words agents and instruments.  It is thus we ought to judge of those modern clubs, which, under the name of Illuminatists, Martinists, Cagliostronists, and Mesmerites, infest Europe.  These societies are the follies and deceptions of the ancient Cabalists, Magicians, Orphies, etc., “who,” says Plutarch, “led into errors of considerable magnitude, not only individuals, but kings and nations.”

That they had everywhere attributed to themselves prerogatives and immunities, by means of which they lived exempt from the burdens of other classes: 

That they everywhere avoided the toils of the laborer, the dangers of the soldier, and the disappointments of the merchant: 

That they lived everywhere in celibacy, to shun even the cares of a family: 

That, under the cloak of poverty, they found everywhere the secret of procuring wealth and all sorts of enjoyments: 

That under the name of mendicity they raised taxes to a greater amount than princes: 

That in the form of gifts and offerings they had established fixed and certain revenues exempt from charges: 

That under pretence of retirement and devotion they lived in idleness and licentiousness: 

That they had made a virtue of alms-giving, to live quietly on the labors of others: 

That they had invented the ceremonies of worship, as a means of attracting the reverence of the people, while they were playing the parts of gods, of whom they styled themselves the interpreters and mediators, to assume all their powers; that, with this design, they had (according to the degree of ignorance or information of their people) assumed by turns the character of astrologers, drawers of horoscopes, fortune-tellers, magicians,* necromancers, quacks, physicians, courtiers, confessors of princes, always aiming at the great object to govern for their own advantage: 

* What is a magician, in the sense in which people understand the word?  A man who by words and gestures pretends to act on supernatural beings, and compel them to descend at his call and obey his orders.  Such was the conduct of the ancient priests, and such is still that of all priests in idolatrous nations; for which reason we have given them the denomination of Magicians.

And when a Christian priest pretends to make God descend from heaven, to fix him to a morsel of leaven, and render, by means of this talisman, souls pure and in a state of grace, what is this but a trick of magic?  And where is the difference between a Chaman of Tartary who invokes the Genii, or an Indian Bramin, who makes Vichenou descend in a vessel of water to drive away evil spirits?  Yes, the identity of the spirit of priests in every age and country is fully established!  Every where it is the assumption of an exclusive privilege, the pretended faculty of moving at will the powers of nature; and this assumption is so direct a