University of Virginia Library

Ambition prompts my grov'ling muse t'aspire
To touch the highest string in Nature's lyre;
Tho' like Apollo's heedless son, I may,
Grow giddy in my flight, and lose my way.

May rural Muses poise my flutt'ring wing,
While these few lines on Masonry I sing!
If ought by me sam'd Masonry could raise,
My pen would fondly celebrate its praise:
I'd sing its glory in each age and place,
And from its rise its ancient beauties trace;
Since monuments, and bright records of fame,
Illustrate to the world a Mason's Name.

What matchless patrons honour Masonry,
As sacred writ and hist'ry testify?
To set aside the Builder of this All,
Who is the first and great Original;
Who gives all wisdom, and instructs mankind
All useful arts and science out to find:
Yet notwithstanding, and with reverence, we
May say that he did honour Masonry
More than all arts found by the human race,
And long before invention first took place:
Yea, the most High, the God of heaven and earth,
Who spake, and all from nothing's womb came forth,
Himself assum'd, and justly too may claim,
The title of a Master Builder's name.
He laid the earth's foundations on the sea,
So firm and sure that mov'd it cannot be.
He built the lofty rocks and mountains high,
Under whose shades the beasts might shelter'd ly
From scorching heat of Phœbus sultry beams,
The only storehouse of fresh water streams:
He rais'd the arches of ætherial sky,
Under whose vaults the winged fowls might fly.
Nine spacious spheres, wherein the planets move,
The footstool of his glorious seat above,
Which (as by sacred writ we're plainly told)
He built of jasper and of purest gold.
Thus Masonry's original took place,
When all this world was nought but empty space.

Next man was made lieutenant-lord of all,
Productive of this great terrestrial ball;
Endu'd with reason, and each faculty
Resembling the most sacred Deity;
Inspir'd with wisdom, able to invent
Accommodations for his own content:
He'd first endeavour, doubtless, to procure
A shelter for's repose, to rest secure;
A natural instinct, whereby brutes purchase
(To cherish nature) a quiet resting place.

But man more wise, especially that man
Who gave his sons of every art the plan,
Beyond all dispute he did houses build,
Before the earth was either sown or til'd.

But Adam's son, first-born of all mankind,
Improv'd the art of Masonry, we find,
A city built for trade and government,
Wild anarchy and factions to prevent;
Trade, government and civil laws, we see,
Owe their beginning unto Masonry.

The seventh from Adam, fam'd in Masonry,
Secur'd the art to all posterity,
By building pillars, which yet extant stand,
As monuments wrought by his artful hand;
One of prov'd brick, the other stone secure,
That one might flames, the other floods endure;
Whereon he wrote a certain prophecy:
Thus writing is deriv'd from Masonry.

When all the world corrupted was with sin,
There was one faithful Mason found therein;
Yea, when all flesh was by a flood destroy'd,
He did find grace, and was by God employ'd
To build an ark, to preach, and warning give,
That so his brethren might repent and live.
As sacred records plainly do express,
He was a preacher of pure righteousness:
Preaching, as well as other arts, we see,
Took its first rise from ancient Masonry,

All artists, with their various craft and cunning,
Could not prevent or save themselves from drowning,
Save him, and his own family; no moe,
Exempted was from that dire overthrow:
Thus Masonry, true Masonry, was found
Still to exist, when all things else were drown'd.

To satisfy the critic's curious eye,
The sacred writ will plainly testify,
That he a Mason's character and name
Might fairly own, and as his honour claim:
Not by the ark he built; for carpenters
Might challenge that, that patronage was theirs;
But soon as he set foot upon dry land,
On Mason's art he first essays his hand,
And built an altar, whereon, as a priest,
He offer'd sacrifice of each clean beast;
Whereat Jehovah smelt so sweet a savour,
That made him promise to the world a Saviour;
And as a sign he would no more destroy,
Nor with a flood his creatures more annoy,
He set his bow upon the clouds, to shew
His gracious purpose stands for ever true.

Thus miter'd heads that wear the sacred gown,
Are not asham'd fam'd Masonry to own;
Even Moses, meekest of the human race,
This honourable art he did embrace;
He hew'd and squar'd two tables fair of stone,
And the decalogue God did write thereon.

Mechanic arts, and lib'ral science, all
From Masonry had their original;
Tho' some, whose judgment groundless fancy sway,
Say, it was founded first on geometry.
The rule and square, chiefly the compass show,
From Masonry all other arts must flow.
The compass sure belongs to Masonry,
And comprehends all in the world that be:
It seems by compass all things first were made,
And nature still is by a compass sway'd:
So that, without all dispute, Masonry
Of other arts has the pre-em'nency.

After the deluge men began to spread,
And study commerce, science, arts and trade;
They, to secure that one of Masonry
To after ages in its purity,
They made a word, and nam'd it Secrecy.

Thence handed down it was by a Memphian swain,
By whom its derivations were made plain;
He, as a faithful and accepted Mason,
Taught a Tyrenian's son the sacred lesson;
Who was the most accomplish'd in his art,
And acted still a faithful Mason's part.
To his companion of renowned fame,
Worthy to bear a faithful Mason's name,
He freely did communicate the same:
Who, in his progress, on a time, by chance,
Found one, who after wore the crown of France,
And taught him all the myst'ry of that art,
Which he acquir'd in every point and part:
By him this art and myst'ry did revive,
And with new glory in that kingdom live:

From whence it was to England introduc'd,
And made to flourish at the king's request;
Who, by a royal charter and decree,
Fix'd an assembly every year to be
At York, where all accepted Brothers met,
The rules of Masonry to regulate;
By whose example and authority,
Lodges were form'd and manag'd conjunctly.

Hail, mighty art! whose wondrous glory shines,
Outfacing time and proudest monarchs reigns:
In every nation, structures of great fame
The Mason's art and glory do proclaim:
Witness the Memphian pyramids, which stand
The world's wonders, pride of Egypt land:
Diana's temple, the Ephesians trust,
Fame's residence, all Asia's great boast.
That richer building of Mausolus' tomb,
And many structures both in Greece and Rome;
And Babylon's prodigious walls may seem
T'illustrate to the world a Mason's name.
Besides, the temple at Jerusalem,
The Jewish glory, and the pride of fame:
Walls, bulwarks, forts and tow'rs of sure defence,
Shew forth the Mason's great experience.
What lofty arches over rivers stand,
Securely fix'd by Mason's artful hand,
Where all may walk safe as upon dry-land?
Sailors in midst of Mason's art safe rides
From hurricanes, and the tempestuous tides.
All cities, castles, forts and churches stand,
As monuments wrought by the Mason's hand.
The mighty works, by Masons fram'd of old,
In golden letters ever stand inroll'd.
Kings, emperors, and princes have been proud,
In every age to have themselves allow'd
The name of Mason; and rejoiced more
To wear that badge, than all they had before.