The Vicomte Edouard de Lapasse was a famous doctor who lived in the city of Toulouse (France) during the last century. However, we look in vain for his name in the work of Philippe Wolff: The History of Toulouse.

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From old Spanish nobility, his ancestors had settled in the southwest from the 13th century and served the Count of Foix.

Louis Charles Edouard was born on January 21, 1792. His mother was a Cardaillac, a family allied with the Marquis d'Osmond, King's ambassador in London.

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Louis attended the “Lycée de Bordeaux” and then studied Law at Toulouse. Although he loved poetry, he embarked upon a military career by joining the company of the King's light horses in 1814.

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With the support of Mr. d'Osmond, he became secretary of the embassy and as such, traveled throughout Europe: London (1815), Hanover (1818), and Berne (1824).

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He certainly met the Rose-Cross in Germany (connected with Baron Von Eckartshausen) and on their recommendation, was directed to Palermo (1831) to Prince Balbiani who initiated him into the Hermeticism of the Rose-Cross. Balbiani, then very old, knew Cagliostro personally. He accessed the libraries of the abbeys of La Cava, Monte Cassino and Montreal.

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Returning to France, De Lapasse learned about the archives of the French Rose-Cross, and familiarized himself with the works of Paracelsus, Van Helmont, Robert Fludd, and David de Planis-Campy.

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At the same time, he studied medicine at the Faculty of Paris. He gave great importance to the school of Salerno and the school of Montpellier (see Arnaud de Villeneuve), although he never received a diploma.

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Louis Charles Edouard married a woman named Lagarde and had one daughter named Blanche. Unfortunately, Lagarde died in childbirth, and Blanche also died, shortly after marrying M. de la Bourdonnaye.

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For a while, the Vicomte was a journalist for the newspapers The Renovator or The Daily. He attended the salons of the Countess of Boigne and met M. de Remusat. Then in 1842, he returned to the practice of free medical care in Toulouse, where he is said to have cured epilepsy, phthisis, and rheumatism.

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He published some very important books on the art of preserving life, about hygiene, and therapeutics for the poor. He was also interested in agriculture and wrote many books of poetry, novels, political and philosophical studies, including a Physiology of Nations. In addition, he maintained floral games and served as president of the archaeological society of Toulouse. For a short time in 1865, he was a councilor in that city. He died in 1867 at the castle of Lussac at the house of M. de Montesquiou.

 

Here is what Prince Balbiani said to Vicomte de Lapasse about the fraternity of the Rose-Cross: “I happen to be Rose-Cross and as such, people believe I am Freemason. It is a mistake. Freemasonry has just given one of its degrees the name of Rose Cross.”

The layman confuses the Masons who have reached this “dark dignity” with the brothers of the Rose-Cross whose institution dates back to the 15th century. The vulgar are mistaken. The true Rose Cross are outside Masonic organizations.

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“The old Rose-Cross initiates were named among themselves the “Edelphes.” They were required to keep under oath their hidden doctrine from the eyes of the non-initiate. They found a new idiom to express the nature of beings. They committed to hasten the reign of the Pure Spirit.”

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Notes and sources:

- The biography of Vicomte Louis-Charles-Edouard de Lapasse was traced by Count Fernand de Rességuier, Praise of the Vicomte de Lapasse, Floral Games, Toulouse, 1869, printing Douladoure.

- Essay on the preservation of life, Paris 1860, Victor Masson

- Firmin Boissin, in 1869, in Visionaries and Illuminated, Paris Liepmannssohn and Dufour