xxx/ellauri167.html on line 441: In January 1800, Thomas Jefferson received a copy of Abbé Augustin Barruel ‘s Memoirs Illustrating the History of Jacobinism and also commented on the book in a letter to Bishop James Madison.
xxx/ellauri167.html on line 525: I have lately by accident got a sight of a single volume (the 3d.) of the Abbe Barruel’s `Antisocial conspiracy,’ which gives me the first idea I have ever had of what is meant by the Illuminatism against which `illuminate Morse’ as he is now called, & his ecclesiastical & monarchical associates have been making such a hue and cry.
xxx/ellauri167.html on line 527: Barruel’s own parts of the book are perfectly the ravings of a Bedlamite.
xxx/ellauri167.html on line 528: But he quotes largely from Wishaupt whom he considers as the founder of what he calls the order. As you may not have had an opportunity of forming a judgment of this cry of `mad dog’ which has been raised against his doctrines, I will give you the idea I have formed from only an hour’s reading of Barruel’s quotations from him, which you may be sure are not the most favorable.
xxx/ellauri167.html on line 530: Wishaupt seems to be an enthusiastic Philanthropist. He is among those (as you know the excellent Price and Priestley also are) who believe in the indefinite perfectibility of man. He thinks he may in time be rendered so perfect that he will be able to govern himself in every circumstance so as to injure none, to do all the good he can, to leave government no occasion to exercise their powers over him, & of course to render political government useless. This you know is Godwin’s doctrine, and this is what Robinson, Barruel & Morse had called a conspiracy against all government.
xxx/ellauri167.html on line 540: As Wishaupt lived under the tyranny of a despot & priests, he knew that caution was necessary even in spreading information, & the principles of pure morality. He proposed therefore to lead the Free masons to adopt this object & to make the objects of their institution the diffusion of science & virtue. He proposed to initiate new members into his body by gradations proportioned to his fears of the thunderbolts of tyranny. This has given an air of mystery to his views, was the foundation of his banishment, the subversion of the masonic order, & is the colour for the ravings against him of Robinson, Barruel & Morse, whose real fears are that the craft would be endangered by the spreading of information, reason, & natural morality among men.
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