o documents which have been placed in his hands by existing
disciples of the illumine Eugene Vintras, and the "Dr Johannes" of _La
Bas_. Vintras was the founder of a singular thaumaturgic sect,
incorporating the aspirations of the Saviours of Louis XVII.; he
obtained some notoriety about the year 1860, and an account of his
claims and miracles will be found in Eliphas Levi's _Histoire de la
Magie_, in the same writer's _Clef des Grands Mysteres_, and in Jules
Bois' _Petites Religions de Paris_. He left a number of manuscripts
behind him, recounting his life-long combats with the priests of black
magic--a series of fervid narratives which savour strongly of
hallucination, but highly picturesque, and in some quarters accepted
quite seriously.

In like manner, concerning the existence of Satanic associations, and
especially the Palladium, M. Huysman admittedly derives his knowledge
from published sources. We may take it, therefore, that he speaks from
an accidental and extrinsic acquaintance, and he is therefore
insufficient in himself to create a question of Satanism; he indicates
rather than establishes that there is a question, and to learn its scope
and nature we must have recourse to the witnesses who claim to have seen
for themselves. These are of two kinds, namely, the spy and the
seceder--the witness who claims to have investigated the subject at
first hand with a view to its exposure, and those who have come forward
to say that they once were worshippers of Lucifer, worshippers of Satan,
operators of Black Magic, or were at least connected with associations
which exist for these purposes, who have now, however, suspended
communication, and are stating what they know. In the first class we
find only Doctor Bataille; in the second, Diana Vaughan, Jean Kostka,
Domenico Margiotta, and Leo Taxil.

Finally, we have, as stated in the preface, some testimony from writers
representing the interests of the Latin Church, in a special manner, and
speaking with the authority of that Church. The most important of these
is the late Archbishop Meurin. At the same time, M. Huysman apart--who
occupies much the same quasi-religious position as that which attached a
fleeting interest to the personality of Mr W. H. Mallock--all writers
and all witnesses are, or assume to be, at the present time, convinced
and zealous Roman Catholics.

I have already stated that the purpose of Black Magic is simply and
obviously to communicate with