The " Gould " Testimonial.

THE " GOULD " TESTIMONIAL .

IN our last issue we published a preliminary announcement in regard to a Testimonial it is proposed to raise to Bro . R . F . Gould , the well-known Masonic writer . It is not often that such a suggestion as is there set forth meets with so much strong support in its earliest days as this proposal has

already received , and the hearty manner in which the rulers of the Craft have come forward with their names to swell the Committee list of the Fund induces us to believe that the Testimonial will ultimately assume proportions worthy of the brother for whom it is intended , and become a fitting tribute to the importance of the work he has performed . It

would be very difficult to estimate the value of the labour which Bro . Gould has undertaken for Freemasonry , or to guage the services he has rendered to

the literature of the Craft ; it may truly be said , in the words of the circular announcing the proposed Testimonial , that since the production of his " History of Freemasonry " "it is no longer

possible to affirm , as has been constantly done by foes and friends alike , that the great body of Freemasons are without a reliable and critical history of their society . " This being the case , we have at once a fair

incentive for our labours , and at the same time—we may almost add : —a debt of gratitude to discharge , which the proposal now under consideration affords a ready means of satisfying .

Bro . Gould ' s latest experience in the field of literature—that in connection with his " History of Freemasonry" —has been of a somewhat disappointing character , and after the great labour and research

which he must have undertaken in the compilation of his work , we can well understand how grievous must be the disappointment he now feels . Bobbed , by death , of his original publisher—the late Mr . Jack .

who was at once a personal and a business friend —he had difficulties to surmount from the outset which under more favourable circumstances

might not have arisen , but the most severe blow to his hopes came from the other side the Atlantic , where , as our readers are aware , his work has been reproduced , both without sanction and withouthi-mo-incr — —

, „ . oo him any pecuniary reward . We shall not here attempt any dissertation on the moral obligations which should be recognised as existing among business men throughout the world , irrespective of the actual laws which govern their respective countries . As the

matter now stands there is nothing to prevent the reproduction of an English book in America , or of an American book in England ; still , while it is thus possible to repay our American cousins in their own coin , it seldom happens that it is possible

ior the English author whose work has been pirated in America to recoup himself by a similar course in regard to an American publication . But this course is sometimes open , and we know of a case where

The " Gould " Testimonial.

it was done , with the result that the American authors , who were the first to transgress , were by far the loudest in complaining , and they were not at all particular in regard to the terms they used in exposing what they were pleased to term the wholesale robbery of which they had been the victims . They even went

so far as to forget that they were the original offenders , and as a matter of fact had taken moreboth in quantity and quality—than they were deprived of in exchange . Our readers mav think we are

digressing from our subject , but we recount these facts ashaving come under our personal observation—they but strengthen the case which has been made out against the American pirates on behalf of

Brother Robert Freke Gould . The fact , however , remains , —after years of labour Bro . Gould finds the naturally to be expected return for his labours taken from him , and when he protests , he is met , not with

sympatny , out witn actual aouse tor navmg ciarea to complain of what must be regarded as wholesale robbery , notwithstanding the laws of the respective countries concerned do not recognise it as such . If

no other argument could be found in support of the Testimonial which is now being raised to Bro . Gould , we still think this would be sufficient to ensure for it universal sympathy and general cooperation , but there are other matters equally worthy of being taken into account , all of which should

conduce to the desired end . First and foremost among them is the fact we have already referred to , that Bro . Gould has removed the stigma that previously attached to the great body of Freemasons , thai tbpv wprfi " wit . bmit n . rfilin . blp . n . nrl p . ri +. irtfi . l

history of their society . " This alone should ensure for his Testimonial the support of every brother who takes more than a superficial interest in the Masonic Order . It is one thing to lay claim to a great antiquity , and to boast of the doings of our forefathers ,

but quite another matter when we are put in the position of proving what we boast of , and are able to silence ridicule or objection by a carefully compiled and well authenticated historv . English Freemasons

w * - _ * are now in this happy position , that in Bro . Gould ' s " History " they have a work which enables them to prove statements which had hitherto been open to strong doubt and objection . Is it then asking too much when the members of the Order are invited

to support a Testimonial which is proposed as a recognition of this great work , or unreasonable to expect that it will meet a more than local encouragement ? "We have so far refrained from mentioning either of the previous works issued by Bro . Gould , but it is not because thev are undeserving of commendation . In

his "Four Old Lodges , " and " The Atholl Lodges , " Bro . Gould performed good service to Freemasonry , and we do not think we are disclosing any secret when we say that he has reaped no reward for the

labour thus entailed . It must not , however , be thought that we consider this proposed Testimonial as actual payment for the work he has performed . It should