Reviews.

tions . How could Bro . Findel , tho strenuous advocate of the " spiritualisation " of Freemasonry , go so far in his matter-of-fact tendencies as to forget the sublime Avords of Schiller : —¦ AA ' as den grossen Bins ; bewohnet , Huldiget der Phantasie . Does he mean to commence Grecian history from the

Persian wars , and Roman history from the invasion of Breiinus ? and deny that Mythology which at all times has delighted and fascinated the young and the old , forms an integral part of history ? Still we might endorse Bro . Findel ' s view as to the age of Masonry , cum beneficio invcntarii , were his theory otherwise incontrovertible . But this is by no means the

case . Imagination must be stretched to a great extent indeed , to allow us to assume that the constitution of the building corporations of the middle ages was endoAved with a more spiritual character than that of other similar bodies . It must be borne in mind that at the time of the erection of those great mediaeval edifices , all artizans ' companies wero imbued , to a greater or less extent , with

a religious and spiritual element . Let any one of our readers glance at the account given by Abbe Ouiu-Lacroix of the industrial corporations of Rouen , * and he Avill find that a religious fraternity ( confrerie ) was attached to every one of fifty-four corporations , and , strange to say , though Ave meet the " tilers" amongst them , the Masons themselves " shine by their absence . "

We only find it related that , in 1398 , Jehan Salvart was appointed builder of the Rouen cathedral , and that upon this occasion the Dean of the Chapter addressed him thus : — " Thou shalt make thy workmen Avork Avell and faithfully , and thou shalt do all other things which a good and faithful Mason ought to do , in such a manner as to set aside favour , fear , love , and hatred in all that concerns the said office . "

• ISTo magnifying glass enables us to find in the constitutions of the Masonic corporations of the Middle Ages traces of a more symbolical character than in other similar covenants . Withal , wo do not mean to impugn in substance Bro . Findel ' s assumption that modern Freemasonry has derived its origin from mediaeval Avorking Masonry ; but considering that the direct evidence

he adduces does not enable him to fully make out his case , and that his theory must needs rest on conjecture like all others , Ave object to the complete exclusion of the poetical and quasi mythological element , without Avhich the attempted " spiritualisation" of our Institution becomes a bare impossibility . This much for the premises from Avhich the author

starts . As regards the body of Bro . Findel ' s work itself , it is divided into four divisions , viz ., the introductory part , containing the early history of Freemasonry , and then the history of Freemasonry itself , consisting of three periods , respectively from 1707 to 1783 , 1784 to 1813 , and 1814 to the present day . In the introductory portion Ave find the original

text and explanation of tho "legend of the Craft , " an account of the German Steinmetsen or stonemasons , and the English building corporations during the Middle Ages , arid a statement of the landmarks through which we may trace the rise of Freemasonry during the same period of history . In the three divisions of the history itself , the author

treats of the rise aud progress of Freemasonry in each country of the Old and Hew ivorld . In a kind of cyclorama we see , first , tho component parts of the United Kingdom , then France , Germany , Scandinavia , the United States , _ the countries touching the 3 STorth Pole , and those adjoining the tropics pass before our eye . The periodical division of the work may be thought somewhat arbitrary ; the opinions on the expediency of

dividing and subdividing the total space of time in one manner or another may diverge , but still we must acknowledge that , with reference to tho systematical arrangement of the matter , Bro . Fiiidel ' s work is unimpeachable , and the author deserves great credit for tho "lucid order" Avhich pervades it . We could not possibly attempt , Avithin the narrow limits of

a literary notice , to give an epitome of the work before us—doing so would be equivalent to giving a succinct history of Freemasonry ; in fact , we should be obliged to condense the work , which in itself fonns the quintessence and condensation of all the facts and figures hitherto published ou the subject : so we must confine ourselves to the expression of our opinion as to the worth

of the book in general and in its details . In doing so , we must make a A ^ ery close distinction between the doctrinal and theoretical views set forth by our painstaking confrere , and the substantial facts stated by him . Bro . Findel , as Ave have said before , is one of the chief promoters and supports of that party , rather numerous at present both iu Germany and FranceAvhich

, proposes to cultivate chiefly the spiritual and ideal side of Freemasonry , and considers symbols , forms , and rituals , only as secondary , contingent parts of our Institution . We do not mean to discuss tho merits or demerits of these views here ; suffice it to say that our own do not coincide Avith those of the continental reformers . Bro . Findel himself is forbearing h

enong to confine himself mainly to the statement of historical facts ; but in the rare instances in which theoretical explanations are given , they are tainted with such a tinge of thorough-going radicalism as to call forth a decided demurrer on the part of all adherents of the traditional forms . To quote only one example , the author disposes of the high degrees in the following manner : —

Besides the three original degrees , in accordance with the spirit of Freemasonry , there exist in some branches of the Craft the so-called high grades , which are conferred iu the Scotch or St . Andrew ' s Lodges , also in the Chapters , but which are foreign to the real spirit of Freemasonry , and an innovation which crept in at the time of Masonic degeneracy . Has the author never read Bro . Goethe ' s lines on the " learned gentlemen " Avho reject all they cannot understand : —

AA ' as lhr nicht fasst , das fehlt euch ganz und gar , AVas ihr nicht rechnet , glaubt ihr , sei nicht wahr . Is he so fully acquainted with the intricacies and metaphysics of the Ancient and Accepted Rite , aud the other higher branches of the Order , as to be considered a competent judge in passing sentence on them in this summary manner ? Bro . Findel sets forth this trenchant

opinion Avithout substantiating it ; but is he pre ] iared to adduce such evidence as could counterbalance the powerful testimony in favour of the antiquity of the high grades ? It is , to say the least , puerile and imprudent to make an assertion " Avithout having the proofs for it in your pocket , " as Herr von Vincke expresses it . Views similar to the above are set forth in various

parts of the work ; they are in glaring opposition to those generally adhered to by the most distinguished of our Order hailing from the English , Scottish , and Irish Grand Lodges . It is our duty to openly impugn and brand them as subversive of the very groundwork on which our Institution has rested ever since its foundation .

As to the translation of tho present Avork into English , Bro . Van Dalen tells us in the preface : — By a happy coincidence this translation was made by a descendant of two dignitaries of the Grand Lodge of England , now residing in Berlin , who has brought to the task an inherited interest in the subject treated of , and who , with a sufficient knowledge of the German language , has combined that fluency of style without which even the richest contents could not attract a reader of cultivated taste . We are not quite of the same opinion . Whatever the