Mystic masonry, or, The symbols of freemasonry and the greater ...

An Outline of Symbolism. 251
lars; and this is a constant symbol in Masonic
Lodges.
In the Pythagorean Triangle, or tetrad
(see Plate
V), this same philosophy is symbolized.
PROPOSITION.
"Subdivide a regular figure in such a manner that
the subdivisions shall be the same shape as the figure,
and 16 in number, and with 4 of the subdivisions
bounding each side of the figure : 16 is the
square of 4, or the Tetraktys. The triangle series
is of odd numbers; the square even. The ten "Yods"
occupy all the upright triangle divisions." (Quoted,
with plate, from print by Fred. G. Plummer.)
This Pythagorean method of "philosophizing according
to numbers" has not only fallen into disuse
in modern times, but has often been deemed altogether
fanciful and been subject to ridicule, simply
because the philosophy upon which it is based is
lost. It originally constituted the Art-Speech, or
glyphs, in which that philosophy was expressed,
and to understand the one is to recover the other.
This philosophy bridged the gap between mind and
matter through apprehension of the one underlying
Law. It coimected Physics with Metaphysics