-
Articles/Ads
Article ARE NOT AUTHORS GENERALLY FREEMASONS ? Page 1 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Are Not Authors Generally Freemasons ?
ARE NOT AUTHORS GENERALLY FREEMASONS ?
WHEN we entered , in our last number , on the examination of the question as to whether authors were not generally Freemasons , we had not prepared ourselves for the reception of the multifarious evidence that has since crowded in upon us ; but the task is gratifying , and although the republication of the proofs may not test our own originality , they will serve at least to amuse our readers . The public press often rejoices in sly hints at our Order—sometimes playfully , sometimes satirically . The
following extract is from the " Times , " of the 19 th of May : — " There is an old form of the House of Commons , which provides that if any member take notice that strangers are present , they must instantly retire , reporters and all . Of this form Mr . John O'Connell took advantage last night . The House of Commons was actuall y ' tiled in' like a Freemasons' lodge for a couple of hours , by the judicious interference of this bright ornament of the British senate . "
We now present two lectures from the delightful Mrs Caudle , whose sisterly kindness cannot be too highly appreciated : certain it is that none but a Mason could have written this goodnatured satire , that does no discredit to the head and heart of Brother Douglas Jerrold . We had intended to have merely extracted , but the "dots and jots" grew so upon us that we elected to give them entire .
LECTURE vm . —Caudle has been made a Mason . —Mrs . Caudle indignant and curious . —Now , Mr . Caudle—Mr . Caudle , I say : oh ! you can ' t be asleep already , I know—now , what I mean to say is this ; there ' s no use , none at ah , in our having any disturbance about the matter ; hut , at last my mind ' s made up , Mr . Caudle ; I shall leave you . Either I know all you ' ve been doing to-night , or to-morrow morning I quit the house . No , no ; there ' s an end of the marriage-state , I think—an end
of all confidence between man and wife—if a husband ' s to have secrets and keep ' em all to himself . Pretty secrets they must be , when his own wife can ' t know ' em . Not fit for any decent person to know , I ' m sure , if that ' s the case . Now , Caudle , don ' t let us quarrel ; there ' s a good soul , tell me what ' s it all about ? A pack of nonsense , I dare say ; still —not that I care much about it—still , I should like to know . There ' s a dear . Eh ? Oh , don ' t tell me there ' s nothing in it ; I know better .
I ' m not a fool , Mr . Caudle ; I know there ' s a good deal in it . Now , Caudle ; just tell me a little bit of it . I ' m sure I 'd tell you anything . You know I would . Well ? " Caudle , you ' re enough to vex a saint ! Now , don ' t you think you ' re
going to sleep ; because you re not . Do you suppose I d ever suffered you to go and be made a Mason , if I didn ' t suppose I was to know the secret , too ? Not that it ' s anything to know , I dare say ; and that ' s ¦ wh y I ' rn determined to know it . " But I know what it is ; oh yes , there can be no doubt . The secret is , to ill-use poor women ; to tyrannise over ' em ; to make ' em your slaves ; especially your wives . It must be something of the sort , or you wouldn ' t be ashamed to have it known . What ' s riht and never
g proper need be done in secret . It ' s an insult to a woman for a man to be a Freemason , and let his wife know nothing of it . But , poor soul ! she ' s sure to know it somehow—for nice husbands they all make . Yes , yes ; a part of the secret is to think better of all the world than their own wives and families . I ' m sure men have quite enough to care for—that is , if they act properly—to care for them they have at home . They can ' t have much care to spare for the world besides .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Are Not Authors Generally Freemasons ?
ARE NOT AUTHORS GENERALLY FREEMASONS ?
WHEN we entered , in our last number , on the examination of the question as to whether authors were not generally Freemasons , we had not prepared ourselves for the reception of the multifarious evidence that has since crowded in upon us ; but the task is gratifying , and although the republication of the proofs may not test our own originality , they will serve at least to amuse our readers . The public press often rejoices in sly hints at our Order—sometimes playfully , sometimes satirically . The
following extract is from the " Times , " of the 19 th of May : — " There is an old form of the House of Commons , which provides that if any member take notice that strangers are present , they must instantly retire , reporters and all . Of this form Mr . John O'Connell took advantage last night . The House of Commons was actuall y ' tiled in' like a Freemasons' lodge for a couple of hours , by the judicious interference of this bright ornament of the British senate . "
We now present two lectures from the delightful Mrs Caudle , whose sisterly kindness cannot be too highly appreciated : certain it is that none but a Mason could have written this goodnatured satire , that does no discredit to the head and heart of Brother Douglas Jerrold . We had intended to have merely extracted , but the "dots and jots" grew so upon us that we elected to give them entire .
LECTURE vm . —Caudle has been made a Mason . —Mrs . Caudle indignant and curious . —Now , Mr . Caudle—Mr . Caudle , I say : oh ! you can ' t be asleep already , I know—now , what I mean to say is this ; there ' s no use , none at ah , in our having any disturbance about the matter ; hut , at last my mind ' s made up , Mr . Caudle ; I shall leave you . Either I know all you ' ve been doing to-night , or to-morrow morning I quit the house . No , no ; there ' s an end of the marriage-state , I think—an end
of all confidence between man and wife—if a husband ' s to have secrets and keep ' em all to himself . Pretty secrets they must be , when his own wife can ' t know ' em . Not fit for any decent person to know , I ' m sure , if that ' s the case . Now , Caudle , don ' t let us quarrel ; there ' s a good soul , tell me what ' s it all about ? A pack of nonsense , I dare say ; still —not that I care much about it—still , I should like to know . There ' s a dear . Eh ? Oh , don ' t tell me there ' s nothing in it ; I know better .
I ' m not a fool , Mr . Caudle ; I know there ' s a good deal in it . Now , Caudle ; just tell me a little bit of it . I ' m sure I 'd tell you anything . You know I would . Well ? " Caudle , you ' re enough to vex a saint ! Now , don ' t you think you ' re
going to sleep ; because you re not . Do you suppose I d ever suffered you to go and be made a Mason , if I didn ' t suppose I was to know the secret , too ? Not that it ' s anything to know , I dare say ; and that ' s ¦ wh y I ' rn determined to know it . " But I know what it is ; oh yes , there can be no doubt . The secret is , to ill-use poor women ; to tyrannise over ' em ; to make ' em your slaves ; especially your wives . It must be something of the sort , or you wouldn ' t be ashamed to have it known . What ' s riht and never
g proper need be done in secret . It ' s an insult to a woman for a man to be a Freemason , and let his wife know nothing of it . But , poor soul ! she ' s sure to know it somehow—for nice husbands they all make . Yes , yes ; a part of the secret is to think better of all the world than their own wives and families . I ' m sure men have quite enough to care for—that is , if they act properly—to care for them they have at home . They can ' t have much care to spare for the world besides .