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THE SECRET SOCIETIES OF ALL

AGES AND COUNTRIES

"Dalla straordinarietà degli effetti certo può indursi la straordinarietà, la grandezza, l' insistenza delle cagioni; ma l' intreccio e l' alterno prevalere di queste, l'attrazione che esercitano, sfuggono all' analisi. Il mistero precinge la notturna fecondazione. Dai più disparati sentimenti trae vigore la setta. Le materie più preziose ed insieme le meno elette concorrono a formare questo gigante, rifusione ciclopica e tetra di quanto s'agita, ribolle e schiuma nelle viscere sociali."-G. DE CASTRO.

From the extraordinary nature of the effects we may infer the extraordinary nature, grandeur, and permanency of the causes; but their connection, varying predominance, and mutual attraction, escape all analysis. Mystery surrounds the obscure fecundation. Sects draw vigour from the most opposite sentiments. The most exalted as well as the meanest elements concur in forming this giant, a cyclopean and black fusion of all that seethes, boils, and ferments in the social viscera.

THE

SECRET SOCIETIES

OF ALL AGES AND COUNTRIES

A Comprehensive Account of upwards of One Hundred
and Sixty Secret Organisations-Religious, Political,
and Social-from the most Remote Ages
down to the Present Time

Embracing the Mysteries of Ancient India, China, Japan, Egypt, Mexico,
Peru, Greece, and Scandinavia, the Cabbalists, Early Christians,
Heretics, Assassins, Thugs, Templars, the Vehm and
Inquisition, Mystics, Rosicrucians, Illuminati, Free-
masons, Skopzi, Camorristi, Carbonari, Nihilists,
Fenians, French, Spanish,

And other Mysterious Sects

BY

CHARLES WILLIAM HECKETHORN

IN TWO VOLUMES

VOL. I

NEW EDITION

THOROUGHLY REVISED AND GREATLY ENLARGED

LONDON

GEORGE REDWAY

4449se
1897

The numbers preceding analytical headings refer to the sections.

INTRODUCTION.-I. Intelligibility and Nature of Secret Societies. 2. Classi-
fication of Secret Societies. 3. Religious Societies. 4. Political
Societies. 5. Aims of Political Societies. 6. Religious Secret
Societies. 7. Most perfect human Type. 8. Causes of high Mental
Development. 9. Primitive Culture. 10. The true Doctrines of
Nature and Being. 11. Fundamental Principles of true Knowledge
possessed by the Ancients. 12. Key to Mystic Teaching. 13. Mystic
Teaching summarised. 14. How true Knowledge came to be lost.

15. Original Spirit of the Mysteries, and Results of their Decay.

16. The Mysteries under their Astronomical Aspect. 17. Astronomical

Aspects continued-The Mysteries funereal. 18. Uniformity of

Dogmas. 19. Most Ancient Secret Society. 20. Secret Societies no

longer needed

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