ritual visitants, threatens to stiletto the adept; who, overcome with the ingratitude of the world, concludes to quit;-at least, in the words of his Inquisition biographer, "he fled from Palermo, and overran the whole earth." We may see how he has grown-how, as in ordinary mortals, he advances step by step -even he, the favorite son of the higher intelligences, learns as he goes. How is it, then, that we can have no full-grown inspiration; that we know of no perfection-that we only go on towards it? Can it be that prophets and priests really do learn, and that even now, men may grow into the future? Might not a more thorough and scientific seminary for this purpose be established than any we now have-theologic, thaumaturgic, theosophic, or other variety? It is a question easier asked than answered. there are many, ever lounging about such (?) And "The Beppic Hegira brings us down in European history to somewhere about the period of the peace of Paris"—(A.D. -), supervening upon which is a portentous time "the multitudinous variety of quacks that, along with Beppo, overran all Europe during that same period-the latter half of the last century. It was the very age of impostors, cut-purses, swindlers, double gaugers, enthusiasts, ambiguous persons, quacks simple, quacks compound, crack-brained or with deceit prepense, quacks and quackeries of all colors and kinds. How many mesmerists (so speaks this strange author), magi--"As his seraphic countess gives signs of cians, cabalists, Swedenborgians, illuminati, crucified nuns, and devils of Loudun! To which the Inquisition biographer adds vampyres, sylphs, rosicrucians, free-masons, and an et cetera. Consider your Schropfers, Cagliostros, Casanovas, Saint Germains, Dr. Grahams, the Chevalier d'Eon, Psalmanazar, Abbé Paris, and the Ghost of Cock-lane! -as if Bedlam had broken loose!" The great, the inexplicable, the mysterious Beppo, being now fairly afloat, let us try to comprehend how he has begun to touch upon the edge of those trade winds, which shall drive him along toward the golden Indies, Ophir, and the land of promise, for which the men of this world do so hunger and thirst. withering, and one luxuriant branch of industry will die and drop off, others must be pushed into budding.” He, the indefatigable count, is not idle. "Faded dames of quality (over all Europe, all creation) have many wants: the count has not studied in the convent laboratory, or pilgrimed to the Count St. Germain, in Westphalia, to no purpose. With loftiest condescension he stoops to impart somewhat of his supernatural secretsfor a consideration. Rowland's Kalydor is valuable; but what to the beautifying water of Count Alessandro! He that will undertake to smooth wrinkles, and make withered, green parchment into a fair carnation skin, is he not one whom faded dames of quality will delight to honor? Or, again, let the beautifying-water succeed or not, have not such dames (if calumny may in aught be believed) another want? This want, too, the indefatigable Cagliostro will supply-for a consideration. For faded gentlemen of quality the count likewise has help. Not a charming countess alone, but a "wine of Egypt" (Cantharides not being unknown to him), sold in drops, more precious than nectar; which, what faded gentlemen of quality will not purchase with any thing short of life. Consider, too, what may be done with potions, washes, charms, love-philters, among a class of mortals idle from their mother's womb," &c., &c. He married a beautiful Seraphina, afterward countess, graceful and lady-like, once the daughter of a girdle-maker, and named Lorenza Feliciani. Every one, simple or sedate, knows that it is best to hunt in couples. What one has not the other may have. So Seraphina had beauty, lightness, buoyancy, and could float up her count when the demons and harpies of a certain troublesome devil, called law or justice, seemed bent upon his swift destruction. Could she not, too, "enlist the sympathies of admiring audiences"-by her sweet smiles and artless ways," gain belief, and "a wish to believe?" More than that, could she not turn the heads of young and old? "noble" perhaps, perhaps "ignoble"-" moneyed do-nothings" (so says It is well to know, once for all, that the this writer), whereof in this vexed earth count, chief-priest of his order-which yet sin. It must be understood that this masonry was founded by Enoch and Elias, had been corrupted by the Egyptian priests, but was now restored to its pristine vigor by its last and greatest Grand Cophta, and includes not only men but women, of whom the Countess Seraphina is Cophtess. thrives, and if not great, deserves to be call-itive state of innocence, lost by his original ed for its number, Legion-made money out of this his enterprising trade; that he was enabled to pay his way; to ride post with the ever potent" voucher of respectability, a coach-and-four," with out-riders and beefeaters, and couriers and lackeys, and the other paraphernalia which the greedy tooth of man desires-which helps one forward so far toward happiness, provided always that "there is no heaven above and no hell beneath," of which let each first make sure; and more than all, let such as wish to travel this road, take great courage from the contemplation of this one model. We must hasten to the year 1776, a year rather noted in our annals, and in that of England, perhaps, independently of this the "first visit" of the famed Count Cagliostro to its shores, which happened then. Should it have so chanced that he had lived now, would he have stopped there does the reader think? Having an insight into their national character, and finding "great greed and need," and but small heed, what might he not have done on this transatlantic shore, whose free people can so nobly cherish even its Barnum, its —, its! But let names go. We make the most of what we have, and if not equal to the greatest, the fault rests not on our shoulders. We are not responsible for the past, if for the present or future. We cannot do better than to gain some insight into the forms and symbolic practices of these worshippers; and especially will those who desire to practise this or any short and easy way to perfection or happiness, be glad to learn what has been done, and thus be encouraged to begin. In the Essai sur les Illuminés, printed in Paris in 1789, are the following details quot ed by this before-mentioned known author.* These bear an air of truth and probability which will win for them easy admission. Many of them are not unlike what we have seen amongst us during the few past years. ་་ They take a young lad or a girl who is in the state of innocence: such they call the Pupil or Colomb: the Venerable communicates to him the power he would have had before the fall of man; which power consists mainly in commanding the pure spirits: these spirits are to the number of seven. It is said they surround the shrine, and that they govern the seven planets. Their names are Arael, Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, Uriel, Zobiachel, Anachiel." Nothing certainly can begin more favorably. We learn that "she the Colomb," can act in two ways, either behind a curtain, behind a hieroglyphically-painted screen with table and three candles, or before the Caraffe and showing face. If the miracle fail it can only be because she is not "in the state of innocence." An accident must be guarded against. Surely our mystic professors, both clerical and lay, will take heed to these things. Much may be learned. 'Twas in England that the master developed most bravely the art of prophecy; perhaps finding there a demand for his supplysuch, according to some, being the only law of God or man. It is enough to know that he does a trade in foretelling the lucky lottery numbers by means of his "occult science," whereby at least he put money in his purse, and satisfied good-natured men that as there were gulls, and necessarily a guller, he above all others deserved praise and not blame; the whole thing, this life, being really a juggle, Cagliostro accordingly (it is his own story) and the smartest fellow of course the best brought a little boy into the lodge, son of a juggler. As man goes on he developes, so nobleman there. He placed him on his knees many think-so did Cagliostro, and in his before a table, whereon stood a bottle of pure growth he reaches to masonry-Egyptian ma- water, and behind this some lighted candles. sonry-and in " sworn secrecy" finds a new He made an exorcism round the boy, put his Talisman, for which men will pay five guin-hand on head, and both in this attitude adeas each. He resolves to "free it from all dressed their prayers to God for the happy vile ingredients, and make it a new Evangile." accomplishment of the work. Having then "No religion is excluded from the Egyptian bid the child look into the bottle, directly the society" for is it not certain that religion child cried that he saw a garden. Knowing pays? Charity too, pays, as we shall see by- hereby that Heaven assisted him [why this and-by. No religion is tabooed-none-all is so proven he does not explain], Cagliostro who admit the existence of a God, and the took courage, and bade the child ask of God immortality of the soul, may, for the small the grace to see the Archangel Michael. At sum of five guineas, be certain to gain "per- first the child said, "I see something white; fection by means of a physical and moral re- I know not what it is." Then he began generation." He promises them by the for- jumping and stamping like a possessed creamer or physical to find the prime matter or ture, and cried, "Now, I see a child like myphilosopher's stone, and the acacia which con- self, which seems to have something angelisolidates in man the forces of the most vig-cal (1)" All the assembly and Cagliostro himorous youth, and renders him immortal; and self remained speechless with emotion. ... by the latter or moral, to procure them a [How like this is to what we at this day have Pentagon which shall restore man to his prim- * T. Carlyle. seen.] The child being anew exorcised with the hands of the Venerable on his head, and the customary prayers addressed to Heaven, he looked into the bottle, and said he saw his sister at that moment coming down stairs, and embracing one of her brothers. That appeared impossible, the brother in question being then hundreds of miles off. However Cagliostro felt not disconcerted; said they might send to the country-house, where the sister was, and see-if they chose! hour passes in this painful attitude. After which fatiguing trial, plaintive cries are heard; the funeral pile takes fire, yet casts only a pale light; the garments are thrown on it and burnt. A colossal and almost transparent figure rises from the very bosom of the pile. At sight of it the five prostrated men fall into convulsions insupportable to look on: the too faithful image of those foaming struggles wherein a mortal, at hand-grips with a sudden pain, ends by sinking under it. "Then a trembling voice pierces the vault, and articulates the formula of those execrable oaths that are to be sworn: my pen falters: I think myself almost guilty to retrace them." Do some still doubt? Time nor paper will allow us to allay that doubt. We must, as rapidly as we can, introduce what may yet be useful in certain cases of the like kind, either in whole or in part. It is the intro- Strange as it may seem, we stop here with duction of a novice into the holy Mysteries. Monsieur the Author. Strange too that some "The recipiendary is led by a darksome deny the reality of all this-and tell of magic path into a large hall, the ceiling, the walls, lanterns and science-stranger still that men the floor of which are covered by a black are who believe all-all-'tis to them a spascloth, sprinkled over with red flames and modic miracle, and he is an infidel of course menacing serpents; three sepulchral lamps who doubts. Strange too is it, that men do emit from time to time a dying glimmer, and not see here the monstrous power of what is the eye half distinguishes, in this lugubrious called Symbolism, and that they should not den, certain wrecks of mortality suspended help nor hinder; who say, Let the world go by funeral crapes; a heap of skeletons forms-who cares! Men live and women too who in the centre a sort of altar; on both sides say, "There's something in it"-there must of it are piled books; some contain menaces be! and is there not? Figure now all this against the perjured; others the deadly narrative of the vengeance which the invisible spirit has exacted; of the infernal evocations for a long time pronounced in vain. boundless cunningly devised agglomerate of royal arches, deaths' heads, hieroglyphically painted screens, "columns in the state of innocence, with spacious masonic halls-dark, or in the favorablest theatrical light-and-dark: Kircher's magic lantern, Belshazzar handwri "Eight hours elapse. Then phantoms, trailing mortuary vails, slowly cross the hall and sink in caverns, without audible noise of trap-tings (of phosphorus), plaintive tones, gongdoors or of falling. You notice only that they are gone by a fetid ordor exhaled from them. "The novice remains four and twenty hours in this gloomy abode, in the midst of a freezing silence. A rigorous fast has already weakened his thinking faculties. Liquors prepared for the purpose first weary and at length wear out his senses. At his feet are placed three cups, filled with a drink of a greenish color. Necessity lifts them to his lips: involuntary fear repels them. beatings, hoary head of a supernatural Grand Cophta emerging through the gloom—and how it all acts, not only directly through the foolish senses of men, but also indirectly connecting itself with Enoch and Elias, with philanthropy, immortality," &c. Let such as will now say there is nothing in it—something there is, for a thoughtful man to consider well of, asking himself what also does this of clairvoyance, and spiritual knockings, and Jenny-Lind manias, and Jerkers-truly mean? and what kind of a person am I who have had part and lot with these? "At last appear two men: looked upon as the ministers of Death. These gird the pale But the lofty science of Egyptian Masonry brow of the recipiendary with an auroral- flourishes, lodges are established over Eucolored-ribbon dipped in blood, and full of rope, and the Grand Master travels hither silvered characters mixed with our lady of and thither, "mounts to the seat of the VenLoretto. He receives a copper crucifix, of erable, and holds high discourse, hours long, two inches length: to his neck are hung a on masonry, morality, universal science, disort of amulets wrapped in violet cloth. He vinity, and things in general, with a "subis stripped of his clothes; which two minis- limity, and emphasis and unction," proceedtering brethren deposit on a funeral pile, ing it appears "from the special inspiration erected at the other end of the hall. With of the Holy Ghost." He is received with blood on his naked body are traced crosses. shouts and exultation-every where the great In this state of suffering and humiliation, he heart of man thrills at the coming of this sees approaching with large strides five Phan- mystic symbol, which contains-cunningly toms armed with swords, and clad in gar-enfolded, as their eyes can and do seements dropping blood. Their faces are vail- every virtue, every greatness-is he not ined: they spread a velvet carpet on the floor; deed the Incarnation of these, and therefore kneel there, pray; and remain with out- to be worshipped; such gift of reverence is stretched hands crossed on their breasts, and in the heart of man, and to such things does faces fixed on the ground in deep silence. An he again and again bow down! To go on. of thronging audiences can make him maudlin; render him louder in eloquence of theory; and “philanthropy,' ," "divine science," depth of unknown worlds," "finer feelings of the heart"-and so shall draw tears from most asses of sensibility. "The few reasoning mortals scattered here and there, that see through him, deafened in the universal hub-ving into cellars, and mounting into garrets, bub, shut their lips in sorrowful disdain, con- to seek and to save-at the risk of not only fident in the grand remedy, Time." So says life but comfort-the first of which happily our author, and can we blame him? Will the was not thus sacrificed:-nor indeed on the reader allow the current of this prosperity whole was comfort lost sight of, as the "coach to be checked for one moment by a certain and-four with liveries and sumptuosities bears Count M? One of the chosen few at War-witness." There is often profound wisdom saw, who having spent the night with the in this thing called public or newspaper chari"dear Master," in conversing with spirits, ty. Does it or does it not-pay? had returned to the country to transmute metals perhaps perhaps to do other mighty works. Count M. seems to have been afflicted with doubts, to have supposed that by sleight-of-hand the "sweet Master" had substituted the crucible with melted ducats, for the other carefully filled with red lead, "smelted and set to cool," "and now found broken and hidden among these bushes"the whole golden crucible standing in its place. "Neither does the Plenagon or Elixir of Life, or whatever it was, prosper betterour sweet master enters into expostulationswears by his great God, and his honor, that he will finish the work and make us happy." In vain-"the shreds of the broken crucible lie there before your eyes"—and the usurper has its place. That "resemblance of a sleeping child, grown visible in the magic cooking of our Elixir, proves to be an inserted rosemary leaf. The Grand Cophta cannot be gone too soon." Cheers, and the ravishment | employs himself in curing sickness, in illuminating ignorance?" We at the present day know nothing like it; the mere giving of a few surplus hundreds or thousands to certain Slavery, Anti-Slavery, Peace, Temperance or other societies, is benevolence of the "rocking chair" species-is not to be mentioned with this, of the self-denying Cagliostro's di The favorite of the gods, he who holds high discourse with spirits, and to whom is opened the hidden secret of earth and heaven, finds ready acceptance-backed as he is by charities, by elegancies: finds acceptance with the poor, the ignorant to whom he ministers but also "with a mixture of sorrow and indignation" it is recorded, among the great -and not only they, but among the learned, even physicians and naturalists." It does not seem worth while to expend sorrow and indignation upon this fact, not at all new, as we now fifty years farther along have discovered; for we can show our physicians and naturalists, and also our priests and prophets, in small crowds with whom marvels find acceptance. We shall see more of them by and by. But one among the rich and great, was the Cardinal Prince Count Rohan, Archbishop of Strasburg. "Open-handed dupe," as some term him-now out of favor with the Already it has been said that "Charity Queen Marie Antoinette (after that beheaded pays," philanthropy, benevolence, all these and called unfortunate). Banished from his sometimes? if one sows his bread on the beloved Paris and the sunshine of royalty, waters shall he not expect its return after what should he do but to regain his pedesmany or after few days?-the sooner the tal? necessary no doubt, for the glory of God, better for your Cagliostros, your Barnums. and his church; necessary at least for the Shout it daily to an envious world-"Am Count Rohan. Cagliostro is all powerfulI not a charitable man? If I have done he will help the Cardinal Prince-not only wrong myself (as who has not?) has not a by philters and charms, but by prophecies great deal of good grown out of my wicked- from the gods, who speaking through their ness? I have therefore done my share, for earthly oracle, will of course (it paying best), which if the world has paid me in 'praise promise success and not failure. The Archand pudding,' it is no more than it has done bishop tries all things, and at last the farbefore, and will do again!" Take courage! famed "diamond necklace," upon the queen, Cagliostro doctors--heals--the poor, for which no woman's heart can withstand, not nothing! even gives them alms-does a great even the queen's. Sad to tell, the miserable deal of good-who but he? At Strasburg in queen knew nothing of the necklace; and only the year 1783 (year of our peace with Eng-the Md'lle De la Motte, styled countess, by suland), he " appears in full bloom and radi-perior arts had outjuggled Cagliostro himself, ance, the envy and admiration of the world. Cardinal Rohan, queen and all: the diamonds In large hired hospitals he with open drug- were gone-the queen's character blackened, box (containing 'Extract of Saturn'), and even cardinal, cophta, and countess, all in the Baswith open purse, relieves the suffering poor; tille, where they lay some nine months (year unfolds himself lamblike, angelic, to a believ-1781), disastrous months, when "high sciing few, of the rich classes. Medical mira-ence" wasted itself in eating out its own heart. cles have at all times been common, but what Cagliostro escaped, was let go-but a plunmiracle is this of an occidental or oriental dered, banished, suspected high priest, was Serene-highness that 'regardless of expense,' quite another thing from a golden cophta, with the foreign coat-of-arms, serene countess――― and open purse relieving the unfortunate. Cagliostro now flits to England, to Bale, to THE MURDER OF LATOUR. WRITTEN FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MONTHLY MAGAZINE BY HON. W. H. STILES.* HE cabinet remained in deliberation at Brienne, to Aix, to Turin, he wanders hither the Ministry of War, situated at the cor and thither; we cannot follow him. The end of all, the lofty and the low, must come-ner of the square called the Hof. The tide that seems drawing near to Cagliostro too but how? not in ruddy splendor as of departing day, not quiet, serene, as of nature sinking to rest-rather like the disastrous death of the bleeding shark it seems: his brethren, his friends sharks of his own kind, of all kinds, high and low-rush upon the wounded shark, as to a banquet to which they were bidden. He is exiled here, he is persecuted there imprisonment, despair, degradation haunt him the houseless, unfortunate-now vagabond, once renovator of the human race, and friend of lords and friend of gods and princes. Such is gratitude! such is popular favor! a thing to be bought and bargained for, to be given when not needed. Such, no doubt, Cagliostro decided! of insurrection now rose to an unconquerable height. The nearest shots of the retiring cannons, the advancing shouts of the infuriated people, warned the ministers that all defence was rapidly becoming hopeless. The building itself still offered some means of resistance, and there were two cannons in the court; but at that crisis was issued a written order, signed by Latour and Wessenberg, "to cease the fire at all points," and given to officers for distribution. It was in vain. The popular torrent rolled on toward the seat of government, which was destined ere long to be disgraced by atrocious crime. The minister of war, Count Latour, prepared for defence. The military on guard in front of the war office were withdrawn into the yards, with two pieces of artillery loaded with grape. The gates were closed, the military distributed to the different threatened points, and the cannons directed towards the He is sore bested, and begins "to confess himself to priests," for a man must do something in his extremity. It avails him not; he is at last in the gripe of the holy Inquisition at Rome, in the year of our Lord, 1789, De-two gates; soon the scene of battle had cember 29," and must match himself with a reached the Bogner Gasse, immediately unpower which this world knows something of: der the windows of the war department; face to face, hand to hand, at last. Have the ministers in consultation heard the cry, they juggles equal to his juggles, miracles "The military retreat." The great square of equal to his-high science equal to his-le- the Hof was soon cleared, the soldiers retiring gions of angels equal to his?-enough that by the way of the Freyung. The guards and they have dungeons, and sbirri—and in his academic legion pursuing; the military comcase, hearts harder than the nether mill-mander's quarters in the Freyung are soon stone-not to be softened "by demands for captured. The retiring military not being religious books"-assertions of the divinity of the Egyptian Masonry-promises of wonderful revelations oaths, flatteries, or any of the mystic paraphernalia of the now powerless professor and prophet: they will not let him out! but rather will introduce him to a new art, that of becoming a Christian, and get him, the toughest in a tough time, into heaven as they best can. Did they find Loyola's twenty days sufficient, and was the article then turned out of hand complete for that other state? The Inquisition biographer does not dwell upon this, it was perhaps as well. We learn at last that he died in the year 1795, and went, the writer says, "Whither no man knows!" So ended a Magician! able to escape through the Schotten-Thor, as they had expected, that gate being closed and barricaded, they cut their way through the Herrn Gasse. So intent were the respective combatants, either in retreat or pursuit, that the whole tempest of war swept over the Hof, and left that square, for a short time, deserted and silent. But that stillness was but of short duration; a few moments only had elapsed, when a number of straggling guards, students, and people, came stealing silently from the Graben, through the Bogner, Naglus, and Glosken Gasse, on to the Hof, and removed the dead and the wounded into the neighboring * A chapter from Mr. Stiles's forthcoming work on Austria, which we have mentioned elsewhere in this number of the International. The last order issued by the unfortunate Latour was instrusted to Colonel Gustave Schindler, of the imperial engineers, an efficient officer, as well as a most amiable and accomplished gentleman, and one well and favorably known in the United States, from his kind attention to Americans who have visited the Austrian capital. The colonel was in the act of passing out of the great door of the war office, which opens on the Hof, when the mob reached that spot. Recognized by his imperial uniform, he was instantly surrounded and attacked. He received many blows on the head, inflicted by the crowd with clubs and iron bars; was most severely wounded, and would probably have been killed but for the timely interference of one of the rabble, who, riding up on horseback between the colonel and the mob, shielded him from further blows, and finally effected his escape. |