowers

in their hair .

In times of peace the ranks of the society are filled up by



volunteers, but when the League is preparing to take the field,

threats and violence are used to secure members . The neo-phyte, as in Royal Arch Masonry, is introduced to the Hall of

Fidelity under the "bridge of swords," formed by the brethren

holding up their swords in the form of an arch ; he then

takes the oath, and has his queue cut off, though this ceremony

is dispensed with if he lives amongst Chinese who are faith-

ful to the Tartar rule ; his face is washed, and he exchanges

his clothes for a long white dress, as a token of purity, and

the commencement of a new life. Straw shoes, signs ofmourning, are put on his feet. He is then led up to thealtar, and offers up nine blades of grass and an incense stick,


printed in coloured characters on silk or calico . The original

is kept in the custody of the Tai-Koh . Various descriptions

of it have been given, and as they differ, it may be pre-

sumed that there are more seals than one . But all of them

are pentagonal, and inscribed with a multitude of Chinese

characters, the translations given showing no real meaning ;



the whole is a riddle, which it is scarcely worth while attempt-

ing to solve. To give but one sample. In an octagonal space

enclosed within the pentagon there are sixteen characters,

which, according to the interpreters, signify : "The eldestbrother unites to battle-order ; every one prepares himself

(at the) signal (of the) chief . (The) swollen mountainstream spreads itself (into) canals ; ten thousand of years is

(he) this day." By many members it is worn as a charm,and great care is-taken to conceal its meaning from theuninitiated. As a charm, the seal may be as effective against

wounds or death in battle as were the amulets furnished in

the fifteenth century by the hangman of Passau, until a soldier

the Ko lao Hui, which is also anti-dynastic, caused inflam-

matory placards to be posted up in various parts of the

empire, which the authorities immediately tore down, only

to be posted up afresh ; t h e s o c i e t y a l s o d i s t r i b u t e d a n t i -

m i s s i o n a r y p a m ph l e t s , w i t h t i t l e s s u c h a s t hi s : " The Devil




Doctriners ought to be killed," wherein the missionaries

are charged with every kind of crime against morals and

l i f e ; the Roman Catholics are more severely handled than

t h e P r o t e s t a n t s .

In September 1891 it would appear that the society was

organising a rising against the Government, and a Mr . C . W .

M a s o n , a B r i t i s h s u b j e c t , a n d a f o u r t h -c l a s s a s s i s t a n t i n t h e

Customs at Shanghai, was implicated in the project, he

having been instrumental in introducing arms and dynamite

into the country for the use of the conspirators . He was

sentenced to nine months' imprisonment with hard labour,

a n d h e w a s f u r th e r , a t t h e e x p i r a t i o n o f t h a t p e r i o d , ' t o f i n d

two sureties of $2500 to be of good behaviour, and fail-


in the western provinces of China . Its members are divided

into four sections, respectively marshalled under the white,

the black, the red, and the yellow flag .

That the popular feeling against Christian missionaries in

China is very strong cannot be denied, and for the last two

or three years has displayed itself in frequent attacks on



their persons and property . Even at the present time such

outbreaks are almost regularly reported in the Europeanpress . A pretty plain intimation was given to Sir Ruther-

ford Alcock on his bidding adieu to a high Chinese official

"I wish," said that functionary, now you are going home,

you would take away with you your opium, and yourChristian missionaries ."

A law passed in 1889 in the Straits Settlements for the

suppression of Chinese secret societies, according to a report

issued in 1892 by the Protector of Chinese in those settle-

ments, has led to the disappearance of those dangerousorganisations . But it is admitted that it will take many



I I

THE COMUNEROS'

519 .Introductory Remarks.-The downfall of Napoleon,

by a pleasant fiction, invented by historians who writehistory philosophically, that is, chisel and mould history to

fit systems drawn from their inner consciousness, is said to

have made Europe free. True, the battle of Waterloo and the

Congress of Vienna restored the kings to their thrones, but

to say that Europe was thereby made free is false . Insteadof one mighty eagle hovering over Europe, the limbs of that


of clerocracy . Among the latter may be mentioned the"Concepcionistas," or "Defenders of the Immaculate Concep-

tion" (523), who carried their zeal for Ferdinand VII . and

their tenderness for the Church to such a degree as to desire

the return of the blessed times of the Holy Inquisition .

They also sought to get hold of the management of public



affairs, to turn them to their own profit ; and the dismaladministration of the Bourbons shows that they partlysucceeded . Probably from this association arose that ofthe "Defenders of the Faith," Jesuits in disguise, who in

1820 spread themselves over Spain, taking care of thethrone and altar, and still more of themselves. Duringthe reign of Ferdinand VII. also arose the " Realists," who,

to benefit themselves, encouraged the king in his reactionary

policy .

521 . Freemasonry in Spain, the Forerunner of the Comu-

n e r o s .-After the French invasion of 18o9, Freemasonrywas openly restored in the Peninsula, and a Grand Orientestablished at Madrid ; but it confined itself to works of

THE COMUNEROS ' 1 41 '

sixty thousand members joined the society : women could beinitiated, who had their own lodges or t o r r e s , or towers, as

their meetings were called, and which were presided over by a

" Grand Castellan." The scope of the society was to promote

by all means in its power the freedom of mankind ; to defend

in every way the rights of the Spanish people against `the



abuses and encroachments of royal and priestly power ; and

to succour the needy, especially those belonging to thesociety. Some of the more advanced of the Comuneros were

for beheading the king, or exiling him to the Havannah,on the principle that to put a house, whether domestic or

national, in order, it was first necessary to get rid of all

greedy hangers-on and parasites, and the Spanish throneand the royal family of Spain with them came under the

above designations . But the nation thought otherwise .

On being' initiated the candidate was first led into the"hall of arms," where he was told of the obligationsand duties he was about to undertake. His eyes having


and Comuneros combined to oppose the reactionary party .

They also succeeded in suppressing Carbonarism, which had

been introduced into Spain by some refugee Italians . Thesesocieties, in fact, though professing patriotic views, were

nothing but egotistical cliques, bent on their own aggrandise-

ment. How little they were guided by fixed principles is



shown by their conduct in Spanish America . In Brazil they

placed on the throne Don P edro, and in Mexico they estab-

lished a republican form of government, just as it best suited

their own private interests. But such is the practice of most

patriots .

523. Clerical Societies.-But the royal party also formed

secret societies. Among these we have mentioned the "Con-cepcionistas," or Defenders of the Immaculate Conception,"

founded in 1823 (see 52o ante), with the sanction, if not at

the instigation, of Ferdinand VII. This was followed in1825 by the "Defenders of the Faith," also previously re-

ferred to, and in 1827 by a third, known as the " Destroying



III

THE HETAIRIA

524 . O r i g i n .-The secret society which bore the aboveGreek name, signifying the "Union of Friends," is, likeCarbonarism, one of the few secret associations whichattained its objects, because it had a whole people to back

it up ; a support which the Nihilists, for instance, lack as

yet, and hence the present non-success of the latter . Theorigin of the Hetairia may be traced back to the Greek poet


golden or iron ring, on which the ancient Attic obolus was

engraved, the countersign of the Philomuse . The EmperorAlexander, the Crown Princes of Bavaria and Wurtemberg,joined the society and subscribed to its funds . But thesewere not the men or the means to deliver Greece from the

Turkish yoke, which had been the object of Rhigas, and of

those who thought like him .



526. The Hetairia of 184.-Hence in 1814 a new Hetairiawas founded with purely political objects . It was called the

"Hetairia " or " Society of Friends " only, and stood to the

Philomuse in the same relation the sword stands to the pen

It was founded at Odessa, where Greek and Russian interests

always met, by a little-known merchant, Ikufas, of Arta,and two other obscure men of honour, Athanasius Tsakaloff

and the Freemason, E. Xanthos, of Patmos. These mendeteirmined to achieve what Europe refused to do-to raise

the Cross above the Crescent ; and in the course of yearsthey succeeded. The fate of Rhigas taught them secrecy

THE HETAIRIA1 45

be expected that a revolutionary military league should in

all points be faultless, and keep within the rules of civic

honesty. Legal means were of no avail ; cunning and deceitare the weapons of the oppressed . Politicians have to

accommodate themselves to the fancies and prejudices ofmen .



527. S i g n s and Passwords.-Some of the signs and pass-

words were common to all the degrees, but others wereknown to the higher grades only, each of which had itspeculiar mysteries. The Brethren saluted by placing theright hand on their friend's breast, and uttering the Albanian

word s i p s i(pipe), to which the other, if initiated, responded

with s a r r o u l c i a (sandals). The Apprentices pronounced thesyllable Lon, and the person addressed, if in the secret, com-

pleted the word by uttering the syllable don. - In the higher

grades the formulas were more complex. The mystical wordsof the Priests were, "How are you?" and ° As well asyou are ; " and again, " How many have you ? " and " As

;146 SECRET SOCIETIES

proclaimed himself as the ambassador of the Hellenes, i n

consequence of which the police arrested him, and an exa-

mination of his papers revealed the whole secret of theHetairia. The Czar, vacillating between his philo-Hellenism

and the fear of revolution, was persuaded by Capo d'Istria to

set Galatis free, and even to award him compensation in



money for his imprisonment. Later on, when Skufas con-ceived the bold idea of attacking the enemy in his verycapital, and bad therefore settled at Constantinople, Galatis

excited the suspicion of thinking more of his own advantage

than of that of his country ; he was always asking for money,

and when this was refused him, he uttered threats, whilst

'alluding to his intimacy with Halet Effendi, the Minister

and favourite of Mahmoud . Thereupon the Hetairia decided

that he must be removed. Towards the end of 1818 he was

ordered on a journey ; a few trusted Hetairists were his

companions. One day, while he was resting near Hermione,under a tree, a Hetairist suddenly discharged his pistol at

THE HETAIRIA 147

between Capo d'Istria and Alexander IpsilantL The former

was a diplomatist, the latter a soldier. Capo d'Istria de-

clined to mix himself up in the matter, at least openly,

because his master, the Emperor Alexander, was unwillingto appear as the protector of the Hetairia . Ipsilanti under-

took its direction ; and as soon as it was known that he had



done so, the hopes of the conspirators of the eventual support

of Russia rose to fever-heat, and Ipsilanti in 1820 found it

advisable to leave St . Petersburg and go to Odessa, to be

more in the centre of the movement . But though a soldier,

he was no general, and allowed himself to be carried away

by the enthusiasm he saw around him. Though contri-butions in cash came in so slowly that he had to makeprivate loans, he lost none of his confidence . In July beappointed Georgakis commander of the "army of theDanube," and Perrhavos chief of the "army of Epirotes. "

He himself intended to enter the Peloponnesus, and to set


into the secret of the Hetairia, in whose success they save

the recovery of their ancient territory, from which Ali had

expelled them. In March 1821, Ipsilanti took up his resi-

dence at Jassy, whence he issued pompous proclamationsto the Greeks, Moldavians, and Wallachians, and also sent

a manifesto to the princes and diplomatists, who were then



assembled for the settlement of the Neapolitan revolution,

inviting Europe, but especially Russia, to favour the cause of

Greek independence. But the result of the latter step wasfatal to it. Metternich's policy was totally opposed to it ; and

the Emperor Alexander, who had ,jest proclaimed his . a n t i

revolutionary views, as applied to the Italian rising, could

not repudiate them when dealing with the Greek question!

Knowing nothing of the share his favourite, Capo d'Istria

had in it, and of the underhand promises of Russian help the

latter had made to the Hetairia, he assured the EmperorFrancis, Metternich, and Bernstorff, of his adherence tothe Holy Alliance, and his opposition to any revolution,

THE HETAIRIA 149

garrison of Galatz, plundered the town, desecrated thechurches, and committed every kind of outrage. Ipsilantishut his eyes when the rabble of Jassy, on hearing of the

horrors committed at Galatz, suddenly attacked the Turks

peacefully residing in the former town, and murderedthem in cold blood . He further committed a great mis-



take in imprisoning a rich banker on some frivolous pre-tence, and only releasing him on his paying a ransom ofsixty thousand ducats . This act drove a great many wealthy

people to take refuge on Russian or Austrian territory, and

many others to wish for the restoration of Turkish authority,

whose oppression was not quite so ominous as that of thenewly-arrived "liberators . "

532. Progress of the Insurrection.-At last Ipsilanti, with

an army of two thousand men, whose numbers wereeverywhere proclaimed to be ten thousand, left Jassy forBucharest . At Fokshany, on the borders of the twoPrincipalities, he issued another proclamation to the " Da-


engaging comedians, whilst he himself was more of a

comedian than a general . He daily showed himself in thegorgeous uniform of a Russian general . A numerous staffof officers rushed from morning till night, with aimless

activity, through the streets of Bucharest . Wealthy people

were visited with arbitrary requisitions ; the soldiers of the

Hetairia lived, without discipline, at the expense of citizens



and peasants; the Sacred Battalion only refrained fromthese excesses. Under these circumstances arrived the de-

cision from Laybach, and with it the curse of the Church .

The Patriarch laid Ipsilanti and the Hetairia under the ban ;

Sovas and Vladimiresko now openly joined the Rumelianopposition to the Greek cause ; the Boyars and the clergy

withdrew from it, and from the other classes of the people

there had never been any real prospect of support . Ipsilanti

endeavoured to weaken the force of the double blow whichhad befallen him by asserting that the ban of diplomacy and

the Church was a mere form behind which the Czar and the

THE HETAIRIA 151

palities to quell the insurrection, Ipsilanti had to be prepared

for a speedy encounter . In fact, under the pretence of in-

tending resistance, he ordered intrenchments to be thrown

up, and his troops to be exercised in the use of the bayonet,

whilst he amused them again with the fable of Russianassistance .



534. Advance of the Turks.-In the second week of Maythe Turks crossed the Danube. The Pasha of Braila under-

took the recovery of Galatz, which had been taken by Kara-

vias. The first encounter took place before that town on

the 13th May, on which occasion the Hetairists, by theirbravery, redeemed many of the mistakes committed by their

leaders. A bout seven hundred of the insurgents held three

redoubts on the road to Braila ; they had two guns. Their

position fad been so skilfully chosen by their chief, Atha-

nasius of Karpenisi, that it seemed possible to, defend it for

a long time against a fivefold number of Turks . But themajority of the defenders consisted of rabble sailors taken


for eight days a vastly superior enemy, and by their heroic

conduct threw a final halo round the Moldavian insurrection .

Athanasius met with the death of a patriot. Nearly a thou-sand Turks had fallen ; three hundred Greeks perished in the

fight or in the waters of the P ruth, the remnant took refuge

on the opposite bank .

Ipsilanti's Dijleulties.-Moldavia was lost ; in the



535 .

meantime the Pasha of Silistria bad entered Bucharest onthe 29th May ; Ipsilanti, perfectly helpless, was encamped

at Tergovist. His troops, even the Sacred Battalion, werethoroughly demoralised ; his dissensions with Savas andVladimiresko continued . The former had readily surren-dered Bucharest to the Turks, and had followed Ipsilanti,

whom on the first favourable opportunity he intended to

take prisoner to give him up to the Turks. Vladimireskoprepared to withdraw to Little Wallachia, there to await the

result of his negotiations with the Turks ; he had proposed

to the P asha of S ilistria to have Ipsilanti and Georgakis

the village, entirely cutting off the retreat of the Turks .

Ipsilanti's corps had not yet arrived . Georgakis sent messen-

ger after messenger to hasten the advance of Ipsilanti, that

he might share in the honours of the day . The Turks wereaware of their dangerous position . Towards mid-day theyattempted a debouch from the village to occupy a height in

front of it ; but the attempt miscarried, the Greeks would

THE HET4IRIA 153



not give way. Thereupon the Turks set fire to the village, .

in order to effect their retreat under the shelter of the

flames. Karavias, whom Ipsilanti had appointed colonelof the cavalry, considered it a favourable moment to gather

cheap laurels ; he took the burning of the village as a sign

of the flight and defeat of the Turks ; envious of Georgakis,

he designed to rob him of the honour of this easy victory,

and in spite of orders to the contrary, to adventure with his

five hundred horsemen on storming the village. He per-suaded Nicholas Ipsilanti to support the mad attempt with

the Sacred Battalion and his artillery, and, heated with wine,

'5 4 SECRET SOCIETIES

that the Emperor Francis had declared war against the Porte,

that Austrian troops would occupy the Principalities, and that

he was going to have an interview with the Imperial governor

But once on Austrian territory, Ipsilanti, who there called

himself Alexander Komorenos, was seized and imprisoned in

Fort Arad . There he attempted to justify his forsaking his

companions in arms by shifting the want of success off his



shoulders on those of others. In a boastful manifesto hesaid : " Soldiers! But no, I will not disgrace this honourable

name by applying it to you. Cowardly hordes of slavesyour treachery, and the plots you have hatched, compel me

to leave you. From this moment every bond between youand me is severed ; to me remains the disgrace of having

commanded you. You have even robbed me of the glory ofdying in battle . Run to the Turks ; purchase your slavery

with your lives, with the honour of your wives and children .

538 . Ipsilanti'slmprisonment and Death .-Treaties betweenAustria and Turkey stipulated that fugitives from either side

THE HETAIRIA155

Bucharest, together with his officers and soldiers, and their

heads were sent to Constantinople .

540 . Georgakis' Death.-Georgakis and Farmakis, thebravest and truest leaders of the insurgents, remained .

They were determined not to entrust their lives either to

Austrian protection or Turkish pity, and therefore again

made their way into Moldavia . Georgakis, who was ill,



had to be carried on a litter . During the long and painful

march the number of his followers was reduced to three

hundred and fifty. The peasants everywhere betrayed tothe Turks in pursuit every one of his movements, and even

before reaching the Moldavian frontier he was surrounded

on all sides . Moreover, he was imprudent enough to take

refuge in a cul-de-sac, by fortifying the monastery of Sekko,

which, with but one outlet, is situate in a deep gorge .

However, on the 17th September, he successfully drove back

the first attack of the Turkish vanguard, and his confidence

increased . He was, moreover, induced by a treacherous



IV



THE CARBONARI

543. History of the Association.-Like all other associa-

tions, the Carbonari, or charcoal-burners, lay claim to a very

high antiquity. Some of the less instructed have even pro-

fessed a descent from Philip of Macedon, the father ofAlexander the Great, and have attempted to form a highdegree, the Knight of Thebes, founded on this imaginaryorigin . Others go back only so far as the pontificate of



THE CARBONARL . 1 5 9

Cousinship), which title was also assumed by the Carbonari .

Powerful lords, members of the persecuted Order of theTemple, seeing the important services men scattered over so

large an extent of country could render, entered into secret

treaties with them . It further appears that the Fendeurs

formed the first and the Carbonari the second, or higher,

degree of the society collectively called the Carboneria. I t



is also probable that before the French Revolution the then

French Government attempted by means of the society, which

then existed at Genoa under the name of the Royal Car-boneria, to overthrow the ancient oligarchical government .

and annex Genoa to France. It is certain that from 1770to 1790 most of the members of the French chambersbelonged to the Order of the Fendeurs, which continued to,exist even under Napoleon I. The Carboneria was intro=duced into Southern Italy by returning Neapolitan exiles,

who bad been initiated in Germany and Switzerland, and as

'early as 1807 Salicetti, the Neapolitan minister of police,

16o SECRET SOCIETIES

of the sacred words of the first rank. The Grand Masterand first and second assistants, who also sit each before

large wooden block, hold hatchets in their hands . Thmasters sit along the wall of one side of the lodge, th

apprentices opposite .

546. Ritual of I n i t i a t i o n .-The ritual of Carbonarism, a

it was reconstituted at the beginning of the present century



was as follows. In the initiation :-"The Grand Master having opened the lodge, says, Firs

Assistant, where is the first degree conferred?A In the hut of a Good Cousin, in the lodge of theCarbonari .

G. M How is the first degree conferred?

A. A cloth is stretched over a block of wood, on whic

are arranged the bases, firstly, the cloth itself, water, fire

salt, the crucifix, a dry sprig, a green sprig. At least threGood Cousins must be present for an initiation ; the intro

ducer, always accompanied by a master, remains outside

THE CARBONARI 161

religion, and then bids him kneel, holding the crucifix, and

pronounce the oath : ' I promise and bind myself on myhonour not to reveal the secrets of the Good Cousins ; not

to attack the virtue of their wives or daughters, and to

afford all the help in my power to every Good Cousin need-ing it. So help me God ! "

547. F i r s t Degree .-After some preliminary questioning,



the Grand Master addresses the novice thus : "What meansthe block of wood?

N Heaven and the roundness of the earth .

G. M What means the cloth?N That which hides itself on being born .

G. M The water?,N That which serves to wash and purify from original

sin.

0. H. The fire?N To show us our highest duties .

G. L The salt?


light and warmth, that purifies the air . The forest repre-sents Italy, the wild wood of Dante, infested with wild

beasts-that is, foreign oppressors . The tree with the roots

in the air is a figure of kingdoms destroyed and thrones

overthrown . Catholic mysticism constantly reappears ; the

highest honours are given to Christ, who was indeed theGood Cousin of all men. Carbonarism did not openly assailreligious belief, but made use of it, endeavouring to simplify



and reduce it to first principles, as Freemasonry does . Thecandidate, as in the last-named Order, was supposed to per-

form journeys through the forest and through fire, to each

of which a symbolical meaning was attached ; though thetrue meaning was not told in this degree In fact, to all

who wished to gain an insight into the real objects ofCarbonarism, this degree could not suffice . It was necessary

to proc ed .

5 The Second Degree.-Themartyrdom of Christ occupies

nearly the whole of the second degree, imparting to the

THE CARBONARI 163the other, and finally condemned to be crucified ; but he is

pardoned on taking a second oath, more binding than thefirst, consenting to have his body cut in pieces and burnt,

as in the former degree. But still the true secret of the

Order is not revealed .

549 . The Degree of Grand Elect.-This degree is only to be

conferred with the greatest precautions, secretly, and to Car-



bonari known for their prudence, zeal, courage, and devotion

to the Order. Besides, the candidates, who shall be intro-

duced into a grotto of reception, must be true friends of the

liberty of the people, and ready to fight against tyrannical

governments, who are the abhorred rulers of ancient andbeautiful Ausonia. The admission of the candidate takesplace by voting, and three black balls are sufficient for his

rejection. He must be thirty-three years and three months old,

the age of Christ on the day of His death . But the religious

drama is now followed by one political. The lodge is heldin a remote and secret place, only known to the Grand Masters


There was something theatrical in all this ; but the organisers

no doubt looked to the effect it had on the minds of theinitiated . If on this ground it could not be defended, then

there is little excuse for judicial wigs and clerical gowns,

episcopal gaiters, aprons, and shovel-hats, lord mayors' shows,

parliamentary procedure, and royal pageants .

550 . Degree of Grand 11 Taster Grand Elect .-This, the



highest degree of Carbonarism, is only accessible to those

who have given proofs of great intelligence and resolution .

The Good Cousins being assembled in the lodge, the candi-

date is introduced blindfolded ; two members, representing

the two thieves, carry a cross, which is firmly planted in the

ground. One of the two pretended thieves is then addressedas a traitor to the cause, and condemned to die on the cross .

He resigns himself to his fate, as fully deserved, and is tied

to the cross with silken cords ; and, to delude the candidate,

whose eyes are still bandaged, he utters loud groans . TheGrand Master pronounces the same doom on the other robber,

THE CARBONARI 165

down, and zealously guarded; the owner promising to burnor swallow it, rather then let it fall into other hands. TheGrand Master concludes by speaking in praise of the revolu-

tion already initiated, announcing its triumph not only in the

peninsula, but everywhere where Italian is spoken, and ex-

claims : " Very soon the nations weary of tyranny shall cele-

brate their victory over the tyrants ; very soon " . . . Here



the wicked thief exclaims : "Very soon all ye shall perish ! "

Immediately there is heard outside the grotto the noise of

weapons and fighting . One of the doorkeepers announcesthat the door is on the point of being broken open, and an

assault on it is heard directly after. The Good Cousins rushto the door placed behind the crosses, and therefore unseen by

the candidate ; the noise becomes louder, and there are heard

the cries of Austrian soldiers ; the Cousins return in great

disorder as if overpowered by superior numbers, say a few

words of encouragement to the candidate fastened to thecross, and disappear through the floor, which opens beneath


his head upon. The furnace will burn his body. The shovelwill scatter his ashes to the wind . The baracca will serve to

prepare new tortures for the tyrant before he is slain . Thewater will purify us from the vile blood we shall have shed .

The linen will wipe away our stains. The forest is the place

where the Good Cousins labour to attain so important aresult . These details are extracted from the minutes of the

legal proceedings against the conspiracy of the Carbonari .



552 . Other Ceremonies and Regulations .-The candidate

having been received into the highest degree, other Good

Cousins entered the cave, proclaiming the victory of theCarbonari and the establishment of the Ausonian republic,

whereupon the lodge was closed. The members all borepseudonyms, by which they were known in the Order . Thesepseudonyms were entered in one book, whilst another con-tained their real names ; and the two books were always kept

concealed in separate places, so that the police, should they find

one, should not be able to identify the conspirator. Officers

THE CARBONARI 167

the document has a l l the fulness of a social pact . But to

whatever time these statutes belong, they cannot be read

without the liveliest interest .

Italy, to which new times shall give a new name, sonorous

and pure, Ausonia (the ancient Latin name), must be freefrom its threefold sea to the highest summit of the Alps .

The territory of the republic shall be divided into twenty-



one provinces, each of which shall send a representative to

the National Assembly. Every province shall have its local

assembly ; all citizens, rich or poor, may aspire to all public

charges ; the mode of electing judges is strictly laid down ;

two kings, severally elected for twenty-one years, one of

whom is to be called the king of the land, the other of the

sea, shall be chosen by the sovereign assembly ; all Ausonian

citizens are soldiers ; all fortresses not required to protect

the country against foreigners shall be razed to the ground ;

new ports are to be constructed along the coasts, and the

navy enlarged ; Christianity shall be the State religion, but


Autobiography, that the candidate swore destruction to every

government, whether despotic or democratic. The SummoMaestro," he says, "laughs at the zeal of the commonCarbonari, who sacrifice themselves for Italian liberty and

independence ; to him this is not the object, but a means .

I received this degree under the name of Giulio Alessandro

Jerimundo Werther Domingone." As there were two modes



of initiation, one in open lodge and another by " communica-tion," the supreme chief notifying by a document to the new

member his election, which was done in De Witt's case, he

never took the oath of secrecy, and thus considered himself

at liberty to divulge what had been communicated to him .

555 . De Witt, Biographical Notice of.-As Jean de Wittwas a prominent character in the secret associations of this

century, we give a few biographical notes concerning him .

Born in 18oo at Altona, he was early placed under thetuition of Pastor Meier of Alsen, who had been a memberof the Jacobin club. At the age of seventeen he went to

THE CARBONARI 169

authorities intended to begin his trial, he wrote to Bubna

that he was determined to make his escape . Orders were

sent to watch him closely ; but within a week he was in

possession of false keys, which fitted all the doors of his

prison, and the head gaoler, who had shown himself too

zealous in watching him, was transferred to Mantua, and

1200 lire were provided for his journey . He escaped to

Genoa, intending thence to sail for Spain, where he was



sure of meeting with friends, but finding all vessels bound

f o r t h a t c o u n t r y u n d e r c l o s e p o l i c e s u r v e i l l a n c e , h e m a d e h i s

way into Switzerland . Under different 'names and various

disguise s he stayed there and i n Germany for about a year .

All the German Governments offered a large reward for his

a p p r e h e n s i o n , a n d a t l a s t h e w a s s e i z e d a t B a y r e u t h , t h o u g h

he had previously been warned that the police were on his

traces, a warning which could only have come from highly-

placed officials . And as soon as he was taken some of them

w a i t e d o n h i m w i t h o f f e r s o f f r i e n d s h i p a n d p r o t e c t i o n . Bu t


t h e pe n i n s u l a , t h e n e w e mpe r o r s h a l l b e e l e ct e d fr om amo n

the reigning families of Naples, Piedmont, or England . Illyri

shall form a kingdom of itself, and be given to th e King of

Naples as an indemnity for Sicily . This proje ct in so me re-

spects widely differs from the one preceding it, and there is

g r e a t d o u b t w h e t h e r i t e ve r e ma n a t e d fr om t h e Ca r b o n a r i .

557 .Carbonarism and Alurat.-The excessive number of

the affiliated soon disquieted rulers, and especially Murat,



King of Naples, whose fears were in creased by a letter from

Dandolo, Councillor of State, saying : " Sire, Carbonarism i

spreading in Italy ; free your kingdom from it, if possible,

because the sect is opposed to thrones ." M a g h e l l a , a n a t i ve

of Genoa, who became Minister of Police under Murat, ad-vised that king, on the ot her band, to declare openly against

Napoleon, and to proclaim the ind ependence of Italy, and for

that purpose to favour the Carbonari ; but Murat was toirresolute to follow the course thus pointed out, and declare

a g a i n s t t h e Ca r b o n a r i . The measures taken by him, how-

THE CARBONARI 171

and executed it with secrecy and promptitude . The mem-b e r s w h o w e r e r e t a i n e d c o n t i n u e d t o b e a r t h e n a m e o f C a r -

bonari, while those who were expelled, according to someaccounts, took that of Calderari (Braziers), and an implacable

h a t r e d a r o s e b e t w e e n t h e r i va l s e ct s . Murat wavered fors o m e t i m e b e t w e e n t h e t w o p a r t i e s , a n d a t l a s t d e t e r m i n e d

o n s u p p o r t i n g t h e C a r b o n a r i , w h o w e r e m o s t n u m e r o u s . Butit was too late . They had no confidence in him ;



and theya l s o kn e w h i s d e s pe r a t e ci rcums t a nce s. Murat fell .

'558 . T r i a l o f Carbonari.-An extensive organisa tion for

t h e u n i o n o f a l l s e cr e t Ca r b o n a r o s o ci e t i e s w a s d i s co ve r e d

in 1817 by an attempt, which was to have been made atMacerata, on the 24th June in that year, to raise the standard

of revolt, but which failed through a mere accident-the pre-

mature firing of two muskets . A great many of the leadingCarbonari were apprehended, and conveyed to the Castleof St . Angelo and other prisons in Rome, where they weretried in October 1818 by order of the pope ; fi ve of t h em


him, on acwunt of their enmity to the Carbonari. He re-quired them to take the following oath :-" I, A. B., promis e

a n d s w e a r u p o n t h e Tr i n i t y , u p o n t h i s c r o s s a n d u p o n t h i s

steel, the avenging inst rument of the perjured, to live and

die in the Roman Catholic and Apostolic faith, and todefend with my blood this religion and the society ofTru e Fr i e n d s h i p, t h e Ca l d e r a r i . I swear never to offend,in honour , life, or property, the child ren of True Friend-



ship, &c. I s w e a r e t e r n a l h a t r e d t o a l l M a s o n r y , a n d i t s

atrocious protectors, as well as to all Jansenists, Materialists

(Molinists ? ), Econ omi s t s , a n d Il l umi n a t i . I s w e a r , t h a t i f

through wi ckedness or levity I suffer myself to be perjured,

I submit to the loss of life, and then to be burnt, &c ." Butt h e ki n g h a vi n g l e a r n t w h a t h i s M i n i s t e r h a d b e e n a t t e mpt -

i n g w i t h o u t h i s k n o w l e d g e , d e p r i v e d h i m o f h i s o f f i c e a n d

banished him ; and thus his efforts came to nothing. Ini 8 i g t o o k pl ace t h e r i s i n g a t Ca d i z , b y w h i ch t h e Ki n g of

Spain, Ferdinand VII., was compelled to give Spain consti-

THE CARBONARI I7J

Wh o l eft N apl e s o n t h e 4 t h Ju l y ; o n t h e 5t h h e d e s pa tch e d

General Nunziante from Nocera, and General Campana fromS a l e r n o , a ga i n s t t h e i n s u rg e n t s . C a r r a s c o s a , u n w i l l i n g t o

shed the blood of his countrymen, wished to negotiate . But

before he could do so, General Campana had suffered adefeat, and the soldiers of Nunziante raised the standard of

the Carbonari, an d, joining the troops of De Concili, placed



themselves under his command. Carrascosa, with the king's

connivance, proposed to bribe the leaders of the insurrection

with large sums of money to give up the enter prise and leave

the country, but before he had an opportunity of making the

a t t e m p t , t h e s o l d i e r s r e m a i n i n g i n N a p l e s , a s w e l l a s t h e

population, rose against the king, who found himself entirely

forsaken . He was compelled to yield. The Duke of Picco-tellis and five other Carbonari presented themselves in the

palace and compelled the king to grant them a personalinterview, at which they demanded the immediate publication


return to Naples as an absolute monarch . The pope absolved

h i m fr om t h e o a t h h e h a d t a ke n , a n d e ve n i n a s o l e mn e ncy-

clical commanded priests to violate the secret of the confes-

s i o n a l w h e n e v e r w i v e s , m o t h e r s , s i s t e r s , o r d a u g h t e r s h a d

d e cl a r e d r e l a t i o n s t o b e l o n g t o t h e s e ct of t h e Ca r b o n a r i

At the request of Ferdinand himself an Austrian army of50,000 men, with a Russian army in reserve, marched upon



Naples. The king on his way south stopped at Florence,where he decorated the Chapel of the Annunciation withgorgeous gold and silver lamps, and the inscription : " Mariwgenitrici Dei Ferd . I. Mr. S i c. rex Don . d . d. anno 1821 ob

pristinum i m p e r i i d e c u s , o p e e i u s p r e s t a n t i s s i m a r e c u p e r a t u m

(To Mary, the Mother of God, Ferdina nd I ., King of the Two

Sicilies, for the restored splendour of the kingdom, by means

of her most valiant help, dedicated these in the year 1821 .

Proving once more, if proof were necessary, that " blood-

thirsty tyrants are most zealous saints ." Every one of theking's immediate attendants had upon him a new cockade

THE CARBONARI

France, Italy, and other States, it gave rise to numerous and

va r i o u s s e ct s , w h e r e i n w e fi n d t h e me n of t h o u g h t a n d t h o s e

of action combining for one common object-the progress,as they understood it, of human society. Carbonarism, inf a c t , w a s r e v i v e d a b o u t t h e y e a r 1 8 2 5 , a n d s o m e t e n y e a r s

a ft e r comb i n e d , o r r a t h e r co a l e s ce d , w i t h t h e s o ci e t y kn o w n

a s Yo u n g It a l y , w h o s e a i ms w e r e i d e n t i ca l w i t h t h o s e o f t h e

Carbonari-the expulsion of the foreigner from Italian soil,

175



and the unification of Italy .

The Duke of Modena had for some time coquettedw i t h t h e C a r b o n a r i , i n t h e h o p e o f o b t a i n i n g t h r o u g h t h e m

t h e s o v e r e i g n t y o f t h e m i n o r d u c h i e s , t h e k i n g d o m o f S a r -

dinia and the Lombardo-Venetian states, and had thuse n co u r a g e d M e n o t t i , t h e fo r emo s t pa t r i o t o f Ce n t r a l It a l y ,

in counting on his help in driving out the foreigner . When,h o w e ve r , h e fo u n d t h a t Fr a nce , o n w h o s e co -ope r a t i o n h e h a d

relied, would disappoint him, he abandoned the Carbonari

and denounced them, but they compelled the Duke to fly


here also they failed ; a n d a mo n g t h e vict ims of t h e fa i l u r

were Silvio Pellico, Confalonieri, Castiglia, Torelli, Maroncelli,

and many others, who, after having been exposed on' thpillory at Milan and other places, were sent to Spielberg an

o t h e r G e rma n fo r t r e s s e s .

564. Carbonarism in France.-Carbonarism was intro

duced into France under the names of Adelphes or Philadelphians, by Joubert and Dugied, who had taken part i



r e v o l u t i o n a r y m o v e m e n t s i n t h e i r o w n c o u n t r y i n 1820, anafter having for some time taken refuge in Italy, where they

had j oin ed th e Carbo nar i ; brought their principles to Franc

on their return from their expatriation. The sect madrapid progress among the French ; a l l t h e s t u d e n t s a t t h

different universities became members, and ventas weree s t a b l i s h e d i n t h e a r my . Lafayette was chosen the ir chief

Lo d g e s e x i s t e d a t La R o c h e l l e , P o i t i e r s , N i o r t , B o r d e a u x

Co lma r , N e u f-B r i s a ch , a n d B e l fo r t , w h e r e , i n 1821, an unsuccessful attempt was made against the government-

THE CARBONARI

Lively called giardiniere, garden-women, each sister takingthe name of a flower. Their mission, of course, was toact as lures or spies . But they also fulfill ed higher func-

tions ; they alleviated the condition of the prisoners of des-

potism, especially in Italy, where many lady members of the

Societd della Misericordia were Giardiniere,,and, having free

access to the Austrian prisons in Piedmont, supplementedt h e s ca n t y fo o d a l l o w e d t o t h e i mpr i s o n e d Ca r b o n a r i b y t h e

177



authorities with liberal additions .



568 Guelphic Knights.-One of the most important socie-

ties that iss ued, about the yea r 1816, from the midst of the

C a r b o n a r i w a s t h a t o f t h e G u e l p h i c Kn i g h t s , w h o w e r e v e r y

powerful in all parts of Italy . A report of the Austrianpolice says : "This society is the most dangerou s, on account

of its origin and diffusion, and t he profound mystery which

surrounds it . It is said that this society derives its origin

ITALIAN SOCIETIES 179

of Guelphs and Adelphi or Independents, by affiliating the m-

selves to these societies .

570 . The Latini.-This sect existed about 1817. Onlythose initiated into the higher degrees of Carbonarism could

become members. In their oath they declared : " I swearto employ every means in my power to further the happi-ness of Italy . I swear religiously to keep the secret andfulfil the duties of this society, and never to do aught that



could compromise its safety ; and that I will only act inobedience to its decisions . If ever I violate this oath, I will

submit to whatever punishment the society may inflict, even

t o d e a t h . " The most influential vendite were graduallymerged in this degree .

571 . The Centres.-An offshoot of Carbonarism was thesociety formed in Lombardy, under the designation of the

°Centr es." Nothing was to be written ; and conversation

o n t h e a ffa i r s o f t h e O r d e r w a s o n l y t o t a ke pl ace b e t w e e n

two members at a time, who recognised each other by the


renting the tyrant, and Barabbas the people-a singularco nfu s i o n o f i d e a s , b y w h i ch t h e vict im s l a i n o n t h e cr o s s

for the redemption of human conscience and thought wasconsidered as an example and upholder of tyranny . Buti t w a s a s y m b o l i s m w h i c h c o n c e a l e d j u s t e r i d e a s , a n d m o r e

conformable with truth They recognised each other bymeans of a ring, and attested their letters by the well-

k n o w n i n i t i a l s I . N. R. I . The society was much fearedIt



a n d je a l o u s l y w a t ch e d , a n d h e l pe d t o fi l l t h e pr i s o n s .

only ceased when other circumstances called forth other

societies .

573 . S o c i e t i e s in Calabria a nd th e Abruzzi .-These dis-

tricts, by their natural features and the disposition of their

inhabitants, were at all times the favourite resorts of con-

spirators . We there find the sects of the "EuropeanPa t r i o t s o r W h i t e P i l g r i ms ," t h e " Ph i l a d e l ph i a n s ," a n d t h e

" De c i s i , " w h o t h e n c e s p r e a d i n t o o t h e r I t a l i a n p r o v i n c e s ,

with military organisation, arms, and commanders. The


offered violence to its mistress, massacred her with all her

pe opl e , a n d ca r r i e d o ff 96,ooo ducats . He was in corre-spondence with all the brigands ; a n d w h o e v e r w i s h e d t o g e t

r i d ' o f a n e n e my, h a d o n l y t o a d d r e s s h i ms e lf t o Ci r o. Onbeing asked, after his capture, how many persons he hadkilled with his own hand, he carelessly answered, 11 Who canremember? Perhaps sixty or seventy ." His activity, arti-

fice, and intrepidity were astonishing . He was a first-rate



shot and rider ; his singular goo d fortune in extricating him-

self from the most imminent dangers acquired for him thereputation of a necromancer, upon whom ordinary means of

attack had no power. Though; a priest himself, and exer-

cising the functions of one when he th ought it expedient, he

was rather a libertine, and declared his clerical colleagues to

be impostors without any faith . He published a paper a gainst

the missionaries, who, according to him, disseminated illiberal

opinions among the people, and forbade them on pain ofdeath to preach in the villages , "because, instead of the true

in t h e i r o w n g a r d e n ; and that the sectary, Perone, plunged

his knife into the bowels of an old man of seventy, andafterwards massacred his wife and servant, having introduced

himself into their house under pretence of delivering a letter .

As has already been intimated, it was finally found necessary

to send an armed force, under the command of GeneralChurch, against this band o f ruffians . Many of them havingb e e n t a k e n , a n d t h e r e s t d i s p e r s e d , C i r o , w i t h o n l y t h r e e



companions, took refuge in one of the fortified farm-houses

n e a r Fr a nca vi l l a , b u t a ft e r a vi g o r o u s d e fe nce w a s o b l i g e d

to surrender . The Council of War, by which he was tried,condemned him to be shot. A missionary offered him theconsolations of religion . Ciro answered him with a smile,"Let us leave alo ne this prating ; we are of the same pro-fession ; don't let us laugh at one another ." On his arrivala t t h e pl ace of execu t i o n , Ci r o w i s h e d t o r e ma i n s t a n d i n g ;

he was told to kneel, and did so, presenting his breast. Hew a s t h e n i n f o r m e d t h a t m a l e f a c t o r s l i k e h i m s e l f w e r e s h o t

Death's

Head .

ITALIAN SOCIETIES

Trist ezza . Dforte .

S (a l e n t i n a). D(ecisione ) .

(S a l u t e) .

N° V Grandi Muratori.

L . D. D . G . T.--E. D. T . D . U1

Death's

Head .

1 8 3



I l Mortale Gaetano Caffieri a unFD Numero Quinto,

appartenente alla Dg del Tonante Giove, sparsa sulla

superficie della Terra, per la sua D8 avuto it piacere di

far parte in questa R S. D. Noi dunque invitiamotutte le Society, Filantropiche a prestar it loro braccio

forte al medesimo ed a soccorerlo ne' suoi bisogni, essen do

egli giunto alla De di acquistare la Liberta o Morte

Oggi li 29 Ottobre 1817 .


The letters in italics in the original were written in blood .

The upper seal represents fasces planted upon a death's head,

surmounted by the Phrygian cap, and flanked by hatchets ;

the lower, thunderbolts casting down royal and imperialcrowns a nd the tiara . The person in whose favour the certifi-

cate is issued, figures himself among the signatures with the

title of Registrar of the Dead, that is, of those they immolated

to their vengeance, of whom they kept a register apart .



The four points observable after the signature of PietroGargaro indicate his power of passing sentence of death .

W h e n t h e D e ci s i w r o t e t o a n y o n e t o e x t o r t c o n t r i b u t i o n s ,

if they added these four points, it was known that the person

t h e y a d d r e s s e d w a s co n d emn e d t o d e a t h i n ca s e o f d i s o b e d i -

ence If t h e po i n t s w e r e n o t a d d e d h e w a s t h r e a t e n e d w i t h

milder punishment. The i r co l o u r s , y e l l o w , r e d , a n d b l u e ,

s u r r o u n d e d t h e p a t e n t .

576 . The Calderari .-Thi s society, alluded to before, is

o f u nce r t a in o r i g i n . Co u n t O r l off, i n h i s w o r k, " Memoirs


r e p o r t a t t h a t t i m e w a s t h a t t h e y a c t u a l l y o n c e i n t e n d e d t o

o f f e r t h e c r o w n o f I t a l y t o t h e D u k e o f W e l l i n g t o n ; b u t t h i s

is highly improbable, since our Iron Duke was not at all

p o p u l a r i n I t a l y . B u t i t i s h i g h l y p r o b a b l e t h a t t h e y s o u g h t

the co-operation of Russia, which, since 1815, maintained

many agents in Italy-with wha t purpose is not exactly

k n o w n ; t h e c o l l e c t i o n o f s t a t i s t i c a l a n d e c o n o m i c a l i n f o r m a -

tion was the ostensible object, but Austria looked on them



with a very suspicious eye, and watched them narrowly .

The Independents had close relations with these Russian

a g e n t s , p r o b a b l y , a s i t i s s u r m i s e d , w i t h a v i e w o f , , t u r n i n g

Russian influence to account in any outbreak against

Austria .

578 . The Delphic Pri esthood .-This was another secret

. s o c i e t y , h a v i n g t h e s a m e p o l i t i c a l o b j e c t a s t h e f o r e g o i n g .

T h e D e l p h i c p r i e s t , t h e p a t r i o t i c p r i e s t , t h e p r i e s t m i l i t a n t ,

spoke thus : "My mother has the sea for her mantle, high

m o u n t a i n s f o r h e r s c e p t r e ; " and when asked who his mother

SECRET SOCIETIES

Napoleon, whose portrait was honoured in the lodge . Therites were chiefly those of the ancient a nd accepted Scotch

Women were admitted, Turks excluded ; a n d i n t h e l o d g e s

of Alexandria and - Cairo, the Greek and Arab womenamounted to more than three hundred. The emissaries,s p r e a d o v e r m a n y p a r t s o f Eu r o p e , c o r r e s p o n d e d i n c i p h e r

b u t o f t h e o pe r a t i o n s o f t h e s o ci e t y n o t h i n g w a s e ve r po s i -

tively known. American Hunte rs .-The Society of the "American



580

Hunters" was founded at Ravenna, shortly after the pro-secutions of Macerata, and the measures taken by theAustrian Government, in 18 18, against the Carbonari. LordB y r o n i s s a i d t o h a ve b e e n a t i t s h e a d , h a vi n g i mb i b e d h i s

l o ve fo r It a l y t h r o u g h t h e i n fl u e nce of a n It a l i a n b e a u t y ,

the Countess Guiccioli, whose brother had been exiled afew years before Its ceremonies assimilated it to the

" Comuneros " o f S pa i n , a n d i t s e e ms t o h a ve h a d t h e s a me

a i m s a s t h e D e l ph i c P r i e s t h o o d . The saviour was to come


Italy from the Austrian yoke was formed in that city,counting among its members many distinguished Italianpatriots . Austria took the alar m, and sent spies to discover

their plans. Th e s e s p i e s r e p r e s e n t e d t h e o p e r a t i o n s o f t h e

society as very extensive and imminent. An expeditionw a s t o s a i l f r o m t h e En g l i s h c o a s t s f o r S p a i n , t o t a k e o n

board a l a r g e n u mb e r o f a d h e r e n t s , l a n d t h e m o n t h e It a l i a n

s h o r e s , a n d s p r e a d i n s u r r e c t i o n e v e r y w h e r e . The English



g e n e r a l , R o b e r t W i l s o n , w a s s a i d t o b e a t t h e h e a d o f t h e

expedition ; o f w h ich , h o w e ve r , n o t h i n g w a s e ve r h e a r d , a n d

t h e A u s t r i a n G o v e r n m e n t e s c a p e d w i t h t h e m e r e f r i g h t .

-582 . S e c r e t I t a l i a n S o c i e t i e s i n P a r i s.-Asociety of Italian s

was formed in Paris, in 1829 ; and in 1830, French Liberals

formed a society under the titl e of " C o s mo p o l i t a n s , " w h o s e

object was to revoluti onise all the peoples of the Latin race,

and form them into one grand confederacy. La Fayettewas at its head, but the man who was the real leader of


5 83 . Mazzini and Young I t a l y .-Jose ph Mazzini, who

s ixty y e a r s a g o w a s a pr i s o n e r i n Fo r t S a vo n a fo r r e vo l u -

tionary speeches and writings, may be looked upon as the

chief instigator of modern secret societies in Italy having

revolutionary tendencies . The independence and unity oftheir country, wit h Rome for its capital, of course were the

objects o f Young Italy . One of the earliest of these societies

was that of the Apophasimenes, many of whom Mazzini drew



over to his "Young Italy" association .

Here are some of the articles of the " Organisation of

Young Italy" :-i. The society is founded for the indispen-

sable destruction of all the governments of the Peninsula, in

o r d e r t o fo rm o n e s i n g l e S t a t e w i t h t h e r e pu b l ica n g o ve r n -

ment. 2. Fully aware of the horrible evils of absolu te power,

and the even worse results of constitutional monarchies, we

must aim at establishing a republic, one and indivisible . 30Those who refuse obedience to the orders of this secretsociety, or reveal its mysteries, die by the dagger without




n o t a b l y t h a t of the operations of Charles Albert-was du

to the political intrigue s carried on by the Mazzinists, who

t a mpe r e d w i t h t h e fi d e l i t y a n d d i s cipl i n e o f t h e S a r d i n i a

army M az z i n i , i n t h o s e d a y s , r u i n e d t h e n a t i o n a l ca u s e

and rejoiced in t h a t r u i n , b e ca u s e h e w a s n o t t h e l e a d e r o

the enterprise. La t e r o n , h i s R o m a n t r i u m v i r a t e l e d t o t h

Fr e n c h o c c u p a t i o n o f R o m e , a n d t o t h e r e t u r n t o t h a t c i t

of Italy's greatest curse, the pope . Many of Garibaldi'noble efforts were thwarte d or frustrated by Mazzini's revo



lutionary fanaticism ; and yet-such is the mockery oFat e!-t h a t s e l fi s h d e ma g o g u e w h o , t o g r a t i fy h i s po l i t i ca

c r o t c h e t s , s e n t h u n d r e d s o f m i s g u i d e d y o u t h s t o a v i o l e n

death, has a statue in the Palazzo del Municipio aGenoa, an honour which posterity will certainly rescind

Like O'Donovan Rossa, he planned his murderous schemeat a safe distance, taking care never to imperil himselp e r s o n a l l y , a n d i f d a n g e r c a m e n e a r , t o r u n a w a y . In thexpedition to Savoy in January 1834, Mazzini at Carr

ITALIAN SOCIETIES 19t

accepted from him the title of count and peer of France,and was sent as ambassador to Rome. Though he had oncebelonged to the se cret societies of Italy, and by Gregory XVI,

been designated as the political renegade, he eventuallyaccepted office under Pins IX., w h o i n 1848 , a s h o r t t i me

before his flight from Rome, had no one to appeal to, tof o r m a n e w m i n i s t r y , b u t t h i s v e r y a d v e n t u r e r , w h o d i d s o

b y k e e p i n g t h r e e o f t h e p o r t f o l i o s i n h i s o w n h a n d s , v i z . ,

t h o s e o f F i n a n ce s , I n t e r i o r , a n d P o l i c e , w h i l s t t h e o t h e r



mi n i s t e r s mu t u a l l y d e t e s t e d e a ch o t h e r ; a fact from whichR o s s i e x pe c t e d t o d e r i v e a d d i t i o n a l a d v a n t a g e s . His poli-t i ca l pr o g r a mme , w h i ch excl u d e d a l l n a t i o n a l pa r t icipa t i o n

o r popu l a r i n fl u e nce , fi l l e d Yo u n g It a l y w i t h r a g e . At ame e t i n g o f Yo u n g It a l y , h e l d a t t h e Ho t e l Fe d e r a t Tu r i n ,

the verdict went forth : Death to the false Carbonaro ! Bya pr e a r r a n g e d s ch eme t h e l o t t o ki l l R o s s i fe l l o n Ca n i n o ,

a l e a d i n g ma n of t h e a s s o ci a t i o n , n o t t h a t i t w a s expect e d

that he would do the deed himself, but his position and


a c c o m p l i s h e d ; we no longer need fear Rossi ." The estimation in which Rossi was held by the Chamber cannot havebeen great, for the deputies received the news of his death

w i t h c o n s i d e r a b l e sangfroid ; and at night a torchlightpr oce s s i o n pa r a d e d t h e s t r e e t s o f R ome , ca r r y i n g a l o ft t h

d a g g e r w h i c h h a d d o n e t h e d e e d , w h i l s t t h o u s a n d s o f v o i c e

exclaimed, " Blessed be the hand that struck Rossi ! B l e s s e

b e t h e d a g g e r t h a t s t r u ck h im ! " A p a m p h l e t , p u b l i s h e d a

Rome in 185 o, contains a letter from Mazzini, in which occu



t h e w o r d s : " Th e a s s a s s i n a t i o n o f R o s s i w a s n e c e s s a r y a n d

just . "

In the first edition I added to the foregoing account the

following note :-" P.S.-Since writin g the above I have met with documents

which induce me to suspend my judgment as to who werethe real authors of Rossi's assassination . From what I havsince learnt it would seem that the clerical party, and not

the Carbonari, planned and executed the deed. Person


dungeons, many of them underground, where they weres t a r v e d o r k i l l e d b y b a d t r e a t m e n t , o r a f t e r l o n g - d e l a y e d

trials condemned to the most unjust punishments . I could

give numerous instances, did they enter into the scopeof this work. The subsequent action of Carbonarism, itsrenewal of the war against the pope, the collapse of thelatter's army, largely composed of Irish loafers, who entered

Rome in potato sacks, with a hole for the head and twofor the arms, and his final overthrow, are matters of public



history .

586. Sicilian Societi es .-S ici l y d i d n o t e s cape t h e g e n e r a linfluence . In 1827 there was formed a secret society infavour of the Greek revolution, the "Friends of Greece,"

w h o , h o w e ve r , a l s o o ccupi e d t h e ms e l ve s w i t h t h e a ffa i r s o f

Italy . There was also the "Secret Society of the Five,"founded ten years before the above, which prepared theinsurrection of the Greeks. In Messina was formed thelodge of the "Patriotic Reformers," founded on Carbonarism,


588. The Roman Catholic Apostolic Congregation .-It wasformed at the peri od of the imprisonmen t of Pius VII . Thememb e r s r e co g n i s e d e a ch o t h e r b y a y e l l o w s i l k r i b b o n w i t h

five knots ; t h e i n i t i a t e d i n t o t h e l o w e r d e g r e e s h e a r d o f

nothing but acts of piety and charity ; the secrets of the

society, known to the higher ran ks, could only be discussed

between two ; the lodges were composed of five membersthe password was " Eleuthe ria," i . e . Liber ty ; and the secret

word "Ode," i.e . Independence. This se ct aros e in France,



among the Neo-catholics, led by Lammenais, who already,

in the treatise o n "Religious Indifference," had shown that

fe r vo u r w h i ch aft e r w a r d s w a s t o ca r r y h im s o fa r . Thence

i t p a s s e d i n t o L o m b a r d y , b u t m e t w i t h b u t l i t t l e s u c c e s s ,

a n d t h e Au s t r i a n s s u cce e d e d i n o b t a i n i n g t h e pa t e n t s w h i ch

were given to the in itiated, tw o Latin texts divided by this

signnReaning Congregazione Catholica Apostolica

Romana, and their statutes and signs of recognition . Though

ITALIAN SOCIETIES

Francis IV. The s u p p o s e d c h i e f s , a f t e r 1815 , w e r e t h e

Duke of Modena and Cardinal Consalvi. The first hadfrequent secret interviews with the cardinals, and even the

King of Sardinia was said to be in the plot . Large sumsa l s o a r e s a i d t o h a v e b e e n c o n t r i b u t e d b y t h e chiefs to

carry on the war against Austria, which, however, is doubt-

ful . Some attribute to this society the project of divid-

ing Italy into three kingdoms, expelling the Austrians and

the King of Naples ; others, the intention of dividing it

1 95



into five, viz ., Sardini a, Modena , Lucca, Rome, and Naples ;

and yet others-and these latter probably are most in the

right-the determination to perpetuate the s t a t u s q u o , or to

re-establish servitude in its most odious forms . They a lso

intrigued with Russia, though at certain times they would

not have objected to su bject all Italy politically to the

Austrian eagle, and clerically to the keys of St. Peter .

Their machinations at ho me led to much internal disse nsion

VI



NAPOLEONIC AND ANTI-NAPOLEONIC

SOCIETIES

590 The Philadelphians .-As early as the year 1780 as o c i e t y o f a b o u t s i x t y y o u n g m e n h a d f o r m e d a t B e s a n c o n a

ma s o n i c l o d g e u n d e r t h e a b o ve n a me . Colonel James Joseph

Oudet, who, though he served under Napoleon, hated him,a n d h a d fo r s o me t ime b e e n l o o ki n g o u t fo r d u pe s t o a s s i s t

ANTI-NAPOLEONIC SOCIETIES 197

place, but shortly after had to resign it aga in to Oudet, he,

M o r e a u , h a vi n g b e e n i mpl ica t e d i n t h e co n spi r acy of P ich e -

g r u . Before then the conspiracy of Arena to assassinateBonaparte had been discovered, and a book, seized amongthe papers of Arena, and entitled " The Turk and the FrenchSoldier," certainly was written by Oudet. The Philadel-p h i a n s n e xt a t t e m p t e d t o s e i z e B o n a p a r t e w h i l e t r a v e r s i n g

the forests and mountains of the Jura attended by a verysmall retinue ; but the attempt failed, one of the Order



having betrayed the plot. Oudet was killed at thebattle of Wagram ( 1 8 0 9 ) , and with his death the societycollapsed .

591 . The Rays.-During the power of Napoleon, he wasopposed by secret societ ies in Italy, as well as in France .

B u t h i s fa l l , w h i ch t o ma n y s e e me d a r e vi va l o f l i b e r t y , t o

o t h er s a pp ea r e d as t h e ru i n o f It a l y ; h e n c e t h e y s o u g h t t o

re-establish his rule , or at least to save Italian national ity


elapsed after this without his hearing any more of the society,

w h e n a t l a s t h e r e ce i ve d a l e t t e r a s ki n g h i m t o r e pa i r t o a

remote place, where he was to meet a number of brothersassembled He went, but found no one. He received three

more similar summonses, but always with the same resultHe received a fifth, and went, but saw no one . He was justr e t i r i n g , d i s g u s t e d w i t h t h e o ft e n -r epe a t e d d e cept i o n , w h e n

he heard frightful cries, as from a person in distr ess. Heh a s t e n e d t o w a r d s t h e s po t w h e n ce t h e y pr oce e d e d , a n d fo u n d



a bleeding body lying on the ground, whilst he saw three

horsemen making their escape in the opposite direction, who,

however, fired three shots at him, but missing him . He wasa b o u t t o exami n e t h e b o d y l y i n g a t h i s fe e t w h e n a d e t a ch -

ment of armed force, attracted by the same cries, darted

f r o m t h e f o r e s t ; the victim on the ground indicated ourhero as his assailant . He was seized, imprisoned, accusedby witnesses who declared they had seen him commit themurder-for the body of the person attacked had been re-

NAPOLEONIC SOCIETIES 199

being shi pwrecked perceives a piece of wood that may save

him, and which he will cast into the fire when be has reached

the land . The effects of these plots are known-Napoleon's

escape from Elba, and th e reign of a hundre d days .

According to secret documents, the machinations of the

B o n a p a r t i s t s c o n t i n u e d e v e n i n 1842, t h e l e a d e r s b e i n g

P e t e r B o n a p a r t e , La d y Ch r i s t i n a S t u a r t , t h e d a u g h t e r o f

Lucien Bonaparte, the Marchioness Pepoli, the daughter of

the Countess Lipona (Carol ine Murat ), and Count Rasponi .



Then appeared t he sect of th e "Italian Confederates ," first

called "Platonica," which in 1842 extended into Spain .

Another sect, the "Illuminati, Vindicators or Aveng ers of

the' People," arose in the Papal States ; also those of "Re-generpLion," o f "Italian Independence," of the "Com-munifts," th e "Extermina tors, " &c . Tuscany also had ' i t s

secret societies-that of the "Thirty-one," the "National

Knights," the " Revolutionary Club," &c. A " CommunisticSociety" was formed at Milan ;


a n d b y t h e p o l i c e i n q u i r y r e s u l t i n g t h e r e f r o m , t o t h e e x -

posure of the society, their statutes, oaths, and ceremonies .

The members of the Unit& Italiana, discovered at Naples

i n 185o, recognised each other by a gentle rubbing of noses .

They swore on a dagger with a triangular blade, with the

inscription, " Fraternity-Death to Traitors-Death toTyrants," faithfully to obser ve all the laws of the society,

on pain, in case of-want of faith, to have their hearts pierced

w i t h t h e d a g g e r . Those who executed the vengeance of the



s o ci e t y ca l l e d t h e ms e l ve s t h e Commi t t e e o f Execu t i o n . In1849 the grand council of the sect established a 1 1 Committeeo f S t a b b e r s ," comitato de ' pu g n a l a t o r i . The heads of thes o c i e t y w e r e p a r t i c u l a r a s t o w h o m t h e y a d m i t t e d i n t o i t ;

the statutes say, "no ex-Jesuits, thieves, coiners, and other

infamous persons are to be initiated ." The ex-Jesuits arepl ace d i n g o o d compa n y t r u l y

In 1849 a society was discovered at Ancona calling itself

t h e " Company of Death," and many assassinations, many of

ANTI-NAPOLEONIC SOCIETIES 201

members whose fidelity was suspected . It was resolved to

sacrifice them . The y w e r e w a t c h e d , s e t u p o n a n d m u r d e r e d

by their fellow-accomplices . This so ciety was known as the

A c c o l t e l l a t o r i , l i t e r a l l y 1 ° knifers "-cut-throat s . It originally

consisted of twelve members only, who used to meet in the

Cafe Mazzavillani-a ve ry appropriate name ; mazza meansa club or bludgeon, and v i l l a n o , v i l l a i n o u s - a t R a v e n n a ,

w h e r e t h e f a t e o f t h e i r v i c t i m s w a s d e c i d e d . The tri al

ended in most of the members being condemned to penal



servitude .

VII

FRENCH SOCIETIES



5 97 . Various Societies after the Restorat ion .-One woult h i n k t h a t , a cco r d i n g t o t h e "ph i l o s o ph ica l" h i s t o r i a n s , n

nation ought to have been more content and happy, afterbeing delivered from their tyran t Napoleon, than the French

B u t , i n a cco r d a n ce w i t h w h a t I s a i d i n s e ct . 519, no natio n

h a d mo r e r e a s o n t o b e d i s s a t i s fi e d a n d u n h a ppy t h r o u g h t h e

r e s t o r a t i o n o f a ki n g b y g r a ce of G o d " and " right divine .

FRENCH SOCIETIES 203

t h e B o u r b o n s , a l s o c ame t o a s p e e d y e n d . The " New Re-form of France, " and the " Provinces," which were probably

f o u n d e d i n 1820, only admitted members already initiated

into Carbonarism, Freemasonry, t h e Eu r op e a n P a t r i o t s ,

or the Greeks in Solitude . A m ixt u r e o f m a n y s e c t s , t h e y

condensed the hatre d of many ages and many orders agains t

t y r a n n y , a n d p r e s c r i b e d t h e f o l l o w i n g o a t h : " I, M. N. ,

promise and swear to be the eternal enemy of tyrants, to

e n t e r t a i n u n d y i n g h a t r e d a g a i n s t t h e m , a n d , w h e n o p p o r -

. " . In their succinct catechism



tunity offers, to slay them

wore the following passages : " Who art thou ? " " Thyfriend ."-" How knowest thou me?" "By the weight press-ing on thy brow, on which I read written in letters of blood,

To conquer or di e."-" What wilt thou? "Destroy t he

thrones and raise up gibbets ."-" By what right ? " "Bythat of nature ."-" For what purpose?" "To acquire the

glorious name of citizen ."-" And wilt t hou r isk thy li fe?"

I value life less than liberty . "


v o c a t e d t h e a b o l i t i o n o f t h e u n i v e r s i t i e s a n d t h e t h r o w i n g

o p e n o f a l l i n s t r u c t i o n t o t h e p u b l i c g r a t u i t o u s l y . The` 1 Con s t i t u t i o n a l S oci e t y ," d i r e ct e d b y a ma n w h o b a d po w e r -

fully supported the candidature of the Duke of Orleans,Cauchois-Lemaire, insis ted on the suppression of monopolies ,

the more equal levy of taxes, electoral reform, and t he aboli-

t i o n o f t h e d i g n i t y of t h e pe e r a g e . The "Friends of thePeople" was another political society, one section of which,

c a l l e d t h e " R i g h t s o f M a n , " a d o p t e d f o r i t s t e x t - b o o k t h e

" Declaration of the Rights of Man" by Robespierre, and



d r e w t o i t s e l f m a n y m i n o r s o c i e t i e s , t o o n u m e r o u s , a n d i n

mo s i g e a s e s t o o u n i mpo r t a n t , t o b e me n t i o n e d . Their effor ts

e n d e d i n t h e u s e l e s s i n s u r r e ct i o n o f Lyo n s o n t h e 1 3 t h a n d

14th April 1834 .

5 98 . The Acting Company.-But a separate corps of the

Rights of Man, selected from among all the members, wasformed and called the Acting Company, under the commando f Capt a i n Ke r s a u s i e , a r i ch n o b l e ma n w i t h d e mocr a t ic pr e -

FRENCH SOCIETIES 205

a t t empt b r o ke up t h e s o ci e t y of t h e R i g h t s o f M a n , b u t t h e

remnants thereof formed themselves in the same year intoa n e w s o ci et y , ca l l e d t h e " Fami l i e s," u n d e r t h e l ea d e r s h i p

of Blanqui and Barbes. A d m i s s i o n t o t h i s n e w s o c i e t y w a s

a t t e n d e d w i t h a l l t h e mumme r y a n d mys t ifica t i o n co n s i d e r e d

necessary to form an orthodox initiation. Its object, ofcourse, was the overthrow of the monarchical government

a n d t h e e s t a b l i s h me n t o f a r e pu b l ic ; b ut t h e s ocie t y ha vin g

in 1836 been discovered and suppressed, many of its leaders

b e i n g s e n t t o pr i s o n s , t h e memb e r s w h o r e ma i n e d a t l i b e r t y



reconstituted themselves into a new society, called the"Seasons," into the meeting-place of which the candidate

w a s l e d b l i n d f o l d e d , a n d s w o r e d e a t h t o a l l k i n g s , a r i s t o -

crats, and other oppresso rs of mankind, and to sacrifice his

own life, if needful, in the cause . On the 12th May the" Seasons," led by Blanqui and Barbes, rose in insur rection,

but were defeated by the Government . Blanqui was sen-tenced to be transported, and Barbes condemned to death ;

206 ` SECRET SOCIETIES

t o co nfe s s , a n d d e cl a r e i n w r i t i n g , t h a t h e w a s t h e a u t h o r

of all the reports signed "Pierre ." Some members of theprovisional government were for shooting him, but he gotoff with a few months' imprisonment in the Conciergerie .

O n r e c o v e r i n g h i s l i b e r t y D e l a h o d d e w e n t t o L o n d o n , w h e r e

he published a small journal, atta cking the Republic and the

, R epu b l ica n s .

599 .The Communistic societies of the Travaill eurs . E g a l i -

taires and Communistis Rwolutionnaires introduced some of

t h e i r memb e r s i n t o t h e pr o vi s i o n a l g o ve r n me n t t h a t pr ece d e d



the accession of Louis Napoleon ; and their influence even to

the present day is too notorious to need specification here .

The "Mountaineers," or "Reds of the Mountain," a revivalof the name given during the French Revolution to theleaders of the Jacobins, was one of the societies that brought

about the events of 1848 . According to the Univers of the

2nd February 1852, they swore on a dagger, "I swear bythis steel, the symbol of honour, to combat and destroy all



6oi . Polish Patriotism.-It is the fashion to express great

sympathy with the Poles and a corresponding degree ofindignation against Russia, Austria, and Prussia ; the Poles'

are looked upon as a patriotic race, oppressed by their more

powerful neighbours . But all this rest s on mere misappre-

hension an d ignorance of facts . The Polish people undertheir native rulers were abject serfs . The arist ocracy were


fe w pe r s o n s o n l y , i t d i d n o t l a s t l o n g . In 1818 another

sect arose, that of "National Freemasonry," which borrowedt h e r i t e s , d e g r e e s , a n d l a n g u a g e o f Fr e ema s o n r y , b u t a i me d

a t n a t i o n a l i n d e p e n d e n c e . The s oci e t y w a s o pe n t o pe r s o n s

of all classes, but sought chiefly to enlist soldiers and officials,

so as to turn their technical knowledge to account in the day

of t h e s t r u g g l e . But though numerous, the society lasted

only a few years ; for disunion arose among the members,and it escaped total dissolution only by transformation . Italtered its rites and ceremonies, and henceforth called itself



the"

Scyt h e r s ," i n r e memb r a nce of t h e r e vo l u t i o n o f 1794,

in which whole regiments, armed with scythes, had goneinto battle . They met in 1821 at Warsaw, and drew upa n e w r e v o l u t i o n a r y s c h e m e , a d o p t i n g a t t h e s a m e t i m e t h e

new denomination of "Patriotic Society." In the mean-while the students of the University of Wilna had formed

themselves into a secret society ; w h i c h , h o w e v e r , w a s d i s -

covered by the Russian Government and dissolved. In

an insurrection against Russia. Little was known for along time about their proceedings. Strange stories werec i r c u l a t e d o f m i d n i g h t m e e t i n g s i n s u b t e r r a n e a n p a s s a g e s ;

of traitors condemned ' by courts composed of masked andhooded judges, from whose sentence there was no appealand no escape ; of domiciliary visits from which neither the

palace nor the hovel was exempt ; and of corpses foundn i g h t l y i n t h e m o s t c r o w d e d s t r e e t s o f t h e c i t y , or on theloneliest wastes of the open country, the dagger whichhad killed the victim bearing a label stamped with the

POLISH SOCIETIES 209



well-known device of the insurrectionary committee. Soperfectly was the secret of the modern Vehmgericht keptthat the Russian police were completely baffled in theira t t e mpt s t o d i s co ve r i t s memb e r s . At t h a t pe r i o d t h e P o l e s

were divided into two parties, the " w h i t e s " a n d t h e "reds" ;

the former representing the aristocratic, the latter the demo-

cratic element of the nation . Each h a d i t s o w n o r g a n i s a t i o n .

The w h i t e s w e r e mo s t l y i n fa vo u r o f s t r i ct l y co n s t i t u t i o n a l

IX

THE OMLADINA



604. The Panslavists .-The desire of the Sclavonic races,

compr i s i n g B o h e mi a n s , M o r a vi a n s , S i l e s i a n s , P o l e s , Cr o a t s

S e r vi a n s , a n d D a lma t i a n s , t o b e u n i t e d i n t o o n e g r a n d co n

federation, is of ancient date . It was encouraged by Russias early as the da ys of Catherine II . and of A lexander I., who

as well as their successors, hoped to secure for themselves

the hegemony in this confederation. But the Sclavonian

THE OMLADINA 211

Di e t , w a s a r r e s t e d a t N e u s a l z . But the society continuedto exist, and occasionally gave signs of life, as, for instance,

in 1882, when it serio usly talked of deposing the Prince of

Montenegro, and electing Menotti Garibaldi perpetual presi-

dent of the federation of the Western Balkans . At last,in January 1894, seventy-seven members of the Omladina,including journalists, printers, clerks, and artisans, mostly

very young men, were put on their trial at Prague for being

members of a secret society, and guilty of high treason .

When the arrests began, one Mrva, better known as Rigoletto



di Toscana, was ass assinated by Dolezal, who afterwards was

seized, and was one of the a ccused included in the prosecu-

tion . This Mrva had been a member of the Omladina, andwas said to be a police spy. He made careful notes of allthe proceedings of the society, as also of another with which

he was connected, and which was called "SubterraneanPrague," the object of which was to undermine the houses

X

TURKISH SOCIETIES

605 . Young Turkey.-The vivifying wave of revolutionary

ideas which sw ept over Europe in the first half of this cen-



tury extended even to Turkey, and, i n imitation o f its effects

in other count ries, produced a Young 'Turkey, as it had pro-

duced a Young Germany, a Young Poland, a Young Italy,and so on . Mr. David Urquha rt, as v iolent a Turcophile ash e w a s a R u s s o p h o b e , a t t r i b u t e d t o M o u s t a p h a F a z y l - P a ch a ,

whom- he calls a Turkish "Catiline," the doubtful honour

of having been the founder of Young Turkey, whose aims

TURKISH SOCIETIES 213

has a significant name. They are called Huntchak (Alarm),

Froch ak (Fl a g), Ab d a g ( B e l l o w s) , G a i z a g (Th u n d e r b o l t ), a n d

Vo tch i n tch ak (De s t r uct i o n) . The l a s t t w o a r e t h e mo s t r e -

cently created . The committees act a ccording to a plan fixed

by the occult central committee . Thus the Huntchak orga-nised the demonstration in 1895 a t t h e P o r t e , w h i l e t h e

attack on the Ottoman Bank ( 1 8 96 ) d e v o l v e d o n t h e Fr o c h a k

committee. Th e r e r e m a i n t h r e e , w h o w i l l h a v e t o a c t s u c -

cessively. In the following month of October the Armenian

revoluti onary leaders s ent a letter to the French Embassy at



Con s t a n t i n o pl e , t h r e a t e n i n g fu r t h e r o u t r a g e s . The latestdetailed account of the society, published in December 1896,

says : The discovery of s editious papers found in the posses-

sion of Armenian conspirators, when arrested in December

1896 at Kara Hissar Charki, reveals all th e details o f the

revolutionary programme, circulated by the leaders of the in-

surrection, and imposed on their adherents . The programme

XI

THE UNION OF SAFETY



607. Historica l Sketch of Society.-Russia has ever been a

hotbed of secret societies, but, to within very recent times

such societies were purely local ; the Russian people might

revolt against some local oppression, or some subaltern tyran t,

but they never rose aga inst the emperor, they never took up

arms for a political question . Whatever secret associations

were formed in that country, moreover, were formed by the

THE UNION OF SAFETY 215

society still more aristocratic, that of the " Russian Knights,"

which aimed at obtaining for the Russian people a constitu-

t i o n a l c h a r t e r , a n d c o u n t e r a c t i n g t h e s e c r e t s o c i e t i e s o f

P o l a n d , w h o s e o b j e c t w a s t o r e s t o r e P o l a n d t o i t s a n c i e n t

state, that is to say, absolutism on the part of the nobles,

and abject slavery on the part of the people . The t w o s o ci e -

ties eventually coalesced into one, tinder the den omination

of the "Union for the Public Weal " ; but, divided in its

counsels, it was . dissol ved in 1821, a n d a n e w s o c i e t y f o r m e d

u n d e r t h e t i t l e o f t h e " Union of the Boyards." The pro-



gramme of this union at first was to reduce the imperial

p o w e r t o a l e v e l w i t h t h a t o f t h e P r e s i d e n t o f t h e U n i t e d

States, and to form the empire into a federation of provinces .

B u t g r a d u a l l y t h e i r vi e w s b e came mo r e a d va nce d ; a republic

w a s p r o p o s e d , a n d t h e e m p e r o r , A l e x a n d e r I ., was to b e put

to death . The more moderate and respectable memberswithdrew from the society, and after a short time it was


s e r vice , w h o w a s e n n o b l e d , r e ce i ve d s o me i n t i ma t i o n o f t h e

plot, but seems to have neglected taking precautions ; whils

he was lying ill at Taganrog, Count De Witt brought himfurther news of the progress of the conspiracy, but theemperor was too near his death for active measures. Hedied, in fact, a few days after of typhoid fever be had caught

i n t h e Cr ime a . It w a s r u mo u r e d t h a t h e d i e d o f po i s o n , b u t

s u ch w a s n o t t h e ca s e : t h e r e p o r t o f S i r Ja m e s W y l i e , w h o

w a s w i t h h i m t o t h e l a s t , d i s pro ve s t h e r u mo u r . B e s i de s , i

is certain that the conspirators were guiltless of the emperor'



death, since it took them unprepared and scattered at incon-

ve n i e n t d i s t a n ce s o ve r t h e e mpi r e . Immediately on Alex-ander's death General Diebitsch, commanding at Kieff,ordered Colonel Pestel and about a dozen officers to bearrested . B u t t h e c o n s p i r a t o r s d i d n o t t h e r e f o r e g i v e u p

their plan . They declared Nicholas, who succeeded Alex-ander, to be a usurper, his elder brother Constantine being

XII

THE NIHILISTS



"The r e a r e a l a rmi s t s w h o co nfe r upo n t h e i s s u e r s of t h e s e r e v o l u ,

tionary [Nihilistic] tracts the dignified title of a secret society, . . . b u t

the political atmosphere of the country [Russia . . . is no longer so

favourable as it used to be to their development'

-ATHENtm1M, 29th January 1 870

"A political movement that is perhaps the most mysterious andromantic the world has ever known ."-ATHENIEuM, 23rd September 1882 .

218

former age been adopted by the nobility of the Nether-l a n d s .

609 . Founders of Nihilism.-The original Nihilists were

n o t c o n s p i r a t o r s a t a l l , b u t f o r m e d a l i t e r a r y a n d p h i l o -

sophical society, which, however , now is quite extinct . Itfl o u r i s h e d b e t w e e n 186o and 1870. Its transformat ion to

the actual Nihilism is due, in a great measure, to the Paris

Communists and the International, whose proceedings ledthe youth of Russia to form secret societies, having for their

o b ject t h e pr opa g a t i o n o f t h e Li b e r a l i d e a s w h i ch h a d l o n g



before then been preached by Bakunin and Herzen, whoma y i n d e e d b e l o o ke d upo n a s t h e r e a l fa t h e r s o f N i h i l i s m,

w i t h w h o m m a y b e j o i n e d C e r n i s c e ff s k i , w h o , i n 1863, pub-l is he d h is n ov el , " What is to be Done?" for which he wassentenced to exile in Siberia, but which mightily stir red up

t h e r e vo l u t i o n a r y spi r i t o f R u s s i a . Herzen, who died in1869, aimed only at a peaceful transformation of the Russian

empire ; but Bakunin, who died in 1878, dreamt of its

THE NIHILISTS 219

price on h i s h e a d , a n d f i n a l l y s u c c e e d e d i n o b t a i n i n g h i s

extradition from Switzerland, no less than 20,000 francs being

paid to the Zurich Prefect of Police, Pfenniger, who facili-

tated the extradition, which, according to all accounts, was

more like an act of kidnapping. The Municipal Council

strongly protested, and passed a resolution that evencommon criminals should not be given up to such .Gove r n -

ments as those of Russia and Turkey . Nechayeff was sen-t e n ce d t o t w e n t y y e a r s ' pe n a l s e r vi t u d e i n S i b e r i a , b u t h e

w a s t o o i mpo r t a n t a pe r s o n t o b e t r u s t e d o u t o f s i g h t , a n d



s o he was confined in the most secure portion of the fortress

Peter and Paul. For a t i me h e w a s kept i n ch a i n s fa s t e n e d

to a metal rod, so that he could neither lie down, stand up,

n o r s i t w i t h a n y appr o ach t o e a s e . But even in prison hen e v e r l o s t a n o p p o r t u n i t y o f m a k i n g c o n v e r t s ; h e r e c e i v e d

visits from high officials, nay, the emperor himsel f "inter-

viewed " him. Of co u r s e a l l t h e s e vi s i t s w e r e pa i d w i t h a

vi e w o f s o u n d i n g h i m a b o u t t h e fo rce s a n d pr o spect s of t h e


river Don ; Leonidas Sciseko, an officer, became a hand-w e a ve r i n o n e o f t h e S t . Petersb urg manufactorie s to carr

on the propaganda there ; Demetrius Rogaceff, anotherofficer, and a friend of his, went into the province of Tver,

a s s a w y e r s , t o s p r e a d t h e i r d o c t r i n e s a m o n g t h e p e a s a n t s

Sophia Perovskaia, who, like Krapotkine, belonged to thehighest aristocracy-her father was Governor-General oSt . Petersburg-took to vaccinating village children ; in th

secret memoir drawn up in 1875 b y o r d e r o f Co u n t P a h l e n ,

the then Russian Mini ster of Justice, we also find the na mes



o f t h e d a u g h t e r s o f t h r e e a ct u a l Co u nci l l o r s o f S t a t e , t h e

daughter of a general, Loschern von Herzfeld, as engagedin this propaganda

; a n d f r o m t h e s a m e d o c u m e n t i t a p p e a r s

that as early as the years I87o and 1871 as many as thirty-

s e ve n r e vo l u t i o n a r y "ci rcl e s" w e r e i n exi s t e nce i n a s ma n y

provinces, most of which had established schools, factories,

workshops, depots of forbidden boo ks, and "flying sheets," for

the propagation of revolutionary ideas . But though the pro-

THE NIHILISTS 221

people . The St. Pe t e r s b u r g g r o u p w a s a t fi r s t , 18 76-7 8 ,

c o n t e m p t u o u s l y c a l l e d " The Tr o g l o d y t e s , " b u t a ft e r w a r d s ,

after the paper published b y them, "Land and Liberty ." Ther e

was also a large "group" at Moscow . Most of its membershad been students at the Zurich University ; i t i n cl u d e d

several girls, one of whom was Bardina, of whom more int h e n e x t s e c t i o n. Some of them had entered into shamma r r i a g e s , w h i ch t h e y t h e ms e l ve s , i n t h e i r l e t t e r s , ca l l e d

farces, and which were performed without any religiousceremony, and were, in most cases, never consummated,t h e i r o b ject b e i n g s i mpl y t o r e n d e r t h e w o me n i n d e pe n d e n t ,



a n d t o e n a b l e t h e m t o o b t a i n pa s spo r t s , a n d a t ma n y a t r i a l

it was proved that these women had, in spite of theira d v e n t u r o u s l i v e s a n d i n t i m a t e a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h m e n , p r e -

s e r v e d t h e i r v i r t u e u n i m p a i r e d . But the groups, thoughthey held their ground with varying fortunes for several

ye a r s , r e ma i n e d w i t h o u t r e s u l t s ; the immensity of Russia,t h e vis inertia of the peasantry, and the ne cessity of acting


covered at Moscow ; of fifty prisoner s, , whose ages rangedfrom fifteen to twenty-five years, three were condemnedto ten years' penal servitude, six to nine years (two of them

w e r e y o u n g g i r l s) , o n e t o fi ve y e a r s ; the rest were shutup in prisons, or exiled to distant provinces . S oph i a

B a r d i n a , t h e n a g e d t w e n t y-t h r e e , w a s o n e o f t h e pr i s o n e r s ,

the daughter of a gentleman ; s h e b a d o n l e a v i n g c o l l e g e

received a diploma and a gold medal ; b u t t o fu r t h e r t h e

Socialistic propaganda, she took a situation as an ordinary

work-woman in a factory. Accused of having distributedLiberal pamphlets among the factory hands, she was im-



prisoned, and kept in close confinement for two years,without being brought to trial ; she was included in thetrial of the fifty, and sentenced to nine years' penal servi-

tude in Siberia . On being asked what she had to say whysentence should not be passed; she made one of the mostsplendid speeches ever heard in a court of law . In herperoration, sh e said, "I am, convinced that our country, no w

THE NIHILISTS 223

demands. Whilst (just ly) accusing the hig hest officials and

'dignitaries of dishonourable conduct, avarice, and barbarous

brutality, they demanded their removal from the entourage

of the emperor, to whom they then intended no harm. Itw a s t h e c o u r t c a m a r i l l a t h e y w e r e a i m i n g a t , a n d t h e s u p -

pression of the emperor's private chancellery, commonlycalled "the Third Divis ion . " But the more ardent Nihilists

were for more drastic measures, and a portion of the party,

represented by their organ, Land an d Liber ty, seceded, and

t o o k t h e n a me of t h e " P a r t y o f t h e P e o p l e , " w h i c h s e c t i o n



was in 1878 divided again, and the seceders called themselves

the "Party of Terror," and were represented by the Will

of the People .The party had no definite plans at first ; i t s

fi r s t o ve r t a ct w a s S o l o v i eff' s a t t e mpt o n t h e l i fe of t h e

emperor (617). And the Government seemed to play intothe hands of the Terrorists . I t d i d e v e r y t h i n g i t c o u l d t o

goad the people to desperation : t h e me r e s t s u s pici o n l e d t o

arrest ; t e n , t w e l ve , fift e e n y e a r s o f h a r d l a b o u r w e r e i n -


end of 1875 she returned to St . Pe t e r s b u r g. Her experi-

ences had prepared her for her deed : she knew what soli-

t a r y co nfi n eme n t w a s , a n d t h e r e s e n t me n t o f R u s s i a n s o ci e t y

against Trepoff -for even persons without revolutionaryt e n d e n ci e s ca l l e d h i m t h e B a s h i -b a z o uk of St . Petersburg-

b e c a m e i n h e r m i n d a c o n v i c t i o n t h a t h e m u s t b e p u n i s h e d ,

t h o u g h s h e h a d n o p e r s o n a l a c q u a i n t a n c e e i t h e r w i t h B o g o -

linb off or Trepoff . She waited on the latter, presented a

paper to him, and while he was reading it, fired her revolver

a t h i m, i nfl ict i n g a d a n g e r o u s w o u n d , a n d t h e n a l l o w e d h e r -

self to be seized, without offering any resistance . Though



the attempt was 'tot denied at her trial, the jury pronounced

h e r " N o t g u i l t y ," a n d t h e ve r d i ct w a s u n a n i mo u s l y appr o ve d

as the expression of public opinion in Russi a . Men saw int h e a cqu i t t a l a co n d emn a t i o n o f t h e w h o l e s y s t em of po l ice ,

and especially of its chie f, General Trepoff . Vera Zassulic

was declared to be free ; but in the adjoining street her car-

riage was stopped by the police ; a riot ensued, for the people

THE NIHILISTS ' 225

connection with German literature. General Mesentsoffdied the same day at five in t he afternoon . In a pamphletentitled Death for Death, which appeared directly after,

the writer declared political assassination to be both a just

a n d e fficaci o u s me a n s o f fi g h t i n g t h e G o ve r nme n t , w h i ch t h e

writer's party would contin ue to use, unless police persecu-

tions ceased, political accusations were tried before juries,

and a full amnesty granted for all previou s political offences .

But the Government showed no intention of granting anys u ch r efo rms . Its severity was increased, and trial by jury,

in cases of political offences, entirely suspend ed . Special



courts were instituted, guaranteed to pass sentences inaccordance with the Tsar's wishes. In September 1878, theSt . Petersburg organisation called " Land and Liberty," andco n s i s t i n g o f a b o u t s ixty memb e r s , w a s b r o ke n up . A greatma n y w e r e i mpr i s o n e d , o t h e r s ma d e t h e i r e s cape , b u t b y t h e

energy of four or five members the society was not onlyre-established, but was enabled to erect a printing-press, on


another "hunger-mutiny " ; and lastly, his having sent many

Nihilists to prison .

617 . First Attempts against the Emperor's Life .-Thus wesee that the persons aimed at by the Nihilists gradually rose

in rank, and the logical conclusion of aiming at the highest,

at the Tsar himself, could not be evad ed . The idea came tseveral persons simultaneously . As early as the autumn o

1878 a m i n e w a s l a i d a t N i k o l a i e f f , o n t h e B l a c k S e a , t o

blow up the emperor ; but it was discovered by the police,

the only one they did discover About the same timeA S o l o vi eff, w h o h a d b e e n a t e a ch e r , b u t w h o o n b e comi n g



a Socialist learned the tra de of a blacksmith that he might

thus place himself into closer connection with the labouring

classes, came to St . Petersbur g with the int ention of killin

the emperor. A t t h e s a m e p e r i o d G o l d e n b e r g , s t i l l e l a t e d

with his successful attempt on Prince Krapotkine, alsor e a c h e d t h e R u s s i a n c a p i t a l w i t h t h e s a m e o b j e c t i n v i e w -

the death of the Tsar. Solovieff and Goldenberg entered

Antonoff, were sentenced to be shot . The Governor-Generalof Kieff, however, ordered them to be hanged . Three ot hers,

and Nathalie Armfeldt, daugh ter of a State Councillor, Mary

Kova l e vski , r a n ke d a s a n o b l e , a n d Eka t e r i n e S a r a n d o vi tch ,

d a u g h t e r o f a ci vi l s e r va n t , w e r e co n d emn e d t o h a r d l a b o u r

for fourteen years and ten months. Eka t e r i n e P o l i t z i n o y ,

the daughter of a retired st aff-captain, for not informing the

police of what she knew of the doings of the other prisoners,

was sentenced to four years' hard labour . At anothe r trial,

h e l d a d a y a f t e r , t w o o t h e r N i h i l i s t s , O s i n s k y a n d S o ph i a

v o n H e r z f e l d t , w e r e c o n d e m n e d t o b e s h o t .



61g . The Moseo p Attempt agains t the Emperor .-0n t h e

17th to the 21st June the Nihilists held a congress atLipezk (pr o vi nce of Tomb off), a t w h i ch S ch e l ja b o ff, a pr o -

minent leader, maintained, as we learn from his "Life,"written by Tichomiroff, that since the Governmen t officials,

s u ch a s To d l e b e n a t O d e s s a , a n d Tsch e r tko v a t K i eff, w e r e

simply the tools of the Tsar, this latt er must be personally

before the Moscow attempt had been seized by the policew i t h a qu a n t i t y of d y n ami t e i n h i s po s s e s s i o n , a n d w h o , t o

benefit himself, as he hoped, betrayed a great number of his

fellow-Nihilists . Finding that he did not thereby obtainany alleviation of his own fate, he committed suicide .

620 . Various N i h i l i s t Trials .-Another great trial ofNihilists took place at Odessa in August . Twenty-eightprisoners were tried, of whom three were sentenced to be

hanged. They were Joseph Davidenko, son of a privatesoldier, and Sergay Tchoobaroff and Dmitri Lizogoob, gentle -

men. The latter, wh o had sacrificed near ly his whole for-



tune, a large one, to the "cause," and of whom Stepniak

g i v e s s o m o v i n g a n a c c o u n t i n h i s " Underground Russia,"justly styling him "The Saint of Nihilism," was betrayedby his steward, Drigo, the Government having promised to

give him what still r emained of Lizogoob's patrimony, about

£4000 . The other prisoners were sentenced to varioust e r ms of h a r d l a b o u r i n t h e mi n e s , r a n g i n g fr om fift e e n t o

THE NIHILISTS 229

ment granted constitutional rights, the emperor must die .

The emperor replied by ordering greater severity and more

arrests. Then the Nihilists planned a fresh attempt, moredaring than any previous one, to blow up the emperor in his

own palace. Its execution was undertaken by Chalturin, theson of a peasant, a very energetic agitator and experienced

organiser of workmen's unions . Being also a clever cabinet-

maker he easily, under the assumed name of Batyschkoff,

obtained a situation in the imperial palace ; he ascertained

that the emperor's dining-hall was above the cellar in which

the carpenters were at work, though between it and the latter



y

there was the guardroom, used by the sentinels of the palace,

and his plans were made accordingly. So blind and stupidwere the Russian police that-though towards the end of the

ear 1 879 (Chalturin found employment in the palace in the

month of October) a plan of the Winter Palace, in which

the dining-hall was marked with a cross, was found on amember of the Executive Committee who had been appre-


Chalturin, not to excite their suspicions, was compelled occa-

sionally to take food and other trifles as " perquisites." True,

the wages of the upper domestic servants were only fifteen

roubles a month .

To resume our narrative. Chalturin suffered terribly from

headaches, caused by the poisonous exhalation of the nitro-

glycerine on which his head rested at night. However, he

continued to work on without exciting any suspicion, yea, the

gendarme on guard tried to secure the clever workman, who

at Christmas had received a gratuity of a hundred roubles,

for his son-in-law. At last fifty kilogrammes of dynamite



had been introduced ; the Executive Committee urged Chal-

turin to action ; and on the 5th February i88o the explosion

took place, Chalturin having had time to leave the palace

before it occurred . It pierced the two stone floors, andmade a gap ten feet long and six feet wide in the dining-

hall, in which a grand dinner in honour of the Prince of

Bulgaria was laid . Through an accidental delay the imperial

THE NIHILISTS 231

Tsar, in his blind fury, seemed bent on his destruction-and

it was nearer than he anticipated . The Executive Com-

mittee determined that now the emperor must die. Forty-

seven volunteers presented themselves to make the' attempt

on his life. On the i3th March 1881, the Tsar was assassi-

nated . Returning from a military review near St . Peters-

burg, a bomb was thrown by Ryssakoff, which exploded in

the rear of the carriage, injuring several soldiers . The

emperor alighted, and a second bomb, thrown with greaterprecision, by Ignatius Grinevizki, exploded and shattered

both the legs of the emperor below the knees, tore open the



lower part of his body, and drove one of his eyes out of its

socket . Within one hour and a half the Tsar was dead .

Grinevizki was seized, but he was himself so injured that he

died shortly after his arrest . He was the son of a small

farmer, who with great difficulty for some time managed to

keep his family, consisting of eleven persons, but eventually

fell into difficulties ; his farm was sold, and he became insane .


the proclamation of the new Tsar's ascent to the throne was

found on him, on the back of which were marked in pencil

three places of the city, with certain hours and days against

each One place thus indicated was a confectioner's shop at

the corner of Garden Street . Just round the corner fromthis confectioner's in Garden Street was a cheesemonger's

shop, kept by one Kobizoff and his wife, whose mysterious

disappearance on the day of the assassination led to the dis-

covery of a mine under the street . From subsequent dis-coveries it became evident that this mine was not intended

to blow up the emperor, but to stop his carriage, and afford



others time to assassinate him, after the fashion of the hay

cart, which stopped General Prim's carriage at Madrid .

624 . C o n s t i t u t i o n s a i d t o h a v e b e e n G r a n t e d b y l a t e E m p e r o r .

-It was said that the day before his death the emperor

had signed a Constitution, and that by their action the

Nihilists had deprived their country of the benefits itwould have conferred. But what he had signed was merely

THE NIHILISTS233

the Emperor Alexander and explain to him in unambiguous

words what they really wanted . The emperor received

him, and after having heard what he had to say, ordered

h i m t o b e p l a c e d i n d u r a n c e i n t h e F o r t r e s s P e t r o p o w l o v s k i ;

t h e p o l i c e , h o w e v e r , f a i l e d t o f i n d a n y c l u e t o h i s i d e n t i t y .

So runs the story, and there is nothing improbable in it,

c o n s i d e r i n g t h e d a r i n g s e l f - s a c r i f i c e w h i c h c h a r a c t e r i s e s a l l

t h e a c t s o f t h e N i h i l i s t s .

626 . The Emperor's Reply thereto .-The emperor's reply

t o t h e N i h i l i s t i c p r o c l a m a t i o n , a s k i n g f o r s u c h c o n s t i t u t i o n a l

r i g h t s a s a r e p o s s e s s e d b y e v e r y c i v i l i s e d n a t i o n , w a s g i v e n



in a manifesto, issued on the i ith May, in which the

emperor expressed his determination fully to retain and

maintain - h i s a u t o c r a t i c p r i v i l e g e s . Furthermore, fresh exe-

c u t i o n s w e r e o r d e r e d , t h o u s a n d s o f h i s s u b j e c t s w e r e e x i l e d

to Siberia, greater rigour was exercised against the press

and every Liberal tendency. Not only did the emperor not

g r a n t a n y r e f o r m s , b u t h e e v e n r e t r a c t e d c o n c e s s i o n s a l r e a d y


troops ; for every half verst-about one-third of a mile

English-there was a sentinel with a tent. Besides this,

the photographs of all the railway officials were lodged in

the Ministry of Ways and Communications, so that any

Nihilist, disguised in railway costume, might the more easily

be detected .

627 . Attempt against General Tcherevin .-On November25, a young man presented himself, at the Department

of State Police, which was the old third section or secret

police under a new name, and asked to see General Tche-

revin, the chief director of measures for assuring the safety

of the emperor, stating that he had to disclose some busi-



ness gravely affecting the State. On being ushered into

the presence of General Tcherevin, he immediately drew arevolver and fired at the general, but missed him, and was

secured. He declared that he was acting as the instrument

of others, and for the good of Russia, but named no accom-

plices . His own name was Sankofsky . As the Russian

THE NIHILISTS 235

of the Nihilists was discovered in the Ministry of Marine ;

its director committed suicide . Encouraged by the disasters

which had befallen the Nihilists, the emperor ventured to

return to St. Petersburg, and on the i ith of Septemberattended the fete of Alexander Nevsky, the patron-saint of

the emperor, but slightly guarded, without evil results ; and

in the exuberance of his feelings he went so far as to extend

his clemency even to the Nihilists, for on October 4 he

graciously commuted the sentence of death, passed by a

secret tribunal, on two Nihilists for having murdered apolice spy, to perpetual labour in the mines-and yet the



Nihilists were not conciliated ! For when, on the 21st

November, the emperor and empress paid a visit to St .

Petersburg extra precautions were taken on the part of the

police and military authorities ; all along the route, from the

railway-station to the palace, police-officers in sledges and

on foot were met with at every half-dozen yards ; policemen

were posted at regular intervals in the centre of the street,


belong to a class likely to approve of a revolutionary plot

But the Nihilists profited in another way by the coronation

The whole force of the Government, and its most intelligent

spies, being concentrated, at Moscow, the Nihilists seized thi

occasion to spread their doctrines and to enrol supporter

at St. Petersburg and other large centres, to which may b

attributed the great riots which, after the coronation, occurre

at St . Petersburg, which were intensified by the fact that

none of the expected constitutional reforms were granted

The manifesto issued by the emperor on the coronation day

consisted simply of a remission of arrears of taxes ; criminal



condemned without privation of civil rights had one-third

of their terms remitted ; exiles to Siberia for life had their

sentences commuted to twenty years' penal servitude ; thos

still lying under sentence for the Polish troubles in 1863

were to be set free ; but confiscated property was not to be

restored. Much more had been expected, and the Burgo-

master of Moscow had been bold enough, in his congratula-




Captain Gezhdi were killed ; on the 19th August a determined attempt to kill Captain Katansky, the successor o

Strielnikoff, was made by a second Vera Zassulic. The girl

Mary Kaljushnia, who made the attempt, was a merchant'daughter, barely nineteen, and her object, to avenge he

brother, who had been sentenced to penal servitude for life

in Siberia . She had for some time been under police super

vision ; she earned a miserable subsistence by giving lessons

maintaining herself on about fourpence a day . Her request

to be allowed to go abroad were persistently refused . Othe date above named, she called on Captain Katanskyavowedly with the object of renewing her request, but in



the course of conversation she suddenly drew a revolver an

fired straight into the officer's face. But the ball onlgrazed his ear ; she was seized before she could fire again

and on the loth September following sentenced to twent

years' hard labour . She was tried by the Odessa Militar

Tribunal with closed doors. Several political arrests wer

THE NIHILISTS 239

harmless, the Committee was able to reconstitute the party .

The W i l l of the People also gave a summary of the principal

Nihilistic events during the year, comprising some interesting

details concerning the - great development of agrarian Social-

ism in the south of Russia, - facts till then studiously con-

cealed by the Government . The paper further stated that the

revolutionary group, which had at one time separated itself

from the party of the W i l l o f the People, "The Party of thePeople" (614) and the revolutionary party of Poland, had coa-

lesced with the Russian Nihilists. Among the other subjectstreated, there was an obituary notice of Professor Neous-

traieff, who was shot at Irkutsk for striking the governor-



general of the province. The last pages of the paper were

filled with a long list of arrests made, and a paragraphincidentally mentions that M. Larroff never belonged to the

Executive Committee, though he is recognised as one of the

editors of the review Onwards, published by the Nihilists at

Geneva, and as a warm friend of the party .


to decline . A Nihilist manifesto, published in August 1885,

lamented : Truth compels us to own that the fierce struggle

with the Russian Government, and the spirit of national dis-

content, which gave strength to our party, which was, in fact,

its raison d'etre, has ended in the triumph of absolutism ." In

the following December a trial took place at Warsaw, at which

six persons belonging to the revolutionary association called

the Proletariate, including a justice of the police and a captain

of Engineers, were sentenced to be hanged ; eighteen were

condemned to sixteen years' hard labour in the mines, two

to ten years and eight months' penal servitude, and two

others to transportation to Siberia for life . Early in January



1886 the police discovered a Nihilist rendezvous opposit

the Annitchkine Palace, at St. Petersburg. A number ofexplosive bombs and a printing-press were seized, and several

arrests were made . In April it was reported that a Nihilist

conspiracy, directed against the life of the emperor, had

been discovered at a place near Novo Tcherkask, the capital

THE NIHILISTS 241

three students, at three different parts of the route to be fol-

lowed by the Tsar. They carried bombs in the shape of books,

of a bag, an opera-glass, and a roll of music. As soon as they

had apparently taken their po tions they were pounced upon

by the police and secured . Altogether fifteen persons were

arrested, twelve men and three women, one of the latter

being the landlady of the house at Paulovna, on the Finnish

railway, where the bomb manufactory was discovered a day or

two after the attempt of the 13th . Nine of the twelve men

were students, and the other three were two Polish nobles from

Wilna and an apothecary's assistant . Seven of the accused

were condemned to be hanged, and the other eight to various



terms of imprisonment with bard labour, from twenty years

downwards . It was reported at the time that each prisoner

was found to have a small bottle containing a most active

poison suspended round the neck, next to the bare skin. Incase of failure, or refusal at the last moment to accomplish

the task, secret agents of the party, who were on the watch


the manufacture of dynamite in the Vassili, Ostrou, an

Peski quarters of St. Petersburg. No wonder that thebegan to utter cries of despair towards the end of the yea

1887 . " Liberalism," they said, in one of their publications

"has not eradicated the feeling of loyalty in society . . .

Even the 'intelligent Liberals' have rejected the invitatio

to establish free printing offices, . . . or even to serve th

revolutionary press abroad by sending it articles for public

tion . " T h e M e s s e n g e r o f t h e W i l l o f t h e P e o p l e , which was tofficial exponent of the party during the year, ceased t

appear " for want of intellectual and material aid fro

Russia . " "Little is to be expected," the Nihilists said else



where, " from the present generation of Russians . . .

Russian society, with its dulness, emptiness, and ignorance

is to blame . . . . Most of the so-called cultured classe

belong to that category of passengers who are made t

travel in cattle-trucks. . . . Russian society has become

flock of sheep, driven by the whip and the shepherds' dogs

THE NIHILISTS 243

of the "Young Italy" societies, as they were constituted

in 1848. The object of the Armenian societies is revolution

against Russian rule, and the establishment of Armenian

union and independence.

638 . Slaughter of Siberian Exiles, and Hunger-Strikes.-Towards the end of the year 1889, the civilised world was

horrified by the account of the slaughter of a number of

exiles at Yakutsk, on their way to the extreme east of

Siberia, near the shore of the Polar Sea . These exiles were

not criminals, but exiled by " administrative order," that is

to say, they had not been tried and convicted by any

tribunal : Government, not the Law, arbitrarily had ordered



them to Siberia as suspects. Simply for asking to takewith them sufficient food and clothing ' for the terrible

journey still before them, they were declared to have

resisted the authorities, and a number of them shot down ;

a woman, Sophie Gourewitch, was ripped open by bayonets ;


ment endeavoured to repress them, which led to repeated

riots and endless arrests, as many as five hundred and fifty

students, who had protested against the new and oppressive

statutes promulgated by the authorities, being arrested at

Moscow in March 189o In April all the police stations

and prisons of St . Petersburg were full of arrested students ;

the ringleaders, mostly young men belonging to good

families, were eventually sent as private soldiers into the

disciplinary battalions near Orenburg .

In May, fourteen Russians were arrested in Paris, which

has always been a favourite place of residence with Nihilists,

Colonel Sokoloff, who was expelled from France, Krukoff,



a printer, and Prince Krapotkine being among their chiefs .

The prisoners above mentioned were proved to have been in

possession of bombs, many of which had been manufactured

in Switzerland . There were two women among the accused ;

they were acquitted, the men were sentenced to three years'

imprisonment .

THE NIHILISTS 245

palaces. In 1892 a number of Nihilists were arrested atMoscow, for an alleged conspiracy to kill the Tsar on his

return journey from the Crimea . An anonymous letter hadwarned the authorities that the attempt was to be made

at a small railway station . The line was examined, and abomb discovered under each line of rails . In spite of these

failures, the Nihilistic agitation was actively carried on .

The revolutionists endeavoured to stir up the lower classes

against the Tsar by telling them that, though he pre-tended to supply the masses with food during the famine, he

allowed his subordinates to rob the people . The insinua-

tion, however, had but little success with the Russian people



of the lower class, brought up in slavish adoration of the

emperor, who can do no wrong. In the month of December,

Major-General Droszgovski was assassinated at Tashkend, in

Russian Turkestan. He had been acting as president of a

court-martial for the trial of a number of Nihilists, most of

whom were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment .


press at Kharkoff was being worked by the students of the

university in that city . Upwards of eighty persons werearrested. In September 1895, it was reported that a wide-

spread Nihilistic plot against the life of the Tsar and the

imperial family had been discovered by the Russian police .

Some of the leaders were quietly arrested, while dynamite

bombs, arms, and piles of revolutionary pamphlets wereseized during a number of domiciliary visits at Moscow. In

March of the year 1896 six officers of the garrison of

Kieff, including a ; colonel, were arrested for participating

in a Nihilist conspiracy . According to the Central News,

in October 1896 the Russian Custom-house officers con-



fiscated on the Silesian frontier a quantity of light canes

destined for sale to the upper classes, and containing in

their hollow interior thousands of Nihilist proclamations,

printed on tissue paper. The Nihilists, evidently, are still

at work. There is a Nihilist club, composed chiefly of Jews,

in London, who publish a paper, similar in character to

THE NIHILISTS 247

themselves at the expense of the State, that unless theyassisted the Nihilistic cause, they would be condemned to

death by the Executive Committee . The Nihilists also

occasionally helped'themselves to the Government cash ; in

1879 they robbed the State bank of Kharkoff by means of a

subterranean passage, and carried off one million and a half

of roubles. But their outgoings were considerable; the

Moscow mine and the other two attempts made at the sametime, for instance, cost nearly £4000, and consequently the

Nihilists were often hard pressed for money. The most ex-

travagant reports were circulated at times as to their finan-

cial resources ; thus the Cologne Gazette in April 1879 declared



the Nihilistic propaganda to count as many as 19,000 mem-bers, and to be possessed of a fund amounting to two millions of

roubles. The Nihilists accomplished their objects with a tenth

of that amount. In fact, in 1881 they were driven to imitate

the device of Peter's Pence and the Red Cross . In January

1882 they founded the association of the Red Cross, and


house where the printing office was, and producing the key of

the rooms, the woman told the landlord that she was Stephano-

vitch's sister, who had given it her, and given her and her hus

band permission to occupy the rooms till his return. Thelandlord had no suspicion, and made no objection . The pair

secretly removed all the printing apparatus and left the

house . Soon after the police made their appearance ; theyhad made a house to house visitation at Kieff in search of

the printing office, and the few types and proofs they found

here and there left in corners, satisfied them that they had

come too late . The printing apparatus was carried toOdessa, but what became of it there, is not known .



A clever and enterprising Jew, Aaron Zundelevic, a native

of Wilna, in 1877 managed to smuggle into St. Petersburg

all the necessary apparatus for a printing office, which could

print works of some size. He learned the compositor's art,

and taught it to four other persons . For four years the

police discovered nothing, until treachery and an accident

THE NIHILISTS 249

tences, having first removed every vestige of the printing

operation .

We have seen in preceding paragraphs how the captureby the police of one printing-press speedily led to the

setting up of another ; and that the number scattered all

over Russia must have been great is evident from the

number which were discovered, and from which the multi-tude of those undiscovered may be inferred . And theirpublications were scattered all over the country . Hand-bills and placards seemed to grow out of the earth ., Thearmy was deluged with them, the labourer found them in

his pocket, the emperor on his writing-table . Nihilists



wandered all over Russia, leaving them in thousands atevery halting-place . Jessy Helfmann was a travelling post-

o f f i c e ; her pockets were always full of proclamations, news-

papers, handbills, and tickets for concerts and balls for

the benefit of prisoners, or of the secret press .

643 . Nihilistic Measures of Safety.-When Nihilism began


The conspiracy-quarters generally were regular arsenals ;

at the storming of the office of the W i l l of the People, every

one of the five Nihilists was armed with two revolvers ; the

dozen gendarmes were afraid to advance, and soldiers had

to be sent for ; from eighty to a hundred shots were fired

on that occasion . When to some of the Nihilists all these

precautions became irksome, and they consequently neglected

them, Alexander Michailoff, to whom they therefore gave

the nickname of dvornik, severely censured them ; he wouldfollow his associates in the street, to see if they behaved

with caution, or he would suddenly stop one,,and ask him

to read a signboard, and if he found him shortsighted,insist on his wearing glasses . He insisted on their dressing



respectably, and would often himself find the means fortheir doing so . He himself lived like the Red Indian on

the war-path. He endeavoured to know all the spies, to

beware of them ; he had a list of about three hundred

passages through houses and courtyards, and by his in-

THE NIHILISTS

into the hands of the police . The historian, unfortunately,

has no impartial reports to rely on as to their treatment in

prison ; only once, during the ministry of Count Loris-Meli-

koff, Russian papers were allowed to partly reveal the secrets

of Russian imprisonment and Siberian exile, which virtually

confirmed all the "underground" literature had asserted,

and these revelations are horrifying . They show up theimperfection and cruelty of Russian state institutions, the

brutality and irresponsible arbitrariness of Russian officials .

We find that the accused are kept in prison-and what prisons!

-for two or three years before being brought to trial, and

for what crime ? simply for having given away a Socialistic

251



pamphlet. We find women in large numbers undressed inthe presence of, or even by, the gendarmes themselves, and

searched by them, to the accompaniment of coarse jokes . Weare told how prisoners were tortured, how nervous prisoners

were disturbed in their sleep, to entice them in their state of

excitement to make confessions . Condemned prisoners were

2 ' 5 2 SECRET SOCIETIES

The prisoners in the fortress Petropaulovski are no better

off. Their cells are dark, cold, and damp ; the window

being darkened with paint, lights have to be burnt nearly

all day. Their food consists of watery soup and porridge

for dinner, and a piece of bread morning and evening . Thestoves are heated only once every three days, hence the walls

are wet, and the floors literally full of puddles . The prisoner

are allowed to take exercise every other day, but for a

quarter of an hour only. They have no other distractionWhen Subkoffski once made cubes of bread to study stereo-

metry, they were taken away from him. "Prisoners are no

allowed amusements," he was told . No wonder that disease, in



sanity, attempts at suicide, and deaths are of daily occurrence

Hunger-mutinies were another consequence of this treat-

ment. A very serious one occurred at Odessa in Decembe

1 882 . It arose in this way . A prisoner asked for invalid's

food, but the prison doctor replied, "You are a workman

invalid's food costs seventy kopecks ; you will do without it .

THE NIHILISTS

judicial procedure under which hundreds of persons were

dragged away from their homes and families without trial

of any kind, no one knowing what became of them. Wemay, however, surmise that many were sent to Siberia, since

in 1880 further prison accommodation had to be constructed

in Eastern Siberia in consequence of the great influx of

political prisoners .

What I have stated as to the treatment of prisoners is but

what is based on authentic documents . Had I quoted from

the "underground" press, I should be accused of exaggera-

tion ; but taking the above statements only, does such

conduct become a civilised government?

. N i h i l i s t E m i g r a n t s .-It is difficult to estimate their



6 4 5

number. Many of them conceal themselves to escape theRussian spies scattered all over the Continent, and not to

involve the countries affording them an asylum in diplomatic

difficulties. There may be about one hundred exiles in

Switzerland ; there are said to be about seventy in Paris,


is a mistake . The telegraph cannot be employed by them

and correspondence is too slow and unsafe . Whatever hato be done in Russia, must be decided on and carried out b

the members residing there . The exile ceases to take an

active part in the revolution at home, though he may in

directly influence it by his literary efforts, as, for instance

Krapotkine and Stepniak have done to a large extent . Thdeath of this latter, so well known by his brilliant an

authoritative work, La Russia Sotterranea, caused grea

sorrow to all true lovers of Russia . He was accidentall

killed on the 23rd December 1895, when crossing th

railway near Chiswick, by being caught by the engine o

a train, knocked down, and fearfully mutilated .



Stepniak's real name was Serge Michaelovitch Krav

chinsky . After his death the St . Petersburg press asserte

that it was he who assassinated Adjutant-General Mesent

soff (616), the chief of the political police, by stabbing hi

with a dagger . But this was never proved .

THE NIHILISTS 255

ii. The Commune, nine numbers of which appeared atGeneva in 1878

12. Land and Liberty. 1878 and 187913. Will of the People, the organ of the Terroristic Execu-

tive Committee. 187914. Black Division. 188o-81.

15. Free WordO f b o o k s w e h a v e i

. The Filled and the Hungry, published by the Anar-chists at Geneva .

2. The Terroristic Struggle, N. Morosoff. London, 188o3. Terrorism and Routine, W. Tarnoffski. London, 188o4. Biographies of Perofskaia, Scheljabow, and others .



Geneva, 18825. Le Nihilisme en Russie, S. Podolinski. Paris, 1879 .

6. La Russia Sotterranea, by Stepniak. Milan, 1882. AnEnglish translation appeared in London, 1883 .

7. Buried Alive ; Report concerning the Prisoners in the

SECRET SOCIETIES

Subsequent Trials Collected from other Sources .

Sentences .

Date.

~F

Q

1 4

z

VQ

o

z

o

w

- ~ d

NU2

W

y

A14

- 6

FFd

~d

1883 . . . 155 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1884 . . . 15 . . . 1 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1885 . . . 6 . . . . . . 2



The above sentences are those pronounced by the tribunals ;

but many of the accused were, in reality, punished more

1886 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 . . . . . .

1887 2 36 14 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

XIII

GERMAN SOCIETIES

648. The Mosel Club.-In 1737 there was a carpenternamed Vogt, living at Weimar, who, being a native of Trau-



bach, on the Mosel, was, according to the custom of crafts-

men, called "the Moseler ." He established a tavern, which

was largely patronised by students, who, in time, formed a

club, which called itself the Mosel Club, and in 1762 became asecret political club, whose object was to raise Prussia to the


the rulers " restored " to them, appears from the fact that

"Young Germany" amused itself on the king's (of Prussia)

birthday with shooting at his portrait . Their statutes were

very severe against treason, or even mere indiscretion. ADr. Breidenstein wrote to Mazzini in June 1834 that oneStrohmayer, a member of the society, had been sentenced to

death, not that he was a traitor, but his indiscretion was to

be feared . Sixteen months after, on the morning of 4thNovember 1835, a milkman found the body of the student

Louis Lessing, pierced with forty-nine dagger wounds, inthe lonely Sihl valley, near Zurich . Though the legal in-

vestigation did not positively prove it, yet it was the general

opinion that Lessing had acted as spy on the "German



Youth" society, and been sentenced to death by them .

Still, what those obscure students aimed at is now an

accomplished fact ; and the prediction of Carl Julius Weber

in his "Democritos" (published in 1832), that Prussia, united

with the smaller German states, would be the dictator of

GERMAN SOCIETIES 259

possessed great influence at the Prussian Court. The latter,

devoted to monarchical institutions, but also to the inde-

pendence of his country, groaned when he saw the Prussian

Government degraded in the eyes of Europe, and undertook

to avenge its humiliation by founding in 1812 the secret

society of the "Union of Virtue" (Tugendbund), whose first

domiciles were at Konigsberg and Breslau. Napoleon'spolice discovered the plot ; and Prussia, to satisfy France, had

to banish Stein and two other noblemen, the Prince de Witt-

genstein and Count Hardenberg, who had joined him in it .

But the Union was not dissolved ; it only concealed itself

more strictly than before in the masonic brotherhood. During



Stein's banishment, also, the cause was taken up by Jahn,

Professor at the Berlin College, who, knowing the beneficial

influence of bodily exercise, in 1 8 t t founded a gymnasium,the first of the kind in Germany, which was frequented by

the flower of the youth of Berlin, and' the members of which


the fate, and still more to the honour, of Prussia ; and there-

fore it naturally made common cause with the Tugendbund,

which aimed at the same object, the expulsion of the French

651 . Divisions among Members of Tugendbund .-The bases

of the organisation of the Tugendbund had been laid in 1807

at the assembly at Konigsberg, where some of the most noted

patriots were present-Stein, Stadion, Blucher, Jahn . Theassociation deliberated on the means of reviving the energy

and courage of the people, arranging the insurrectionary

scheme, and succouring the citizens injured by foreign occu-

pation . Still there was not sufficient unanimity in thecounsels of the association, and an Austrian party began

to be formed, which proposed the re-establishment of the



German Empire, with the Archduke Charles at its head

but the opposition to this scheme came from the side from

which it was least to be expected, from the Archduke him-

s e l f . Some proposed a northern and a southern state ; but

GERMAN SOCIETIES 26 r

within itself the more secret one of the " Unconditionals "

(Die Unbedingten), whose object was the promotion of Liberal

ideas, even without the concurrence of the nation . TheWestphalian Government was the first to discover the exist-

ence of this society . Its seal was a lion reposing beside the

tree of liberty, surmounted by the Phrygian cap . All these

societies were in correspondence with each other, and peace-

fully divided the territory among themselves ; whilst the

German Union, true to its name, knew no other limits than

those of the German confederation . Dr. Jahn was active inPrussia, Dr. Lang in the north, and Baron Nostitz in thesouth . This latter, by means of a famous actress of Prague,

Madame Brode, won over a Hessian prince, who did not



disdain the office of grand master .

653. Hostility of Governments against Tugendbund .-Afterthe downfall of Napoleon the German Government, though

not venturing openly to attack the Tugendbund, yet sought

to suppress it . They assailed it in pamphlets written by


of Germany-so, Waterloo had not effected these objects ?-was the subject discussed in the latter ; and Russia being

considered as the greatest opponent of their patriotic aspira-

tions, the members directed their operations especially against

Russian influences . It was the hatred against Russia that

put the dagger into the hand of Charles Louis Sand, the

student of Jena, who stabbed Kotzebue (9th March 18ig),

who had written against the German societies, of which there

was a considerable number. This murder led to a stricter

surveillance of the universities on the part of governments,

and secret societies were rigorously prohibited under stern

penalties ; the Prussian Government, especially, being most

severe, and prosecuting some of the most distinguished pro-

fessors for their political opinions . The Burschenschaft was



broken up, and its objects frustrated, to be revived in

1830 ; the insurrectionary attempt made by some of the

students at Frankfort on the 3rd April 1833, the object of

which was the overthrow of the despotic, in order to establish a

XIV

THE BABIS

654 . Bab, the Founder.-His name-for Bab is a title-was

Ali Mohammed, and he is said to have been a Seyyid, or



descendant of the family of the Prophet . He was born in181g at Shiraz, where his father was a merchant . Ali at

first engaged in trade himself, but in 184o he began topreach his new doctrine, declaring himself to be the Bab,'

i .e.' Door of Truth, the Mahdi. In he made the


said he recanted and revoked all his claims ; but as we have

none but Mussulman historians-his enemies-to rely on, as

the examination was held with closed doors, we may doubtthis statement .

655. Progress of Babism .-The Bab's teaching had not only

theological, but also political aims . Persian rulers havealways been conservative, but Babism was reformatory, and

the common people readily embraced it, as it seemed favour-

able to the breaking down of the despotic powers exercised

by provincial governors, by whom the country was fearfully

oppressed . When, therefore, the Babis considered them-

selves strong enough they seized Mazanderan, about fourteen

miles south-east of Barfurush ; but the Shah's troops having



cut off all supplies, they had to surrender, and were all slain

This was in 1847. In 1848, on the accession of the late

Shah a thousand Babis rose against him ; they, however,

were defeated by Mehdi Kouli Mirza, uncle of the new Shah,

and the three hundred survivors who surrendered cruelly

THE BABIS 265

carpet-spreaders, but officially, the lictors of Eastern rulers .

They first tortured him by the insertion of lighted candles

in incisions made in his body . When the candles were

burnt down to the flesh, the fire was for some time fed by

that . In the end he was sawn in two. The Master of theHorse and the attendants of the royal stables showed their

loyalty by nailing red-hot horse-shoes to the feet of the

victim handed over to them, and finally 1 1 broke up his head

and body with clubs and nails ." Another Babi had his eyes

plucked out by the artillerymen, and was then blown from a

gun . Another Babi was killed by the merchants and shop-

keepers of Teheran, every one of whom inflicted a wound

on him until he died. Vamb4ry, in his "Wanderings andExperiences in Persia," mentions one Kasim of Niriz, who



was shod with red-hot horse-shoes, had burning candles

inserted in his body, all his teeth torn out, and was eventu-

ally killed by having his skull smashed in with a club. Theseare but a few specimens of the cruelties inflicted by order of

as Persia through masonic lodges, though they were nevertolerated in Persia. We shall see further on how onerecently established came to grief. The Babi Koran in-culcates, among other superstitions, the wearing of amulets,

men in the form of a star, women in that of a circle ; the

cornelian is particularly recommended to be put on the

fingers of the dead, all which implies a return to Aramean

Paganism. The book maintains the divinity of the Babhe and his disciples are incarnations of superior powers

forty days after death they reappear in other forms" God," says the Biyyan, " created the world by His Will

the Will was expressed in words, but words are composedof letters ; letters, therefore, possess divine properties ." Ingiving their numerical value to the letters forming the words



expressing God, they always produce the same total, viz

19 . Hence the ecclesiastical system of the Babis ; thei

colleges are always composed of 1g priests ; the year isdivided into 1g months, of 1g days each ; the fast of the

THE BABIS 267

in Cyprus, where Mr. Browne, the translator of the work

" A Traveller's Narrative," visited him in i 89o, as he also

visited Beha, at Acre, shortly after . The Babis are so far in

advance of their Eastern brethren that they wish to raise

the status of woman, maintaining that she is entitled tokthe

same civil rights as man ; and one of their first endeavours

to attain that end is that of abolishing the veil . Various

charges, as against all new sects, are made against them ;

they are accused of being communists, of allowing nine

husbands to a woman, of drinking wine, and of other un-

lawful practices ; but proofs are wanting. It is said that

they have special modes of salutation, and wear a ring of

peculiar form, by which they recognise one another . They



arrange their hair in a characteristic manner, and, as a rule,

are clothed in white, all which practices, on the part of

people who have to conceal their opinions, appears very

strange to outsiders. The Bab forbade the use of tobacco,but the prohibition was withdrawn by Beha . Though only

in this century Sheykh Ahmad of Ahsa preached a new doc-trine, considered heterodox by true believers ; still he foun

many adherents, and on his death, about the year 1827, was

succeeded by his disciple Haji Seyyid Kazim of Resht . Hedied in 1844, prophesying the coming of one greater thanhimself. . Then Mirza Ali Mahammad, who came in contact

with some disciples of the deceased Seyyid Kazim, saw his

opportunity, and proclaimed himself the Bab ; the old Sheykhi

party strongly supported him . But some of the followers o

Seyyid Kazim did not accept the new prophet, and became,

as the new Sheykhi party, hid most violent persecutors. TheBab consequently called the leader of the latter party the

" Quintessence of Hell-fire," whilst he, in his turn, wrote a

treatise against the Bab, entitled, "The Crushing of False-



hood." From such mutual courtesies the transition to mutualrecrimination and accusation of objectionable teaching and

practice is easy, and consequently quite usual, and therefore

not to be too readily believed .

THE BABIS 269

that a great deal was withheld from him, and became dis-

satisfied . This dissatisfaction was taken advantage of by

some of his friends who disliked the innovation, and they

suggested to him that the lodge was probably the home of

the grossest debauchery, and, finally, that it was a meeting-

place of Babis. Debauchery the Shah might have winkedat, but Babism could not be tolerated . The lodge was imme-diately ordered to be closed, and the author of its establish-

ment banished from Persia. In quite recent times the Babis

have undergone grievous persecutions. In 1888 Seyyid

Hasan and Seyyid Huseyn were put to death by order ofthe then Shah's eldest son, Prince Zillu's Sultan, for refusing

to abjure Babism. When dead their bodies were draggedby the feet through the street and bazaars of Ispahan, and



cast out of the gate beyond the city walls . In the month ofOctober of the same year Aga Mirza Ashraf of Abade was

murdered for his religion, and the Mullas mutilated the poor

body in the most savage manner. In i89o the Babi inhabi-

X7

IRISH SOCIETIES

658. The White-Boys.-Ireland, helpless against misery

and superstition, misled by hatred against her conquerors,

the rulers of England, formed sects to fight not so much the



evil, as the supposed authors of the evil . The first secret

society of Ireland, recorded in public documents, dates from

1761, in which year the situation of the peasants, always

bad, had become unbearable . They were deprived of the

IRISH SOCIETIES 271

in blood, whole populations conquered by fear, but not sub-

dued, and ready to break forth into insurrection when it

was least expected . Therefore the Protestants also formedsocieties for their security, taking for their emblem the oak-

leaf, whence they were known as the °° Oak-Boys ." Theirchief object was to lessen the power and imposts of theclergy . Established in 1764, the society made rapid pro-gress, especially in the province of Ulster, where it had

been founded. Unable to obtain legally what it aimed at,

it had recourse to arms, but was defeated by the royal troops

of England, and dissolved .

66o . Hearts-of-Steel, Threshers, Break-of-Day-Boys, De-fenders, United Irishmen, Ribbonmen.-Manytenants of the

Marquis of Donegal having about eight years after been



ejected from their farms, because the marquis, wanting to raise

£ r o o , o o o , let their holdings to Belfast merchants, they, the

tenants, formed themselves into a society called 11 Hearts-of-

Steel," thereby to indicate the perseverance with which they

,272 SECRET SOCIETIES

proceeded to aggression . During the revolt of 1798 th

Defenders combined with the " United Irishmen," who ha

initiated the movement . The United Irish were defeated

and their leader, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, having been be

trayed by Francis Higgins, originally a pot-boy, and after

wards proprietor of the Freeman's Journal, was taken an

condemned to death ; but he died of his wounds before th

time fixed for his execution . The society of the Unite

Irish, however, was not dispersed . Its members still con

tinued to hold secret meetings, and to reappear in the poli

tical arena under the denomination of '° Ribbonmen," s

named because they recognised each other by certai

ribbons . The Ribbonman's oath, which only became know

in 1895, was as follows :-" In the presence of Almight



God and this my brother, I do swear that I will stiffer m

right hand to be cut off my body and laid at the gaol doo

before I will waylay or betray a brother. That I will per

severe, and will not spare from the cradle to the crutch o




Protestant principles . In the former statutes there were

obligations also to abjure the supremacy of the Court o

Rome and the dogma of transubstantiation ; and althoug

in the modern statutes these were omitted, others of th

same tendency were substituted, the society declaring tha

its object was the preservation of the religion establishe

by law, the Protestant succession of the crown, and the

protection of the lives and property of the affiliated . Tconcede something to the spirit of the age, it proclaime

itself theoretically the friend of religious toleration ; bu

facts have shown this, as in most similar cases, to be a mere

illusion . From England the, sect spread into Scotland, the

Colonies, Upper and Lower Canada, where it reckoned i2,oo



members ; and into the army, with some fifty lodges . I

the United States the society has latterly been showing it

toleration ! Its political action is well known ; it endeavour

to influence parliamentary elections, supporting the Whigs

IRISH SOCIETIES 275

society, consisting of Englishmen, who united themselves

into the Order of the Sons of St. George, who were sosuccessful as to cause many of the murderers to be appre-

hended and executed, and ultimately the Molly Maguires

were totally suppressed . The Order of St. George,'however,

continued to exist, and still exists, as a flourishing benefit

society; it has lodges in Salt Lake City, Ogden, and other

towns in Utah . The name of Molly Maguires was after-

wards adopted by a secret society of miners in the Penn-

sylvanian anthracite districts ; with the name of their Irish

prototypes they assumed their habits, the consequence of

which was that in 1890 ten or twelve members of the society

were hanged, and the society was entirely broken up .

664 . Ancient Order of Hibernians.-This Order is widely



diffused throughout the United States, where it numbers

about 6ooo lodges. It is divided into two degrees, in the first

of which, counting most members, no oath is exacted, and no

secrets are communicated . But the second consists of the


chief officers were publicly known as such, the operation

of the Brotherhood were hidden from the public view . I

rapidly increased in numbers, spreading through every Stat

of the American Union, through Canada, and the Britis

provinces . But in November 1863 the Fenian organisatio

assumed a new character. A grand national convention odelegates met at Chicago, and avowed the object of th

Brotherhood, namely, the separation of Ireland from England, and the establishment of an Irish republic, the sam

changes being first to be effected in Canada . Another gran

convention was held in 1864 at Cincinnati, the delegates a

which represented some 250,000 members, each of whicmembers was called upon for a contribution of five dollars

and this call, it is said, was promptly responded to . Indeed



the reader will presently see that the leaders of the move

ment were never short of money, whatever the dupes wer

One of the resolutions passed at Cincinnati was that " t

next convention should be held on Irish soil." About th

IRISH SOCIETIES

Brotherhood was boundless, and the betrayal of that confi-

dence, whether through incapacity or premeditation, is not

a question for us to determine . . . . Sufficient that he has

proved recreant to the trust . . . . Never in the history of

the Irish people did they repose so much confidence in their

leaders ; never before were they so basely deceived andtreacherously dealt with . In fact, the Moffat mansion (the

headquarters of the American Fenians) was not only analmshouse for pauper officials and hungry adventurers, but

a general telegraph office for the Canadian authorities and

Sir Frederick Bruce, the British Minister at Washington .

These paid patriots and professional martyrs, not satisfied

with emptying our treasury, connived at posting the English

authorities in advance of our movements. "

277



From this report it further appears that in 1866 there

was in the Fenian treasury in the States a sum of 185,ooo

dollars ; that the expenses of the Moffat mansion and the


were held in various towns, especially at Liverpool, where

men of considerable means were found to support the Fenian

objects and organisations ; and on one occasion as much as

£200 was collected in a few minutes in the room where a

meeting was held. But disputes about the money thus col-

lected were ever arising . The man who acted as treasurer

to the Liverpool Centre, when accused of plundering hisbrethren, snapped his fingers at them, and declared that i

they bothered him about the money he would give evidenc

against them and have the whole lot banged . The Fenians

to raise money, issued bonds to be redeemed by the future

Irish Republic, of one of which the following is a facsimile :

Goddess of Liberty £1



Harp £1 .

Ninety days after the establishment of

Shamrock .

IRISH SOCIETIES

over the devil, and restore to us our own in our own land for

ever . Amen.

O'Toole, hear us .

From English civilisation,

Front British law and order,

From Anglo-Saxon cant and freedom,

From the hest of the English Queen,O'Toole, deliver us!

From Rule Britannia,

From the cloven hoof,

From the necessity of annual rebellion,

From billeted soldiery,

From a pious church establishment,

Fenianism to be stamped out like the cattle plague !

279



We will prove them false prophets, O'Toole .

Ireland reduced to obedience,

Ireland loyal to the crown, It is a


escape, whilst Sergeant Brett was shot dead by WilliamO'Meara Allen, who was hanged for the deed . A still more

atrocious and fatal Fenian attempt was that made on the

Clerkenwell House of Detention, with a view of liberating

two Fenian prisoners, Burke and Casey, when a greatlength of the outer wall of the prison was blown up by

gunpowder, which also destroyed a whole row of houses

opposite, killed several persons, and wounded and maimed

a great number. On that occasion again Government had

received information of the intended attempt by traitors in

the camp, but strangely enough failed to take proper precau-

tionary measures. On December 24, 1867, the Feniansmade an attack on the Martello Tower at Fota, near Queens-

town, Co. Cork, and carried off a quantity of arms and



ammunition ; and their latest exploit, in 1871, was another

Canadian raid, when they crossed the border at Pembina,

and seized the Canadian Custom-House and Hudson's Baypost . They were, however, attacked and dispersed by

IRISH SOCIETIES 281

United States, after which he bestowed on himself the rank

of General . He came to Europe with the mission of report-

ing to the Fenians of New York on English arsenals, maga-

zines, and ports of entry. In an article published by him

in Fraser in 1872, entitled, "My Connection with Fenianism,"

he tells the world that he offered to command the Fenians

i f 10,000 men could be raised, but the money to do so was

not forthcoming. He asserted that he had communica-tions with the Reform League, whose members favoured his

designs ; but he, failed, as he says, because he had a knot

of self-seekers and ignorant intriguers to deal with ; "andtraitors," he might have added, for it is certain that the

intended attack on Chester Castle failed because the English

Government had had early notice of the plot . A rising



Cluseret attempted to head in Ireland came to grief, and the

general speedily made his escape to France, where he became

mixed up with the Commune (507) .


attempted the storing up of dynamite and arms in Londoand other English towns ; a considerable number of rifle

and large quantities of ammunition were seized in a hous

at Islington in July 1882 ; dynamite was sent to thicountry from America, but its introduction being difficult

the Fenians attempted to manufacture it here ; a labor

tory, stocked with large quantities of the raw and finishe

material, was discovered at Ladywood, near Birmingham, i

April 1883 . Still, the explosive and infernal machinecontinued to be smuggled into this country, and attempt

were made to blow up public buildings in London an

elsewhere, the attempts, however, doing, fortunately in mos

cases, but little harm . One of the most serious was th

one made at Glasgow early in 1883. In a manifesto issue



in April 1884 by the Fenian brotherhood, signed by Patric

Joyce, secretary, the Fenians call this "inaugurating scien

tific warfare," and declare their intention to persevere unt

they have attained their object, the freedom of Irelan

IRISH SOCIETIES 283

of the United States. Its heads are three in numberAlexander Sullivan, of Chicago ; General Michael Kerwin,

of New York ; and Colonel Michael Bolan'd, of the same

city. Sullivan was a great friend of Patrick Egan, thetreasurer of the Land League . One of the agents of the

Clan-na-Gael was John Daly, who intended to blow upthe House of Commons by throwing a dynamite bomb onthe table of the House from the Strangers' Gallery . Hewas arrested at Chester in April 1884, and sentenced to

penal servitude for life . The attempts on the House ofCommons, and the explosions at the Tower and VictoriaRailway Station, were also the work of the Clan-na-Gael,

twenty-five members of which have been condemned to

penal servitude, two-thirds of them for life . John S .



Walsh, residing in Paris, and the Ford family in America,

are also known as dangerous agents of the association .

The dynamiters were not quite so active after the capture


I will endeavour to give an enlivening finish to this neces-

sarily dry account of the Fenian movement up to 1888 .

673. Comic Aspects of Fenianism .-In "The New Gospel

of Peace according to St . Benjamin," an American publica-

tion of the year 1867, the author says : "About thosedays there arose certain men, Padhees, calling themselves

Phainyans, who conspired together to wrest the isle o

Ouldairin from the queen of the land of Jonbool . Now itwas from the isle of Ouldairin that the Padhees came

into the land of Unculpsalm . . . . Although the Padhees

never had established government or administered laws in

Ouldairin, they diligently sought instead thereof to hav

shyndees therein, first with the men who sought to establish

a government for them ; but if not with them, then with



each other. . . . Now the Padhees in the land of Unculpsalm

said one to another, Are we not in the land of Unculpsalm,

where the power of Jonbool cannot touch us, and we ar; let us therefore conspire to mak

IRISH SOCIETIES 285

I not live in a great house and fare sumptuously ? But unto

each other and unto the world they said : Behold, the Hid-

Sinter and his officers do not govern Ouldairn righteously,

and they waste the substance of the people . Let us there-

fore declare their government to be at an end, and let us set

up a new government, with a new Hid-Sinter, and a newSinnit, even ourselves . And they did so. And they de-clared that the first Hid-Sinter was no longer Hid-Sinter,

but that their Hid-Sinter was the real Hid-Sinter, . . . andmoreover they especially declared that tribute-money should

no more be paid to the first Hid-Sinter, but unto theirs .

But the first Hid-Sinter and his officers would not be set at

nought, . . . and so it came to pass that there were three

governments for the isle of Ouldairn ; one in the land of

Jonbool, and two in the city of Gotham in the land of Un-



culpsalm . But when the Phanyans gathered unto them-selves men, Padhees, in the island of Ouldairin, who went

about there in the night-time, with swords and with spears


present-were O'Donovan Rossa and Tynan (No . i), and the

chairman, Mr. John Finerty, ex-member of Congress .

In August 1896 a Belfast paper stated that, owing to

the discovery of a secret society of Ribbonmen in Armagh,

special detective duty had been ordered by the constabulary

authorities at Dublin Castle .

And yet, in spite of all this, Government has recently

released some of the most atrocious dynamiters, originally

and justly sentenced to lifelong penal servitude !

In September 1896, the notorious Patrick Tynan, known

under the name of No. i, and who was implicated in the

Phoenix Park murders, was arrested at Boulogne ; but the

demand of the British Government for his extradition was

refused by that of France, on the grounds that sufficient

evidence identifying him with No . i had not been produced



that even if such identification were established, there was

not sufficient proof to identify Tynan as one of the men who

participated in the murder of Mr. Burke ; and, lastly, that

IRISH SOCIETIES 28Y

the prosecution, in spite of the fact that the prisoner's move-

ments gave room for very grave suspicions, suddenly collapsed

on a purely technical point, and Ivory was, by the judge's

direction, pronounced 11 Not guilty" by the jury, and ofcourse immediately discharged .' Were it necessary to vindi-

cate the impartiality of English justice, and its tender regard

for the interests and claims of a person accused, the issue of

this trial would afford a very striking and honourable in-

stance of both . How far the interests of justice, the main-

tenance of law, and the dignity of the country are served by

such verdicts, is altogether a different question, the answer to

which cannot be satisfactory .



MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES

676. A B C Friends, The.-Asociety whose avowed scope

was the education of children, its real object the liberty of

man . They called themselves members of the A B C, letters

which in French are pronounced abaissd; but the abased that

were to be raised were the people. The members were few,but select . They had two lodges in Paris during the Res-

toration . Victor Hugo has introduced the society in LesMisdrables, p a r t i i i . book iv .



677. Abelites.-A Christian sect, existing in the neigh-

bourhood of Hippo, in North Africa, in the fourth century .


sixty-five properties. In this position he remains forty days

-this number, too, constantly recurs in antiquity-his rela-

tions visiting him to renew the anointing, after which period

he is greeted with joyful songs and conducted home . He issupposed to have received a new soul, and enjoys great con-

sideration and authority among his tribe .

680 Anonymous Society.-This society, which existed for

some time in Germany, with a grand master resident inSpain, occupied itself with alchymy .

681 . Anti-Masonic Party.-In 1826 a journalist, William

Morgan, who had been admitted to the highest masonic

degrees, published at New York a book revealing all their

secrets. The Freemasons carried him off in a boat, and he

was never afterwards seen again . His friends accused the

Masons of having assassinated him . The latter asserted tha

he had drowned himself in Lake Ontario, and produced a



corpse, which, however, was proved to be that of one Monroe

Judiciary inquiries Jed to no result . Most of the officers, i

is said, were themselves Masons . The indignation caused by

MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES 293

hand, rushed among the choristers, exclaiming, Ego sum RexGlorice . He did the same in the church of San Salvatore,

whereupon he was shut up in a madhouse . The society,

however, continued to flourish until a , wood-carver, who had

been initiated, denounced it to the Inquisition, which im-prisoned the knights . Most of them, though only tradersand operatives, always carried a sword, even when at work,

and wore on the breast a star with seven rays and an appen-

dage, symbolising the sword seen by St. John in the Apo-

calypse . The society was accused of having political aims .

It is a fact that the founder called himself Monarch of the

Holy Trinity, which is not extraordinary in a madman, and

wanted to introduce polygamy, for which he ought to be a

favourite with the Mormons .

684. Areoiti.-This is a society of Tahitian origin, and



has members throughout that archipelago . They have their

own genealogy, hierarchy, and traditions . They call them-

selves the descendants of the god Oro-Tetifa, and are divided


685. Avengers, or Vendicatori.-A secret society formed

about 1186 in Sicily, to avenge public wrongs, on the prin-

ciples of the Vehm and Beati Paoli . At length Adiorolphus

of Ponte Corvo, grand master of the sect, was hanged by

order of King William II. the Norman, and many of the

sectaries were branded with a hot iron .

686 . B e l l y Paaro.-Among the negroes of Guinea thereare mysteries called "Belly Paaro," which are celebrated

several times in the course of a century . The aspirant,having laid aside all clothing, and every precious metal, is

led into a large wood, where the old men that preside at the

initiation give him a new name, whilst he recites verses in

honour of the god Belly, joins in lively dances, and receives

much theological and mystical instruction . The neophytepasses five years in absolute isolation, and woe to any woman



that dares to approach the sacred wood ! After this novitiate

the aspirant has a cabin assigned to him, and is initiated into


the letters L and D (Love and Duty) ; afterwards they

wore it concealed under their clothes, whence the members

were named "Belly-banders . " Whether this society still

exists, or whether ridicule has killed it, we cannot say .

689. Charlottenburg, Order of -This was one of thenumerous branches grafted on the trunk of the Union ofVirtue .

690. Church Masons.-This is a masonic rite, founded in

this country during this century, with the scarcely credible

object of re-establishing the ancient masonic trade-unions .

691 . Cougourde, The.-Anassociation of Liberals at the

time of the restoration of the Bourbons in France . It arose

at Aix, in Provence, and thence spread to various parts of

France Its existence was ephemeral . Cougourde is French

for the calabash gourd .



692. Druids, Modern.-This society, the members of which

pretend to be the successors of the ancient Druids, was

founded in London in 1781 . They adopted masonic rites,


Tupayas, in the impenetrable forests between the riversPrado and Doce in Brazil, the Abipones of Paraguay, theBachapins, a Caffre tribe, the negroes on the Gold Coast, and

firmly believed in by the negroes of the West Indies, they

being descended from the slaves formerly imported fromAfrica .

In the ju-ju houses of the Egbo society are wooden statues,

to which great veneration is paid, since by their means the

society practise divination. Certain festivals are held during

the year, when the members wear black wooden masks withhorns, which it is death for any woman to see. There are

three degrees in the Egbo society ; the highest is said to

confer such influence that from Liooo to ;i 50o are paid

for attaining it .

695. Fraticelli.-Asect who were said to, have practised



the custom of self-restraint under the most trying circum-

stances of disciplinary carnal temptation. They were foundchiefly in Lombardy ; and Pope Clement V. preached a

form of a goat, was believed to transport them from one

place to another . The initiation into this sect was per-

formed in the following manner :-In a small chapel situate

in a dense wood, a lamp was lighted during a dark and

stormy night . The candidate was introduced into the chapel

by two godfathers, and had to run round the interior of the

building three times on all-fours . After having plentifully

drunk of a strong fermented liquor, he was put astride on

a wooden goat hung on pivots . The goat was then swung

round, faster and faster, so that the man, by the strong

drink and the motion, soon became giddy, and sometimes

almost raving mad ; when at last he was taken down, he

was easily induced to believe that he had been riding through

space on the devil's crupper . From that moment he wassold, body and soul, to the society of Goats, which, for




nearly twenty years, filled Limburg with terror . In vain

the authorities arrested a number of suspected persons ; in

vain, in all the communes, in all the villages, gibbet and


700 Hemp-smokers, African.-At Kashia-Calemba, thcapital of the natives of Bashilange-Baluba, in Africa (lat

3 ° 6', long . 2 1 0 2 4 ' ) , a sacred fire is always kept up in the

central square by old people, appointed for the purpose,

who also have to cultivate and prepare for smoking the

chiamba (Cannabis indica) ; it is known in Zanzibar as

Changi or Chang. It is smoked privately, and also cere-

monially as a token of friendship, and is also administered

to accused persons as a species of ordeal . As the symbo

of friendship, it is considered as a religious rite, know

as " Lubuku," practised by an-organisation, of which theking is e x o f f i c i o the head ; a social organisation only in

directly of political importance . Its rules, signs, an

working are secret ; its aims and objects unknown tooutsiders ; its initiatory rites have never been witnessed



by an uninitiated person, much less by any EuropeanCertain external evidences of its inward nature are how-

ever sufficiently obvious to all who care to investigate the


escape . It is made by holding a handkerchief between the

lips and allowing it to hang down . The grand hailing sign

of distress is given by raising the right hand and arm,

holding the handkerchief between the thumb and fore-

finger, so that it falls perpendicularly . The word is given

by the male heroine (not the candidate's husband) placing

his hand on her shoulder and saying, "My Life," to which

the candidate replies, "For yours . " The male then says,

' I If ye utter not," to which the candidate answers, "This

our business." The word Rahab is then whispered in thelady's ear . The latter swears never to reveal this grand

secret . She is told that Rahab was the founder of theOrder, but it was most probably invented by those whowere concerned in the murder of William Morgan (681),who, by swearing their female relatives to conceal whatever

criminal act perpetrated by Masons might come to their



knowledge, hoped to protect themselves .

702 Human Leopards.-A black secret society in the


the Racket, the Beaver, and the Eagle . This last wa

the title of the chief, corresponding with our rank ocolonel ; the Beaver was a captain, commanding six Rackets

every Racket consisting of nine men ; the company of thBeaver consisted of seventy affiliates or Hunters . Everyaspirant had to be introduced by three Hunters to a Beaver,

and his admission was preceded by fear-inspiring trials and

terrible oaths. Though the society lasted two years only,

it distinguished itself by brave actions in the field ; manof its members died on the scaffold .

704 . Husdanawer.-The natives of Virginia gave thisname to the initiation they conferred on their own priests,

and to the novitiate those not belonging to the priesthoo

had to pass through. The candidate's body was anointewith fat, and he was led before the assembly of priests, who

held in their hands green twigs . Sacred dances and funerea



shouts alternated . Five youths led the aspirant throughdouble file of men armed with canes to the foot of a certain


ancient Jews, that it was long seriously contended by ethno-

logists and 'historians that they were the Lost Tribes ! TheCherokees, Delawares, and Chippewas kept records on sticks,

six inches in length, and tied up in bundles, which werecovered with devices and symbols, which were called Kep-

newin when in common use, and Keknowin when connectedwith the mysteries of worship . The most remarkable recordwas that contained in the Walum-Olum, or red score ; i t

contains the creation myth and the story of the migrations

of the tribes, represented in pictorial language . Such picto-graphs are owned by every tribe. The Ojibwas have pro-duced some very elaborate ones, showing the inside of the

medicine-lodge filled with the presence of the Great Spirit,

a candidate for admission standing therein, crowned with

feathers, and holding in his hand an otter-skin pouch ; the



tree with the root that supplies the medicine ; the goodsoffered as a fee for admission ; an Indian walking in the


may have a special attraction for the comparative ethno-

logist ; to the general reader they merely convey the con-viction that from China to Peru, and from the Arctic to the

Antarctic Pole, man is everywhere ruled by the same in-stincts, fears, and aspirations, which reveal themselves in

the same customs, beliefs, and religious rites .

706. Invisibles, The.-We know not how much or howlittle of truth there is in the accounts, very meagre indeed,

of this society, supposed to have existed in Italy in the last

century, and to have advocated, in nocturnal assemblies,

atheism and suicide .

707. Jehu, Society of.-This society was formed in Franc

during the Revolution, to avenge its excesses by still greater

violence . It was first established at Lyons. It took its

name from that king who was consecrated by Elisha to



punish the sins of the house of Ahab, and to slay all the

priests of Baal ; that is to say, the relations, friends, and

agents of the Terrorists . . Ignorant people called them th


mediaeval knighthood, founded curiously enough by Frede-

rick von Gone, a Knight of the Strict Observance, whohimself believed in the descent of the Freemasons from the

Knights Templars . It was instituted at Wetzlar in 1771 .

The members assumed knightly names ; thus Gothe, whobelonged to it, was Gotz von Berlichingen . They held the11 Four Children of Haimon" to be symbolical, and Gothewrote a commentary thereon . The, Order was divided into

four degrees in sarcastic derision of the higher degrees

of spurious masonry, called, (i) Transition, (2) Transition's

Transition, (3) Transition's Transition to Transition, (4)

Transition's Transition to Transition of Transition . Theinitiated only could fathom the deep meaning of thesedesignations !

711 . Know-Nothings.-This was an anti-foreign and no-

popery party, formed in 1852 in the United States of



America, and acting chiefly through secret societies, in order

to decide the Presidential election . In 1856 it had almost


the law was all but powerless, and the new governments i

the South, supposing them to have been most willing, wer

certainly unable to repress disorder . A real terror reignfor a time among the white people ; and under these circum

stances the Ku-Klux started into existence, and executthe Lynch-law, which alone seems effective in disordere

states of society. The members wore a dress made of blaccalico, and called a "shroud." The stuff was sent round tprivate houses, with a request that it should be made int

a garment ; and fair fingers sewed it up, and had it read

for the secret messenger when he returned and gave hipreconcerted tap at the door. The women and young girlhad faith in the honour of the 11 Klan," and on its will an

ability to protect them . The Ku-Klux, when out on thei

missions, also wore a high tapering hat, with a black vei

over the face . The secret of the membership was kept wit



remarkable fidelity ; and in no instance, it is said,' has

member of the Ku-Klux been successfully arraigned an


blamed for buying goods and produce stolen by the negroes,

and had often been warned to desist, but without avail .

The institution, like all of a similar nature, though the

necessity for its existence has ceased to a great extent, yet

survives in a more degenerate form, having passed into the

hands of utter scoundrels, with no good motive, and withfoul passions of revenge or plunder, or last of dread and

mysterious power alone in their hearts . Thus in November1883 seven members of the society, the ringleaders being

men of considerable property, were found guilty at theUnited States Court, Atalanta, Georgia, of . having cruelly

beaten and fired on some negroes for having voted in favour

of an opposition candidate of the Yarborough party in the

Congressional election . They were sentenced to variousterms of imprisonment .

713 . Kurnai I n i t i a t i o n .-The Kurnai, an Australian tribe,



performed rites of initiation into manhood, somewhat similar

to those of the 0-Kee-Pa (725), as did also all the Tasmanian

3o6 SECRET SOCIETIES

Paris in 1816, with the object of restoring Napoleon to t

throne of France. The existing government suppressed it

717. Ludlam's Cave.-Acomic society, formed at Vien

in 1818, and so named after a somewhat unsuccessful pl

of Oehlenschlager. The members were called bodies ; cand

dates, shadows . The latter underwent a farcical examinatio

and if found very ignorant, were accepted . Many literary m

belonged to it ; but though their professed object was onl

amusement, the society was in 1826 suppressed by the poli

of Vienna.

718 . Mad Councillors.-This comical order was foundin 1809 by a Doctor Ehrmann of Frankfort-on-the-MaiDiplomas, conceived in a ludicrous style, written in Lati

and bearing a large seal; were granted to the members . JePaul, Arndt, Goethe, Iffland, had such diplomas ; ladies al

received them. On the granting of the hundredth, in 182



the joke was dropped .

719. Magi, Order of the.-Is supposed to have exist


does their folly extend, that they will greedily drink the

water in which he has bathed . There are about seventy or,

eighty of the Maharajas in different parts of India . Theyhave' a mark on the forehead, consisting of two red perpen-

dicular lines, meeting in a semicircle at the root of the

nose, and having a round spot of red between them. Thoughnot a secret society, strictly speaking, still, as their doings

were to some extent kept secret, and their worst features,

though proved by legal evidence, denied by the persons im-

plicated, I have thought it right to give it .a place here .

721 . Mane Negra .-This association, the Black Hand, in

the south of Spain, is agrarian and Socialistic, and its origin

dates back to the year 1835 . It was formed in consequence

of the agricultural labourers . having been deprived of their

communal rights, the lands on which they bad formerly had

the privilege to cut timber and pasture their cattle having



been sold, in most instances, far below their value, to the

sharp village lawyers, nicknamed caciques, who resemble in


Islands, the New Hebrides, New Caledonia, and also thFiji Islands, all abound with secret societies, which, however

have nothing formidable in them, since all their secrets are

known ; the people j o i n , but laugh at them ; their lodge

are their clubs, chiefly devoted to feasting ; strangers ar

admitted to them as to inns ; they exclude women, thoug

on the Fiji Islands there are societies which admit themYoung men are expected to be initiated ; those who are not

do not take a position of full social equality with those wh

are members. When the ceremonies and doctrines were ayet mysteries, outsiders thought that the initiated entere

into association with the ghosts of the dead, a delusio

strengthened by the strange and unearthly noises heard a

times in and around the lodges, and the hideously-disguise

figures, supposed to be ghosts, which appeared to the "dog

outside." Now it is known that the ghosts are merel



members, wearing strangely-decorated hats made of barand painted, which hats cover the whole head and rest o


in Florida the consultation of the ghosts is known as palu-

duka. The lodge is called Salagoro ; it is usually situate in

some retreat near the village, in the midst of lofty trees, and

must not be approached by women ; masked figures guardthe path to it, which is marked by bright orange-coloured

fruits stuck on reeds, and the customary soloi taboo marks,

forbidding entrance. The members of different societiesare distinguished by particular badges, consisting of leaves

or flowers, and to wear such a badge without membership is

a punishable offence .

723 . Mumbo-Jumbo.-We have seen (687) that there is a

Californian society, whose object it is to keep their women

in due subjection. Among the Mundingoes, a tribe above the

sources of the river Gambia, a somewhat similar association

exists. Whenever the men have any dispute with the women,an image, eight or nine feet high, made of the bark of trees,



dressed in a long coat, crowned with a wisp of straw, and

called a Mumbo-Jumbo, or Mamma Jambah, is sent for. A


with the thumb and forefinger of the right hand . What thesigns, grips, and passwords now are, it is impossible 'to tell

since these, as the only secrets of the Order, are kept strictl

secret. Every half-year a new password is communicatedto the lodges . In 1818 the Order was introduced into the

United States . There] are three degrees : the White, Blueand Scarlet ; there is also a female degree, called Rebecca

and High Degrees are conferred in "Camps ." The OdFellows in the lodges wear white aprons, edged with the

colours of their degree ; in the camps they wear black aprons

similarly trimmed . Since the American prosecutions of th

Freemasons, which also affected the Odd Fellows, the oat

of secrecy is no longer demanded (see 74 . 1 ) .

725 . O-Kee-Pa.-A religious rite, commemorative of th

Flood, which was practised by the Mandans, a now extincttribe of Red Indians. The celebration was annual, and it



object threefold, viz . : ( 1 ) to keep in remembrance the sub-siding of the waters ; (2) to dance the bull-dance, to insur


not Mysterious. " His writings attracted much attentionhere and in Germany, which country he repeatedly )visited .

As his teaching was considered atheistical, its followers had

to study it secretly. The members of the association met at

the periods of the solstices and of the equinoxes, and the pro-

fane, and even the servants, were rigorously excluded from

the meetings .

727. Patriotic Order Sons of America.-This Order wasorganised in Philadelphia in 1847 . It suspended operations

during the Civil War, but at • i ts conclusion it was reorganised,

and now counts over 200,000 members . The aims andobjects of the Order are the teaching of American prin-ciples ; born Americans only are admitted. Its lodges arecalled camps . It is a benefit society, and, like all similar

associations, has no secrets, but simply endeavours, by cer-

tain symbols and signs of recognition, to impress on their



members their principles and brotherhood .

Pednosophers, see Tobaccological Society .


at religious reform, yet their catechism was modelled on tha

of the Freemasons.

730. Police, Secret.-Whilst revolutionaries and disaffecte

subjects formed secret associations for the overthrow of the

rulers, the latter had recourse to counter-associations, or t

Secret Police . In France it was very active in the early pa

of the last century, but chiefly as the pander to the debau

cheries of the Court . For political purposes women of loo

morals were employed by preference. Thus a famous procuress, whose boudoirs were haunted by diplomatists,Madam Fillon, discovered and frustrated the conspiracy o

Cellamare, the Spanish ambassador in 1718 at the court o

the Regent (Philippe d'Orl6ans, who governed France durin

the minority of Louis XV) , which was directed against t

reigning family, in favour of the Duke of Maine . The ambassador was obliged to leave France . From the chroniq



scandaleuse of those times it is evident that the police we


731 • Portuguese S o c i e t i e s .-During the early part of this

century various secret societies with political objects were

formed in Portugal, but as they never attained to anyimportance or permanence, it will be sufficient to mention

the names of three of theih : the Septembrists, Chartists,

and Miguellists, the latter founded in favour of Don Miguel,

who for a time occupied the throne of Portugal .

732 . Purrah, The .-Between the river of Sierra Leoneand Cape Monte, there exist five nations of Foulahs-Sousous,

who form among themselves a kind of federative republic .

Each colony has its particular magistrates and local govern-

ment ; but they are subject to an institution which they call

Purrah . It is an association of warriors, which from its

effects i s very similar to the secret tribunal formerly exist-

ing in Germany, and known by the name of the Holy Vehm( 2 o 6 ) ; and on account of its rites and mysteries closely



resembles the ancient initiations . Each of the five colonies

3 1 4 SECRET SOCIETIES

When the candidate has undergone all the degrees of pro-

bation, be is permitted to be initiated, an oath being pre-

viously exacted from him that he will keep all the secrets,

and execute without demur all the decrees of the Purrahof his tribe, or of the Grand and Sovereign Purrah . ,

Any member turning traitor or rebel is devoted to death,

and sometimes assassinated in the midst of his family . Ata moment when a guilty person least expects it, a warrior

appears before him, masked and armed, who says : "TheSovereign Pnrrah decrees thy death . " On these wordsevery person present shrinks back, no one makes the least

resistance, and the victim is killed. The common Purrahof a tribe takes cognisance of the crimes committed within

its jurisdiction, tries the criminals, and executes their sen-

tences ; and also appeases the quarrels that arise amongpowerful families .



It is only on extraordinary occasions that the Grand

MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES 3i5

amongst the inhabitants of the countries where it is estab-

lished, and even in the neighbouring territories, are very

great. The negroes of the bay of Sierra Leone never speak

of it without reserve and apprehension ; for they believe that

all the members of the confederation are sorcerers, andthat they have communication with the devil. The Purrahhas an interest in propagating these prejudices, by means

of which it exercises an authority that no person dares to

dispute . The number of members is supposed to be about6ooo, and they recognise each other by certain words andsigns .

733 . P y t h i a s , K n i g h t s o f .-This Order was instituted shortly

after the American Civil War in 1864 at Washington, whenceit soon spread through the United States . Its professedobject was the inculcation of lessons of friendship, based on

the ancient story of Damon and Pythias. It calls itself a



secret organisation, but in reality is only an ordinary benefit

society, though it may have a secret object, since it has


the society, but being looked down upon by the thorough-bred Yankees, the Germans seceded and founded an orderof their own ; and called it the " Independent Order of RedMen. " In both societies there are three degrees-the Eng-

lish has its Hunters, Soldiers, and Captains ; the Germanis divided into the Blacks, Blues, and Greens . There are

higher Degrees conferred in "camps ." The two societiescount about forty thousand members. After the cessationof the war with England (1814) the societies lost their poli-

tical character, and became mere benefit societies, which

they now are .

737 .R e g e n e r a t i o n , S o c i e t y o f U n i v e rs a l .-It was composed

of the patriots of various countries who had taken refuge

in Switzerland between 1815 and" 1820. But though theiraims were very comprehensive, they ended in talk, of which

professed patriots always have a liberal supply on hand .



738 . S a l t p e t r e r s .-The county of Hauenstein, in the Duchy


The fierce fanatical Akalis were soldier-priests, a sombre

brotherhood of military devotees, chiefly employed about

their great temple at Amritsar (meaning the fountain ofimmortality) . They initiate converts, which is done byordering the neophyte to wear blue clothes, by being pre-

sented with five weapons-a sword, a firelock, a bow andarrow, and a pike . He is further enjoined to abstain from

intercourse with certain schismatic sects, and to practisecertain virtues . As, according to tradition, Govindu, when

at the point of death, exclaimed, " Wherever five Sikhs areassembled, there I- shall be present," five Sikhs are neces-

sary to perform the rite of initiation . The Sikhs may eatflesh, except that of the cow, which is a sacred animal to

them as well as to the Hindus .

The phase of Sikh fanaticism which revealed its existence

in 1872 by the Kooka murders may be traced to the following

sources :-The movement was started a good many years since



by one Ram Singh, a Sikh, whose headquarters were fixed at


cheerfully as the Assassins of yore obeyed the Old Man of

the Mountain. If he had a message to send to one of hislieutenants, however far away, a letter was entrusted to one

of his disciples, who ran full speed to the next station, and

handed it to another, who forthwith left his own work, and

hastened in like manner to deliver the letter to a third. Inorder to clinch his power over his followers, Ram Singhcontrived to interpolate his own name in a passage of the

" Granth "-the Sikh Bible-which foretells the advent ofanother Guru, prophet or teacher. But, whatever theteachings of this new religious leader, there is reason to

think that his ultimate aim was to restore the Sikhs totheir old supremacy in the Punjab by means of a religious

revival ; and he stirred up the religious fervour of his fol-

lowers by impressing on them that their war was a waragainst the slayer of the sacred cow, which to their Euro-

pean conquerors of course is not sacred, and has ceased to



be so to many natives of India. But the insurrection was

MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES

741 . Sonderbare Gesellen.-German societies, formed on the

model of the English Odd Fellows, whose name they took,

and of which the above is a literal translation . They nowcall themselves Freie Gesellen (Free Brethren), or Helfende

BrUder (Helping Brethren) . But, unlike their English pro-

totypes, who have no other secrets than their signs, grips,

and passwords, the German Gesellen are closely connected

with Freemasonry, which, as we have seen, is not so colour-

less abroad as it is here, and they proclaim themselves an

institution for the deliverance of nations from priests, super-

stition, and fanaticism . The Order was introduced intoGermany in 187o, and gradually into Switzerland, France,

Holland, Mexico, Peru, Chili, Sweden, Spain, and even some

Polynesiai islands, so that now it counts upwards of fifty

grand lodges and nearly eight thousand lodges, exclusive of

English ones (724) .

742 . Sophisiens."The Sacred Order of the Sophisiens,"

319



or Followers of Wisdom, was founded by some French


744. Thirteen, The.-To Balzac's fertile imagination we

are indebted for the book entitled L e e T r e i z e , the fictitious

story of a society of thirteen persons who during . the First

Empire bound themselves by fearful oaths, and for objects

the author dare no more reveal than the names of themembers, mutually to support one another . The work con-sists of three tales, the first being the most interesting for

us, since it pretends to record the stormy career of Ferragus,

one of the associates, and chief of the Devorants spoken

of in the French Workmen's Unions (369). A society of

thirteen (not secret) has recently been founded in London,

in imitation, I assume, of a society formed in 1857 atBordeaux for the same purpose 'as the London one, namely,

by force of example to extirpate the superstition regarding

the number thirteen, of which very few persons know the

origin . In the ancient Indian pack of cards, consisting of

seventy-eight cards, of which the first twenty-two have



special names, the designation of card x i i i . i s " Death," and


changed, their name to Tobaccologers, and adopted thetobacco plant as their emblem, its red flower suggesting to

them philosophy persecuted by Justinian and others . Attheir meetings they discussed chiefly academical subjects ; in

fact, modern academies owe to them, their origin . Many menof note belonged to the Order, which was divided into four

degrees-the glamour of secrecy must be kept up to the last !

The members in the lodge wore a triangular apron . To-wards the end of the last century the Order declined in this

country, and its papers, its records, and mysteries eventually

fell into the hands of the French Marquis d'Etanduere, who

left them to his son, at whose death they were examined by aM Doussin, to whom he had left them ; and this M. Doussinthereupon reconstituted the society at Poitiers in 18o6,

where it continued till about the year 1848 . The tobaccoplant, its culture and manufacture, were the subjects of

symbolical instructions, and for the real names of the towns



where lodges existed, The names of localities famous for fine


smooth as turf . The other, and more probable, origin of t

name is the fact that the members held their meetings

first on the lawns of beautiful turf in the Piazza Castello

Milan . Their pursuits may be described as a revival Mohocking ; they bound themselves to beat every man th

met in the streets after dark, which practice, however, w

chiefly resorted to against men having handsome wives, wh

members of the society wished forcibly, or with consent,

disgust with their husbands or abduct from their homeand a certain' amount of ridicule attaching to the inflicti

of such a beating, the victims in most cases made no publ

complaint. Of course, in many cases it was the Turfiswho got the worst of the encounter . The Austrian polishut its eyes to all these proceedings, of which, through i

spies, it was fully cognisant, on the principle that it w

better these young men should vent their overflow of spirit

their physical and mental energies, on such follies, and ev



on criminal exploits, than employ them in political schem


that it was their duty to redress wrongs of which the law

took no cognisance . Now, they argued, there are everyyear hundreds of men, young men, just entering life, and

married men with families, ruined through the wiles andthe extravagance of designing women, whom the law cannot

touch for the injuries they have inflicted on their victims .

Many women, notorious for such conduct, some of themladies of position, and connected with aristocratic families,

were then living at Milan . It struck the Turfists they

would be suitable companions for the imprisoned dwarfs .

The idea was carried out.' About ten ladies were by treachery

or force brought to Simonetta, and there shut up with the

dwarfs . The orgy that ensued, says Rovani, could only be

described by the pen of an Aretino. But it is easy to

understand that a number of ladies, so entrapped, wouldnot quietly submit to such abduction or the advances ofthe dwarfs. The authors of the mischief were only too



glad to release them on the very next day, and the dwarfs


which were constantly changed. The society was, moreover

divided into two grand centres, the centre of Nobles and tha

of Commoners .

747 . Utopia.-A society founded at Prague in the fiftie

and which had such success that in 1885 it reckoned eighty

five lodges in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, an

other countries . A council of the league was held at Leipz

in 1 8 7 6 , and another at Prague in 1883 . The president every lodge is called Uhu (screech-owl) ; at manifestations

joy they cry " Aha ! " and at transgressions against the laws o

Utopia, "Oho !" The members are divided into three degree

Squires, Younkers, and Knights ; guests are called Pilgrim

The German name of the society is Allschlaraf a ; Schlara

fenland in German means the "land of milk and honey,

the land of Cocagne, where roast-pigeons fly into yomouth when you open it, and roasted pigs run about tstreets with knife and fork in their backs . From the name



the character of the society may be inferred .


of the faithful, he crossed the land of the Five Rivers, and

settled like a thundercloud on the mountains to the north-

east of Peshawur . , Since then the rebel camp thus foundedhas been fed from the head centre at Patna with bands offanatics, and money raised by taxing the faithful. To accountfor such success, the reader will have to bear in mind that

in Mohammedan countries a doctor of civil law, such asSaiyid Ahmad was, may hold the issues of peace or war inhis hands, for with Mohammedans the law and the gospelgo together, and the Koran represents both. Akbar, thegreatest Mohammedan monarch, was nearly hurled from theheight of his power by a decision of the Jaunpur lawyers,

declaring that rebellion against him was lawful. Andthe Wahabee doctrine is, that war must be made on allwho are not of their faith, and especially against theBritish Government, as the great oppressor of the Moham-medan world. Twenty sanguinary campaigns against this



rebel host, aided by the surrounding Afghan tribes, have


the spoil . They are supposed to form a corporation some-what similar to the Garduna Q06-310- It has beensuggested that the Minas, possessing a splendid physiqueand animal courage, the very qualities needed for such a

purpose, should be utilised in frontier and border forces,

as the Mazbis, a similar marauding tribe, were utilised and

reclaimed .



ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA

VOL I .

P a g e 3 5 , l i n e 1 2 f r o m t o p , d e l e t e ' m a y . '

P a g e 3 6 , l i n e 5 .-To `the religion of Buddha still survives,' add `in

i t s i n t e g ri t y .' It may be remembered that in February 1895 an ancient

and highly-artistic image of Buddha was brought from Ceylon to be

set up in the temple of Budh-Gaya, in Bengal, which the Buddhistsregard as the most sacred spot on earth . The ceremony of setting up

the image led to serious riots between the Buddhists and a crowd of

Hindoo devotees who objected to it. The legal proceedings which

I



328 ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA

Page 5 3 , line 13 from bottom, d e l e t e I a' before 'hierogrammatical . '

Page 64, line 15 from bottom, for ' offered' read ` offer . '

Page 99, line 12 from top, d e l e t e ' ) ' after ' i t . '

Page 113, line 14 from top, for 'said' read `affirmed . '

Page 142, § 178 . Waldo.-According to a genealogy compiled bMorris Charles Jones (publication undated), the Waldo family idescended from `Thomas Waldo of Lions,' one of the first who publicl

renounced the doctrines of the Church of Rome . The representatiof the English branch of the family came to this country in the rei

of Queen Elizabeth .

Page 152, line 3 from top, for ' Hostes' read ' Nostes . '

Page 168, § 213 . Vehm.-Add: ' The last-named work on the Vehin our list of authorities under the heading of "Free Judges" is tha

of Theodor Lindner . It treats the subject fully, one may say exhaustively, comprising more than 670 large, closely-printed pages. Hsumming up on the character and working of the institution, whicwe may accept as final, is that the Vehm, though to some extentpalliative of the lawlessness of the times, was yet liable to great abuse

since great and powerful persons always could have sentences passe

on them by one Court annulled by another . Besides, what was t



ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA 329

some influence, and the study of astrology enables people correctly tosee the qualities they have i n them. The speaker challenged any manto show that astrology is not true ; sooner or later it will become the

religion of the world ." Surely after this dogmatic and lucid exposition,

our public schools and universities will at once add the study ofastrology to their curriculum ! Sir Richard Phillips called astrology

the mother of the sciences, though herself the daughter of superstition . '

Page 224, line 17 from bottom, for ' Epologue' read ' Apologue,' andfor ' Apilogue' read `Epilogue '

Page 230, § 28o . The Rosicrucians.-At the end of § 28o add : ' Inthe anonymous publication "Das Ganze aller geheimen Ordensverbin-

dungen" (Full Account of all Secret Orders), Leipzig, 1805, evidently

written by one fully initiated, I find the following note on thisMaster Pianco : "He had long been a Mason, before he became aRosicrucian . His chief was a hybrid between man and beast. Nohonest Christian could cope with him without fear of being flayedalive. If doubts were suggested to him, he uttered blasphemies, ofwhich the most violent miscreant would have been ashamed . Piancoshook off the dust of his chamber, and fled the companionship of such

heathens." This sheds a rather curious light on the composition andcharacter of the Rosicrucian fraternity, "whose bear was supposed to



dance to none but the most genteelest of tunes . " '


Page 274, § 3 22 . 5 .

The Camorra.-Add : `The recently-published" Stories of Naples and the Camorra," by the late Charles Grant, afford

but a faint reflex of the terrible character of the Camorra . Whosowishes to thoroughly study the subject should read "I Vermi : Studi

Storici su le Classe Pericolose in Napoli di Francesco Mastriani "

(Napoli, 1877 . 5 vols . ) . And the present writer has been among theCamorristi at Naples, and found in them none of the redeeming features

Mr. Grant allows them : they are all unmitigated scoundrels . '

Page 299, line 14 from bottom, for ` dates' read `date . '

Page 316, § 364 . The German Union .-Add : `The inner history of

the German Union presents some curious features . Bahrdt, its reputed

founder, was in 1777 in London, and there initiated into Freemasonry .

He had but a poor opinion of German Freemasonr, and, therefore, onhis return to Germany visited none of the lodges .' But a high official

of the Imperial Chamber at Wetzlar, Von Ditfurth, suggested to himthe formation of a society which should carry out the true objects of

Freemasonry, viz., the restoration of human rights, and the free use ofreason In 1 7 8 5 , Bahrdt received an anonymous letter, containingthe plan of the German Union . The letter was signed, " From someMasons, your great admirers ." In the same year he was visited by an

Englishman, who urged him to establish a lodge, promising to connect




were invested with a ring they wore on the finger of the right hand,or on the watch. The ring was formed of gold love-knots, and the

l e t t e r s R .S . Usually the members called themselves Ediles or Archi-

t e c t s , . because architecture was the science they most pursued . Their

mathematics consist ed in producing clever variations of the triangle,

square, and number X . At their meetings they spoke Latin ; a l l t h e i r

books were bound in red morocco, with gilt edge s . T h e i r c h i e f a r c h i v e s

were at a place in Switzerland, which was never to be revealed, and

which, among its treasures, comprised the papers of the Grand Master,

George Evelyn of Wotton, in Surrey, the seat of which John Evelynh a s l e f t u s a n a c c o u n t . The hall of initiation was either occupied by

a choice library, or its walls beautifully painted . " I found," wrote

one of the members, "such a hall at N . , b u i l t o v e r a b a r n , a n d wh i c h

you would never have taken for a lodge . The hall had many windows,

and was adorned with statues . There was a dark chamber, a banq u e t -

ing-hall, a bedroom for travellers, and a well-appointed kitchen .

Over the door of the hall stood a horse, which, when you pressed a

spring, with a kick of its foot caused a fountain in the adjoining

, g arden to play." I was told that this lodge was built by order of ,

Frederick II . T h e i n t r o d u c e r o f c a n d i d a t e s w o r e a d r e s s o f b l u e s a t i n ;

the Master sat at a table, on which were placed globes and mathem ati-



cal instruments . Candidates were to be men of science or artists, who


Page 207, § 6o i . Polish Patriotisvn. Add : ` The opinions here ex-pressed may, like those of § 519 (see note thereon), challenge contradic-

tion, but as they are based on facts, they can be substantiated . Here Icontent myself with referring to M. C . Courriere, an admirer of the

Poles, who in his " History of Contemporaneous Literature among theSclavonians" (Paris, 1879), confesses that in the wars which led to the

dismemberment of the kingdom, the Poles were more often fighting for

the preservation of their aristocratic privileges than for national liberty

The Polish poet Julius Slowacki (b . 1809, d. 1851), styled by Nickiewicz

the " Satan of Poetry," speaking in the name of the people, thus ad-dressed the poet Sigismund Krasinski

0 To believe thee, son of the nobleman,

It were virtue in us to endure slavery ."

And Slowacki himself was of gentle birth . Certes, sounder notions as

to Polish patriotism prevail in this generation than were current in

former times, but we still hear too much about the " crime" of thepartition of Poland. The same reasons which led to that partition are

the only justification for our present interference in Turkey . '

Page 259, § 65o . Baron Stein.-Add : `The generally-accepted state-




when, during his stay at Breslau, eighty waggons full of volunteersmade their appearance, his faith in his subjects was restored, and he

wept tears of joy ! The king was grateful for small mercies . '

Page 278, § 666 . Fenians : Origin of Name.-Add : 'It is a curious

coincidence-if mere coincidence it be, and not the result of a connec-

tion etymologically traceable with the tribe of Benjamin (i9)-that M

French Romane the word Fenian should mean "idle," "lazy," anepithet which is justly applicable to the bulk of the members of that

Irish association . I here merely throw out a hint ; the question de-

serves following up . '

Since writing my summary of Fenianism, I have perused Mr . John

O'Leary's recently-published ' Recollections of Fenians and Fenian-

ism .' The work is disappoint in g . It contains no revelations such as

one might expect from a man deeply initiated into all the secrets of

Fenianism . All we gather from it is that the association, at least the

English branch of it, was always i n want of funds, and that it never

had any great chance of wresting Ireland from the grasp of England .

Yet the author ends with these words, published only a few months

ago, and which therefore deserve attention : 'But that spirit [longing

for freedom] is not dead . . . but merely sleepeth ; and if there be men

still in Ireland, and, still more, boys growing into men, willing to strive



and struggle and sacrifice, if needs be, liberty or life for Ireland, to

334 ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA '

tribes by the several names of Michabou, Chiabo, Tarenyawagoand among the Ojibways on the southern shore of Lake Superior a

Hiawatha, under which name he is familiar to Europeans through Lon

fellow's "Indian Edda" bearing that title . The Iroquois worshipp

him under his original name of Manabozko . Chibiabos, his frien

was a musician, the ruler of the Land of Spirits, or of Light, the Indi

Apollo . In Indian folk-lore Hiawatha is a very different person fro

the hero of the poem . In the prose tales of the Red men he is

notorious liar, a cruel and treacherous destroyer of all he can get in

his power)

Page 105 .PS.-French and English journals of the loth and 21

April 1897 have published to the world the fact that the tale of Dia

Vaughan and her diabolic marriage, and the book of the mythical DBataille, were pure mystification by M . Leo 1axil, the reported conve

to Roman Catholic orthodoxy, having no foundation whatever in realit

The public, the priests, the cardinals, yea, the pope himself, were tak

in by them-and they got no more than they deserved . It was,

doubt, one of the finest and grandest hoaxes of this century, and sa

but little in favour of our intellectual progress that it should be possibl

in our day . If its revelation will teachsuperstitious people a lesso

they may in future be saved from the charge of rendering themselv



INDEX TO VOL. I I

[The figures refer to pages]

AA B C Friends, 291Abbreviations, Masonic, 15

Abel, family of, 3

Abelites, 291

Aberdeen, Masonic deputationsent to, 59

Abiff, Hiram, 3, 4, ~, 6

Anarchists at Prague, 127

Ancient and Accepted Scotch rite,

13, 55, 92

Ancient Reformed Rite of Masonry,

13

Ancients, Academy of the, 291

Anderson, James, ii, 110Androgynous Masonry, 84-90Anne, Empress of Russia, 96



336

Athelstan and MasonryinEngland,

I

" Athenaeum" quoted, 217

Augustus, Stanislaus, 97

Ausonia, ancient name of Italy,165, 167

Avengers, 294

BABEUF, 113Babi Koran, 266Babis, 263-269

attribute special qualities to

number 19, 266Babism, doctrines of, 265

progress of, 264

Bakunin, 218Balkis, Queen of Sheba, 4, 7

Barabas Brethren, 179

Bardina Sophia, a Nihilist, 221

Blanqui, chief of the "Seasonssociety, 205

-- accused of having betrayethe society, 205

Blazing Star of Masonry, 17, 28

Star, Order of the, 55

Blucher, General, 2 59

Blue Lotus Hall, 132-asonry, 18Blunders of Ipsilanti, 148, 149

Boaz, 17

Bonaparte, Joseph, 186

Lucien, 178

Bonanni forges list of GranMasters, 47

Bonneville, Chevalier de, 5 5

"Book of Constitutions [Masonic

for Ireland," 8

Bourbons and Carbonari, 171Brazen Sea of Solomon's temple,

Break-of-Day Boys, 271

Bridge of Swords, Chinese, 134



Cantu, Cesare, 169

Cape Coast Castle, Masonic lodge

at, 98

Capitula Canonicorum, 57Capo d'Istrias, Count, 143, 14 6,147

Caravats, Irish society, 274

Carbonari, 157 - 177 . 331-nd Guelphs, 178-emand constitution fromKing of Naples, 173

in Lombardy and Venetia,1 75

Carbonarism in Spain, 142-arks transition period inhistory of secret societies, 174

Carbonaro charter proposed toEngland, 169-egree, most secret, 167-anifesto, 166

symbols, signification of, 165

Carey . James, shot by O'Donnell,

281

INDEX 337

Chicago, Fenian Convention at,276, 285

Children of the Widow, 27-f Wisdom, 320Chinese lodges, 134

Church, the, and Carbonari, 175

General, 18o

Masons, 295

Christ's martyrdom represented in

Carbonarism, 162Cincinnati, Fenian Convention at,

276Citations before Masonic tribunals,

92, io8

Civil war in France, 119

Clan-na-Gael, 282, 283, 285

Clement V., Pope, 296-II. , I I, I00

Clerkenwell House of Detention,Fenian attack on, 280

Clermont, Chapter of, 55, 57

" Clio," lodge at Moscow, 97



338 INDEXCorrespondence, revolutionary,

how carried' on, 189

Cory, .Giles, 319

Cosmopolitans, 187

Cosse-Brissac, Duke of, 47

Costume of Masons in lodge, 16-f Princes Rose-Croix, 41

Cougourde, the, 295

Council of the Emperors of theEast and West, 92

of the Knights of the East, 5 5

Cousinage, bon, 158Coustos, John, lot

Cromwell, Thomas, leaves theMasons £io,ooo per annum, 74

Cross, the, 33

Cruelties practised on Babis, 264,

269practised on Nihilist

prisoners, 251

practised on Siberian exiles,

243, 245) 252

Donegal, Marquis of, 271

Dorrmg. See De WittDoussin, M., 321Dramatic portion of mysteries, 27

Drenteln, General, 225

Dressler, Anarchist, 127

Druids, modern, 295Dudley, Mrs., attempts Rossa's

life, 282

Duk-Duk, 295Dumouriez, General, 63Dunkirk Masonic lodge, 54Dvornik, 226, 249, 250

Dynamite outrages, 281

EEAGLE and Pelican, Knights of

the, 40

Eckert, Dr. E . E ., quoted, 62, 104

Eclectic rite, 14

Egbo society, 295

Egyptian Masonry, 78, 79



Female Nihilists, 223, 227, 238, 244

Fendeurs, i58 , 159Fenian attacks, various, 280, 282,

283bonds, 27$

dynamite outrages, 281

Investigating Committee, 276

- Litany, 278, 279-aids into Canada, 279-isterhood, 276

Fenianism, comic aspects of, 284-pecial Commission on, 285

spreads into England, 277

Fenians, 275-z87, 333,Ferdinand IV., King of Naples, 73-II., King of Spain, 96,140,

172-., King of the Two Sicilies,

171, 174, 181

' Fessler's rite, 13

Fides, password of Odd Fellows,

309

339

French secret societies, v

202-206 ,

"Freemason" quoted, 109Freemasonry, alleged early origin

of, 8

decay of, 1o8

division of its history, 9-n Spain, 140

- Masonic opinions of, 109-f present, in Italy, 76

possesses no exclusive know-

ledge, 107-ummoning sovereigns, 1o8-vain pretences of, 1o6-anity of its ritual, 107

FreemasonE~discoveredat Naples,73

- marriages of, 109perative and speculative, 9persecuted, 100-105 . See also

Masons and MasonryFrench workmen visting London,116



340

Ghee Hin association, 133

Giardiniere, 177

Gibraltar, Masonic lodge at, 96

Gideon, password of Orangemen,

273G in Blazing Star, 35

Gioachimo, Cistercian monk, 328

Gnosis of Grand Master Architect,

35

Gnostic sect in Russia, 92

Goats, 296

Goldenberg, a Nihilist, 225, 226

Golden Lily Hui, 137- Orchid District, 132Gone, Frederick von, 303

Good Cousins . See CarbonariGordon, General, 134

George, Master of GrandLodge, 1o1

Gorenovitch, Nicholas, Nihilist,

223, 228

Gormogones, 93

INDEX

H

HAD-HAD, bird messenger of thegenii of fire, 6

Haji Seyyid Kazim, 268Half-yearly word of command of

Grand Orient, 66

Hamilton, George, 97

"Hamlet " quoted, 28

Hardenberg, Count, 259Harmony, Order of, 89Harugari, 297Hathor, temple of, at Dendera,,

2

Hawk, symbol of Etesian wind, 28.Hearts of Steel, 271

Helena, Empress, 319Helfmann, Jessy, 231

Heinp-smokers, African, 298

Heredom, a corruption of Latinhceredium, 52

Heriz-Smith, Rev. E. J., 294



342

Knigge, Baron de, 14

Knight of Kadosh, 55Knights and Ladies of Joy, 84--uelpbic, 178

-f Pythias, 315-f Queen of Prussia, 259

- of Silver Circle, 318of Sun, 28th degree of Scotch

rite, 14

French degree, 5 5-n favour of Napoleon,

198

Templars, Masons pretend to

be descended from, 9, 11951--odern, 47-50, 208

INDEXLa Fayette, General, 176, 187 ,

202Lainez, James, General of Jesuits,

57

Lamech, 3, 6

Land and Liberty, Russian so-ciety, 221, 223, 225

Larmenius, successor of Molay, 47

Latini, a Carbonaro society, 179

Lausanne, workmen's congress at,

120Lavater, Master of " German Hel-

vetic Directory" lodge, 97

Lavillana, Marquis of, moi

Lavroff, Nihilist, 2, 8, 239, 253

Laybach, Congress at, 173

Ledru, a physician, obtains pos-

session of the charter of Lar-

menius, 47

Leopards, Human, 299, 333 -

Lessing's (G. E.) opinion ofMasonry, 36

Lessing, Louis, a student, assassi-

-f Apocalypse, 292

Beneficence, 62of

of Christ, 47-f Eagle and Pelican, 40of Liberty, 305--f Lion, 305-f Maria Theresa, 302



London, dangers threatening, 118-ihilist club in, 246-ecret Italian society in, 186-rades' Union Congress in,126

Loris-Melikoff, Count, 230

Louis XII. protects Waldenses, 158-IV. suppresses ModernKnights Templars, 47

of Bourbon, Prince of Cler-

mont, gives name to Chapter of

Clermont, 57-hilippe, 69, 204, 205

Louveteau, French Masonic termanswering to English Lewis, 14,

I

Lovers of Pleasure, 87

Ludicrous Masonic degree, 94, 95

Ludlaln's Cave, satirical society,

306Lumbini garden, Buddha's birth-

place, 327

INDEX 343

Mantchoos, present rulers of China'

134Maria Louisa, 175

Maria Theresa, 102

Mark Masonry, 92Marriages, Masonic. 109Marshall and Ramsay, 57Martin, St., French writer and

mystic, 62

Marx, Dr. Karl, 114, 126

Mason, C. W., assists Chinese in-surgents, 137

Masonic alphabet, 15-harities, 52-ating, 14

gr i p s , , 2 261

lodge estabished in Persia,

268-odges in various countries, 96

- societies, whimsical, 72ord, lost and found, 19Masonry, adoptive, 82



344

Michailoff, Alexander, 250

Miguellists in Portugal, 313

Milesi, member of Turf society,321, 322

Mina robbers in India, 325

Spanish patriot, 140

Ming dynasty, 132Mirski's attempt on l i f e of

Drentein, 225

Mirza Yahya, 266Misericordia, Societh della, 177

Misley, Henry, 187

Misraim, rite of, 14, 44, 68

Mitchel, John, Fenian, 275, 279

Modena, Duke of, 175,1 95

prisons of, 175

Modern Knights Templars, 47-50Moffat mansion, headquarters ofAmerican Fenians, 277

Mohammed Ali, the Bab, 263Molay, James, 56, 91

Molly Maguires,2 74, 275

INDEX

Napoleon I . , German feeling

against, 258

his secret police, 312-ocieties against, 196-198-ocieties in favour of, 198

Napoleon, Joseph, 12, 64

Napoleon III., 69, 70, 187Nasreddin, Crown Prince of Per-

sia, 263

National Freemasonry, 208-nights, Italian, 199-eague, Irish, 283

Nechayeff, Sergei, a pioneer ofNihilism, 218

New Pomeranian society, 295New York, Fenian convention at,285

Nicholas I. becomes emperor, 216

Nihilism, founders of, 218

Nihilist club in London, 246

- emigrants, 253-inances, 246



North, The, Russian society, 215

Nostiz, Baron, founds society of

"Knights of the Queen ofPrussia," 259

Notre-Dame of Paris set on fire by

students, 203

Number 19 venerated by Babis,266

0'OAK-BOYS, 270Oath of Apprentice in Masonry, 22

- of Calderari, 172-f Carbonaro, 161, 163-f Fellow-craft in Masonry, 24

of Master in Masonry, 26

of Mosel Club, 257-f Reds of the Mountain, 206-f Republican Brother Pro-tector, 171

- of Ribbonman, 272-f St . Patrick Boys, 272

INDEX

Order of Friendship, 257-f the Temple, 14

Origin of the alphabet, 15

of term Fenian, 278, 333

Orleans, Duke of, 69

Oro-Tetifa, a Tahitian god, 293

Osiris, 27, 28

Oudet, Colonel James Joseph, 196,

197

PPACIFIC Union, 194Padillo, John, 140

Palmerston, Lord, 187, 189

Panizzi, 189

Panslavism, 210, 211

Pantheists, 310

Papal Bulls against Masonry, 100,

104Paris, arrest of Nihilists in, 244ts destruction planned, 121



346 INDEXPersigny, M. de, 53Pestel, Colonel, 216

Pfenniger, Prefect of Zurich, 219

Phi-Beta-Kappa society, 311

Philadelphia lodge at Verviers, 53

Philadelphian rites introducedinto French army, 196

Philadelphians in Calabria, 18o-f Besancon, 196

Philip the Fair, 56

Philip V. of Spain, rotPhilo, writer on Masonry, 1o6

Philosophic Scotchriteof Masonry,

13

Phoenix Park murders, 127, 281

Pianco, Master, 329

Pichegru conspires against Napo-

leon, 197

Pierre, Delahodde's a l i a s , 205Pilgrims, a French society, 311

Pirlet . See LacornePius IX., Pope, 191

QQUATUORoronati lodge, I Io

Queen of England threatened bAnarchists, 124

Questions asked of Masonic Apprentice, 23

Quezeda, Captain, 140

RRADETZKYnters Milan, I9o

Radnor, Lord, denounces Freemasons, 103

Ragon, Masonic writer, 109

Raising of aspirant in Masonry, 2

Osiris, painting of, 28

Ramsay, Chevalier Andreas, 1154, 55 . 93

Ram Singh, a Sikh, 317Rancliffe, Lord, president of Noa



Rhigas, Constantinos, Greek poet,

Rhodocanakis, Prince, 92

Rhombos, 301, 305Ribbonmen, 271, 272Riego, the Hampden of Spain, lox

Right-Boys, 270Rights of 11an society, 204

" Rite of Egyptian Masonry," 78

Rites of Adoptive lodges, 82, 83

Rochelle, revolutionary attemptat, 202

Rohilla Patans, 325

Rose-Croix lodge, 40

Prince of, 40

Rose, German Order of the, 88, 89

Knights and Nymphs of the,87

Rosenwald, Lady of, 88Rosicrucianism, I I , 329Rosicrucians not Rose-Croix, 40

INDEX 347

Sanfedisti, 194

Sankofsky's attempt on Tchere-vin's life, 234

Sarawak, secret society in, 1 33Satirical society, 302, 303

Savary, Minister of Police, 67

Sayid Yahya Darabi, 264Schismatic rites, 91, 92

Schlaraffenland, 324

Schmalz, Councillor, 261

Schools, Society of, 203

Schroder's rite, 14

Schropfer, 59, 8o

Scotch degrees, i 1-adies of France, 86-ite, 65

-rites of Masonry, 13sign, grand, 35

Scotland, Masonry in, 51

Scythers, 208

Seasons, the, a French secretsociety, 205



348

Simonetta, country house belong-

ing to Turf society, 323

Sioux rites, 310

Sirius, z8, 29

SlavonianConfederation,proposed,

215Sleeping Lion, French society to

restore Napoleon, 305

Socialistic systems, 114Society of the Chain, 85

of Schools, 203

Solomon 3- 5 , 7 , 3 0Solovieff, 223, 226

Sonderbare Gesellen, 319

Sonnet quoted, 186

Sons of Fire, 4-f Mars, 186-f St. George, 275-f Thought, 4

Sophisiens, 319

Sovereign Chapter of the ScotchLadies of France, 86

INDEXSublime Knight elected, 55

Subterranean Prague, 211

Sudeikin, Colonel, 237, 238

Sufites, 4Suliotes, 148

Sun Wen, 133-et Sun, 133-nd zodiac symbolised, 45Sunnites, 267

Supreme Grand Council, 65, 69,92

Surrey tavern, Surrey Street

Strand, 93

Sweden, Freemasonry in, 97Swedenborg, rite of, 14

Swedish Masonic rite, 14

ritual, ancient, 97

Switzerland, Freemasonry in, 97

T



Thirty-one, Tuscan society, 199

Thot, Egyptian deity, 29

Three Globes, Masonic lodge, 6o

Threshers, Irish society, 271

Tirol, secret league against France

in, 197

Titles, extraordinary, introduced

into Masonry, 45

Tobaccological society, 320, 321

Todtenbund, 176Toland, John, 310Tolstoi, Count, 234, 239

Tongola See TaaroaTorres, lodges of Comuneros,

141

Torrubia, Peter, betrays Masons,

10I

Traveller's Narrative, A," quoted,

267Treachery of Fenian leaders, 277

Trent, Anti-Masonic Congress at,

104

INDEX 349

Tugendbund, 258-262, 332Turf, Society of the, 3 2 1-324"Turk, the, and the French Sol-dier," book written by Oudet,197

Turkey, Freemasonry in, 98Turks and Hetairia, 144-156Turner, or gymnasts in Germany,

259Tuscany, Duke of, 98

Tynan, P. J ., Fenian, 281, 286

UUKRIVAHELI, or Concealers of

Nihilists, 250

Ulrich, Duke of Wdrtemberg, 157Unconditionals, inner section ofGerman Union, 261

Union for the Public Weal, Rus-sian, 215



Rotes on



OCCULT LITERATURES\ otes on Standard and `ecent Works

published by george ¶Redway

DURING the past ten or twelve years the litera-

ture of the Occult , Sciences and Philosophy

has assumed a fresh importance, and, as a consequence,

has remarkably increased in the chief countries of the

world .

This literature has always existed in England, and

it is here that its new developments have, for the



The plan followed is one of merely informal enu-

meration, so that the various works must not be

regarded as classified in the order of their import-

ance, which would be difficult or impossible ; while

a grouping under subject-headings, having regard to

the scope of the bibliography, has been deemed un-

necessary . For convenience in reference only, the

works of Mr. A. E. Waite have been placed in aseparate section under the name of the author .

ANNA KINGSFORD Her Life, Letters, Diary, and . Work . 'By

her Collaborator, EDWARD MAITLAND . Illustrated with Por-



3 )

THE IMITATION OF S'ANKARA . Being a Collection of

several Texts bearing on the Advaita . By MANILAL N . DVIVIDI.

Crown 8vo, 5s. net .

This is a production of the Bombay Press . The Oriental texts in ques-

tion number 638, and have been derived from the Upanishads, the Institutes

of Manu, the Mahabhf rata, and other sacred writings, the Sanskrit originals

being also given . Seeing that for the most part they were in existence

before the birth of S'ankara, they must be regarded as the spirit which

guided that teacher, and are thus not his imitation, but that which he

himself followed .

THE GREAT SECRET, AND ITS UNFOLDMENT INOCCULTISM . ARecord of Forty Years' Experience in the

Modern Mystery. By a CHURCH OF ENGLAND CLERGYMANCrown 8vo, 5s. net .

The "modern mystery" is, of course, Spiritualism, and perhaps this

crisp and eminently readable narrative has a little suffered by some in-

exactitude in its title. The author is well known not only in the sphere

of liberal theology, but in that of letters, and as his identity is in no way



( 4 )

ANIMAL MAGNETISM; or, Mesmerism and Its Pheno-mena. By the late WILLIAM GREGORY, M.D. , F.R.S .E .

Fourth Edition. With Introduction by the late "M.A (Oxon)."

Demy 8vo, 6s. net .

Since the days of Dr . Gregory and the classic mesmerists whom weconnect broadly with his period, animal magnetism has assumed a new

and possibly more scientific terminology ; but it is a matter of surprise, on

re-reading this standard treatise, to note how trivial have been the advances

made since the subject has been taken into account by the professional

" modern scientist." The experiments of this careful observer have lost

none of their importance, and the introduction of Mr . Stainton Moses,

written for a previous edition, now very rare, will enhance the value of the

work in the eyes of all English Spiritualists .

THE TAROT OF THE BOHEMIANS The most ancient

book in the world. For the exclusive use of Initiates. ByPAPUS . Translated by A. P. MORTON. With numerous Illus-



( 5 )

THE RATIONALE OF MESMERISM . A Treatise on the

Occult Laws of Nature governing Mesmeric Phenomena . By A .

P. SINNETT Second Edition. 2s 6d . net .

In addition to the sources of occult knowledge with which Mr. Sinnett

claims to be connected, he has had considerable experience as a practical

mesmerist, and is therefore entitled to speak upon his subject with personal

as well as derived authority .

LIGHT ON THE PATH: KARMA : GREEN LEAVES.

A Treatise written for the personal use of those who are ignorant

of the Eastern Wisdom . By MABEL COLLINS . Imperial 321110,

is. 6d . net .

A series of aphorisms or maxims partly referable to Oriental Scriptures,

this little work has been a Golden Rule among Theosophists, and not the

less popular because of the unhappy controversy of which it subsequently

became the centre .



( 6

THE VIRGIN OF THE WORLD OF HERMES MER-CURIUS TRISMEGISTUS Rendered into English by

ANNA KINGSFORD and EDWARD MAITLAND, Authors of "The

Perfect Way. " With Illustrations. 40 Imitation Parchment.

ios. 6d. n e t .

Despite its attribution, "The Virgin of the World" represents 'a school

of initiation which is usually regarded as distinct from that which produced

the other writings referred to Hermes Trismegistus . It differs, on the

one hand, from the " Divine Pymander," which, perhaps, connects more

closely with Neo-Platonism of the Christian era ; and, on the other, from

the "Golden Treatise," which cannot be dated much earlier than the

fifteenth century . " Asciepios on Initiation," the "Definitions of Ascle-

pios," and some "Fragments of Hermes," are included in the volume,

which is an indispensable companion to Chambers' valuable edition of the

other works ascribed to Hermes .



( 7 )

THE KEY OF SOLOMON THE KING. Now first translated

from AncientMS . in the British Museum, by S. L. MACGREGORMATHERS With numerous Plates.' Crown 4to, 25s. net.

A scholarly edition of what is regarded as " the original work on practical

magic," based upon the best texts, and crowded with talismanic and other

figures . It gives the actual mode of operation, which should enable any

person so disposed to call up and discharge spirits, as well as full instruc-

tions for other departments, of ceremonial magic . It must, however, be

observed that the " Keys of Solomon " are referred to the domain of

White Magic, and do not, therefore, deal with evil spirits evoked for evil

purposes . The "Keys of Solomon the King are, further, to be dis-

tinguished from those of Solomon the Rabbi, which have not yet been

edited .

ASTROLOGY THEOLOGIZED: The Spiritual Herme-neutics of Astrology and Holy Writ . Edited by ANNABONUS KINGSFORD With numerous Symbolical Illustrations .



( 8 )

POSTHUMOUS HUMANITY: A Study of Phantoms .

By ADOLPHE D'AssIER. Translated and Annotated by HENRY

S. OLCOTT, President of the Theosophical Society . Crown 8vo,

7s. 6d . net .

A presentation of facts establishing the existence of a posthumous per-

sonality, not only as regards man, but other animals, and even vegetables .

Shortly put, it is an attempt to demonstrate the occult doctrine of the

fluidic form . From one point of view, this study of psychic phenomena

offers an unattractive contrast to the mystic doctrine of union with the

Divine, but this is because it deals only with the elementary spheres of

transcendental experience, and it must not be regarded as less remarkable

or less suggestive because its inferences are somewhat dismal .

THEOSOPHY, RELIGION, AND OCCULT SCIENCE .



9 )

THE PHILOSOPHY OF MYSTICISM. By CARL DU PRELTranslated -from the German by C. C. MASSEY. 8vo. Two vols.

los . 6d. net .

These noble volumes are the outcome of a happy combination-on the

one hand, an author who is among the first of living German Mystics ; onthe other, a translator who is himself a Mystic, and of established repute

among many like-thinking in England. It is impossible in a brief space

to present a satisfactory analysis of a work which is so important and at

the same time so voluminous. The author explains that he has attempted

" to erect a philosophical fabric of doctrine on the empirical basis of the

sleep-life," and to disprove the " false presumption " that " our Ego iswholly embraced in self-consciousness." It is maintained that an analysis

of the dream-life exhibits the Ego as exceeding that limit . A very similar

doctrine was propounded in Fichte's " Way to the Blessed Life," namely,

that only a small portion of .our being is illuminated by the sun of con-

sciousness .

THE INDIAN RELIGIONS or, Results of the Myste.rious Buddhism. By HARGRAVE JENNINGS. 8vo, 6s. net.



I0

THE TAROT: Its Occult Signification, Use in Fortune-Telling, and Method of Play . By S. L MACGREGORMATHERS With Pack of 78 Tarot Cards, 5s . net .

This little work, as will be seen, is designed to accompany a set of Tarot

cards, and it makes no pretension to deal in an elaborate manner with the

complex symbolism of the "book of antique initiation ;" but it may serve

as a syllabus or introduction to the more ambitious exposition by Papus,

and has been found useful in cartomancy by those disinclined towards the

study of a larger and more technical work .

THE LIFE OF PARACELSUS AND THE SUBSTANCEOF HIS TEACHINGS By FRANZ HARTMANN, M.D. Post

8vo, ios . 6 d . n e t .

The occult philosophy of Paracelsus concerning Magic, Pneumatology,

Sorcery, Alchemy, Astrology, and Medicine, is here set forth and explained

according to the tenets of Theosophy . It has, therefore, considerable

interest for the followers of this school, while , the attempt to interpret



THE CLOUD ON THE SANCTUARY Translated byMADAME ISABEL DE STEIGER. With a Preface by J . WBRODIE-INNES. 'Crown 8vo, 3s . 6d. net .

The work of the great German Mystic, Eckartshausen, embodying per-

haps the most profound instruction ever offered concerning the esoteric

mysteries of Christianity, this treatise, prized by a select few in its original

tongue, and familiar also to others in 'its French translation, is here given

for the first time in an English version, with some annotations by the trans-

lator, a lady well known in occult circles,, and a transcendentalist as well

as an artist . Mr. Brodie-Innes contributes a short preface which will be ofvalue to those who are acquainted with his remarkable work on the "True

Church of Christ "-a work, it may be added, which, in a more recent

aspect, represents much of the mystic teaching to be found in " The Cloud

on the Sanctuary."

THE TRANSCENDENTAL UNIVERSE Six Lectures on

Occult Science, Theosophy, and the Catholic Faith . Second



A BLANKPAGE A Story for the Bereaved . By PILGRIM.

Crown 8vo, 5s. net .

A graceful and touching story dealing suggestively with the experiences of

Modern Spiritualism. It is certainly the best, perhaps the one spiritualistic

novel which has appeared in England .

THE SECRET SOCIETIES OF ALL AGES ANDCOUNTRIES By C WHECKETHORN New Edition,

thoroughly revised and greatly enlarged . Two vols. Demy 8vo,

£i, iis. 6d. net .

A new work rather than a new edition, the result of twenty-five years'

study and research, and truly encyclopaedic in its range, extending from

Egyptian Mysteries to the latest doings of the Nihilists, and including i6o

Secret Organisations in all . I t is the only book of its kind, and is not

likely to be superseded .



THE MYSTERIES OF MAGIC: A Digest of the Writ-

ings of Eliphas Ldvi . With Biographical and Critical Essay

by A. E . WAITE . Revised Edition. Crown 8vo, Ios. 6d. net .

This work fulfils a purpose quite distinct from that of " Transcendental

Magic," inasmuch as it is not simply translation, but presents in an

abridged and digested form the entire writings of 1 ;liphas,LBvi which had

appeared up to the time of its publication . Mr. Waite's extended sum-mary has been generally appreciated, and the large impression issued in

1886 being exhausted, this revised and enlarged edition, following a new

and improved plan, has been recently issued .

THE REAL HISTORY OF THE ROSICRUCIANSFounded on their own Manifestoes, and on Facts and Documents

collected from the Writings of Initiated Brethren . By A. E .



1 5 )

LIVES OF ALCHEMYSTICAL PHILOSOPHERS Based

on nia.terials collected in i8I5 and supplemented by Recent

Researches. By A. E. WAITE. Demy 8 v o , i o s . 6d . n e t .

A l c h e m i c a l , l i k e K a b b a l i s t i c , l i t e r a t u re i s f a r t o o t e c h n i c a l ' ' a n d t o o

e s t a b l i s h e d i n e x e g e t i c a l d i f f i c u l t i e s f o r o r d i n a r y r e a de r s t o f i n d m u c h s a t i s -

f a c t i o n - i n i t s p e r u s a l . B u t t h e l i v e s o f t h e s e e k e r s a f t e r t h e M a g nu m O p u s ,

the Quintessence, and the Universal Medicine are in many cases romantic

records which will interest those who care little comparatively for the

pursuit which engrossed them . The biography of Cagliostro related in

this volume has much the same adventurous element as Gil BIas or

Guzman d'Alfarache . T h e r e i s a l s o a l a r g e b i b l i o g r a p h y , a n d a n i n t r o -

d u c t i o n d e a l i n g w i t h t h e m o d e r n i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s o f a l c h e m i c a l s y m b o l i s m .

Persons who wish to know the evidence for , transmutation in the past

a s a f a c t o f p h y s i c a l s c i e n c e w i l l b e as t o n i s h e d a t i t s e x t e n t a nd c o n v i n c i n g

c h a r a c t e r .



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