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(page 168 thru 174)
I am sensible that great efforts have been made,
both in Europe and America,
to convince mankind of the harmless nature of Illuminism,
and that its operation, whatever its tendency was,
has long since ceased.
But the wonderful zeal and bitterness,
which have been exhibited on this subject,
instead of abating, justly increase suspicion.
If my neighbor fancies himself beset with ghosts and hob-goblins,
I may well pity him, and endeavor to remove the painful illusion;
but is there any cause for bitter resentment?
Shall I be at the pains of inventing, and circulating falsehoods
to convince mankind that my neighbor's fears are imaginary?
That falsehoods of the grossest nature
have been most industriously propagated,
and vengeance of the most horrid kind
denounced against those
who have expressed their apprehensions
of the destructive effects of Illuminism,
are facts.
But why is it thus,
if Illuminism is that silly, harmless tale
which by some it is represented to be?
Or why was not Robison's work to be found in Germany?
This is not the way to remove jealousies.
Where there is such a fluttering and outcry,
we naturally conclude that some are deeply wounded.
The peculiar invisibility of this order
must greatly invalidate the most positive declarations in its favor,
however honestly intended.
Admitting that Mr. Ebeling, in particular, is, as he asserts,
neither an Illuminee nor a Mason,
and that his declarations on this subject are the result of conviction,
must this be admitted as conclusive evidence?
A similar declaration has been made by many,
in the uprightness of their hearts,
who have been admitted even to the threshold of the mysteries;
for they have all along had the most positive assurances,
that the object of the order
was the advancement of civil and religious liberty,
in their most perfect degrees.
Did those adepts, who retained their respect for the scriptures,
believe that they were supporting a system of Spinozism?
or did initiated princes believe that they were protecting an order
which was aiming to reduce them to the rank of plebeians?
Yet persons of each of the above descriptions
gave their warm support to this Anti-Christian, disorganizing confederacy.
Is then the judgment of professor Ebeling to be deemed infallible?
From the peculiar nature of the subject, it is obvious,
that witnesses of the highest credibility in other matters,
cannot be depended on in this;
here is so much collusion, art, and studied concealment,
that nothing but stubborn facts,
their own writings, and secret, confidential communications,
can be reasonably admitted to be of weight
in determining the views of this order.
If Mr. Ebeling's proximity to the scene of action,
afforded him some special advantages
for estimating circumstantial evidence,
is he not likewise exposed, from this situation,
to some peculiar disadvantages?
Doubtless he had frequent, and most positive assurances
from many worthy and good men,
men as deserving the character, at least, as Weishaupt,
of whom he speaks so respectfully,
that Illuminism was perfectly harmless,
and even highly beneficial to mankind.
Is it not very possible that such declarations,
made with that subtle sophistry, and plausibility
in which Illuminism so much abounds,
should bias the judgment of the charitable professor?
Then, in proportion to his nearness
to the suggested, but undiscovered, danger,
he would naturally become confident that it did not exist.
It certainly adds importance to these observations, that others,
who had at least equal advantages with Mr. Ebeling
to judge of the real views of these conspirators,
yet differed much from him in opinion.
But can these things be real?
Can human nature be so debated, so lost to every principle,
not of religion only, but of social virtue?
Or could any person, capable of inventing such a system,
imagine that it was practicable,
and that any considerable number of mankind
would submit to such abominable impositions?
These reflections, I confess, are to this moment, pressing on my mind,
and raise a momentary doubt, which nothing
but the most clear and indubitable evidence can remove.
But this doubt, we find upon reflection,
arises more from the novelty of the subject,
than from any thing in it that is really incredible.
Is not all wickedness, madness and folly?
Is not the want of opportunity and abilities,
the real cause why mankind do not exhibit
more frequent instances of mischievous madness?
Does the history of past ages leave us room to wonder
at any act of extravagance, which is credibly attested,
because it is in the highest degree unreasonable, and destructive,
both to the perpetrator and his fellow creatures?
If revelation has not sufficiently taught us what is in man,
the French revolution may surely convince us,
that there is no species or degree of wickedness,
within the compass of human ability,
which is beyond the corruption of the human heart.
Every impious, immoral, cruel, and disorganizing sentiment,
ever taught in the school of Spartacus,
has been exemplified in late transactions
which have taken place in Europe.
It is not, indeed, to be supposed
that all the proceedings of the society
were minutely conformable to the adopted system:
we know they are not.
The machine was too unwieldy to be applied in all cases.
The heads of the order reserved a right of deviating
according to their judgment of circumstances.
Some needed not Weishaupt's process of seduction,
to prepare them for the highest mysteries of Illuminism.
A complete system may be useful as a general directory,
even when it is not brought into universal operation.
In this instance the vanity of the author, doubtless excited him
to render his work perfect, and connected in all its parts.
The objection which some make to the existence of Illuminism,
that it is too complicated and cumbersome
ever to attain the object ascribed to the projector,
cannot be important.
While the Illuminees complain of great severity
in the proceedings of the government against their order,
others, judging of the degree of the crime by the punishment,
conclude, from the lightness of the latter,
that the former could not be equal to what has been represented.
Deprivation of office, imprisonment, and some instances of banishment,
appear indeed to have been punishments
inadequate to such attrocious conspiracies.
Weishaupt himself expected nothing short of the gallows
in case of his detection.
That his expectations were not realized, was, doubtless, owing in part,
to the secret influence of Illuminism over the measures of government;
and still more, to the many respectable characters
found to be partially involved,
which rendered it expedient that the subject should be treated
with all possible lenity.
In addition to this, it is to be observed,
that the weakness and inferiority of many of the German principalities,
reduce them to the necessity
of accommodating the measures of government to particular circumstances.
On the authority of private letters from Germany, Barruel relates,
That the Duke of of Brunswick, in particular,
justified his not proceeding to extremities with the Illuminees in his states,
by saying,
"Supposing I should send them away,
they would only go elsewhere and calumniate me;"
adding,
"a league ought to be entered into by the German princes,
to suffer them in no part of the Empire." *
* Barruel's Memoirs, Vol. IV. p. 317.
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