explained; the creation of the world is defcribed, and many particulars recited, all of which have been carefully preferved among mafons, and tranfmitted from one age to another, by oral tradition.

Circumftances of great importance to the fraternity are here particularized, and many traditional tenets and customs confirmed by facred and profane record. The celeftial and terreftrial globes are confidered; and here the accomplished gentleman may display his talents to advantage, in the ucidation of the Orders of Architecture, the Senses of human nature, and the liberal Arts and Sciences, which are feverally claffed in a regular arrangement. In fhort, this fection contains a store of valuable knowledge, founded on reafon and facred record, both entertaining and inftructive.

Masonry is confidered under two denominations; operative and fpeculative.

Operative Mafonry.

By operative masonry we allude to a proper application of the ufeful rules of architecture, whence a structure will derive figure, ftrength, and beauty, and whence will refult a due proportion and a juft correfpondence in all its parts. It furnishes us with dwellings, and convenient fhelters from the viciffitudes and inclemencies of the seasons; and while it displays the effects of human wifdom, as well in the choice as in the arrangement of the fundry materials of which an edifice is compofed, it demonstrates that a

fund of science and industry is implanted in man for the beft, moft falutary, and beneficent purposes.

Speculative Mafonry.

By fpeculative mafonry we learn to fubdue the paffions, act upon the fquare, keep a tongue of good report, maintain fecrecy, and practise charity. It is fo far interwoven with religion, as to lay us under obligations to pay that rational homage to the Deity, which at once conftitutes our duty and our happiness. It leads the contemplative to view with reverence and admiration the glorious works of the creation, and infpires him with the moft exalted ideas of the perfections of his divine Creator.

In fix days God created the heavens and the earth, and rested upon the feventh day; the feventh, therefore, our ancient brethren confecrated as a day of reft from their labours, thereby enjoying frequent opportunities to contemplate the glorious works of the creation, and to adore their great Creator.

The doctrine of the spheres is included in the fcience of aftronomy, and particularly confidered in this fection.

Of the GLOBES.

The globes are two artificial spherical bodies, on the convex furface of which are represented the countries, feas, and various parts of the earth, the face of the heavens, the planetary revolutions, and other particulars.

The fphere, with the parts of the earth delineated on its surface, is called the terreftrial globe; and that, with the conftellations, and other heavenly bodies, the celeftial globe.

The Ufe of the Globes.

Their principal use, beside serving as maps to diftinguish the outward parts of the earth, and the fituation of the fixed ftars, is to illuftrate and explain the phenomena arifing from the annual revolution, and the diurnal rotation, of the earth round its own axis. They are the nobleft inftruments for improving the mind, and giving it the moft diftinct idea of any problem or propofition, as well as enabling it to folve the fame. Contemplating these bodies, we are inspired with a due reverence for the Deity and his works, and are induced to encourage the studies of aftronomy, geography, navigation, and the arts dependent on them, by which fociety has been fo much benefited.

The orders of architecture come under confideration in this fection; a brief description of them may therefore not be improper.

Of ORDER in ARCHITECTURE.

By order in architecture, is meant a system of all the members, proportions and ornaments of columns and pilafters; or, it is a regular arrangement of the projecting parts of a building, which, united with thofe of a column, form a beautiful, perfect and complete whole.

Of its Antiquity.

From the first formation of fociety, order in architecture may be traced. be traced. When the rigour of seasons obliged men to contrive shelter from the inclemency of the weather, we learn that they first planted trees on end, and then laidothers acrofs, to fupport a covering. The bands, which connected thofe trees at top and bottom, are faid to have given rife to the idea of the base and capital of pillars; and from this fimple hint originally proceeded the more improved art of architecture.

The five orders are thus claffed: the Tufcan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Compofite.

The Tuscan

Is the most simple and folid of the five orders.. It was invented in Tuscany, whence it derives its name. Its column is seven diameters high; and its capital, base and entablature have but few mouldings. The fimplicity of the conftruction of this column renders it eligible where ornament would be fuperfluous.

The Doric,

Which is plain and natural, is the most ancient, and was invented by the Greeks. Its column is eight diameters high, and has seldom any ornaments on bafe or capital, except mouldings; though the frieze is diftinguished by triglyphs and metopes, and triglyphs compofe the

ornaments of the frieze. The folid compofition of this order gives it a preference, in ftructures where ftrength and noble fimplicity are chiefly required.

The Doric is the beft proportioned of all the orders. The feveral parts, of which it is compofed, are founded on the natural pofition of folid bodies. In its firft invention it was more fimple than in its prefent ftate. In after times, when it began to be adorned, it gained the name of Doric; for when it was conftructed in its primitive and fimple form, the name of Tufcan was conferred on it. Hence the Tufcan precedes the Doric in rank, on account of its re femblance to that pillar in its original ftate.

The Ionic

Bears a kind of mean proportion between the more folid and delicate orders. Its column is nine diameters high; its capital is adorned with volutes, and its cornice has dentals. There is both delicacy and ingenuity difplayed in this pillar; the invention of which is attributed to the Ionians, as the famous temple of Diana at Ephefus was of this order. It is faid to have been formed after the model of an agreeable young woman, of an elegant fhape, dreffed in her hair; as a contraft to the Doric order, which was formed after that of a rong, robust

man.

The Corinthian,

The richeft of the five orders, is deemed a masterpiece of art. Its column is ten diameters