incorporated by the descendants of Noah into every new system formed by the varying fancies of vicious and designing men; hence its universality as a speculative or an operative pursuit; its essence continued visible amidst the fluctuations of all religious systems, and was more or less expanded as they approximated to, or diverged from, the only true plan of divine worship.

PERIOD IV.

CHAPTER VII.

On Symbolical Instruction.

THE great end and design of Masonry is to make men virtuous and happy by the inculcation of moral precepts, enforced by the most engaging considerations that can be presented to the mind. The medium of instruction used by our ancient brethren, and still preserved pure and unimpaired, was by visible symbols, in which precepts of morality were curiously enfolded, and veiled from common observation. Thus, in the Egyptian hieroglyphics, a child, an old man, a hawk, a fish, and a river-horse, properly arranged, were intended to express this precept: “Let all mankind, from youth to old age, know that the gods hate impudence."1

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1 The discoveries which have been made in Egypt since the first edition of this work was printed have rendered the above interpretation questionable. Spineto says, "Our knowledge of hieroglyphics amounted literally to nothing, when the French government sent an expedition into Egypt, most liberally provided with a select body of antiquaries and architects, surveyors, naturalists, and draughtsmen, to discover, copy, and carry away all that was fitted to explain the scientific and literary knowledge of that country. On their return, they published a splendid account of

"In this hieroglyphic system, the hero gods not only represented and were symbols of the supreme gods and subordinate deities, but they had each their animal symbol, to represent their peculiar power, energy, and administration; and their figures were compounded of one part or other of their symbols, to express more sensibly the natural effects of divine energy attributed to them. Thus Osiris, when he represented the power and all-seeing providence of the supreme being, had a human body with a hawk's head, and a sceptre in his hand, and decorated with the other regalia or ensigns of royalty. Orus was represented with a staff or pillar, the capital of which was surmounted by the head of the upupa, to signify, by the variegated feathers of that bird, the beautiful variety of the Creation. In one of his hands he held a lituus, to denote the harmony of the system; and a gnomon in the other, to shew the perfect proportion of its parts. Behind him was a triangle inscribed in a circle, to signify that the world was made by the unerring wisdom of God. He had sometimes a cornucopia in his hand, to denote the fertility and production of the earth.”2

their labours, in which all the perfection and elegance which can possibly belong to printing and engraving have been exhibited; and nothing can exceed the fidelity and exactness with which the several MSS. and inscriptions have been represented." From this period the interpretation of Egyptian hieroglyphics has assumed the form of a system; and Champollion has furnished a regular series of hieroglyphical characters, which are capable of being used phonetically, or as the letters of an alphabet, and apply to most of the cases of hieroglyphics which occur on the monuments of that country. (See the Theocratic Philosophy, p. 123.)

2 Smith's Use and Abuse of Masonry.

This method of communicating instruction was absolutely necessary in the Pythagorean school, where each probationer was enjoined a five years' silence. A great precept of this school was xváμæv άлexéσbα, abstain from beans. This was principally intended as a persuasive to continence, and to refrain from the contagion of illicit amours: for Pythagoras inculcated science upon his disciples as the best incentive to the practice of moral virtue. This emblematical species of instruction was equally delicate and just, and served to inspire the mind with the noble ardour of emulation, and love of truth and virtue. The precepts of Pythagoras were, indeed, all veiled in allegory: for Jamblichus saith," "He used to propound an infinite number of significations to his disciples by short and pithy sentences, in a symbolical manner. The most divine Pythagoras wrapped up sparks of truth, for such as could kindle them, in a concise way of speech, treasuring up in hidden sentences most abundant theories, as prλÓTYS, ioórns, friendship, equality; xóopos, world or heaven, and the famous word tetractys."

3 Jamblichus, cap. 29, p. 146.

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4 Some of the most celebrated symbols of Pythagoras are thus explained by Jamblichus:-" Sacrifice and worship barefoot," signifies that, in the worship of God, we ought to divest ourselves of those passions which degrade our nature, and go into his presence pure and uncontaminated by any human defilement. Keep a tongue of good report, following the gods," carries its own explanation with it. Take off your right shoe first, but put your left foot first into the basin," is an earnest recommendation to prudence and activity; that good actions may be performed, and bad ones rejected. 'Pass not over a balance," recommends justice and temperance in every pursuit.

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"The first Hermes," says the Chevalier Ramsay, "invented the ingenious art of expressing all sorts of sounds by the different combinations of a few letters; an invention most wonderful for its simplicity, but not sufficiently admired, because it is common besides this manner of writing, there was another, which was consecrated to divine things, and which few persons understood. Trismegistus expressed the virtues and the passions of the soul, the actions and the attributes of the gods, by the figures of animals, insects, plants, stars, and divers other symbolical characters: hence it is, that sphynxes, serpents, birds, and crocodiles were placed in their ancient temples, and upon their obelisks; but these were not the objects of their worship. Trismegistus concealed the mysteries of religion under hieroglyphics and allegories, and exposed nothing to the eyes of the vulgar but the beauties of his morality. This has been the method of the sages in all times, and of the great legislators in all countries: these divine men were sensible that corrupted minds could have no relish for heavenly truths till the heart was purified from its passions; for which reason they spread over religion a secret veil, which opens and vanishes when the eyes of the understanding are able to support its brightness." 5

not the image of God in a ring," refers to the immateriality of the gods, who ought to be worshipped without any visible symbol. Take not every one by the right hand," that is, contract not friendship with the uninitiated, but confine your esteem to those who, by long trial and probation, have been found faithful and worthy of your confidence.

• Travels of Cyrus, 1. 3.