The Secret History of the Hell-Fire Clubs: From Rabelais and John Dee to Anton LaVey and Timothy Leary

(Paperback, 4th Edition, New Edition of The Hell-Fire Clubs)

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Mention the Hell-Fire Clubs and you conjure up an image of aristocratic rakes cutting a swath through the village maidens. Which is true, but not the whole truth. The activities of these clubs of upper-class Englishmen revolved around not only debauchery but also blasphemy, ritual, quasi-magical pursuits, and political intrigue.

Providing a history of these infamous clubs, Geoffrey Ashe reveals their origins in the work of Franois Rabelais and the activities of John Dee. He shows how the Hell-Fire Clubs anything-goes philosophy of Do what you will--also Aleister Crowleys famous motto--and community template were drawn directly from Rabelais. The author looks at the very first Hell-Fire Club, founded by Philip, Duke of Wharton, in 1720 and then at the Society of the Dilettanti, a fraternity formed in 1732. Ashe examines the life, travels, and influences of Sir Francis Dashwood, founding member of the Society of the Dilettanti and the scandalous Permissive Society at Medmenham, also known as the Monks of Medmenham. He also explores other Hell-Fire clubs the movement inspired throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland, including the violence-prone Mohocks and the Appalling Club. He shows how many illustrious figures of the day were members of these societies, such as Lord Byron. He also examines the rumors that Benjamin Franklin was a member, an allegation that can be neither confirmed nor denied.

Exploring the political and magical ideas that fueled this movement, the author shows how the cross-fertilization of liberty and libertinage within the Hell-Fire Clubs went on to influence both the U.S. and French revolutions, as well as the hippie movement of the 1960s, the Church of Satan founded by Anton LaVey, and the motorcycle club known as the Hells Angels. The legacy of the Hell-Fire Clubs continues to impact society, beckoning both elite and outsider to cast aside social norms and do what you will.

Reviews

Geoffrey Ashe, one of Britains most outstanding historians, paints a vivid picture of Francis Dashwoods Hell-Fire Club and other similar secret societies in this page-turning review of one of Englands most audacious periods of history. * Andrew Collins, bestselling author of Gbekli Tepe *
A sweeping history of libertinism seen through the lens of the English clubs of the eighteenth century. Precise and cogent, it also freely wanders the halls of infamy, painting portraits of some of the subjects most notorious figures. The motto do what thou will defines a stance through this history, one that pulls at the Gordian knots of pain and pleasure, freedom and destiny. * Jesse Bransford, associate professor of visual arts and chair of the Department of Art and Art Profe *

Author Bio

Geoffrey Ashe (19232022) wrote several books, including King Arthurs Avalon and The Discovery of King Arthur. Widely regarded as one of the leading Arthurian specialists in the world, Ashe became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1963 and was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2012.