"Offering Shuster's book to the attention of Russian readers, I want to say a few words about its meaning. The fact is that the author begins his history of secret unions a little from afar, with the exposition of ancient civilizations, on the bosom of which for the first time the desire inherent in humanity to unite on the basis of a joint study of secrets was discovered... Attraction to the mysterious, the desire for secret unions of a religious, moral, political nature: this is what connects humanity at all stages of its development, starting with the societies of savages, superstitiously looking at their healer, to the present day... As for the scientific significance of his book, the author has colossal erudition in the field of medieval and modern history of secret societies. He brings it to our days, using huge printed and handwritten literature. In this sense of comprehensiveness and competence, Schuster's work surpasses, as far as I know, everything that has appeared on this part so far..."