"But carefully obferve and remember, that "we do not impofe our opinions; we do not

oblige you to adopt our doctrines. Let the "truth you can acknowledge be your only "guide. Free man, exercife here thy primitive right; feek, doubt, examine; do you know "of, or can you find elsewhere, any thing that "is better? Make us acquainted with your "views, as we have expofed ours to you. We "do not blufh at the limits of our understandings; we know that we are but men: "we know that fuch are the difpofitions of "nature, fuch the lot of man, that he is not to

expect to attain perfection at his outfet; he "can attain it but by degrees. It is by gaining "experience from our errors, by profiting of "the lights acquired by our forefathers, that we "fhail become at once the children of wisdom,

and the parents of a ftill wifer progeny. If, "therefore, you think that you have found truth in the whole of our doctrine, adopt the whole, "Should you perceive any error to have ftolen "in with it, remember that truth is not the lefs "eftimable on that account. If you have met "with nothing that pleafes you here, reject the "whole without fear; and remember, that in

many things, at leaft, we only need further " research or a new investigation. Do you ob"ferve any thing blameable or laudable, fee

"and

"and make choice of what you approve. Should "you be more enlightened yourself, then your "eye may have difcovered truths which are ftill "denied to us. The more art we employ in "the instruction of our pupils to lead them "to the paths of wisdom, the lefs you will be "inclined to refufe us a portion of your ap" plause."

Thus ends the discourse of the Hierophant.The profelyte who has heard it without fhuddering, may flatter himself with being worthy of this priesthood. But before he is facrilegiously anointed, he is led back to the porch, where he is invested with a white tunic. He wears a broad filken fcarlet belt; the fleeve is tied at the extremity and middle with bandages of the fame colour, which make it bulge out*. I am particular in the defcription of this drefs, because it was in a fimilar one that, during the French revolution, a comedian appeared perfonally attacking Almighty God, faying, "No! thou doft "not exist. If thou haft power over the thunder "bolts, grasp them; aim them at the man who "dares set thee at defiance in the face of thy "altars. But no, I blafpheme thee, and I still

live. No, thou doft not exift." In the fame coftume, and to prepare him for the fame blaf

Laft Works of Philo and Spartacus, at the end of the Difcourfe,

phemies,

phemies, the Epopt is recalled into the temple of mysteries. He is met by one of the brethren, who does not permit him to advance till he has told him, "that he is fent to enquire whether he

(the profelyte) has perfectly understood the "difcourfe which has been read to him-whether " he has any doubts concerning the doctrines ", which are contained in it-whether his heart is "penetrated with the fanctity of the principles " of the Order-whether he is fenfible of the "call, feels the ftrength of mind, the fervent " will, and all the difinterestedness requifite to "labour at the grand undertaking-whether he " is ready to make a facrifice of his will, and to "fuffer himself to be led by the most excellent "fuperiors of the Order."

I will spare the reader the disgusting impiety of the ceremonial which immediately follows.The rites of the preceding degree were in derifion of the Laft Supper; these are an atrocious mimicry of the facerdotal ordination. A curtain is drawn, and an altar appears with a crucifix upon it. On the altar alfo is a bible; and the ritual of the Order lies on a reading defk; on the fide a cenfer, and a phial full of oil. The Dean acts the part of a Bishop, and he is furrounded with acolytes. He prays over the profelyte, bleffes him, cuts hair from the top of his head, clothes him in the vestments of the priestood, and pro

nounces

nounces prayers after the fashion of the fect. On presenting the cap he fays, "Cover thyself with "this cap, it is more valuable than the crown of kings." The very expreffions of the Jacobin with his red cap. The communion confists in honey and milk, which the Dean gives to the profelyte, faying, "This is what Nature gives to

man. Reflect how happy he would ftill have been, if the defire of fuperfluities had not, by "depriving him of a tafte for fuch fimple food, "multiplied his wants, and poisoned the balm "of life."

All the preceding part of this degree fufficiently explains the real meaning of these words. The ceremonies are terminated with delivering to the Epopt that part of the code which relates to his new degree. I fhall relate all that is neceffary for the reader to be informed of, when, after having treated of the degree of Regent, and of the Grand Mysteries, I fhall come to inveftigate the government of the Order,

CHAP.

!

Qualities required.

CHAP. XI.

Eighth Part of the Code of Illuminées-The Regent, or the Prince Illuminée.

WHEN one of our Epopts has fufficiently distinguished himself to bear a part in the poli"tical government of our Order; that is to say, "when he unites prudence with the liberty of

thinking and of acting; when he knows how to "temper boldness with precaution, refolution "with complaifance; fubtlety with good nature;

loyalty with fimplicity; fingularity with method; "tranfcendency of wit with gravity and dignity "of manners; when he has learned opportunely "to speak or to be filent, how to obey or to "command; when he shall have gained the "efteem and affection of his fellow-citizens,

сс

though feared by them at the fame time; when "his heart fhall be entirely devoted to the inter"efts of our Order, and the common welfare of "the universe fhall be uppermoft in his mind ;— "then, and then only, let the Superior of the province propose him to the national Inspector as worthy of being admitted to the degree of

K

Regent."

Such