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Freemasonry； yet have either copied it； or actually sprung out of
it。 In England； Freemasonry never was； it seems； more than a
liberal and respectable benefit…club； for secret societies are
needless for any further purposes； amid free institutions and a free
press。 But on the Continent during the eighteenth century；
Freemasonry excited profound suspicion and fear on the part of
statesmen who knew perfectly well their friends from their foes； and
whose precautions were； from their point of view； justified by the
results。
I shall not enter into the deep question of the origin of
Freemasonry。 One uninitiate； as I am； has no right to give an
opinion on the great questions of the mediaeval lodge of Kilwinning
and its Scotch degrees； on the seven Templars； who； after poor
Jacques Molay was burnt at Paris； took refuge on the Isle of Mull；
in Scotland； found there another Templar and brother Mason；
ominously named Harris； took to the trowel in earnest； and revived
the Order；on the Masons who built Magdeburg Cathedral in 876； on
the English Masons assembled in Pagan times by 〃St。 Albone； that
worthy knight；〃 on the revival of English Masonry by Edwin； son of
Athelstan； on Magnus Grecus； who had been at the building of
Solomon's Temple； and taught Masonry to Charles Martel； on the
pillars Jachin and Boaz； on the masonry of Hiram of Tyre； and indeed
of Adam himself； of whose first fig…leaf the masonic apron may be a
typeon all these matters I dare no more decide than on the making
of the Trojan Horse； the birth of Romulus and Remus； or the
incarnation of Vishnoo。
All I dare say is； that Freemasonry emerges in its present form into
history and fact； seemingly about the beginning of George I。's
reign； among Englishmen and noblemen； notably in four lodges in the
city of London： （1） at The Goose and Gridiron alehouse in St。
Paul's Churchyard； （2） at The Crown alehouse near Drury Lane； （3） at
The Apple Tree tavern near Covent Garden； （4） at The Rummer and
Grapes tavern； in Charnel Row； Westminster。 That its principles
were brotherly love and good fellowship； which included in those
days port； sherry； claret； and punch； that it was founded on the
ground of mere humanity； in every sense of the word； being （as was
to be expected from the temper of the times） both aristocratic and
liberal； admitting to its ranks virtuous gentlemen 〃obliged；〃 says
an old charge； 〃only to that religion wherein all men agree； leaving
their particular opinions to themselves： that is； to be good men
and true； or men of honour and honesty； by whatever denominations or
persuasions they may be distinguished； whereby Masonry becomes the
centre of union and means of conciliating true friendship among
persons that otherwise must have remained at a distance。〃
Little did the honest gentlemen who established or re…established
their society on these grounds； and fenced it with quaint
ceremonies； old or new； conceive the importance of their own act；
we； looking at it from a distance； may see all that such a society
involved； which was quite new to the world just then； and see； that
it was the very child of the Ancien Regimeof a time when men were
growing weary of the violent factions； political and spiritual；
which had torn Europe in pieces for more than a century； and longed
to say： 〃After all； we are all alike in one thingfor we are at
least men。〃
Its spread through England and Scotland； and the seceding bodies
which arose from it； as well as the supposed Jacobite tendency of
certain Scotch lodges； do not concern us here。 The point
interesting to us just now is； that Freemasonry was imported to the
Continent exclusively by English and Scotch gentlemen and noblemen。
Lord Derwentwater is said by some to have founded the 〃Loge
Anglaise〃 in Paris in 1725； the Duke of Richmond one in his own
castle of Aubigny shortly after。 It was through Hanoverian
influence that the movement seems to have spread into Germany。 In
1733； for instance； the English Grand Master； Lord Strathmore；
permitted eleven German gentlemen and good brethren to form a lodge
in Hamburg。 Into this English Society was Frederick the Great； when
Crown Prince； initiated； in spite of strict old Frederick William's
objections； who had heard of it as an English invention of
irreligious tendency。 Francis I。 of Austria was made a Freemason at
the Hague； Lord Chesterfield being in the chair； and then became a
Master in London under the name of 〃Brother Lothringen；〃 to the
discontent of Maria Theresa； whose woman's wit saw farther than her
husband。 Englishmen and Scotchmen introduced the new society into
Russia and into Geneva。 Sweden and Poland seem to have received it
from France； while； in the South； it seems to have been exclusively
an English plant。 Sackville； Duke of Middlesex； is said to have
founded the first lodge at Florence in 1733； Lord Coleraine at
Gibraltar and Madrid； one Gordon in Portugal； and everywhere； at the
commencement of the movement； we find either London or Scotland the
mother…lodges； introducing on the Continent those liberal and humane
ideas of which England was then considered； to her glory； as the
only home left on earth。
But； alas！ the seed sown grew up into strange shapes； according to
the soil in which it rooted。 False doctrine； heresy； and schism；
according to Herr Findel； the learned and rational historian whom I
have chiefly followed； defiled the new Church from its infancy。 〃In
France；〃 so he bemoans himself； 〃first of all there shot up that
baneful seed of lies and frauds； of vanity and presumption； of
hatred and discord； the mischievous high degrees； the misstatement
that our order was allied to the Templars； and existed at the time
of the Crusades； the removal of old charges； the bringing in
surreptitiously of a multitude of symbols and forms which awoke the
love of secrecy； knighthood； and； in fact； all which tended to
poison Freemasonry。〃 Herr Findel seems to attribute these evils
principally to the 〃high degrees。〃 It would have been more simple
to have attributed them to the morals of the French noblesse in the
days of Louis Quinze。 What could a corrupt tree bring forth； but
corrupt fruit？ If some of the early lodges； like those of 〃La
Felicite〃 and 〃L'Ancre；〃 to which women were admitted； resembled not
a little the Bacchic mysteries of old Rome； and like them called for
the interference of the police； still no great reform was to be
expected； when those Sovereign Masonic Princes； the 〃Emperors of the
East and West；〃 quarrelledknights of the East against knights of
the Westtill they were absorbed or crushed by the Lodge 〃Grand
Orient；〃 with Philippe Egalite； Duc de Chartres； as their grand
master； and as his representative； the hero of the diamond necklace；
and disciple of Count CagliostroLouis； Prince de Rohan。
But if Freemasonry； among the frivolous and sensual French noblesse；
became utterly frivolous and sensual itself； it took a deeper；
though a questionably fantastic form； among the more serious and
earnest German nobility。 Forgetful as they too often were of their
duty to their peoplestyrannical； extravagant； debauched by French
opinions； French fashions； French luxuries； till they had begun to
despise their native speech； their native literature； almost their
native land； and to hide their native homeliness under a clumsy
varnish of French outside civilisation； which the years 1807…13
rubbed off them again with a brush of ironthey were yet Germans at
heart； and that German instinct for the unseencall it enthusiasm；
mysticism； what you will； you cannot make it anything but a human
fact； and a most powerful； and （as I hold） most blessed factthat
instinct for the unseen； I say； which gives peculiar value to German
philosophy； poetry； art； religion； and above all to German family
life； and which is just the complement needed to prevent our English
common…sense； matter…of…fact Lockism from degenerating into
materialismthat was only lying hidden； but not dead； in the German
spirit。
With the Germans； therefore； Freemasonry assumed a nobler and more
earnest shape。 Dropping； very soon； that Lockite and Philosophe
tone which had perhaps recommended it to Frederick the Great in his
youth； it became mediaevalist and mystic。 It craved after a
resuscitation of old chivalrous spirit； and the virtues of the
knightly ideal； and the old German biederkeit und tapferkeit； which
were all defiled and overlaid by French fopperies。 And not in vain；
as no struggle after a noble aim； however confused or fantastic； is
ever in vain。 Freemasonry was the direct parent of the Tugenbund；
and of those secret societies which freed Germany from Napoleon。
Whatever follies young members of them may have committed； whatever
Jahn and his Turnerei； whatever the iron youths； with their iron
decorations and iron boot…heels； whatever； in a word； may have been
said o