Masonic Notes And Queries.

—who , being allied by nature , drew still closer to each other , tightening the bands of their union ; and the more dangerous and unequal the conflict appeared , with Avhich they hacl to wage against vice , the greater the force and energy they employed in influencing their contemporaries . There have existed , in all ages , alliances of noble minds , whose aim ivas to counteract the evils ivhich the human race , in the course of its revolutions , were continually originating , and to guide the erring out of tiie flowery

image of self-deceit , and place them in the straight , but somewhat more rugged path of human bliss . But as far back as history reaches , there never Avas such a union as that of Pythagoras . In confirmation of this , we may be allowed to introduce a . fewremarks by one ' of our shrewdest authors , * and thereby set up a point of view through which the purpose and benefit of this much misunderstood society should be judged : — "The institution of the Pythagorean school isin my judgment

, , the most elevated and wisest system of law-giving that ever was introduced for ennobling and perfecting our race , —a system established upon the purest ancl most disinterested virtue , aacl designed to promote the felicities of whole countries ; it does honour not only to its framer , but to human nature itself ; but , of course , it can only be followed by a few chosen men . According to the laws of the union , whicli Pythagoras instituted for himself and friends , no faculty or talent could remain unimproved , and no

fault or bad habit unremarked or undiminished iu those living in conformity with them . The code of Pythagoras was ( if I may be allowed the expression ) , so perfect , that , according to it , not an hour of one ' s life , while waking , would be unoccupied , not a duty indeterminate , nor a good pleasure unweighed . " Conformably to the principal articles of the same , " his friends became more intimate with each other thai : their fellowcitizens , not with the intention of estranging themselves from them ,

nor operating against them , but to be enabled by their united forces to work more briskly and actively for their welfare . These very laws further appointed their truest and most worthy followers as chiefs and leaders of others , not to oppress or plunder them for their own benefit , but , with their oven life and property , to protect the freedom , right , and safety of their fellow-citizens , and either to keep oft' or annihilate all those who attacked the same . The founder of this union was Pythagoras . It is ta be regretted that ' history has preserved so little that can be depended upon

concerning this Avonderful man . His birth-place is the island of Samos , and the time of his birth about the sixth century before the birch of Christ , between the forty-fifth aud fifty-second Olympiade . In Pbcc-nicia he is said to have been instructed and initiated into the secrets of the religion of the country by Pherelcydes . Thence- he Avent to Egypt ( as was the custom of the age ) , the seat of ancient Avisdom ; there , also , he took part in tils ' academy of mysteries . Prom Egypt he return-id to Samosintending to render his talents

, serviceable there ; the people , however , took little pleasure in his symbolical method of teaching , which he had borrowed from the Egyptian priests . He , therefore , set oft' again ou his travels , and Avandeved for a time among the islands . Wherever he went , he endeavoured to become acquainted with the priests , their teachings , and the arrangements of their religious ceremonies . He also cultivated an intimate connexion with the greatest men of his age .

Enriched with so much experience and knowledge of mankind , he once more tried his fortune at Samos . It is said that on his second visit his project succeeded tolerably well , nevertheless he afterwards left his birth-place , probably because he perceived that the seeds of Avisdom which he had sown in Sainos would not flourish ; so he journeyed , by water , past Greece , and landed at Crotona in Lower Italy , one of the most corrupted and thickly populated cities of that '

country . _ The reputation of his travels , his secret Avisdom , and his god-like virtue had prepared a favourable reception for him wbereevei- he went . The gifts with which nature had endowed him he used in a maste : ly manner , in order to attract tiie respect and attention of the people , and to consummate in their imaginations the high idea they had conceived of him as a friend of the gods and a worker of miracles . He ivas

handsome , and of tall stature ; his voice , sweet , and his eloquence highly attractive ; his countenance , full of dignity and softness , commanded reverence . In short , nature seemed to " have imprinted the signs of his mission upon his forehead . He extracted from the religious prejudices of the day everything which was necessary to him , in order to raise his reputation " to so high a standard that ' in it assistance miht be found in the ing " out of great projects

g carry . To find a reformer playing his part under a mask , throws , of course , an unfavourable light upon him ; one must , however , consider , that Pythagoras , in this respect , had the example of all the ' m-eat teachers of the people in his favour , or did Zerduscht , Orpheus , Moses , _ S " imH , & c , work on any other plan ? "Besides , none of his regulations were superfluous , in order to influence saeii a people as

the Crotonians . Lower Italy ( at that time it was called Great Greece , and was surrounded by a number of Grecian colonies ) , was then at the summit of its ' prospertiy . Superfluity had produced there ( as it does everywhere ) , a total corruption of morals . The luxurious arts , the refinement of sensuality , and the effeminacy of the Sybarites , became a by-word , ( Sybaris was one of the most flourishing cities of Great Greece , ancl the rival of Crotona . ) It was in the midst of such a le that the of Samos took

peop sage up his residence . He at first gave public lectures to the people in the gymnasiums , temples , and town-hall ; to the youth , even to the senate , and ( by their own request ) to the matrons of the city . By this means he effectuated in many simplicity of manners ancl dress , for which he received the public acknowledgments of the senate . After this , all were anxious to approach him ; youth ancl old age sought his acquaintance and instruction . Thus brought into more

intimate -connexion with them , he had au opportunity of investigating their talents and minds , of finding out their circumstances and connexions , and of connecting himself more closely with those , whom ( on account of their excellent characters ) he had chosen as assistants in the execution of his grand projects . These he persuaded to live together in the closest fraternity , under his guidance and according to his precepts . Thus originated the Pythagorean

order or union , which the Christian ascetics of the first century set up as an example to similar unions , and to conventual life . Pythagoras distinguished himself and friends from the multitude by Avearing a particular kind of long Avhite robe , a mixture of Egyptian , cotton ancl flue linen , with purple-coloured stripes , after the fashion of the Egyptian priests , whose appropriate costume gave them a most reverend appearance . In this cotton linen he not onl

y clothed his disciples ivhila living , but also after their death , a custom which he borrowed from Orpheus ' s mysteries . Pythagoras was extremely particular about the cleanliness of the body , as well as of its covering ; his friends had therefore to bathe , shave , aud annoint themselves fvecm . er _ . tly . He did this partly for the sake of health , and partly because uucleanl iness causes loathing and aversionand would have offended the of

, eye the shrewd Greek ; partly , also , because the people everywhere are inclined to consider outward an emblem of inward ' cleanliness . This may be perceived by the christening of the Jews , the bathing of the Mahometans , and other religious washings . The Pythagoreans observed a particular order of the day . Each , ' upon awaking , immediately wandered forth alone , ivith " his lyre on his

arm , towards some retired temple or grove , there to collect his thoughts and rouse his spirits by the lyric tones ; whereupon he commenced an inward examination of everything that he had done or thought of the previous day , or some time before , and prepared his mind for the business of the day . After their walk they sought each other , and dedicated the firstlings of their renovated faculties to instructive and intellectual' conversation . Than followed bodily exercisewhich included anointing and rubbingthey randanced

, ; , , wrestled , threw at marks , & c , They , by these means , sharpened their understandings , increased their strength and activity , and fortified their health . By this time the hour for dinner approached . This meal consisted , however , solely of bread ancl honey . After dinner , public affairs were attended to . In the evening they wandered forth two or three together , when the subject of their morning ' s conversation ivas again discussedthey then took cold

; a bath , after which they immediately assembled in their common dining-rooms , and partook of a supper consisting of nourishing and various kinds of food . Sacrifices were made before and after the meal , and sometimes they sung . In order to increase their familiarity , not more than ten of " the brothers ate together . The youngest among them had to read aloud after the meal ; the eldest presidedand had the riht to choose the subject of the reading

, g . At their separation , ( which always took place before sunset , ) the eldest , in a few words , reminded them of the most important duties of l : fe , _ and of tha principal precepts of their order . Pythagoras' pupils never forget to end the day as they bad commenced it ; that is to say , before , as it were , unstraining their minds and rocking their senses to repose by the tones of their lyres , they thought over everything that they had seen , heard , or done

during the day . Great wisdom may lie perceived at the basis of this order of the day . The proportions of rest aud work , of eating and drinking , and of mental aud bodily exercise , are so equally balanced , that spirit and body are necessarily retained in the most blooming state of health and strength . Self-examination morning and evening for instanse . Vi'hafc an admirable method of obtaining self-knowled ! How lorious to become aware of ( and

ge g , thereby obviate while there is yet time ) , every false step , every bypath , every inclination to vice , be it constitutional or proceeding from want of foresight ! What an unimprovable means of bringing mankind to coivv . de _ . ation and toleration ! What a masterly exercise of the memory ! Besides this , Pythagoras directed particular attention to frugality . Pirstly , because he ivas convinced that it was very diriiculfc of one of many needs , and ivho leads a life of