William Bramley/The Gods of Eden/23/230/2

As the son of a goldsmith-turned-banker, John Law was an interesting character in many ways. He was deeply devoted to the schools of Brotherhood mysticism that were behind many of the important social changes occurring in his time. Biographer Hans Wantoch, writing in his book Magnificent Money-Makers, describes Law as "one of the last of the alchemist-mystics, of the astrologers who were dying out in the time of Voltaire, but in his pursuit of the stone of wisdom he invented inflation." Another interesting fact is that Law was a Scotsman with an obscure background, just like his earlier counterpart in England, William Paterson. The Scottish link between Law and Patterson may be significant when we later review evidence that Scotland was an important center of secret, but far-reaching, Brotherhood activity in Europe.