John Robison 
Proofs of a Conspiracy Against All the Religions and Governments of Europe 
Carried on in the Secret Meetings of Free Masons, Illuminati, and Reading Societies

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Being at a friend’s houfe in the country during fome part of the fummer 17951 I there faw a volume ofa German periodical work, called Religions Begehen heiten, i. E. Religious Occurrences: in which there was an account Ofthe various fchifms in the Fraternity of Free Mafons, with frequent allufions to the origin and hiftory of that celebrated afociation. This ac count interei’ted me a good deal, becaufe, in my early life, I had taken fome part in the occupations (ihall I call them) of Free Mafonry; and, having chiefly frequented the Lodges on the Continent, I had learned many doetrines, and feen many ceremonials which have no place in the fimple fyfl’em Of Free Ma fonry which Obtains in this country. I had allo1e marked, that the whole was much more the Objefit Of refieetion and thought than I could remember it to have been among my acquaintances at home. T here, Ihad feen a Mafou Lodge confidered merely as a pre text for pafi’ing an hour or two in a fort ofdecent con viviality, not altogether void Offome rational Occupa tion. I had fometimes heard Ofdiijferences ofdoc trines or of ceremonies, but in terms whieh marked them as mere frivolities. But, on the Continent, I found them matters of ferious concern and debate.