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Article REVIEW OF LITERATURE, &c. ← Page 5 of 9 →
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Review Of Literature, &C.
should he , in all its precepts and forms , inviolable ; mid had it been subject to changes and alterations , such as these Reformers propose , in days past , in what state would it now hare reached us ? The traditions which have been handed down and communicated to us are a sacred deposit which we are bound by the most solemn ties to transmit unaltered to our successors . But , say the Reformers , ' Masonry has grown old—it would have been in . decay had not enterprising and energetic men kept it alive—in this age of "
¦ mprovement Masonry is foreign to the spirit of the age—it must be harmonized with our modern institutions that it may possess force . ' But the antiquity of Masonry proving that it has stood the test of ages , only makes it more venerable and respectable—being founded on principles of eternal philosophy it is not liable to decay . " The observation of the Reformers is begging the question—is Masonry , indeed , not in unison with the existing spirit of the age ? The Reformers admit that' Masonry has for scattered a host of blessings the
ages among human race , and that supported by the two pillars of Benevolence and Humanity , it has resisted the ravages of time . ' Yet such is the edifice , by . their own admission , that these innovators propose to modernize . " The Reformers say , that they wish the words engraven on the front of our Masonic Temple , ( namely , Reason , Intelligence , and Liberality ) , to become immutable truths . So far is well—but we ask , is it the fault of
Masonry if they are not so ? No . The remedy is simple and plain—not for Brethren to reform the whole Order , but for them to practice in the world the precepts they learn in their Lodges . " The Reformers recommend as a means of obtaining the ' actual force , ' spoken of above , that Masonry should take possession of the domains of Intelligence , and work them for the benefit of Humanity ; and , while strictly keeping within the law , seize on the empire of Reason . They also strongly advise Masonry to oppose tlie clerical party , and wrest from
them the monopoly of education and instruction . The reviewers , to a certain extent , acquiesce , but enter into matters too purely local to be of general interest ; they , however , do not agree to the last sentence . The plans of the reformers , which are next combated , are objectionable , as they positively advise Masonic Lodges to take an active part in political elections , and to use all their power as secret and
organised bodies to carry out certain political and educational views . This needs no comment . " There is , " says the Report , '' no portion of this scheme to which we can award our praise , but that which has for its object to put an effectual stop to the inhuman and absurd custom of duelling , and that wherein the reformers recommend the erection of an Asylum for Aged and Decayed Freemasons . " With these exceptions , we say it with regret , we find much that is censurable .
One Hundred Sonnets , Translated after the Italian of Petrarch s with the Original Text Notes , and a Life of Petrarch . By Susan Wollaston . 8 vo . London : Bull . 1841 , p . 257 . The small volume before us contains one hundred sonnets of Petrarch , most judiciously selected and admirably translated into English verse . With respect to the original text , it is only necessary to say , that it is very correct , carefully accentuated , and illustrated by short Italian notes ,
for which the authoress acknowledges herself to be indebted to the translator of Milton into Italian , Guido Sorelli . The translation is printed on the page opposite the original , and a version of the notes is also given . Miss AVollaston has , we consider , undertaken a task of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Review Of Literature, &C.
should he , in all its precepts and forms , inviolable ; mid had it been subject to changes and alterations , such as these Reformers propose , in days past , in what state would it now hare reached us ? The traditions which have been handed down and communicated to us are a sacred deposit which we are bound by the most solemn ties to transmit unaltered to our successors . But , say the Reformers , ' Masonry has grown old—it would have been in . decay had not enterprising and energetic men kept it alive—in this age of "
¦ mprovement Masonry is foreign to the spirit of the age—it must be harmonized with our modern institutions that it may possess force . ' But the antiquity of Masonry proving that it has stood the test of ages , only makes it more venerable and respectable—being founded on principles of eternal philosophy it is not liable to decay . " The observation of the Reformers is begging the question—is Masonry , indeed , not in unison with the existing spirit of the age ? The Reformers admit that' Masonry has for scattered a host of blessings the
ages among human race , and that supported by the two pillars of Benevolence and Humanity , it has resisted the ravages of time . ' Yet such is the edifice , by . their own admission , that these innovators propose to modernize . " The Reformers say , that they wish the words engraven on the front of our Masonic Temple , ( namely , Reason , Intelligence , and Liberality ) , to become immutable truths . So far is well—but we ask , is it the fault of
Masonry if they are not so ? No . The remedy is simple and plain—not for Brethren to reform the whole Order , but for them to practice in the world the precepts they learn in their Lodges . " The Reformers recommend as a means of obtaining the ' actual force , ' spoken of above , that Masonry should take possession of the domains of Intelligence , and work them for the benefit of Humanity ; and , while strictly keeping within the law , seize on the empire of Reason . They also strongly advise Masonry to oppose tlie clerical party , and wrest from
them the monopoly of education and instruction . The reviewers , to a certain extent , acquiesce , but enter into matters too purely local to be of general interest ; they , however , do not agree to the last sentence . The plans of the reformers , which are next combated , are objectionable , as they positively advise Masonic Lodges to take an active part in political elections , and to use all their power as secret and
organised bodies to carry out certain political and educational views . This needs no comment . " There is , " says the Report , '' no portion of this scheme to which we can award our praise , but that which has for its object to put an effectual stop to the inhuman and absurd custom of duelling , and that wherein the reformers recommend the erection of an Asylum for Aged and Decayed Freemasons . " With these exceptions , we say it with regret , we find much that is censurable .
One Hundred Sonnets , Translated after the Italian of Petrarch s with the Original Text Notes , and a Life of Petrarch . By Susan Wollaston . 8 vo . London : Bull . 1841 , p . 257 . The small volume before us contains one hundred sonnets of Petrarch , most judiciously selected and admirably translated into English verse . With respect to the original text , it is only necessary to say , that it is very correct , carefully accentuated , and illustrated by short Italian notes ,
for which the authoress acknowledges herself to be indebted to the translator of Milton into Italian , Guido Sorelli . The translation is printed on the page opposite the original , and a version of the notes is also given . Miss AVollaston has , we consider , undertaken a task of