2015 Reprint of 1798 Fourth Edition. Full Facsimile of the original edition. Not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. John Robison (1739 -1805) was a Scottish physicist and mathematician. He was a professor of philosophy at the University of Edinburgh and a member of the Edinburgh Philosophical Society. Robison invented the siren and also worked with James Watt on an early steam car. Towards the end of his life, he became an enthusiastic conspiracy theorist, publishing "Proofs of a Conspiracy" alleging clandestine intrigue by the Illuminati and Freemasons. The secret agent monk, Alexander Horn provided much of the material for Robison's allegations. French priest Abbe Barruel independently developed similar views that the Illuminati had infiltrated Continental Freemasonry, leading to the excesses of the French Revolution.