Observations on Free Masonry; with a Masonic vision. Addressed, by a lady in Worcester, to her female friend. ; [Nine lines of verse]

OBSERVATIONS ON FREE MASONRY.

AS you are no ſtranger, Madam, to my enthuſiaſtic opinion, that Morpheus is frequently accompanied by ſome ſupernatural companion, in his midnight wanderings, I flatter myſelf that you will indulge me with the peruſal of one of my moon light excurſions. The maſonic figures can be explained by your reſpectable companion, who, from principles of benevolence, will not refuſe to gratify you; and perhaps, Madam, it may occaſion your becoming a convert to a good opinion of the ſublime art.

The dreary ſeaſon, ill health, and a depreſſion of ſpirits which unfits me for ſociciety, occaſion my devoting a part of my time to dreaming. And what is life, but a dream? Half the world appears to moſt advantage when aſleep; and I am one of that number.

The Right Worſhipful Maſter, after peruſing the encloſed, (ſhould he confer upon me that honor) will, with his uſual pleaſantry, I expect, aſk when I was initiated. I anſwer—At my birth. Faith, Hope and Charity preſided: Wiſdom, Strength and Beauty refuſed to attend. And, with unuſual care and attention, my three godmothers, ere the dawn of reaſon expanded my ideas, laid the foundation of a maſonic ſtructure, Benevolence and Philanthropy, in my breaſt. Are there not Miltons at the plough, and Stateſmen in the field? And why not Maſoneſſes at the toilet? If ſecrecy in charity, and diſpoſitions to oblige a neighbor or a friend, are pillars of the Craft, our ſex may vie with a Solomon, a Hiram, or the beſt ancient or modern maſter builders, in raiſing them.

The ſublime inſtitution of Maſonry, I fancy, was ordained by the wiſe Architect of the univerſal Lodge, to level the maſculine character of the other ſex with the feminine ſoftneſs of ours; by tempering Courage, Fortitude and Gravity, with Candor, Benevolence and Charity, and cementing them with Friendſhip, Senſibility and Affection. Were our ſex admitted into the ſociety, it would counteract the grand deſign, as we have generally too great a proportion of thoſe delicate feelings, in our compoſition, for our own happineſs. The ſcience of Maſonry, I view as a refined ſtudy of nature, entirely diveſted of thoſe inſidious arts, that (from their ſecrecy, order, and ſigns, by which the Brethren diſcover themſelves to each other) many judicious perſons, of both ſexes, have been led to believe they practiſe. It is a ſcience, that is both uſeful and inſtructive. It refines the underſtanding, ſoftens the manners, blends together every virtue of the human heart, and teaches us to diſtinguiſh between the favors of fortune, and real merit. Maſonry has been ſtiled the "Daughter of Heaven, Patroneſs of the liberal arts, that poliſh and adorn the mind," &c.

As we naturally eſteem our companions, in proportion as they excel us in knowledge, Is it not happy for us, that Maſonry is confined to man? Happy, thrice happy, would it have been for her deſcendants, if Madam Eve, inſtead of taſting the apple, had politely preſented it to her ſpouſe. This miſtake was never rectified, till the eaſtern Monarch was inſpired with the ideas of building a temple, founding a Lodge, and conſecrating it as ſacred forever from the old lady's female deſcendants. But we enjoy this pleaſing conſolation, that it has a tendency to attach them to our ſex—"Next to the Deity," ſays a Right Worſhipful Maſter, at the cloſe of a charge to his Lodge, "whom can I ſo properly addreſs myſelf to, as to the moſt beautiful part of the creation. The ſanction of the fair is our higheſt ambition; to preſerve it will be our greateſt care." And although flattery may be termed a foible, (if the Honorable Fraternity will pardon the expreſſion) in ſome inſtances, in this in particular, it appears a virtue. "Honey," ſays the proverb, "has caught more flies than vinegar;" and who is proof againſt the charm of adulation, when the alluring bait is ſo delicately gilt.

To be ſerious. A good Maſon may be compared to a reſpectable Divine. The lectures of the former, and the precepts of the latter, are equally intereſting. One inſtructs us in the principles of morality; the other explains the myſteries of divinity: Both point to the ſame grand view—the temple of Virtue. The three ſteps of this noble edifice, Juſtice, Love and Mercy, it is in our power to aſcend; and were we clothed with Wiſdom, Strength and Beauty, and adorned with Faith and Charity, reclining on Hope, we might extend our proſpect, and, with the aid of three times three, be introduced into the Royal Arch of Safety, which would preſerve us from the dangerous ſhoals and quickſands of folly and diſſipation, upon which ſo many of the vain and thoughtleſs, of both ſexes, ſuffer ſhipwreck.

A good Maſon muſt be a good man; and a good man is a Maſon. Upon the pillars of Juſtice, Benevolence, and Humility, he raiſes an edifice, which will remain firm as the adamantine rock. Slander may attack •• s walls, Malice aſſault its battlements, and Calumny batter its ſpacious roof, but all in vain. I • will remain impregnable, when the pillars of the univerſe are ſhaken, "and the great globe itſelf, like the baſeleſs fabric of a viſion," vaniſhes at the command of the Almighty Architect. Borne up on thoſe pillars, amidſt a chaos of nature, he will arrive at the ſummit of happineſs, in the celeſtial manſions of peace and harmony, and gain admiſſion into the "Univerſal Lodge," founded at the creation; whoſe Grand Maſter ſits enthroned in light and glory, and ſurveys the hearts of all at one view; whoſe Lodge is ſtiled the Holy of Holies; where all diſtinctions are annihilated— the Knight Templar levelled with the Entered Apprentice, the Royal Arch with the Fellow Craft, and the widow's ſon rank no higher than her daughters, provided th • latter are clothed in their neceſſary •• wels, Innocence and Virtue. Thoſe brilliant ornaments will entitle them to the p •• u • it of "Well done"—the "heavenly paſs word" to the realms of bliſs.

A MASONIC VISION. Bright Wiſdom, from his awful throne, Bid darkneſs to withdraw: No ſooner ſaid, but it was done, And then great things I ſaw.

IN conſequence of an invitation from one of the members of the Honorable Fraternity, the other evening, to viſit a Lodge, my thoughts were engaged with the ſubject of ſuch a viſit, and I fell into a moſt profound reverie. By the aſſiſtance of Morpheus, I was conveyed, in a moment, to the Morning Star;The name of the Lodge at Worceſter. the Lodge was tyled; the S— S—m, or court cabinet, was unlocked, and the emblems of the Royal Art properly arranged and diſplayed; the murdered Knight roſe from the awful ſilence of the tomb, and ſeated himſelf upon the left hand of his Royal Maſter, while his name ſake, to complete the order, ſat upon his right; the Senior and Junior Grand Wardens, agreeably to their ancient cuſtom, were placed in the Eaſt and Weſt; the tapers were eclipſed amidſt a blaze of jewels, which were excelled only by the bright luminary of heaven in meridian ſplendor. No eloquence can convey an idea of the beauty, order, and harmony, which reigned. Like the glory of the apoſtle's third heaven, it could not be revealed. They were ſuch, indeed, as the eye of the uninitiated hath not ſeen, nor hath it entered into the heart of a cowan to conceive. But my impatience for information exceeded all bounds. I aſked for the ſigns of the different orders of entered, paſſed, raiſed and arched. But I aſked in vain.—No voice was heard.—A univerſal ſilence reigned.—I then began to fancy myſelf with the diſciples of Pythagoras, or that the grand ſecret of Maſonry was to become ſpeechleſs.

After admiring their prudence in excluding females, (for it would be ſcarcely poſſible for the different ſexes to aſſemble and keep ſilence, even in heaven, for half an hour,) I acknowledge I began to fancy a ſilent heaven no heaven for me; and meditated an eſcape: When, lo!— Sacred to heaven, behold, the dome appears, See what auguſt ſolemnity it wears! In a moment, as if by enchantment, appeared a beautiful fabric, whoſe baſe was Benevolence, and whoſe ſtrength was Peace and Harmony. The Plumbline, Square and Compaſſes, were placed upon the Treſſel Board, as emblems of the proportion of the deſign. On a beautiful column ſat Faith, Hope and Charity, viewing Misfortune. On another reclined Wiſdom, Strength and Beauty, caſting a benignant ſmile upon thoſe benefactors of mankind. Here, regardleſs of the awful ſilence that reigned, I exclaimed with the Oratorio, Angels themſelves have deign'd to deck the frame, Behold they come upon the wings of light, And with their ſhining veſtments cheer the ſight. To heaven's high Architect all praiſe, All gratitude be given, Who deign'd the human ſoul to raiſe, By ſecrets ſprung from heaven.

I was proceeding in this rapturous ſtrain, when Phoebus, who had juſt mounted his golden car, diſplayed his ſplendid rays upon my pillow, and I awoke, as much confuſed in my ideas, perhaps, as an entered Apprentice, when juſt introduced from darkneſs into light; but with the pleaſing conſolation, that I was not intruſted with thoſe profound ſecrets, ſo eſſential to preſerve the art.

To all, who Maſonry deſpiſe, This counſel I beſtow, Don't ridicule, if you are wiſe, A ſecret you don't know. From ignorance alone proceeds, A mean opinion of their deeds.