Cagliostro and His Egyptian Rite of Freemasonry 1919

CAGLIOSTROANDHISEGYPTIAN RITEOFFREEMASONRY By HENRYRIDGELYEVANS,'Litt.D., 33Hon. GrandTileroftheSupremeCouncil,A.'.A...S..R:. ofFreemasonryfortheSouthernJurisdiction oftheUnitedStates. TOGETHEI!WITHA N EXPOSITIONOF'THEFIRSTDEGREEOF'THEEGYPTIANRITE Translated fromtheFrenchby HORACEPARKERMcINT03R,33Hon. (Reprinted fromthe NewAgeMaga.zine.) WASHINGTON,D.C. 1919 COUNTCAGLIOSTRO CAGLIOSTROANDHISEGYPTIAN RITE OF INTRODUCTION "UnparalleledCagliostro!Lookingatthysoattractivelydecoratedprivatetheater, whereinthouaetedstandlivedst,whathandbutitchestodrawasidethycurtainand, turningthewholeinsideout,findtheeinthemiddlethereof ?"- CARLYU, :J\lJ iscella.neo1ts Essays. INtheRuedeBeaune,Paris,afewdoorsfromthehousewhereVoltaire died,isashabbygenteellittlehostelry,datingbacktopre-revolutionary times;totheoldregimeofLouisXVIandMarieAntoinette.Youring thebelloftheconcierge'soffice,andthewrought-irongatesopenwitha clang.Minehostwelcomesyouattheportaland,withtheairsandgracesof anaristocratoftheeighteenthcentury,ushersyouuptothestatebedroom. Ah,thatbedroom,sooldandquaint,withitshugefour-postbed,garnished withfaded.redcurtainsandmounteduponaraiseddais.Thechimney-piece iscarvedandbearsthehalf-obliteratedescutcheonofthebuilderoftheman-nobleoftheoldregime.Overthemantlehangsalargeovalmirror setinatarnishedgiltframe.Think,dearreader,ofthehundredsofhuman facesthathavepeeredintothatancientglass,andthenpassedforeverinto thelandofsahdows.F romeveryone,saytheoccultists,issuesanaura,asubtle, magneticforcethatattractsorrepelsothersoulsandexercisesaninfluence oninanimatethings.I fthisbeso,theneverythingI11U tbeaffectedbyit-andwhynotthesensitivesurface ofamirror,just asthephotographer'snegative isaffected?Thinkofthepsychicimpressionsthatmusthestoredupinan oldlooking-glassofthekinddescribedabove. Inthesummerof1893IwasinParisonbusinessandpleasurebent,and Ifoundalodging .atthelittlehoteloftheRuedeBeaune- anoldstreet,once aristocratic,butnowfallenintodecay,andsilentasthegrave.Thehumof Parisisbutfaintlyheardhere.BygoodfortuneIwasassignedtothestate bedroom.Asultryeveningwasclosingin.Stormcloudshunglowinthe heavens,presagingrainbeforemorning.IhadpickedupontheQuaiVoltaire abatteredvolumeofDumas'M e'moirsofaPhysician,andsatdowntoreadit bythelightofwaxcandlesstuckintoanantiquatedcandelabrum.Thebook isfascinating.Ifirstreaditwhenaboy,andimplicitlybelievedeveryword ofit.Itisrepletewithmagicandmystery.InrapidsuccessionDumaspasses beforeyoupicturesofLouisXV,theCountessduBarry,theDauphinandhis b0.autifuiconsort,theunfortunateAntoinette;thebrilliantririmeminister, Choiseul;theCardinaldeRohan;andtoweringaboveall ,Cagliostro,the necromancerofthe ancientregime. IreadDumas'sdelightfulnoveluntilmidnightandthenretiredtorest intheantiquefour-poster.The stormbrokeandtherainfellintorrentsoutside, splashingagainstthewindowpaneslikethedashingoftheseaagainstthe closedportsofanoceanliner.Thethunderrolledoverthehouse,andthe lightningflashedvividly.Graduallythestormdiedawayandnothingwas heardbutthesoothingdrip,drip,dripoftheraindropsfallingfromtheeaves ofthehouseupontheflaggedcourtyardbelow,likethedripoftherainuponthe Ghost'svValkofChesneyvVold-thehauntedmansionoftheDedlockfamilyof CharlesDickens'BleallH Otlsc.vVithmymindfilledwithstrangefanciesabout Cagliostroa+1dthatoldParisoflongago,Idroppedofftosleepandwassoonin thelandofdreams-that crepuscular country,midwaybetweenthismortallifeof oursandtherealmofspirit,wherethesoulreve"lsamicisuchfantasticscenes. 3 4CAGLIOSTROANDHISEGYPTIANRITEOFFREEMASONRY 1seemedtobestandingbeforethemirror,gazingearnestlyintoitscrystal dept hs.Thereflectionofmyownfacewasnolongerseen,. butastrangetasmagoriapassedbeforemyentrancedgaze.LetmeseeIfIcanrecallIt. I tisnight.ThelanternsswunginthestreetsofoldPari sglimmerfit-fully,Silencebroodsoverthecitywithshadowywings.Nosoundisheard savetheclankofthepatrolonit srounds.TheRueSaintClaude,how-ever,isallbustleandcon fusion.Agrandsoiree'I11agiqueisbeing' heldatthe houseofMonsieurIeComtedeCagli ost ro.Icanseeheavy,old-f ashioned carriagesstandinginfrontofthedoor.withcoachmenlollingonthe boxes,andlink boysplayingrudegameswitheachotherinthekennel.Arumble inthest reet-ha,there,lackeys!outoftheway!Herecomesthecoachofmy LordCardi nal ,PrinceLouisdeRohan.Thereisafl ashoftorches.Servant s ingorgeousli veri esofredandgold,withpowderedwigs,openthedoorofthe vehicle,andletdownthestepswithacrash.MonseigneurIeCardinal.cele-brantofthemassintheroyalpalaceatVersaill es .amanofpleasureand alchemi st,descends.Heisenvel opedinaclarkcloakasiftocourtdisguise. butitisonl yapolitepretense.Heenter.themansionofhisbosmfriend. Cagliost ro,themagician.\Vithin,allisablazeofli ght.Visitorsarereceived inahandsomelyfurnishedapartmentonthe!'econdfl oor.Beyondthatisthe seance-room,amysteriouschamberhungwithsomberdraperies.VI/axcandles intallsi lversconces,arrangedabouttheplaceinmysticpentagonsancl ill uminatethescene. Inthecenteroftheroomisatablewithablackcloth.onwhichare embroideredinredthesymbolsofthehi ghestdegreeoftheRosicrucians.Upon thisst rangeshekinahisplacedthecabaliticapparatusofthenecr0111ancer-oddlittl eEgyptianfigu res . ofIsisandOsir is,vialsofwaters.anda I