Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Magazine: Or, General And Complete Library.
that now it was Masonry was in full beauty , and the Five Orders iti Architecture became complete . Greece at this time abounded with the most famous geometricians , sculptors , statuaries , painters and philosophers , as Master-Masons , under whose abilities the fellow-crafts under them became the best operative Masons on earth . I must beg to intrude on further patience to of
your * name some the great men who were in those days at the head of the Craft , and briefly trace them down to the present time . I shall lay my root in the immortal Euclid , who was grand-warden to Ptolemy , one of the greatest proficients of those days in the oriental languages . He built the two grand museums in Alexandria , wherein were reposed nine hundred thousand manuscript volumeswhich were burnt b
, y the Saracens , and the most valuable oriental histories lost in the blast . The great Pythagoras , whom I before mentioned , after staying in Egypt twenty years and upwards , returned very learned , and being made grand-master , he introduced great improvements in the Craft , as well as in that system which goes by his name .
The famous Agrippa , who built the Roman Pantheon , was deputy-grand to the great emperor Augustus . I mi ght instance many more , but I shall not trouble you with biography , or recapitulating , liistory , and only add some few of the British princes and nobility who have honoured the craft . It is very probable that the first inhabitants of this island were the immediate descendants of the
patriarchs , as the magicians and Druids held their respective assemblies in woods and aroves ( to which many words in theWelch language have the greatett affinity ) , where their counsels were secret and mysterious ; they certainly must have been skilled in the knowledge of arts and sciences , particularl y in the building of ships , and the art of navi gation , which ' were ever particularly adapted to this island , now become , under our most illustrious king , George the Third , the most formidable
maritime power m the world . We have no certain account of any tiling locall y remarkable ' till the Trojan race of Britons built many towns and temples under the direction of Ebrank and Bladud , masters of work ; by the latter of these , the city of Bath , so famous for its salutary hot waters , and universal resort , vvas built , as appears by an inscription in the place . The Romans introduced the exercise of arts and sciences but and confusion
• wars following , the craft was neglected , till the reign of Caurasins , who shook off , in some measure the Roman yoke . In his reign St . Alban , steward of the household , and ruler of the realm , was grand master ; he got a charter for the Free-Masons , constituted a grand lodge , attended himself to make Masons , and gave most instructive charges . Constantine the Great , who put a total end to Roman vassalao-e ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Magazine: Or, General And Complete Library.
that now it was Masonry was in full beauty , and the Five Orders iti Architecture became complete . Greece at this time abounded with the most famous geometricians , sculptors , statuaries , painters and philosophers , as Master-Masons , under whose abilities the fellow-crafts under them became the best operative Masons on earth . I must beg to intrude on further patience to of
your * name some the great men who were in those days at the head of the Craft , and briefly trace them down to the present time . I shall lay my root in the immortal Euclid , who was grand-warden to Ptolemy , one of the greatest proficients of those days in the oriental languages . He built the two grand museums in Alexandria , wherein were reposed nine hundred thousand manuscript volumeswhich were burnt b
, y the Saracens , and the most valuable oriental histories lost in the blast . The great Pythagoras , whom I before mentioned , after staying in Egypt twenty years and upwards , returned very learned , and being made grand-master , he introduced great improvements in the Craft , as well as in that system which goes by his name .
The famous Agrippa , who built the Roman Pantheon , was deputy-grand to the great emperor Augustus . I mi ght instance many more , but I shall not trouble you with biography , or recapitulating , liistory , and only add some few of the British princes and nobility who have honoured the craft . It is very probable that the first inhabitants of this island were the immediate descendants of the
patriarchs , as the magicians and Druids held their respective assemblies in woods and aroves ( to which many words in theWelch language have the greatett affinity ) , where their counsels were secret and mysterious ; they certainly must have been skilled in the knowledge of arts and sciences , particularl y in the building of ships , and the art of navi gation , which ' were ever particularly adapted to this island , now become , under our most illustrious king , George the Third , the most formidable
maritime power m the world . We have no certain account of any tiling locall y remarkable ' till the Trojan race of Britons built many towns and temples under the direction of Ebrank and Bladud , masters of work ; by the latter of these , the city of Bath , so famous for its salutary hot waters , and universal resort , vvas built , as appears by an inscription in the place . The Romans introduced the exercise of arts and sciences but and confusion
• wars following , the craft was neglected , till the reign of Caurasins , who shook off , in some measure the Roman yoke . In his reign St . Alban , steward of the household , and ruler of the realm , was grand master ; he got a charter for the Free-Masons , constituted a grand lodge , attended himself to make Masons , and gave most instructive charges . Constantine the Great , who put a total end to Roman vassalao-e ,