MadameduHaussetsays，shesawSt。Germain，andconversedwithhimseveraltimes。Heappearedtohertobeaboutfiftyyearsofage，wasofthemiddlesize，andhadfineexpressivefeatures。Hisdresswasalwayssimple，butdisplayedmuchtaste。Heusuallyworediamondringsofgreatvalue；andhiswatchandsnuff-boxwereornamentedwithaprofusionofpreciousstones。Oneday，atMadameduPompadour’sapartments，wheretheprincipalcourtierswereassembled，St。Germainmadehisappearanceindiamondkneeandshoebuckles，ofsofineawater，thatMadamesaid，shedidnotthinktheKinghadanyequaltothem。Hewasentreatedtopassintotheantechamber，andundothem；
　　whichhedid，andbroughtthemtoMadame，forcloserinspection。M。deGontant，whowaspresent，saidtheirvaluecouldnotbelessthantwohundredthousandlivres，orupwardsofeightthousandpoundssterling。
　　TheBarondeGleichen，inhis“Memoirs，“relates，thattheCountonedayshowedhimsomanydiamonds，thathethoughthesawbeforehimallthetreasuresofAladdin’slamp；andadds，thathehadhadgreatexperienceinpreciousstones，andwasconvincedthatallthosepossessedbytheCountweregenuine。Onanotheroccasion，St。GermainshowedMadameduPompadourasmallbox，containingtopazes，emeralds，anddiamonds，worthhalfamillionoflivres。Heaffectedtodespiseallthiswealth，tomaketheworldmoreeasilybelievethathecould，liketheRosicrucians，drawpreciousstonesoutoftheearthbythemagicofhissong。Hegaveawayagreatnumberofthesejewelstotheladiesofthecourt；andMadameduPompadourwassocharmedwithhisgenerosity，thatshegavehimarichly-enamelledsnuff-box，asatokenofherregard；onthelidofwhichwasbeautifullypaintedaportraitofSocrates，orsomeotherGreeksage，towhomshecomparedhim。Hewasnotonlylavishtothemistresses，buttothemaids。MadameduHaussetsays，——“TheCountcametoseeMadameduPompadour，whowasveryill，andlayonthesofa。Heshowedherdiamondsenoughtofurnishaking’streasury。Madamesentformetoseeallthosebeautifulthings。Ilookedatthemwithanairoftheutmostastonishment；butImadesignstoher，thatIthoughtthemallfalse。
　　TheCountfeltforsomethinginapocket-bookabouttwiceaslargeasaspectacle-case；and，atlength，drewouttwoorthreelittlepaperpackets，whichheunfolded，andexhibitedasuperbruby。Hethrewonthetable，withacontumptuousair，alittlecrossofgreenandwhitestones。Ilookedatit，andsaiditwasnottobedespised。Ithenputiton，andadmireditgreatly。TheCountbeggedmetoacceptit。I
　　refused。Heurgedmetotakeit。Atlength，hepressedsowarmly，thatMadame，seeingitcouldnotbeworthmorethanathousandlivres，mademeasigntoacceptit。Itookthecross，muchpleasedwiththeCount’spoliteness。“
　　Howtheadventurerobtainedhiswealthremainsasecret。HecouldnothavemadeitallbythesaleofhiselixirvitaeinGermany；
　　though，nodoubt，someportionofitwasderivedfromthatsource。
　　Voltairepositivelysays，hewasinthepayofforeigngovernments；
　　andinhislettertotheKingofPrussia，datedthe5thofApril1758，says，thathewasinitiatedinallthesecretsofChoiseul，Kaunitz，andPitt。Ofwhatusehecouldbetoanyofthoseministers，andtoChoiseulespecially，isamysteryofmysteries。
　　Thereappearsnodoubtthathepossessedthesecretofremovingspotsfromdiamonds；and，inallprobability，hegainedconsiderablesumsbybuying，atinferiorprices，suchashadflawsinthem，andafterwardsdisposingofthemataprofitofcent。percent。MadameduHaussetrelatesthefollowinganecdoteonthisparticular:——“TheKing，“saysshe，“orderedamiddling-sizeddiamond，whichhadaflawinit，tobebroughttohim。Afterhavingitweighed，hisMajestysaidtotheCount，’Thevalueofthisdiamond，asitis，andwiththeflawinit，issixthousandlivres；withouttheflaw，itwouldbeworth，atleast，tenthousand。Willyouundertaketomakemeagaineroffourthousandlivres？’St。Germainexamineditveryattentively，andsaid，’Itispossible；itmaybedone。Iwillbringityouagaininamonth。’Atthetimeappointed，theCountbroughtbackthediamond，withoutaspot，andgaveittotheKing。Itwaswrappedinaclothofamianthos，whichhetookoff。TheKinghaditweighedimmediately，andfounditverylittlediminished。HisMajestythensentittohisjeweller，byM。deGonrant，withouttellinghimofanythingthathadpassed。Thejewellergaveninethousandsixhundredlivresforit。TheKing，however，sentforthediamondbackagain，andsaidhewouldkeepitasacuriosity。Hecouldnotovercomehissurprise；andsaidM。deSt。Germainmustbeworthmillions；especiallyifhepossessedthesecretofmakinglargediamondsoutofsmallones。TheCountneithersaidthathecould，orcouldnot；butpositivelyasserted，thatheknewhowtomakepearlsgrow，andgivethemthefinestwater。TheKingpaidhimgreatattention，andsodidMadameduPompadour。M。duQuesnoyoncesaid，thatSt。Germainwasaquack；buttheKingreprimandedhim。Infact，hisMajestyappearsinfatuatedbyhim；andsometimestalksofhimasifhisdescentwereillustrious。“
　　St。Germainhadamostamusingvagabondforaservant，towhomhewouldoftenappealforcorrobation，whenrelatingsomewonderfuleventthathappenedcenturiesbefore。Thefellow，whowasnotwithoutability，generallycorroboratedhiminamostsatisfactorymanner。
　　Upononeoccasion，hismasterwastellingapartyofladiesandgentlemen，atdinner，someconversationhehadhadinPalestine，withKingRichardI。ofEngland，whomhedescribedasaveryparticularfriendofhis。Signsofastonishmentandincredulitywerevisibleonthefacesofthecompany；uponwhichSt。Germainverycoollyturnedtohisservant，whostoodbehindhischair，andaskedhimifhehadnotspokentruth？“Ireallycannotsay，“repliedtheman，withoutmovingamuscle；“youforget，sir，Ihaveonlybeenfivehundredyearsinyourservice！““Ah！true，“saidhismaster；“Iremembernow；itwasalittlebeforeyourtime！“Occasionally，whenwithmenwhomhecouldnotsoeasilydupe，hegaveutterancetothecontemptwithwhichhecouldscarcelyavoidregardingsuchgapingcredulity。“ThesefoolsofParisians，“saidhe，totheBarondeGleichen，“believemetobemorethanfivehundredyearsold；and，sincetheywillhaveitso，I
　　confirmthemintheiridea。NotbutthatIreallyammucholderthanI
　　appear。“
　　Manyotherstoriesarerelatedofthisstrangeimpostor；butenoughhavebeenquotedtoshowhischaracterandpretensions。Itappearsthatheendeavouredtofindthephilosopher’sstone；butneverboastedofpossessingit。ThePrinceofHesseCassel，whomhehadknownyearsbefore，inGermany，wroteurgentletterstohim，entreatinghimtoquitParis，andresidewithhim。St。Germainatlastconsented。Nothingfurtherisknownofhiscareer。Therewerenogossippingmemoir-writersatthecourtofHesseCasseltochroniclehissayingsanddoings。HediedatSleswig，undertheroofofhisfriendthePrince，intheyear1784。
　　CAGLIOSTRO，Thisfamouscharlatan，thefriendandsuccessorofSt。Germain，ranacareerstillmoreextraordinary。Hewasthearch-quackofhisage，thelastofthegreatpretenderstothephilosopher’sstoneandthewateroflife，andduringhisbriefseasonofprosperityoneofthemostconspicuouscharactersofEurope。
　　HisrealnamewasJosephBalsamo。HewasbornatPalermoabouttheyear1743，ofhumbleparentage。Hehadthemisfortunetolosehisfatherduringhisinfancy，andhiseducationwasleftinconsequencetosomerelativesofhismother，thelatterbeingtoopoortoaffordhimanyinstructionbeyondmerereadingandwriting。Hewassentinhisfifteenthyeartoamonastery，tobetaughttheelementsofchemistryandphysic；buthistemperwassoimpetuous，hisindolencesoinvincible，andhisvicioushabitssodeeplyrooted，thathemadenoprogress。Afterremainingsomeyears，heleftitwiththecharacterofanuninformedanddissipatedyoungman，withgoodnaturaltalentsbutabaddisposition。Whenhebecameofage，heabandonedhimselftoalifeofriotanddebauchery，andenteredhimself，infact，intothatcelebratedfraternity，knowninFranceandItalyasthe“KnightsofIndustry，“andinEnglandasthe“SwellMob。“Hewasfarfrombeinganidleorunwillingmemberofthecorps。Thefirstwayinwhichhedistinguishedhimselfwasbyforgingordersofadmissiontothetheatres。Heafterwardsrobbedhisuncle，andcounterfeitedawill。
　　Foractslikethese，hepaidfrequentcompulsoryvisitstotheprisonsofPalermo。Somehoworotherheacquiredthecharacterofasorcerer-
　　ofamanwhohadfailedindiscoveringthesecretsofalchymy，andhadsoldhissoultothedevilforthegoldwhichhewasnotabletomakebymeansoftransmutation。Hetooknopainstodisabusethepopularmindonthisparticular，butratherencouragedthebeliefthanotherwise。Heatlastmadeuseofittocheatasilversmith，namedMarano，ofaboutsixtyouncesofgold，andwasinconsequenceobligedtoleavePalermo。Hepersuadedthismanthathecouldshowhimatreasurehiddeninacave，forwhichservicehewastoreceivethesixtyouncesofgold，whilethesilversmithwastohaveallthetreasureforthemeretroubleofdiggingitup。TheywenttogetheratmidnighttoanexcavationinthevicinityofPalermo，whereBalsamodrewamagiccircle，andinvokedthedeviltoshowhistreasures。
　　Suddenlythereappearedhalfadozenfellows，theaccomplicesoftheswindler，dressedtorepresentdevils，withhornsontheirheads，clawstotheirfingers，andvomitingapparentlyredandblueflame。
　　Theywerearmedwithpitchforks，withwhichtheybelabouredpoorMaranotillhewasalmostdead，androbbedhimofhissixtyouncesofgoldandallthevaluableshecarriedabouthisperson。Theythenmadeoff，accompaniedbyBalsamo，leavingtheunluckysilversmithtorecoverordieathisleisure。Naturechosetheformercourse；andsoonafterdaylighthewasrestoredtohissenses，smartinginbodyfromhisblowsandinspiritforthedeceptionofwhichhehadbeenthevictim。HisfirstimpulsewastodenounceBalsamotothemagistratesofthetown；butonfurtherreflectionhewasafraidoftheridiculethatafullexposureofallthecircumstanceswoulddrawuponhim:hethereforetookthetrulyItalianresolutionofbeingrevengedonBalsamobymurderinghimatthefirstconvenientopportunity。HavinggivenutterancetothisthreatinthehearingofafriendofBalsamo，itwasreportedtothelatter，whoimmediatelypackeduphisvaluablesandquittedEurope。
　　HechoseMedina，inArabia，forhisfuturedwelling-place，andtherebecameacquaintedwithaGreeknamedAltotas，amanexceedinglywellversedinallthelanguagesoftheEast，andanindefatigablestudentofalchymy。HepossessedaninvaluablecollectionofArabianmanuscriptsonhisfavouritescience，andstudiedthemwithsuchunremittingindustrythathefoundhehadnotsufficienttimetoattendtohiscruciblesandfurnaceswithoutneglectinghisbooks。HewaslookingaboutforanassistantwhenBalsamoopportunelypresentedhimself，andmadesofavourableanimpressionthathewasatonceengagedinthatcapacity。Buttherelationofmasterandservantdidnotlongsubsistbetweenthem；Balsamowastooambitiousandtooclevertoplayasecondarypart，andwithinfifteendaysoftheirfirstacquaintancetheywereboundtogetherasfriendsandpartners。
　　Altotas，inthecourseofalonglifedevotedtoalchymy，hadstumbleduponsomevaluablediscoveriesinchemistry，oneofwhichwasaningredientforimprovingthemanufactureofflax，andimpartingtogoodsofthatmaterialaglossandsoftnessalmostequaltosilk。