booknetsaWebster-secretSocietiesAndSubversiveMovements

ing esteemed and " respectable " persons,[68] but above all young men whom he regards as the most likely
subjects. " I cannot use men as they are," he observes, " but I must first form them."[69] Youth naturally
lends itself best to this process. " Seek the society of young people," Weishaupt writes to Ajax, " watch
them, and if one of them pleases you, lay your hand on him."[70] " Seek out young and already skilful
people.... Our people must be engaging, enterprising, intriguing, and adroit. Above all the first."[71]
If possible they should also be good-looking-" beautiful people, coteris paribus...." Such people have
generally gentle manners, a tender heart, and are, when well practised in other things, of the greatest use in
undertakings, for their first glance attracts; but their spirit n'a pas la profondeur des physiognomies
sombres. They are, however, also less disposed to riots and disturbances than the darker physiognomies.
That is why one must know how to use one's people. Above all, the high, soulful eye pleases me and the
free, open brow.[72]
With these novices the adept of Illuminism is to proceed slowly, talking backwards and forwards: One
must speak, first in one way, then in another, so as not to commit oneself and to make one's real way of
thinking impenetrable to one's inferiors.[73]
Weishaupt also insists on the importance of exciting the candidate's curiosity and then drawing back
again, after the manner of the Fatimite dais: I have no fault to find with your [methods of] reception ["
Spartacus " writes to " Cato "], except that they are too quick.... You should proceed gradually in a roundabout
way by means of suspense and expectations, so as first to arouse indefinite, vague curiosity, and then
when the candidate declares himself, present the object, which he will then seize with both hands.[74]
By this means his vanity will also be flattered, because one will arouse the pleasure of " knowing
something which everyone does not know, and about which the greater part of the world is groping in darkness."[75]
For the same reason the candidate must be impressed with the importance of secret societies and the part
they have played in the destinies of the world: One illustrates this by the Order of the Jesuits, of the Freemasons,
by the secret associations of the ancients, one asserts that all events in the world occur from a hundred
secret springs and causes, to which secret associations above all belong; one arouses the pleasure of quiet,
hidden power and of insight into hidden secrets.[76]
At this point one is to begin to " show glimpses and to let fall here and there remarks that may be interpreted
in two ways," so as to bring the candidate to the point of saying: " If I had the chance to enter such
an association, I would go into it at once." " These discourses," says Weishaupt, " are to be often
repeated."[77]
In the discourse of reception to the " Illuminatus Dirigens," the appeal to love of power plays the most
important part:
Do you realize sufficiently what it means to rule-to rule in a secret society? Not only over the lesser or
more important of the populace, but over the best men, over men of all ranks, nations, and religions, to rule
without external force, to unite them indissolubly, to breathe one spirit and soul into them, men distributed
over all parts of the world?...[78]
And finally, do you know what secret societies are? what a place they occupy in the great kingdom of
the world's events? Do you really think they are unimportant, transitory appearances?[79] etc.
But the admission of political aims is reserved only for the higher grades of the Order. " With the beginner,"
says Weishaupt, " we must be careful about books on religion and the State. I have reserved these in
my plan for the higher degrees."[80] Accordingly the discourse to the " Minerval " is expressly designed to
put him off the track. Thus the initiator is to say to him: After two years' reflection, experience, intercourse,
reading of the graduated writings and information, you will necessarily have formed the idea that the final
aim of our Society is nothing less than to win power and riches, to undermine secular or religious government,
and to obtain the mastery of the world, and so on. If you have represented our Society to yourself
from this point of view or have entered it in this expectation, you have mightily deceived yourself....[81]
The initiator, without informing the Minerval of the real aim of the Society, then goes on to say that he is
now free to leave it if he wishes. By this means the leaders were able to eliminate ambitious people who
might become their rivals to power and to form their ranks out of men who would submit to be led blindly
onward by unseen directors. " My circumstances necessitate," Spartacus writes to Cato, " that I should remain
hidden from most of the members as long as I live. I am obliged to do everything through five or six
persons."[82] So carefully was this secret guarded that until the papers of the Illuminati were seized in 1786
no one outside this inner circle knew that Weishaupt was the head of the Order. Yet if we are to believe his
Nesta H. Webster — Secret Societies and Subversive Movements — Part I
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