shall be fathered upon the Craft by the ignorant and malevolent. The honour of the fraternity is not in the least tarnished by it. THE whole narrative, particularly the method of discovering a Mason, the prentice's shirt, and the Monday's lesson, cannot fail to move laughter, even in gravity itself. But absurd and ridiculous as the whole of this matter must appear, a passion of another nature is thereby excited, which respects the discoverer himself; and that is an honest indignation of the perjury he has committed. For if this person, scrupulously conscientious as he is represented, was actually under the oath he pretends, however trifling and insignificant the thing itself might be; yet, in the opinion of the most eminent casuits, he was obliged to keep his oath; the respect due to truth and falsehood being the same in trivial matters as in those of greater importance; otherwise God must be invoked as witness to a lie.t BUT, if ignorance or imbecillity, deluded by hypocritical sanctity, or head-strong zeal, can afford any alleviation, (for an absolute acquittance it cannot) the charge must fall with redoubled weight upon those who induced him, and would induce others, over whom this influence extends, to put such an affront upon the honour of God, and to habituate themselves to the practice of insincerity and injustice towards man. Is not this to adopt the practices and opinions of their † Saunderson, de obl. jur. prael. 3. sect. 15. religious predecessors, in hypocrisy, sedition, and re bellion? who held, that Oaths were not purpos'd, more than law, But to confine the bad and sinful, Like moral cattle, in a pinfold. HUDIBRAS. THE natural curiosity of mankind, always eager and impetuous in the pursuit of knowledge, when disappointed of a rational account of things, is apt to rest upon conjecture, and often embraces a cloud in place of the goddess of truth. So has it fared with the secret of Masonry. That society, though venerable for its antiquity, and respectable for its good behaviour, has, through falsehood and misrepresentation, groundlesly awakened the jealousy of states, and the obloquy of malicious tongues. Their silence and secrecy, as they gave ample room for the most extravagant conjectures, so they likewise afforded an opportunity for the grossest imputations, without fear of a refutation. They have been traduced as atheists and blasphemers, branded as idolaters, and ridiculed as the dupes of nonsense. The hard names liberally bestow, ed on their secrets by the Seceders, partake of all these; but their proof relates only to the last; and, indeed, it seems rather like the dilirious ravings of a brain-sick head, inflamed with the fumes of enthusiasm, than a rational design to expose them. Its publication is an affront upon the judgment of the world; no less than inserting it in the Scots Magazine, is an impeachment upon the taste of the readers of that collection. * * Vide Scots Magazine, 1755, P. 137. To remove such prejudices, and in some degree to satisfy the world and inquisitive cavillers, Masons have descended to publish what opinions they maintained with respect to the great principles of human action. Their belief in God is founded upon the justest notion of his being and attributes, drawn from the light of nature assisted by revelation. They never enter into the speculative regions, so much cultivated by divines what cannot be comprehended in his nature, they leave as incomprehensible. They adore his infinite Being, and reckon it the perfection of mankind to imitate his communicable perfections. Their duty to their superiors, to their neighbours, and to themselves, are all expressed in a manner the most agreeable to the soundest morality.And when their actions and behaviour, which alone are subject to human observation, and affect human society, are conformable to such principles, no power on earth has a right to enquire farther. THE Free-Mason professes a particular regard to the liberal arts; and he makes no scruple to own, that many of his secrets have a reference to them. From these, just notions of order and proportion are attained, and a true taste of symmetry and beauty is formed.— And as the transition from the beauties of the natural to those of the moral species are so easy and apparent; if there is any virtue, if there is any prsise, instead of slander and defamation, protection and encouragement ought to be his reward. MEN of the greatest power and dignity, the divine and the philosopher, have not been ashamed, in all ages, to own their relation to this society, and to encourage and protect it by their power and influence. But, should this combination terminate in nothing but wickedness and folly, can it be imagined, either that men of honour, wisdom, and integrity, would lend their countenance to fraud, and encourage folly, merely to make the world stare? or that an association, resting on.so unstable a foundation, could so long have subsisted, without the cement of mutual trust and confidence, which result from virtue and consistency alone. THE Free-Mason, conscious of his integrity, and persuaded of the good tendency of his principles to promote the purposes of virtue and human happiness, beholds with contempt the impotent efforts of envy and ignorance, however sanctified the garb, or dignified the title they may assume. In this Lodge, which he considers as the school of justice, love, and benevolence, he is taught to oppose truth to misrepresentation, good humour and innocent mirth to sourness and grimace, the certain signs of malice and imposture.-To attend the importunate calls of his enemies, would be to interrupt his tranquillity; and, therefore, wrapt in his own innocence, he despises their impotent attacks, and for the future will disdain to enter the lists with champions so weak and ignorant, so deluded and deluding. R. A. M. T. I. EDINBURGH, A VINDICATION OF MASONRY. The following piece is founded on a discourse composed by Brother CHARLES LESLIE, member of the Vernon Kilwinning Lodge, Edinburgh, and delivered by him at the consecration of that Lodge on the 15th of May, 1741. It was published in The Edinburgh Free-Masons's Pocket Companion of the year 1765. IF a man were placed in a beautiful garden, would not his mind, on a calm survey of its rich collections, be affected with the most equisite delight ?— The groves, the grottoes, the artful wilds, the flowery parterres, the opening vistoes, the lofty cascades, the winding streams; the whole variegated scene, would awaken his sensibility, and inspire his soul with the most exalted ideas. When he observed the delicate order, the nice symmetry, and beautiful disposition of every part, which, though seemingly complete in itself, yet reflected surprising and new beauties on each other, so that nothing could be wanting to make one beautiful whole; with what bewitching sensations would his mind be agitated!A view of this delightful scene would naturally lead him to admire and venerate the happy genius of him who contrived it. If the productions of art can so forcibly impress the human mind with surprise and admiration, with how much greater astonishment, and with what more profound reverence, must we behold the objects of |