Page - 365 - in Maximilian Hell (1720–92) - And the Ends of Jesuit Science in Enlightenment Europe

365Coping with Enlightenments According to Münter, the Society of Jesus was never really suppressed. It still prospered not only in Russia but even in the Austrian lands, where there were supposed to exist four large prelatures—in Innsbruck, Lviv, Vienna, and a fourth, unnamed place. The Jesuits were said to hold secret nocturnal meet- ings in Vienna, over which Hell presided as the superior (Grosmeister).74 More- over, the court astronomer allegedly cultivated close contacts with the Jesuit order in Russia and profited from support by a network of Jesuit-friendly bish- ops like the one of Eger in Hungary. Throughout, Münter characterizes Hell as an extremely dishonest man, who complained about “these times of unbelief” (unglaubigen Zeiten) and saw little value in the freedom of the press, which he preferred to call “recklessness” (Zügellosigkeit).75 In sum, Hell was one of those elected munitions of God, fighting to prevent the creed of the Jesuits from becoming extinct, and he really devotes himself with all his might in this struggle. A substantial part of the pamphlets directed against the emperor passes through his hands. He either writes them himself, or or- ders others to write them, and thereafter passes them on to his beastly horned [i.e., Satanic] colleague, who immediately submits them to be printed in the press of the order.76 It is difficult to judge the exact level of exaggeration in the rumors to which Münter’s diary apparently gives full credit. In some of the literature, it is reported—unfortunately, without references—that in the 1780s Hell recruited a team of Catholic polemicists and coordinated their literary efforts to fight the torrent of freethinking unleashed in the tolerant atmosphere of Josephism.77 He is also said to have personally discussed the spirit of anti-clericalism arising under Joseph ii with Pius vi during the pope’s visit to Vienna in the spring of 1782, and to have collaborated with Merz in editing and publishing a series of works in Catholic apologetics in Augsburg. All these works, however, are al- leged to have been lost.78 Elsewhere, it is claimed that he supported the 74 Münter, Frederik Münter, 83–85 (entries on September 26 and 27, 1784), here 85. 75 Münter, Frederik Münter, 77 (entry on September 23, 1784). 76 Münter, Frederik Münter, 65–66 (entry on September 11, 1784). 77 Hell had a problem with toleration only when it concerned other denominations, but ap- plauded the policies of Frederick ii of Prussia, expressing joy over the protection extend- ed to the Jesuits in Silesia. Hell to Bernoulli in Berlin, dated Vienna, March 1, 1775 (ubb). 78 Kisbán, Hell Miksa, 18. The monographer of Merz does not seem to be aware of any mean- ingful cooperation between him and Hell. Cf. Fred Horstmann, Alois Merz, Dom­ und Kontroversprediger aus Augsburg, als Opponent der Aufklärung (Frankfurt: Peter Lang, 1996).