The Secret Societies and Carbonari of Itali/. 



Oer men worthy of belonging to the 

 Carbonari. 



Art 5. An interval of six months is 

 necessary before an apprentice can ob- 

 tain the rank cf master. The princi- 

 pal obligations imposed on liim are, to 

 practise benevolence, to succour tlie 

 unfortunate, (o show docility of mind, 

 to be'-ir no malice against Carbouari, 

 and to enrich his heart with virtue. 



Art 6. By this article it is forbidden 

 to talk directly or indirectly against re- 

 ligion, and by 



Art. 7- All conversation on religion 

 an general, or iigainst g'.wd morals, is 

 prohibited. 



Art. 8. Every Good Cousin Carbo- 

 naruis obliged to preserve inviolable 

 secresy concerning the mysteries of the 

 order. 



Art. 9. No <T. C. C. may coniuiuiii- 

 cate wliat is done or decided upon in 

 his Vendita, to those who belong to 

 another, much less to persons not ini- 

 tiated. 



Art 10. The greatest reserve is re- 

 commended to the members, towards 

 all persons with whom they are not well 

 acquainted, but more especially in the 

 bosoms of tlieir own families. 



THEIR SYMBOLS. 



Tlie cross should serve to crucify the 

 tyrant wlio persecutes us, and troubles 

 our sacred operations. Tlie cro^\■n of 

 thorns should serve to pierce his head. 

 The thread denotes tlie cord *o lead him 

 to the gibbet ; the ladder vrill aid him 

 to mount The leaves are nails to 

 pierce his hands and feet. The pick- 

 axe will penetrate his breast, and slied 

 the impure blood that flows in his veins. 

 The axe will separate his liead from 

 bis body, as the wolf who disturbs our 

 pacific labours. The salt will prevent 

 the corruption of his head, that' it may 

 last as a monument of the eternal in- 

 ,famy of despots. The pole will serve to 

 put the skull of the tyrant upon. Tlie 

 furnace will bum his body. Tlio shovel 

 will scatter his ashes to the wind. The 

 barracca will serve to prepare new tor- 

 tures for the tyrant. The fountain will 

 purify us from the vile blood we shall 

 have shed. The linen will wipe away 

 our stains, and render us clean and 

 pure. The forest is the place where 

 the Good Cousins labour to obtain so 

 important a result. The trunk with a 

 single branch signifies that, after the 

 fifreat oi)eralion, we sliall become equal 

 to the N. C. 



One would be tempted to doubt the 



JVToNTHiiY Mag. No. 356. 



597 



reality of the last explanation of the 

 symbols, if it were not given in the 

 minutes of a legal trial. Perhaps the 

 compiler of the notes may have con- 

 founded the verbal depositions of some 

 of the witnesses, wich what he thought 

 he had read in the catec'iisms of the 

 sect. 



RECEPTION OF A CARBONAUO. 



The Prepay atore (preparer) leads 

 the Pagan (uninitiated) who is to be- 

 come a member, blindfold, from the 

 closet of reflection to the door of the 

 Uaracca. He knocks irregularly; (he 

 Copritore (coverer) says to the second 

 assistant. " A Pagan knocks at the 

 door.'" The second assistant repeats 

 this to the first, who repeats it to the 

 Grand Master ; at every communica- 

 tion the Grand Master strikes a blow 

 with an axe. 



Grand Mnster. See who is the rash 

 liciug who daies to trouble our sacred 

 labours. 



This question having passed tlirough 

 the assistants and Copritore to the Fre- 

 paratore, he answers through an open- 

 ing in the door. 



Preparatore. It is a man whom I 

 have found Avauderiug in the forest. 



Gr, M. Ask his name, country, and 

 profession. 



The secretary writes the answer. 



Gr. M. Ask him his habitation — his 

 religion. 



Tlie secretary notes them. 



Gr. M. What is it he seeks among us ? 



Prep. Light ; and to become a mem- 

 ber of our society. 



Gr. M. Let him enter. 



(The Pagan is led into the middle of 

 the assembly ; and his answers are 

 compared with what the secretary had 

 noted.) 



Gr. M. Mortal, the first qualities 

 which we require are frankness, and 

 contempt of danger. Do you feel that 

 you are capable of practising them ? 



After the answer, the Grand Master 

 questions the candidate on morality 

 and benevolence; and he is asked if 

 he has any effects, and wishes to dis- 

 pose of them, being at the moment ia 

 danger of death ; after being satisfied 

 of his conduct, the Grand Master con- 

 tinues, " Well, we will expose you to 

 trials that have ;;omc meaning — let him 

 make the first journey." He is led out 

 of the Baracca — he is made to journey 

 through the forest — he hears the rust- 

 ling of leaves — he is then led back to 

 the door, as at his first entrance. 



4 F Gr. M. 



