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anything to fear from revolutions； eagerly came to the rescue of the
established faith。〃 Surely there was no talk of revolutions； no wish；
expressed or concealed； to overthrow either government or society； in the
aristocratic clique to whom English infidelity was confined。 Such was； at
least； the opinion of Voltaire； who boasted that 〃All the works of the
modern philosophers together would never make as much noise in the
world as was made in former days by the disputes of the Cordeliers about
the shape of their sleeves and hoods。〃 If （as M。 de Tocqueville says）
Bolingbroke set up Voltaire； neither master nor pupil had any more leaning
than Hobbes had toward a democracy which was not dreaded in those days
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because it had never been heard of。 And if （as M。 de Tocqueville heartily
allows） the English apologists of Christianity triumphed； at least for the
time being； the cause of their triumph must be sought in the plain fact that
such men as Berkeley； Butler； and Paley； each according to his light；
fought the battle fairly； on the common ground of reason and philosophy；
instead of on that of tradition and authority； and that the forms of
Christianity current in Englandwhether Quaker； Puritan； or Anglican
offended； less than that current in France； the common…sense and the
human instincts of the many； or of the sceptics themselves。＇
But the eighteenth century saw another movement； all the more
powerful； perhaps； because it was continually changing its shape； even its
purpose； and gaining fresh life and fresh adherents with every change。
Propagated at first by men of the school of Locke； it became at last a
protest against the materialism of that school； on behalf of all that is； or
calls itself； supernatural and mysterious。 Abjuring； and honestly； all
politics； it found itself sucked into the political whirlpool in spite of itself；
as all human interests which have any life in them must be at last。 It
became an active promoter of the Revolution； then it helped to destroy the
Revolution； when that had； under Napoleon； become a levelling despotism；
then it helped； as actively； to keep revolutionary principles alive； after the
reaction of 1815：a Protean institution； whose power we in England are as
apt to undervalue as the governments of the Continent were apt； during the
eighteenth century； to exaggerate it。 I mean； of course； Freemasonry； and
the secret societies which； honestly and honourably disowned by
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
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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
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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； Duk