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(page 131 thru 139)
A note, transmitted from Germany to England,
appeared in the Monthly Magazine of January, 1798;
in which the public were assured,
"that from the beginning of the year 1790,
every concern of the Illuminati has ceased,
and no lodge of Free Masons in Germany, has, since that period,
taken the least notice of them." *
* Barruel's Memoirs, Vol. IV. p. 119
It is worthy of remark,
that this certificate implicitly acknowledges,
that until 1790, the Illuminees did exist,
and were connected with the lodges of Free Masons in Germany;
yet those, who endeavored to convince the public of their existence,
at the time in which it is here acknowledged,
were as contemptuously scouted as those are,
who now believe the subject important to mankind.
But are such men as Weishaupt and his coadjutors,
thus easily beat off from their purposes?
Do such Ethiopians so readily change their skin?
No,
Weishaupt himself, has sufficiently, though unintentionally,
warned us not to depend on such declarations.
Writing to Cato, he says,
"I have foreseen every thing;
I have prepared every thing.
Let my whole order go to rack and ruin;
in three years I will answer to restore it,
and that to a more powerful state than it was in before.
Obstacles only stimulate my activity." *
* Barruel's Memoirs. Vol. IV. p. 130.
How far he was active, after his banishment,
in promoting the cause of Illuminism,
does not appear,
but a new confederation, on similar principles,
and pursuing the same object, was formed,
called the German Union.
It was expedient that known Illuminees
should take a less active part in this new arrangement.
Probably the advice which was found
in the hand writing of Cato,
was adopted on this occasion, which was this:
"In order to re-establish our affairs,
let some of the ablest of those brethren,
who have avoided our misfortunes,
take the place of our founders." *
* Ibid. p. 178
The Illuminees, in projecting this second part,
appear to have taken their clue
from the following existing circumstances.
That scheme of religion,
which excludes from the gospel all its peculiarities,
had, for some time, been making a rapid progress in Germany.
One excess led on to another,
till doctrines were advanced among the clergy,
which would leave the superiority of Christianity,
to natural religion, very doubtful.
This tendency to infidelity,
appears to have been, in a great degree,
owing to the influence of the Anti-Christian conspiracies,
of which we have been speaking;
but however this may be,
it was found to be a very convenient stock
on which to ingraft a branch of Illuminism.
An opportunity was now given,
to such as wished to extirpate Christianity,
to take part with those divines
who were striving to explain away
its distinguishing doctrines.
On these circumstances
was founded the idea of the German Union.
A multitude of writers appeared
who expressed great zeal for Christianity;
but the manifest object of this zeal was,
to reduce it to a system of natural religion.
The Bible was explained, corrected, allegorized, and otherwise twisted,
till the minds of men had hardly any thing left to rest on,
as a doctrine of revealed religion.
This was a signal for others to come forward,
deny revelation,
and assert that man had no other ground of confidence
than the dictates of natural reason.
Another set of writers,
proceeding from this as a point already settled,
proscribed all religion whatever,
and openly taught the doctrines of materialism and atheism. *
* Robison's Proofs, p. 66 to 72.
Barruel's Memoirs, Vol. IV. p. 192 to 194.
But it afterwards appeared,
that these movements were the effects
of combination and design,
and that an association was formed
who were unitedly striving
to drive things to this extremity.
One Barth, a doctor of divinity in the university at Halle,
was the principal agent in this combination.
He was an Illuminee, and a person of most infamous morals.
In this instance Mr. Ebeling acknowledges, that,
"As to Barth, Robison is not very erroneous."
But, even here, he appears much disposed to palliate,
and tells us that
"Barth did not write against religion;
but only attempted to modernize Christianity."
He even seems to recommend his writings,
from this consideration, that
"He knew vice by experience,
and could shew all its deformity."
Yet even Mr. Ebeling does not pretend
that he ever ceased to love vice,
or to practice it.
The dissoluteness of his morals
had deprived him of the means of a decent subsistence,
when, on a sudden, he purchased, near Halle, a large mansion,
which he called Barth's ruhe.
This became the head quarters of the Union.
The management of this institution
was committed to twenty two conductors,
whose agents were dispersed through the different towns.
The persons chiefly sought after,
were authors, post masters, printers, and booksellers.
While every encouragement was given
to those works which favored their designs,
it was found difficult, in some instances,
to procure the publication of works
designed to correct these evils.
Every obstruction was given
to the circulation of those of this description,
which had come from the press;
and funds were to be established
to indemnify those booksellers, who, instead of selling such books,
would conceal them in their shops.
But the principal means, on which they depended
for corrupting the public mind,
were literary societies, or reading clubs;
which they labored to set up in every town.
These were modifications of Weishaupt's minerval schools;
they became very numerous;
and it was the business of the secretaries,
and initiated booksellers,
to have them furnished with books
of the most Anti-Christian character.
One of the vilest things, published on this occasion,
was, the "Edict for Religion,"
written in derision of some regulations,
published by the king of Prussia, under that title.
This was traced to Barth's ruhe.
He was thereupon arrested,
his papers seized,
and he imprisoned.
This put a stop to the business of the Union;
but Dr. Robison quotes persons in high office at Berlin,
as agreeing in opinion,
that the association of writers,
and other turbulent persons in Germany,
has been but very faintly hit by this blow,
and is almost as active as ever. *
* Proofs, p. 221 to 245.
Memoirs, Vol. IV. p. 195 to 204.
As Mr. Ebeling speaks in the most contemptuous manner,
of Dr. Robison's persons in high office at Berlin,
I beg leave to introduce here,
the sentiments of some of that court upon the subject,
and in particular, those of the king of Prussia,
whom Mr. Ebeling mentions in the highest terms of respect,
and ranks with the best of princes.
The Chevalier Von Hamelberg,
a major in the king of Prussia's service,
lately translated Dr. Robison's work into the German language,
and presented a copy of the work to his sovereign,
to which the king made the following return:
"My dear Major Hamelberg,
"The work which you have translated and communicated to me,
with your letter of March 3d,
exposes the pernicious tendency of all secret societies in the clearest light,
and is entitled to a considerable degree of merit with your countrymen.
I, therefore, most willingly express my warmest satisfaction,
and most sincere thanks, for the copy which has been transmitted to me,
and I hereby announce my approbation of the work,
as your affectionate king,
FREDERICK WILLIAM."
Charlottenburg, July 25, 1800.
This was communicated to Dr. Robison,
in a letter from major Hamelberg.
This letter is so well calculated to throw light upon this subject,
that I cannot refrain from introducing
the more interesting parts of it.
"Sir,
"I have at last, after a long search,
succeeded in my endeavors to obtain
your valuable work on the secret societies,
which was so thoroughly suppressed in Germany,
that it was not possible to procure a copy of.
As soon as I obtained it, I communicated it to some friends,
as much distinguished by their character as by their talents;
who, being all convinced of its excellence,
persuaded me to translate it into German.
As the whole merit of the work is yours, sir,
I feel it to be my duty to send you the enclosed answer
from the king my master.
And should you be of opinion that it will
serve the good cause,
you are at liberty to make any use of it
which you may think proper.
I think it necessary, sir, to apprize you
that I have added some notes,
and some facts which have come within my knowledge,
and which evidently prove (were any further proof required)
both the truth of your assertions, and the reality of the dangers
to which the sovereigns, as well as the regular governments,
are exposed wherever these societies are tolerated.
I beg you will be convinced, sir, of the distinguished consideration
with which I have the honor to be, sir, your, &c.
VON HAMELBERG."
Minden, (Westphalia) July 27, 1800.
The preceding letters were communicated by Dr. Robison
to the editors of the Anti-Jacobin Review,
and from that copied in the New England Palladium, of May 29, 1801.
These letters came attended with an anecdote,
which, though not supported by equal vouchers,
yet so perfectly accords with the practices of the German Union,
and so satisfactorily accounts
for the scarcity of Robison's work in Germany,
as induces me to give it a place in the conclusion of this chapter.
"Goschen, a bookseller at Leipzig,
had engaged a person to make a hasty translation
of Professor Robison's book,
and nearly a dozen sheets had been printed,
when an Englishman,
who spoke German with all the purity and fluency of a native,
came to his house, and telling him,
that he had himself already translated the work,
and that it would appear within a week,
persuaded Goschen to sell him his edition,
for a handsome price,
which was immediately paid.
By this means Goschen's translation was suppressed,
and the other never appeared.
The same thing, we have been assured, occurred at Berlin."
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