Vaughan
states that Dr Westcott is a Palladist, a diabolist, a worshipper of
Lucifer, or however she may elect to distinguish it, I reply that she is
guilty of a gross libel, which is at the same time an abominable and
cruel falsehood. When she says that she has been received at his house,
I reply that she has not been received there, and that Dr Westcott is
likely to require better credentials from female visitors than are
supplied by the infamous inventions in the "Memoirs of an Ex-Palladist."
When Miss Vaughan affirms that she has transcribed Dr Westcott's rituals
at the house of Dr Westcott, I reply that this would be an untrue
statement if the lady who made it were an intimate friend, and it is
doubly untrue when affirmed by a perfect stranger. When Miss Vaughan
states that Dr Westcott is the head of a Society which worships Lucifer,
I reply that she is speaking falsely of a body concerning which she is
in complete ignorance, and when an ignorant person thus attributes evil
she or he does not only act foolishly but with exceeding malice. Miss
Vaughan is henceforth upon all accounts outside that category of
literary honour which makes it possible for criticism to be concerned
with her and still preserve its dignity. Lastly, Miss Vaughan alleges
that the official appointments made by Dr Westcott as Supreme Magus of
the Society in question for the year 1896 were submitted to Adriano
Lemmi and approved by him. This allegation is false _in toto_. Neither
in a general nor a special sense is Dr Westcott responsible to Lemmi or
to any Italian Freemason; what is more, no personal or written
communication has at any time passed between them, and save as a past
Grand Master Dr Westcott has never heard of the person to whose commands
he is thus supposed to be subject. It will be seen that the baseless
nature of this absurd statement involves all others of its kind, and
there is no reason to attach the slightest credibility to anything which
has been advanced concerning the supreme position of Adriano Lemmi, who,
further, himself denies it, and, whatever his past history, is as much
entitled to belief as accusers who betray their true character in this
unenviable manner.

The Society which has thus been attacked in the person of its Supreme
Magus is of singularly unpretending nature, simple as regards its
history, and making no claim either to Masonic or Mystical importance.
It does not claim or possess a connection with the o