Free Thoughts on God, the Universe, Man, Freemasons, Rosicrucians, and the Philosopher's Stone

But what are they doing with the King?

— "They pray with him"—and he The "letter-writer," Mirabeau. considers that a crime on their part? —

"Yes, it is a deception; they have a hall where shadow-fencing Schattenfechterey: Figuratively, "tilting at shadows" or engaging with illusions; here referring to the alleged conjuring of spirits or ghosts. is played, and idle delusion Blendwerk: An optical illusion or "smoke and mirrors" trickery intended to deceive the senses. is carried out."

Is this a wise man who allows himself to be deceived in such an obvious manner as the letter-writer describes? And he, who as an uninitiated person can have no access at all to these operations, sees everything in his study better, more precisely, and more completely than his King? How peculiar!

"But these men nourish in their breasts, under the mask of Freemasonry, a secret Jesuitism, Catholicism!"

Should a wise King not notice that? Would it be prudent to draw the King himself into it if one wanted to undermine the rights of the monarch, overthrow constitutions, and subject his subjects to the Jesuits? Is it not ridiculous to dream such a dream in the face of such enormous standing armies and such politically delicate and strongly built state systems? And even if it were their intention, would it not be counterproductive to [lead] the monarch to