The Masonic Magician by: Philippa Faulks and Robert Cooper
The sub-title to this book is The Life and Death of Count Cagliostro and his Egyptian Rite and the Count, a renowned alchemist, healer and Freemason was known throughout Europe during the 18th century. In fact, he was somewhat of a cult figure and was featured in novels by Alexander Dumas, a drama by Goethe and the character of Sorastro in Mozart’s Magic Flute was said to be based on him. Since his death in 1795, clairvoyants have said they’ve been in contact with him and even the author and magician, Aleister Crowley claimed that one of his past lives was Cagliostro. Being somewhat of a celebrity of his day though, did not stop him from being arrested, tortured, tried, convicted and incarcerated in the Inquisition fortress of San Leo in Tuscany, for six years until his death. His crime? Well, the most serious charge was that of being a Freemason. So, who was this man with the noble title?
As we find out in the book, according to his own memoirs, even he didn’t know the name of his parents or the place of his birth, stating: I do not know the place where I was born nor the parents who gave me birth. Different circumstances in my life have aroused in me doubts and suspicions which the reader may share. But I repeat that all my researches in this respect have resulted only in giving me, it is true, great but vague and uncertain ideas as to my birth. My tutor always told that I was left an orphan at the age of three months, and that my parents were noble and Christians, but he kept the most absolute secrecy as to their name and the place of my birth. Some words spoken at random have made me suspect that I was born at Malta, but this is a matter which it has always been impossible to verify. Authors, Philippa and Robert lead us through his life, which began around 1748, and tell us of his extraordinary story and how they rediscovered in the museum and library of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, a forgotten manuscript, his Rite of Egyptian Freemasonry.
Even his initiation into Freemasonry is unknown, with some suggesting he entered the Craft in Malta, while others suggest Germany, or The Hague in the Netherlands. Fascinatingly enough though, we’re informed that there is evidence to suggest that he attended an initiation in the Soho district of London, in 1776. He wrote: For a long time I had known the zeal of the English for Masonry. When I came to this island, my first care was to visit their Lodges. I made inquiries as to the names of those among them where French was spoken. The Loge d’Esperance was indicated to me as one of the most regular. As we learn in the book, the Count spent a lot of time travelling around Europe and attending lodge meetings and at some stage he was initiated into a fringe branch of Masonry. He then, in 1779, decided to establish his own form of Freemasonry, to be known as Maconnerie Egyptienne, or Egyptian Masonry. It began to flourish and can be seen why as extracts of lectures given by Cagliostro can be read in this intriguing book. Part of one lecture was written down by one of Cagliostro’s pupils and in it, Freemasonry is given its mystical place: Moses,
Elijah and Christ are the three chief presiding beings over the earthly globe and the most perfect Freemasons that have existed up until now. Further on it states: Freemasonry is the school in which those who are educated are destined for sacred mysticism, but the lower orders of Freemasons reckon nothing of these matters, and their attention is diverted into various channels in order that their secret superiors can watch them better and can make the worthiest amongst them for higher purposes. It continues: Cagliostro is one of Elijah’s subordinates.
He has already attained the third grade. Elijah’s disciples never die, unless they become perverts to Black Magic, and will, after completing well on their earthly career, be translated to Heaven, as was their lofty teacher. But beforte they reach the number twelve, they are sometimes purged by an apparent death, but, so to speak, always rise again from their own ashes. In this way, the Phoenix represents the allegory of these beneficent Magicians! As the authors state, Cagliostro’s system of Freemasonry, was a gateway to the Hermetic teachings involving the magical schooling of the spirit, soul and physical body leading to extraordinary powers and realization of the immortality of the soul. Cagliostro set up the Mother Lodge in Lyons and became convinced that his form of Freemasonry was superior and through its rituals a Mason could achieve spiritual alchemy or divine perfection. What a truly amazing character Cagliostro was, and what a truly amazing book this is. Although a writer on the occult, this is the first book by Philippa Faulks, while Robert Cooper is a Scottish Freemason and Curator of the Museum and Library of the Grand Lodge of Scotland in Edinburgh and also the author of The Rosslyn Hoax? and Cracking the Freemason’s Code.
Published by Watkins Publishing at £16.99 – Purchase this title online at www.lewismasonic.com
