His most important work, a vivid and exaggerated autobiography, Mémoires de J. Casanova de Seingalt, 12 vol. (1826-38) has made the name Casanova synonymous with 'libertine'.

He was sponsored by a friend of Marquis de Rochebaron, a French general, in either Amitie (Friendship) lodge or Amis choisis (Chosen Friends) lodge.

Mackey tells us: "Casanova claims to have been initiated in the latter part of 1750 at Lyons, on his way to Paris, where he was made a Master Mason. At Venice in 1755 he was arrested on charges of sorcery and of being a Freemason, his Masonic clothing being found by police and deemed incriminating. Not only does he tell of meeting prominent Freemasons in various countries but in Rome itself he asserts that several prelates and cardinals were secretly members of the Craft."