Leather-bound book "Secret Societies of all Ages and all countries" by C.W. Heckerthorne

This book tells about the history of the emergence, development and activities of secret societies from ancient times to the middle of the 19th century. Freemasons and Templars, alchemists and Rosicrucians, Kabbalists and Gnostics – almost all secret societies known to world history are described in Heckerthorne's fundamental work, published in 1874. The author considered his book "the clearest account of secret societies" with a detailed classification and description of their goals, objectives, rituals and rules of initiation. The book reproduces etchings by Francisco Goya, as well as engravings of the XIV-XVIII centuries.