life. As architecture could only be preceded by agriculture itself, it must have been in this science that the first efforts of human skill were tried; and in which man must have first experienced success in extending his dominions over the works of nature. The first archi

tects, therefore, would be philosophers. They alone required the assistance of art; and they alone would endeavour to obtain it. The information which was acquired individually, would be imparted to others of the same profession; and an association would be formed for the mutual communication of knowledge, and the mutual improveinent of its members. In order to preserve among themselves that information which they alone collected; in order to excite amongst others a higher degree of respect for their profession, and prevent the intrusion of those who were ignorant of architecture, and, consequently, could not promote the object of the institution, appropriate words and signs would be communicated to its members; and significant ceremonies would be performed at their initiation, that their engagement to secrecy might be impressed upon their minds, and greater regard excited for the information they were to receive. Nor is this mere speculation; there exist at this day, in the desarts of Egypt, such monuments of architecture, as must have been reared in those early ages, which precede the records of authentic history; and the erection of these stupendous

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pendous fabrics, must have required an acquaintance with the mechanical arts, which is not in the possession of modern architects. It is an undoubted fact, also, that there existed, in these days, a particular association of men, to whom scientific knowledge was confined, and who resembled the society of Free Masons in every thing but the name.

IN Egypt, and those countries of Asia which lie contiguous to that favoured kingdom, the arts and sciences were cultivated with success, while other nations were involved in ignorance: It is here, therefore, that Free Masonry would flourish, and here only can we discover marks of its existence in the remotest ages. It is extremely probable, that the first, and the only object of the Society of Masons, was the mutual communication of knowledge connected with their profession; and that those only would gain admittance into their Order, whose labours were subsidiary to those of the architect. But when the ambition or vanity of the Egyptian priests prompted them to erect huge and expensive fabrics, for celebrating the worship of their Gods, or perpetuating the memory of their kings, they would naturally desire to participate in that scientific knowledge, which was possessed by the architects they employed; and as the sacerdotal or der seldom fail, among a superstitious people, to gain the objects of their ambition, they would,

in this case, succeed in their attempts, and be initiated into the mysteries, as well as instructed in the science of Free Masons. These remarks will not only assist us in discovering the source, from which the Egyptian priests derived that knowledge, for which they have been so highly celebrated; they will aid us also in accounting for those changes which were superinduced on the forms of Free Masonry, and for the admission of men into the Order, whose professions had no connection with the royal art.

WHEN the Egyptian priests had, in this manner, procured admission into the Society of Free Masons, they connected the mythology of their country, and their metaphysical speculations concerning the nature of God, and the condition of man, with an association formed for the exclusive purpose of scientific improvement, and produced that combination of science and theology which, in after ages, formed such a conspicuous part of the principles of Free Masonry.

THE knowledge of the Egyptians was carefully concealed from the vulgar; and when the priests did condescend to communicate it to the learned men of other nations, it was conferred in symbols and hieroglyphics, accompanied with particular rites and ceremonies, marking the value of the gift they bestowed. What those ceremonies were, which were performed at initiation in

toTM

to the Egyptian mysteries, we are unable, at this distance of time, to determine. But as the Eleusinian and other mysteries had their origin in Egypt, we may be able, perhaps, to discover the qualities of the fountain, by examining the nature of the stream.

THE immense population of Egypt, conjoined with other causes, occasioned frequent emigrations from that enlightened country. In this manner it became the centre of civilization, and introduced into the most distant and savage climes, the sublime mysteries of its religion, and those important discoveries and useful inventions, which originated in the ingenuity of its inhabitants. The first colony of the Egyptians that arrived in Greece, was conducted by Inachus, about nineteen hundred and seventy years before the Christian æra; and about three centuries afterwards, he was followed by Cecrops, Cadmus, and Danaus*. The savage inhabitants of Greece beheld with astonishment the magical tricks of the Egyptians; and regarded as gods those skilful adventurers, who communicated to them the arts and sciences of their native landt. In this manner were sown

those

* Voyage du Jeune Anacharsis en Grece, 4to. tom. i. p. 2. Cecrops arrived in Attica in 1657, B. C. Cadmus came from Phenicia to Beotia in 1594, B. C. and Danaus to Argolis in 1586, B. C.

Bochart Geograph. Sac. lib. i. cap. 20. Herodotus, lib. i. cap. 58. Robertson's Hist. Antient Greece, p. 45, 46,

those seeds of improvement, which, in future exalted exalted Greece to such pre-eminence among the nations.

ages,

AFTER the Egyptian colonies had obtained a secure settlement in their new territories, and were freed from those uneasy apprehensions, which generally trouble the invaders of a foreign land; they instituted, after the manner of their ancestors, particular festivals or mysteries, in honour of those, who had benefited their country by arts or by arms. In the reign of Ericthonius, about fifteen hundred years before the commencement of our æra*, the Eleusinian mysteries were instituted in honour of Ceres, who, haying come to Greece in quest of her daughter, resided with Triptolemus at Eleusis, and instructed him in the knowledge of agriculture, and in the still more important knowledge of a future state.

ABOUT the same time, the Panathenea were instituted in honour of Minerva, and the Dionysian mysteries in honour of Bacchus, who invented theatres, and instructed the Greeks in many useful arts, but particularly in the culture of the vine.

*Robertson's Greece, p. 58, 59.

+ Isocrates Paneg. t. I. p. 132.

Polydor. Virg. de Rerum Invent. lib. 3. cap. 13.