Free Masonry - The Masonic Trowel

MASONIC DEGREES. 115
mocking Free Masonry, but these are her own words, firlt
published in the Illustrations of Masonry, book 2. sec. 4,
copied by Webb, with the sanction of the Grand Chapter
of R. I. (Webb's Monitor, chap. 10. p. 50.) and inserted in
the Free Mason's Library* p. 165. with the sanction of
the Grand Lodge of Maryland.
Nor does Free Masonry leave to blind conjecture the circle
of polite learning included within her lectures. She
kindly enumerates in her official records, " the artes agriculture
architecture astronomic, geometria, numeres, mur
sica, poesie, kymistrie, government, and religionne." (Free
Mason's Library, p. 10. Book of Const, of Mass. p. 16. or
17.) Also," grammar, rhetoric, and logic." (Hardie's Men.
Webb's Mon. TannehilVs Manual. Cross's Chart, &Q.
and the F. M. Library, p. 174.)
Neither does her amiable condescension forsake us here.
What man, without her kind aid, could guess the nature of
that regular system of science comprehended under tfieveU
of her mysteries ? Her circle of polite learning might have
been, in some part, within the scope of human calculation;
musica and poesie, not to mention agricultura and relygyonne;
but only the art of finding new arts could toll us
the system of science which follows, viz. " The arte of wunderwurkinge,
and of foresaying things to come, the way of
winninge the facultie of Abrac, (magic,) the skill of becoming
gude and parfyghte withouten the holpynges of
fere and hope, the uniyersolle longuage of Masoimes."
We jpust believe all this, since she hprself sojemnly declares
it in Uie Book of Cons, qf Mass. p. \9. jpm Jf. library,
p. 11.; Hordie's Monitor; Calcott's JXsquisitwns /
Hutchinson's Spirit'of Masonry; Preston's Illustrations of
Masonry* b. 3. s. L, and in Greenleafs Brief Inquiry, p. 99.