der
bitterly hostile to the true aims of Masonry proceed from ignorance of
the real nature of Illuminism. In order to judge of this it is only
necessary to consult the writings of the Illuminati themselves, which
are contained in the following works:

1. _Einige Originalschriften des Illuminatenordens_ (Munich, 1787).

2. _Nachtrag von weitern Originalschriften, etc._ (Munich, 1787).

3. _Die neuesten Arbeiten des Spartacus und Philo in dem
Illuminaten-Orden_ (Munich, 1794).

All these consist in the correspondence and papers of the Order which
were seized by the Bavarian Government at the houses of two of the
members, Zwack and Bassus, and published by order of the Elector. The
authenticity of these documents has never been denied even by the
Illuminati themselves; Weishaupt, in his published defence, endeavoured
only to explain away the most incriminating passages. The publishers,
moreover, were careful to state at the beginning of the first volume:
"Those who might have any doubts on the authenticity of this collection
may present themselves at the Secret Archives here, where, on request,
the original documents will be laid before them." This precaution
rendered all dispute impossible.

Setting Barruel and Robison entirely aside, we shall now see from the
evidence of their own writings, how far the Illuminati can be regarded
as a praiseworthy and cruelly maligned Order. Let us begin with their
attitude towards Freemasonry.

Illuminism and Freemasonry

From the moment of Weishaupt's admission into Freemasonry his whole
conduct was a violation of the Masonic code. Instead of proceeding after
the recognized manner by successive stages of initiation, he set himself
to find out further secrets by underhand methods and then to turn them
to the advantage of his own system. Thus about a year after his
initiation he writes to Cato (alias Zwack): "I have succeeded in
obtaining a profound glimpse into the secret of the Freemasons. I know
their whole aim and shall impart it all at the right time in one of the
higher degrees."[518]

Cato is then deputed to make further discoveries through an Italian
Freemason, the Abbe Marotti, which he records triumphantly in his diary:

Interview with the Abbe Marotti on the question of Masonry, when he
explained to me the whole secret, which is founded on old religion
and Church history, and imparted to me all the higher degrees up to
the Scottish. Informed