bers gaining alone that evidence of antiquity, which shews that we are descendants of the first worshippers of the Deity.

THAT there were builders of cities, towers, temples, and fortifications, from the earliest ages, is indisputable; but that the artificers were formed into bodies, ruled by their own proper laws, and knowing mysteries and secrets which were kept from the world, we are greatly doubtful:-for so plain, easy, and intelligible is the mechanic art of building, that it is comprehensible to any capacity, and needed not to be wrapped up in mystic rules; neither was there any occasion for the artificers to go about as conjurers, professing a science unrevealed to the world.

MAN would be taught building by the animals daily under his observation: the fox, the rabbit, and many other creatures, form themselves caves; the beaver is an architect in wood, and builds hovels and sheds; the birds at a season for their increase, prepare their nests for the protection of their young; the bee labours in constructing cities and store-houses; the ants are cloistered in their little mount, perforated with labyrinths, where their provender and progeny are secured. All these would instruct men in building; so that whilst our race were reaping the first rudiments of knowledge from the book of nature, after the darkness which had overwhelmed them in their disobedience, this could remain no secret.

BESIDES, if we should be esteemed merely the successors of mechanics, and as such, should take our P

grand progress from the building of the temple at Jerusalem, we shall find, that Hiram, who was sent from Tyre to assist in that structure, had not his excellence in architecture only, but in molten work, and also in dying, as is said in Chronicles: "He was skilful to "work in silver and gold, in brass, in iron, in stone, " and in timber, in purple, in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave all manner of graving."-He was the subject of a state, wherein the worship of idols was established This kind of religion gave encouragement to and greatly advanced the fine arts, as it employed statuaries, sculptors, painters, and those who made graven images. Solomon ornamented his temple with cherubims and palm trees, fruits and flowers: from whence we do not doubt Hiram's knowledge was in the business of a statuary and painter, that he made graven images of stone and wood, and molten images in metals. In Kings it is said only, " that Hiram was "filled with wisdom and understanding, and cunning

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to work all works in brass."-As to Solomon's part in this great structure, be being inclined to this mighty work of piety through the ordinances of heaven, and the promises made to his father David, was truly the executor of that plan which was revealed to him from above; he called forth the sages and religious men amongst his people to perform the work:-he classed them according to their rank in their religious profession; as the priests of the temple were stationed in the solemn rites and ceremonies instituted there. distinction was maintained in most religious societies, but especially with the primitive Christians.-The chosen ones of Solomon, as a pious and holy duty, conducted the work. If we regard them as architects by

This

profession, by reason of this duty, so we may Abel, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and David, by reason of the building of their altars, which were no other than works of piety and devotion.-From those circumstances, we are bold to say, that if we trace the antiquity of masonry on operative principles, and derive such principles from the building of Solomon's temple, we may as well claim all the professions which Hiram excelled in:-but we will leave this spe culation for more material subjects.

SOME masters of design have brought their works to a singular justness, symmetry, and order, in Egypt and Greece, in Italy and many other European states: but they, like proficients in painting and music, had their excellence from a degree of genius and taste pe culiar to themselves. It was a singular gift, and they needed not mysteries to keep it secret; for as men's geniuses are as various as their features, so was an excellence in design as free from usurpation, as if it had been wrapped up in profound magic.*

Willing to lay before our readers every degree of evidence, whether contrary to, or consistent with our maxims, that they may judge for themselves, we give the following extract from a very scarée book.

The holy war, gave the Christians who had been there, an idea of the Saracen works, which were afterwards imitated by them in the west, and they refined upon it every day, as they proceeded in building churches. The Italians (among which were some Greek refugees) and with them the French, Germans and Flemings, joined into a fraternity, procured papal bulls for their encouragement, and particular privileges, they stiled themselves Free Masons, and ranged from nation to nation, as they found churches to be built (for very many in those days were every where in building) through the piety of multitudes, their government was regular, and where they fixed mear a building, they made a camp of hills, a surveyor, governor in

We are persuaded there was no occasion to form such secret rules for the compact of operative masons: -Solomon for the conduct of such a multitude, wisely preserved the order of the religious, and the mysteries of their initiation, for the rule of his people employed in the temple.-Assuredly the secrets revealed to us were for other uses than what relate to labouring up masses of stone; and our society, as it now stands, is an association on religious and charitable principles; which principles were instituted and arose upon the knowledge of God, and in the Christian revelation.

Soon after Christianity became the established religion of this country, the professors of it employed themselves in founding religious houses, and in the building of places of public worship -On any reform of religion, it is observable the first professors are inclinable to enthusiasm.-Such was the case in this land, on the advancement of the Christian doctrine:a fervor for endowments infatuated the minds of the converted; certain days were assigned for the purpose of attending to religious works and edifices, called hally-wark-days; on which no man, of what profession, rank or estate soever, was exempt from attending that duty. Besides, there were a set of men called haly-werk-folk, to whom were assigned certain lands,

chief, and every tenth man was called a warden, and overlooked each nine. The gentlemen of the neighbourhood, either out of charity or conmutation of penance, gave the materials and carriage, and hence were called Accepted Masons. It is admirable with what œconomy, and how soon they erected such considerable structures.

From a book of architecture, by Mr. Stephen Rion, of Canterbury. • De Hermitorio Finchalensis Ranulphus Dei gratia Dunelmensis

which they held by the service of repairing, defending, or building churches and sepulchres; for which pious labours they were exempt from all feodal and military services: these men being stone-cutters and builders, might also be of our profession, and most probably they were selected from thence, the two being in no wise incompatible with each other.-The county of Durham entertained a particular set of those halywerk-folk, who were guards of the patrimony and holy sepulchre of St. Cuthbert.-Those men come the rearest to a similitude of Solomon's masons, and the title of Free and accepted Masons, of any degree of architects we have gained any knowledge of: but whether their initiation was attended with peculiar ceremonies, or by what laws they were regulated, we have not been able to discover; and must lament, that in the church records of Durham, or in any public office there, there are not the least remains of evidence, touching those people and the constitution of their society. It was a matter to be coveted by us studying this subject, as most probably such constitution or evidence would have confirmed every hypothesis we have raised on the definition of our emblems and mysteries.

THE emblems used by these people, very much resembled the emblems of our society, several tokens of which have been found of late years in pulling

Episcopus omnibus hominibus suis Francis et Anglis de haly were fole salutem, &c.

Many other grants are in the author's possession of this kind. Ralph Flambard was consecrated bishop of Durham in 1099.

Hist. Dunelm. apud Wartoni Aug. Sax.