483 ,M A S O 
tiated into Mafonry in tlie Union Lodge at Geneva ; and 
H.R. H. prince Augufttts-Frederic, now dnke of Suffex, 
was afterwards made a Mafon at a lodge in Berlin. 
On the 24th of November, 1790, by the death of the 
duks of Cumber!md, the office of Grand Matter became 
vacant; and H. R H. the prince of Wales was eleiled to 
that important Ration, who appointed lord Rawdon, now 
earl of Moira, his Afting Grand Matter. 
The French revolution, which;, in extent and importance 
of effefl, was unqueftionably the molt momentous event 
that had happened fince the religious revolutions in Eu¬ 
rope at the beginning of the fixteenth century, having, 
given rife about this time to many unhappy diffenfions 
among the inhabitants of this ifland, it became neceffary 
to countered! the meafures, of thofe miftaken individuals 
who were endeavouring to fow the feeds of anarchy, and 
poifon the minds of the people againft his majefty’s go-, 
vernment. This induced molt of the corporate bodies in 
the kingdom to prefent addreffes to the throne, with af- 
furances of a determination to fupport the meafures of 
adminiftration ; and, among the reft, it was deemed proper 
that the fociety of Mafons, by adding their mite to the 
number, fhould (how that attachment to the king and 
conftitution which the laws of the order enjoined. Ac¬ 
cordingly, on the 8th of February, 1793, the Grand Lodge 
nnanimoully refolved, that the following Addrefs (hould 
be prefented to his majefty, by his royal highnefs the 
prince of Wales, grand matter; who, in compliance with 
the requeft of his brethren, condefcended to prefent it in 
perfon to his royal parent, by whom it was niott gracioufly 
received. 
To the King’s Mott Excellent Majesty. 
The humble Addrefs of the Grand Lodge of the Ancient Fraternity 
of Free and Accepted Mafons under the Confutation of England. 
Mott gracious Sovereign ; At a time when nearly the 
whole mafs of the people anxioudy prefs forward, and 
offer with one heart and one voice the mod animated tef- 
tiinonies of their attachment to your majefty’s perfon and 
government, and of their unabated zeal, at this period of 
innovation and anarchy in other countries, for the une¬ 
qualled conftitution of their own, permit a body'of men, 
fire, which, though not known to the laws, has been ever 
obedient to them—men who do not yield to any defcrip- 
tion of your majefty’s fubjedls in the love of their coun¬ 
try, in true allegiance to their fovereign, or in any other 
of the duties of a good citizen—to approach you with this 
public declaration of their political principles. The times, 
they think, demand it of them; and they will) not to be 
among the laft, in fuch times, to throw their weight, what¬ 
ever that may be, into the fcale of order, fubordination, 
and good government. 
It is written, fire, in the inftitutes of our order, that we 
(ball not, at our meetings, go into religious or political dif- 
cuffion; becanfe, compofed (as our fraternity is) of men 
of various nations, profeffing different rules of faith, and 
attached to oppofite fyftems of government, fuch difcuf- 1 
(ions, fharpening the mind of man againft his brother, 
might offend and difunite. A crifis, however, fo unlooked 
for as the prefent, juftifies to our judgment a relaxation 
of that rule; and, our iirft duty as Britons fuperfeding all 
other contiderations, we add, without farther paufe, our 
voice to that of our fellow-fubjecls, in declaring one com¬ 
mon and fervent attachment to a government by king, 
lords, and commons, as eftablifhed by the glorious Revo¬ 
lution of 1688. 
The excellence of all human inftitutions-is comparative 
and fleeting; pofuive perfection, or unchanging aptitude 
to its ohjeCi, we know, belongs not to the work of man; 
but, when we view the principles of government which 
have recently obtained in other nations, and then look 
upon our own, we exult in poffeffing, at this time, the 
wifeft and beft-poifed fyftem the world has ever known: 
a (yftem which affords eoual protection (the only 
equality we look for, or that indeed is practicable) and 
impartial jufiice to all. 
N R Y. 
It may be thought, perhaps, being what we are, a prf- 
vate fociety of men—connected by invifihle ties—profeffing 
fecrecy—myfterious in our meetings—ftamped by no aCi of 
prerogative—and acknowledged by no law—that we affume 
a port and hold a language upon this occafion, to which 
we can urge no legal or admitted right. We are the free 
citizens, fire, of a free date, and number many tboufand 3 
of our body.—The heir apparent of the empire is our 
chief. We fraternize for the purpofes of focial inter- 
courfe, of mutual afliftance, of charity to the diftreffed, 
and good-will to all: and fidelity to a truft, reverence to 
the inagiftrate, and obedience to the laws, are (culptured 
in capitals upon the pediment of our inftitution. Aild 
let us add, that, pervading, as we do, every clafs of the 
community, and every walk of life, and diffeminating our 
principles wherever we ftrike root, this addrefs may be 
confidered as fpenking, in epitome, the- fentiments of a 
people. 
Having thus attefted our principles, we have only to 
implore tlie Supreme Architect of the Univerfe, whofe al¬ 
mighty hand hath laid in the deep the firm foundation of 
this country’s greatnefs, and whole protecting fhield hath 
covered her amidft the crufli of nations, that he will con¬ 
tinue to flicker and fuftain her. May her fons be con¬ 
tented, and her daughters happy 1 and may your majelty— 
the immediate inltrument of her prefent profperity and 
power, to whom unbiaffed polterity (hall thus inferibe 
the column : 
To George, the Friend of the People, 
and Patron of the Arts which brighten and embellifti life, 
With your amiable Queen, and your royal Progeny, 
Long, long continue to be the bleffmg and the boalt of a 
grateful, happy, and united, people! 
Given, unanimoufly, in Grand Lodge, at Freemafons’ Hall, 
this 6th of February, 1793. (Signed) 
(Counterfigned) Rawdon, A.G.M. 
William White, G.S. Peter Parker, D. G.M. 
While proofs of the profperity of the fociety in England 
were univerfally fpread throughout the kingdom, accounts 
were daily tranfmitted of the rapid progrefs of the infti¬ 
tution in different parts of the world. Many dignified 
and refpedlable charaCIers had enrolled their names in the 
fraternity; amongft whom was the king of Sweden, who 
was initiated into the order at the Grand Lodge of Stock¬ 
holm, on the aad of March, 1793, under the aufpices of 
Charles duke of Sudermania, regent of the kingdom, who 
prefided as grand mailer on the occafion. 
The brethren in America at this period alfo feem to 
have been no lefs zealous in expreffmg a dutiful attach¬ 
ment to their patrons and proteClors ; for the Grand Lodge 
of the Commonwealth of Maffachufetts in North America, 
having nearly arranged their Conftitutions, tranfmitted a 
copy of them to General Wafhington, with the following 
Addrefs: 
Addrefs of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Mafons of the 
Commonwealth of Maffachufetts in North America , to their 
Brother George Washington. 
Whilfl the hiftorian is del'cribing the career of your 
glory, and the inhabitants of an extenfive empireare made 
happy in your unexampled exertions ; whilft fome cele¬ 
brate the hero fo diftinguifhed in liberating United Ame¬ 
rica, and others the patriot who prefides over her coun¬ 
cils; a band of brothers, having always joined the accla¬ 
mations of their countrymen, now teftify their refpeft for 
thofe milder virtues which have ever graced the man. 
Taught by the precepts of our fociety, that all its mem¬ 
bers Jland upon a level, we venture to affume this llation, 
and to approach you with that freedom which diminiflies 
our diffidence, without leffening our refpefl. Defirous to 
enlarge the boundaries of focial happinefs, and to vindi¬ 
cate the ceremonies of their inftitution, this Grand Lodge 
has publifhed “ A Book of Conftitutions,” (and a copy 
for your acceptance accompanies this,) which, by difeo- 
vering the principles that a&uate, will l'peak the eulogy 
