These two papers again help to flesh out Pasqually’s Treatise, but admittedly, once again, with Willermoz’ deeply Catholic side coloring the explanations. In a way it doesn’t matter too much, since we can easily see where Willermoz goes ‘Catholic dogma’ on us. Still, it is always sad to read another perpetuation of the story of the fall of Lucifer and his turning into Satan. That said, we must remember the times, and the fact that it was long before the reintroduction of gnostic thought. Given that Protestantism was all about Earth being a kind of Hell and mankind miserable sinner, barely worthy of redemption, there was no succor from that alternative to Catholicism, either! So, let’s forgive Willermoz for his attack on Lucifer in these two Lessons, and substitute the name of your favorite demon, archon or demiurge…
One comment I feel I should make is my surprise at how easy Willermoz is to read and translate when compared with his contemporary, Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin. I will defer to the comments of any French who care to opine, but I suspect it’s because Saint-Martin was raised in pre-Revolution aristocracy, which probably held on to a more archaic form of French; while Willermoz, being the consummate businessman and living in a city close to the beating heart of contemporary Europe, was far more modern in his use of the language – and simpler, in that he must have traded with people from several different countries and languages?
It reminds me of the relative ease of translating Papus and the like while finding Ambelain long-winded and circuitous (a little like A.E. Waite, indeed!).
Here they are:
