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Article ON FREEMASONRY. ← Page 7 of 7
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On Freemasonry.
than the mother . Odd numbers being masculine were considered perfect and applicable to the celestial gods , while even numbers , being female , were imperfect , ancl given to the terrestrial and infernal deities , Virgil has recorded several instances of this prediliction in favour of odd numbers . In his eighth Eclogue he says , —
Tenia tibi h _ cc primum triphei diversa colore Lieia circumd ; terque ha _ c altaria cireum Effigiem duco : Numero deos imparegaudet . Thus translated by Dryden— ¦ Around his wasen image first I wind Three woollen fillets of three colours join'd ; Thrice bind about his thrice devoted head , Which round the sacred altar thrice is led . Unequal numbers please the gods .
The eastern nations at the present day appear to reverse this principle . When two young persons are betrothed , the number of letters in each of their names is subtracted , the one from the other , and if the remainder be an even number , it is considered a favourable omen , but if it be odd , the inference is that the marriage will be unfortunate . There are some curious superstitions still existing in our own country in favour of particular numbers . A Scottish minister , who wrote a treatise witchcraft in 1705
on , says , " are there not some who cure diseases hy the charm of numbers , after the example of Balaam , who used magiam geometricam ?—build me here seven altars , and prepare me seven oxen and seven rams , & c . There are some witches who enjoin the sick to dip their shirt seven times in "water that runs towards the south . " Sir Henry Ellis has collected many instances of the use of odd numbersin his notes on Brand ' s Popular Antiquitiesto which the
, , curious reader is referred . The superstition of divination by number , called Arithmancy , ivas so firmly planted in the mind of man by the observances of ancient times , that it appears impossible entirely to eradicate it . An old writer quaintly remarks , on the authorities at the foot of the page ; s " I will not he superstitiously opinionated of the mysteries of numbers , though it be of longe standing amongst many learned men , neither will I positively affirm that the number of six is
fatall to women , and the numbers of seaven and nine to men , or that those numbers have ( as many have written ) , magnum in tota rerum natura potestatem , great power in kingdoms and comonwealths , in families , ages , of bodies , sickness , health , wealth , losse , & c ., or with Seneca and others , septimus quisque annus , & c . Each seaventh year is remarkable with men , as the sixth is with women . Or , as divines teach , that in the number of seaven there is a misticall perfection which our understandinge cannot attaine unto , and that nature herself is observant of this number . " I may probably resume this subject on a future occasion .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry.
than the mother . Odd numbers being masculine were considered perfect and applicable to the celestial gods , while even numbers , being female , were imperfect , ancl given to the terrestrial and infernal deities , Virgil has recorded several instances of this prediliction in favour of odd numbers . In his eighth Eclogue he says , —
Tenia tibi h _ cc primum triphei diversa colore Lieia circumd ; terque ha _ c altaria cireum Effigiem duco : Numero deos imparegaudet . Thus translated by Dryden— ¦ Around his wasen image first I wind Three woollen fillets of three colours join'd ; Thrice bind about his thrice devoted head , Which round the sacred altar thrice is led . Unequal numbers please the gods .
The eastern nations at the present day appear to reverse this principle . When two young persons are betrothed , the number of letters in each of their names is subtracted , the one from the other , and if the remainder be an even number , it is considered a favourable omen , but if it be odd , the inference is that the marriage will be unfortunate . There are some curious superstitions still existing in our own country in favour of particular numbers . A Scottish minister , who wrote a treatise witchcraft in 1705
on , says , " are there not some who cure diseases hy the charm of numbers , after the example of Balaam , who used magiam geometricam ?—build me here seven altars , and prepare me seven oxen and seven rams , & c . There are some witches who enjoin the sick to dip their shirt seven times in "water that runs towards the south . " Sir Henry Ellis has collected many instances of the use of odd numbersin his notes on Brand ' s Popular Antiquitiesto which the
, , curious reader is referred . The superstition of divination by number , called Arithmancy , ivas so firmly planted in the mind of man by the observances of ancient times , that it appears impossible entirely to eradicate it . An old writer quaintly remarks , on the authorities at the foot of the page ; s " I will not he superstitiously opinionated of the mysteries of numbers , though it be of longe standing amongst many learned men , neither will I positively affirm that the number of six is
fatall to women , and the numbers of seaven and nine to men , or that those numbers have ( as many have written ) , magnum in tota rerum natura potestatem , great power in kingdoms and comonwealths , in families , ages , of bodies , sickness , health , wealth , losse , & c ., or with Seneca and others , septimus quisque annus , & c . Each seaventh year is remarkable with men , as the sixth is with women . Or , as divines teach , that in the number of seaven there is a misticall perfection which our understandinge cannot attaine unto , and that nature herself is observant of this number . " I may probably resume this subject on a future occasion .