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Article COLLECTANEA. Page 1 of 5 →
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Collectanea.
COLLECTANEA .
DINNER TO J . MUTTON , ESQ . , F . S . A ., ETC . In the autobiography of John Britton , Esq ., F . S . A ., & c , just published , at ( he conclusion of Part I ., page 19 , forming a portion ofthe report of a dinner given to him , the following reference to Freemasonry cannot be without interest to the Craft : — " Mr . GODWIN . —I am deputed to propose a toast which cannot fail to interest a meeting like the presentalthoughfrom the lateness of the hour
, , , I fear to address you at any length . The toast is , ' The Ancient Fraternity of Freemasons . ' Tbe Freemasons of to-day are known principally in connection with good dinners and great charities ; but in former times , as you well know , they occupied a different position . It seems clear that the greater number of the magnificent works produced in the middle ages were erected by bands of men , having in some degree a religious character , and protected by certain enactments , who were in reality " Free Masons , " and the progenitors of the present Lodges . This fact accounts for several
phenomena observable in tracing the history of architecture , which I feel assured would interest you if there were time for comment . There are at this table several of the most eminent builders of the day , Mr . William Cubitt , Mr . Grissell , Mr . Herbert , Mr . Elger , and others , who each in himself represents a large Fraternity of Freemasons . They are men who have built miles of sewers , covered New London with squares , streets , and terraces , and Old England with interminable railways ; and this makes the toast more fitting still , espeeiallyas several of them are high in the mysteries of Freemasonry . I do not know that they can still sing
' Hiyli honour to Masons the Craft daily brings . We ' re brothers of princes and fellows of kings ;' but I do know that they practise charity and other virtues , and if they did not teach Euclid they still inculcate morality . In order that I may bear witness to this , at least in one case , I will couple with this toast the name of Mr . William Cubitt , not simply as a distinguished member of the Craft , but as an old and warm friend of Mr . Britton . ( Cheers . ) " W , CUBITT , Esq . —Mr . chairman and gentlemen , —The prevailing chaheart is chari
racteristic of a Freemason's ty ; as a Freemason , and acting on that principle , I shall not permit myself to dwell long at this late hour , lest by so doing , I should inflict a penalty on those kind friends who may be already somewhat fatigued . This is , however , an occasion on which much ought to be said ; and , called up as the representative of Freemasonry , and being in my own person a practical , and , I may almost say , an operative Mason , it would be unbecoming in me to be altogether silent when the ancient edifices of the country and their illustrator are the theme .
It would also be utterly inconsistent with the strong feeling I entertain of what is due to Mr . Britton , whose great literary works wc aro here met to commemorate . The Freemasons of the present day have been spoken of by our talented friend , Mr . Godwin , as traditionally and historically connected with the building of those interesting momi'iients of the middle ages , which Mr . Britton has devoted the best years of a long and active life to illustrate . You must not expect me to say much about Freemasonry ; it does not need advocacynor does it permit me here to unveil its
my , mysteries . I may say , as in truth I can say , that it is ancient and honourable ; and if any of the gentlemen now assembled desire to know more of the matter there are others as well as myself who will be happy to introduce them where , on proper conditions , they may become members of a Craft which would confer honour on them as I have no doubt they would do honour to it . With regard to Mv . Britton , I am under no restriction in
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Collectanea.
COLLECTANEA .
DINNER TO J . MUTTON , ESQ . , F . S . A ., ETC . In the autobiography of John Britton , Esq ., F . S . A ., & c , just published , at ( he conclusion of Part I ., page 19 , forming a portion ofthe report of a dinner given to him , the following reference to Freemasonry cannot be without interest to the Craft : — " Mr . GODWIN . —I am deputed to propose a toast which cannot fail to interest a meeting like the presentalthoughfrom the lateness of the hour
, , , I fear to address you at any length . The toast is , ' The Ancient Fraternity of Freemasons . ' Tbe Freemasons of to-day are known principally in connection with good dinners and great charities ; but in former times , as you well know , they occupied a different position . It seems clear that the greater number of the magnificent works produced in the middle ages were erected by bands of men , having in some degree a religious character , and protected by certain enactments , who were in reality " Free Masons , " and the progenitors of the present Lodges . This fact accounts for several
phenomena observable in tracing the history of architecture , which I feel assured would interest you if there were time for comment . There are at this table several of the most eminent builders of the day , Mr . William Cubitt , Mr . Grissell , Mr . Herbert , Mr . Elger , and others , who each in himself represents a large Fraternity of Freemasons . They are men who have built miles of sewers , covered New London with squares , streets , and terraces , and Old England with interminable railways ; and this makes the toast more fitting still , espeeiallyas several of them are high in the mysteries of Freemasonry . I do not know that they can still sing
' Hiyli honour to Masons the Craft daily brings . We ' re brothers of princes and fellows of kings ;' but I do know that they practise charity and other virtues , and if they did not teach Euclid they still inculcate morality . In order that I may bear witness to this , at least in one case , I will couple with this toast the name of Mr . William Cubitt , not simply as a distinguished member of the Craft , but as an old and warm friend of Mr . Britton . ( Cheers . ) " W , CUBITT , Esq . —Mr . chairman and gentlemen , —The prevailing chaheart is chari
racteristic of a Freemason's ty ; as a Freemason , and acting on that principle , I shall not permit myself to dwell long at this late hour , lest by so doing , I should inflict a penalty on those kind friends who may be already somewhat fatigued . This is , however , an occasion on which much ought to be said ; and , called up as the representative of Freemasonry , and being in my own person a practical , and , I may almost say , an operative Mason , it would be unbecoming in me to be altogether silent when the ancient edifices of the country and their illustrator are the theme .
It would also be utterly inconsistent with the strong feeling I entertain of what is due to Mr . Britton , whose great literary works wc aro here met to commemorate . The Freemasons of the present day have been spoken of by our talented friend , Mr . Godwin , as traditionally and historically connected with the building of those interesting momi'iients of the middle ages , which Mr . Britton has devoted the best years of a long and active life to illustrate . You must not expect me to say much about Freemasonry ; it does not need advocacynor does it permit me here to unveil its
my , mysteries . I may say , as in truth I can say , that it is ancient and honourable ; and if any of the gentlemen now assembled desire to know more of the matter there are others as well as myself who will be happy to introduce them where , on proper conditions , they may become members of a Craft which would confer honour on them as I have no doubt they would do honour to it . With regard to Mv . Britton , I am under no restriction in