This work is written, bound and published by the Steward of
the Hell Fire Club through their own publishing house. He is a man who not only
knows his subject but loves his chosen path.
Mr Loughran attempts to examine the truth behind the legend
by piecing together a jigsaw of clues, left in private papers and documents,
physical monuments still in existence and other remarkable sources. This
includes the research of local historians based in the area around West
Wycombe, with particular focus upon the work of M.A. Armfield.
The pieces of the jigsaw are examined from a far the deeper
perspective than many writers and represents original research based upon the
best available sources. This work first seeks to examine the physical material
left to us, whether in the form of written documentation or a still standing
building, before attempting to decipher the symbolism, often hidden in plain
sight. This deciphering eventually brings the reader to the conclusion (if one
had not already reached it), that the Hell Fire Club was something more than a
drinking party, a notion that in all honesty was likely a cover story to keep
away the foolish.
Many previous writers in exploring the Hell Fire Club have
failed to appreciate the influence of the Classics upon the people who founded
and those who later became members of the Hell Fire Club. The members of the
past were the British Aristocracy, schooled in the Classicism of the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries many would have experienced the European
“Grand Tour” first hand. This Pan-European cultural influence is reflected in
the esoteric symbolism used by the Hell Fire Club. Mr Loughran does not make
this mistake but examines aspects of the more important symbolism in a detached
and professional new light.
Much of the symbolism alluded to in this work was not and
remains unfamiliar to me however. This reflects the deep specialisation of the
work, as Western Ceremonial Magic and Gnosticism are not my specific areas of
expertise. Yet, these two streams of occult philosophy are important factors
that underpin the heart of the Hell Fire Club, with particular emphasis upon
the latter.
Over the last twenty or thirty years the majority, not all
but certainly the majority of published works, have chosen to focus upon the
more sensational aspects of the legendary Hell Fire Club. These works have
neglected the Western Esoteric Philosophy at the heart of the organisation,
choosing to dwell instead upon exaggerated and unproven accounts of sexual
excess. The writers of such works have failed to appreciate that the Hell Fire
Club at its height, was a rival to any esoteric order in Europe.
This work is a welcome and important departure from the
mainstream, the specialist nature reflecting the sad neglect of the esoteric
teachings of the Hell Fire Club. This book is a major contribution to the field
of genuine research into this neglected subject. To put it simply and perhaps
rather boldly, this work is in all probability, the single most important piece
of original research examining the real Hell Fire Club produced in the last
twenty years.
Available direct from the publisher:
Very perceptive review of a very good book!!
ReplyDelete:) What Walter said...
ReplyDeleteWe received our copy in yesterday’s mail, and (though we had no intention to immediately begin reading) have been reading and talking about it ever since. For those who have not yet had the joy of relaxing with this book over a good evening or several: it is much more than an “expansion” of Eamonn Loughran’s 2010 work. It is a truly beautiful piece of research, filled with illustrations (esoteric & historical), stories, and loads of literary “hints” about what initiation into such an esoteric group might have involved (beyond the requisite good company and conversation!) He takes you through his journey of placing the pieces back together because, you sense, it’s this reconstructive journey that has become his own Great Work. Thank you for such a beautiful edition.