92 
never could have formed from partial in- 
ftances general conclufions, againit an in- 
itution which evidently appears to be in- 
capable of the evil they have charged it 
with. Its conftitutional principles are di- 
ametrically oppofite to thofe dc&trincs and 
practices which we are told have lately 
diftinguithed its members in foreign parts. 
‘The above-mentioned authers have ex- 
onerated the maions of thefe. kingdoms 
from the heinous crimes with which they 
tax their brethren abroad. It is remark- 
able, however, that the learned profeffor, 
who is himfeli a mafon, and has travelled, 
cannot fpeak any thing on this fubject 
upon his own knowledge. He draws his 
information chiefly from anonymous, and 
that too very fufpicious, authority. The 
furious and credulous Germans, who have 
told the moft horrible tales of the Mumi- 
mées, are, in his eyes, infallible judges, 
_ from whom there is noappeal. The Ab- 
be’s fupports are of equal credit. ‘They 
have, it is true, difcovered that many dif- 
tinguifhed anarchifts and infidels were 
mations, they have learnt that thefe men 
affociated much together, and were warm 
partizans of mafonry ; by putting all thefe 
things together, which feparately are 
nothing at all, they have formed, in their 
fertile imagination, this dreadful conceit = 
that mafonry has been one of the chief 
engines ufed in our times for the deftruc- 
ion of political and religious order. 
Tt happens that I, as well as Mr. Ro- 
BISON, have been a member of this wide- 
{pread fociety, for many years. My cp- 
portunities of information have been as 
ext.niive and as numerous as his; and 
my zeal for improvement (if it may be fo 
termed) in mafonry has equalled that of 
the moft enthufiaftic brother of the {ocial 
band. Now what ftrikes me as wonder- 
ful is, that none of the many obfervin 
brethren of our country fkould have had 
difcerniment enough to difcover 
rible perverfion cf the inf@itution, duri is 
the freedom and fecrecy of their inter. 
courie with foreign mafons? It is a bad 
compliment .to their underfandinzs to 
fay, that they were duped by faperior 
cunning, and that the foreicn mafons fte- 
ing them net yet fufficiently preparcd for 
their refined ftate of improvement, were 
careful not to communicate to them any 
information refpecting it. The fa&, how- 
ever, is, that the utmoft familiarity has 
been of late years kept up between the 
Britith and foreign maYons; but whence 
is it, that ina body fo extenfively nume- 
rous, not one Abdiei has been found to 
found the alarm, te expof tie apoitacy 
Mi sfiaiements of Robifon ana Barruel. 
this hor- ; 
‘rate, 
[ Aug. 
of his fellows, and to call the attention 
of his brethren to the dangerons ftate of 
their inftitution ?—The obligations of the 
order, fo far frora prohibiting fuch a dif- 
covery, would fanction and would abfo- 
lutely demand it. 
From thefe remarks it will be feen, 
either that the accounts given of the fate 
of mafonry by thefe authors are wild and 
ridiculous, or elfe, that the whole fociety 
is made up of hypocrites, knaves, aad 
fools. The laf conclufion no one will 
readily admit, who fhall turn his atten- 
ticn to the lift of eminent brethren that 
at prefent ornaments the fociety in this 
kingdom, to fay nothing of Scotland, 
Ireland, and America. 
Having thus fuggefted thefe few ob- 
fervations, to clear this celebrated order 
from the wanton charges brought againft 
it, of its being favourable to edition and 
infidelity, I fhall, with equal franknefs, 
mention a few particulars refpecting its 
prefent ftate, and thofe abufes which have 
crept into it. 
Till the middle of the prefent century, 
Free-Mafonry was regarded as an inftitu- 
tion of peculiar value, from the refpecta- 
bility of its members, from their extreme 
caution in guarding their myfteries, and 
from the figall number,comparatively,who _ 
were admitted to the knowledge of them. 
At length, when the grand lodge, inorder 
to enhance its importance and to increafe 
its fund, fatally becan to grant warrants 
for conftituting lodges at a lefs charge 
and with lefs caution, men of inferior 
conditions and of indifferent charaéters, 
got into the fociety.—Corruption foon ex- 
tends itfeif.. Ledges being now generally 
held in taverns and alehoules, degenerated 
inso convivial meetings, and little recom- 
mendation was requifite to get introduced. 
This declenfion from firft principles, was 
not confined to the ordinary ledges, but 
manifefted itfelf even in thofe of feperior 
rank. When Dr. Deizculiers and Martin 
Folkes prefided, {cience and decorum were 
ftri€tly attended to, and- philefophical 
le€tures were given in the principal lodges 
in Londen.. About the period firft al. 
luded to, this practice was difcontinued, 
and no fcience was to be found ina lodge 
except in the apparatus which ornamented 
it. Ihe multiplication of lodges, and, 
consequently of mafons,went on at a rapid 
Every little town had its ledge, 
and, what was ftill worfe, moft of the 
marching regiments, difflolute men, who, 
in tne cant phrafe, are fond of fociety, 
and needy men who want bufinefs, got 
themielyes initiated for no other pumpele 
than 
