按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 or done amiss； in that childishness which （as their own wisest
writers often lament） so often defaces the noble childlikeness of
the German spirit； let it be always remembered that under the
impulse first given by Freemasonry； as much as that given by such
heroes as Stein and Scharnhorst； Germany shook off the chains which
had fallen on her in her sleep； and stood once more at Leipsic； were
it but for a moment； a free people alike in body and in soul。
Remembering this； and the solid benefits which Germany owed to
Masonic influences； one shrinks from saying much of the
extravagances in which its Masonry indulged before the French
Revolution。 Yet they are so characteristic of the age； so
significant to the student of human nature； that they must be hinted
at； though not detailed。
It is clear that Masonry was at first a movement confined to the
aristocracy； or at least to the most educated classes； and clear；
too； that it fell in with a temper of mind unsatisfied with the dry
dogmatism into whi