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Article THE RETROSPECT. ← Page 3 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Retrospect.
money , adopts the proverbial mode of obtaining it by any means , adding , in his case , to the questionable maxim , that as ^ all is fair in love and in war , a publisher need not be over-scrupulous in pushing trade . We probably might have been altogether silent upon the
issue of Mr . Reid ' s explorations , deep and scientific as they may be , had not the aforesaid publisher dispatched a copy to a London periodical , the editor of which rejoices in giving further publicity to these " Illustrations of Social Depravity , " and tacks thereto some additional opinions of his
own . We will not even quarrel with this second opponent ; the article may have proved a god-send to him , and he may be thankful to Mr . Reid for enabling him to do what we believe no other editor , of any periodical would have done but himself—retail , at second hand , abusive
vituperation against a system , of which he confesses , by every line of his argument , to be in hopeless ignorance . It is altogether an unseemly co-partnery , and perfectly innocent of that gentlemanly feeling which frequently renders discussion so agreeable , even where there may exist great difference of opinion .
It is nothing new to be told that there are many persons , aye , and estimable persons , too , who hold Freemasonry in disrepute , if not in contempt . —Is there anything wonderful in this ? Dubious of benefits received and conferred in
secret , they may have listened to some tales of its occasional abuse , they may have heard that some man who has forfeited his claims to respectability in society was a member of the Order , and not caring about the necessity of an honest investigation , have expressed their opinion of
Freemasonry , where they should have expressed their opinion of the man , * and for this simple reason—no person can doubt the utter impossibility that every member of any society whatever can possess those exemptions from temptations to
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Retrospect.
money , adopts the proverbial mode of obtaining it by any means , adding , in his case , to the questionable maxim , that as ^ all is fair in love and in war , a publisher need not be over-scrupulous in pushing trade . We probably might have been altogether silent upon the
issue of Mr . Reid ' s explorations , deep and scientific as they may be , had not the aforesaid publisher dispatched a copy to a London periodical , the editor of which rejoices in giving further publicity to these " Illustrations of Social Depravity , " and tacks thereto some additional opinions of his
own . We will not even quarrel with this second opponent ; the article may have proved a god-send to him , and he may be thankful to Mr . Reid for enabling him to do what we believe no other editor , of any periodical would have done but himself—retail , at second hand , abusive
vituperation against a system , of which he confesses , by every line of his argument , to be in hopeless ignorance . It is altogether an unseemly co-partnery , and perfectly innocent of that gentlemanly feeling which frequently renders discussion so agreeable , even where there may exist great difference of opinion .
It is nothing new to be told that there are many persons , aye , and estimable persons , too , who hold Freemasonry in disrepute , if not in contempt . —Is there anything wonderful in this ? Dubious of benefits received and conferred in
secret , they may have listened to some tales of its occasional abuse , they may have heard that some man who has forfeited his claims to respectability in society was a member of the Order , and not caring about the necessity of an honest investigation , have expressed their opinion of
Freemasonry , where they should have expressed their opinion of the man , * and for this simple reason—no person can doubt the utter impossibility that every member of any society whatever can possess those exemptions from temptations to