Frontispieces To The Book Of Constitutions.

Mosaic pavement at her feel are various Masonic emblems . The view of the City of London , including St . Paul ' s Cathedral , the Monument , and many of the churches ascribed to Sir Christopher Wren , together with a portion of Old London Bridge , may have been intended to represent Architecture , while the busy scene on the river and the

distant shipping may have reference to Trade and Navigation , or to the Commercial Prosperity of the Metropolis of England . This plate bears the imprints Boilard , dcliu . B . Cole , sculp , el dcdil . Louis Pierre Boitard was a French engraver of considerable

celebrity , who came to London when quite young with his father , he died in 175 8 "; probably therefore this plate was amongst the last of his works . Benjamin Cole was the engraver and publisher of the Lists of Lodges for many years ; he also engraved other Masonic subjects , several of which are in the Grand Lodge Library .

We are on more familiar ground in dealing with the beautiful Frontispiece to what is generally known as the Constitutions of 1784 , although it was not really published until two years later , in consequence of the plate for the Frontispiece not being ready at the time specified . This delay may be accounted for by the fact that four of the most

eminent and popular artists of the period were engaged in its production , viz .: G . B . Cipriani , Thomas Sandby , Francesco Bartolozzi , and James Fittler . The three first named were Royal Academicians and members of the Craft ; they presented their portions of the work to the Grand Lodge for the benefit of the Fund of Charity . The

conception of the design may be attributed to Sandby and Cipriani , the former being the architect of the Hall , and holding the office , in Grand Lodge , of Grand Architect . Sandby , no doubt , draughted the architectural portion of the work , which was engraved by Fittler , while Cipriani is

responsible for the allegorical figures engraved by Bartolozzi . The following letter , written by Thomas Sandby , dated January nth , 1786 , refers to the Frontispiece , and may not

FIIONTISI'IKL'K TO CONSTITUTIONS , I 7 sl . Ili-i' / imi / xizr , » , in . I'll l \ in .

be without interest , especially as it has not previously been printed : — " DKAU SIK , —I have this moment received your letter with Mr . Heseltine's description of the Frontispiece , which I think very well drawn up and is all that need be said on the

subject . I think the print well executed , but a proof should have been sent to me in time whereon I might have given some touches to improve the effect . I sent Mr . Cipriani an indigested Idea for the Table and its furniture , imagining he would have improved the hint , but find my own was adopted .

The Instrument for which you cannot find a name I fear has not been copied from a real one , which I meant for an airpump , the exact form of which I could not recollect . In short , my sketch was carelessly done , that Cipriani might have pumped up some of his better Ideas for the purpose . " I am , with all brotherl y love , Yours , " T . SAXDHV . "

The following is Air . Heseltine ' s description referred to in the foregoing letter : — " The architectural part represents Free-Masons' Hall . The uppermost figure is Truth , holding a mirrour which reflects its rays on divers ornaments of the Hall , and also on

the Globes and other Masonic Furniture and Implements of the Lodge . Truth is attended by the three Theological Virtues : Faith , Hope , and Charit y ; under these the Genius of Masonry , commissioned by Truth and her Attendants , is descending into the Hall bearing a lighted Torch ; she is

decorated with some of the Masonic Emblems , and on her arm hangs a ribbon with a Medal pendant , with which she is to invest the Grand Master , in token of the Divine approbation of a Building sacred to Charity and Benevolence . " While on the subject of this Frontispiece it may be as

well to rectify an error in connection therewith . I find that some of the later impressions of the plate bear the name of P . Sandby instead of T . Sandby as in the earlier ones . I would suggest as an explanation that the plate was re-touched by a fresh engraver , and the names being very faint , he

probably mistook the T for a P , or was more familiar with the name of Paul Sandby than he was with that of his brother Thomas , and concluded that the previous engraver had been mistaken . A similar error appears in the case of Fittler , a T being substituted for J . So far as I have been able to

ascertain , Paul Sandby had nothing whatever to do with this plate , nor was there ever an engraver in England bearing the name of T . Fittler or Fitler .

The fourth and last Frontispiece is the least known of the series , inasmuch as it has never been published , by reason of the book which it was intended to adorn not having been completed . Prior to 1815 , all previous editions of the Constitutions had contained a history of Masonry from the Creation down

to the period of publication , in imitation , no doubt , of the practice of the Operative Masons , who prefaced their rules and orders in a similar manner . After the Union of the former rival Grand Lodges in December , 1813 , it wa . s deemed advisable to promulgate as

early as possible the new Constitutions of the United Grand Lodge . Accordingly in 1815 , part the second , containing the rules and regulations only , was issued to the Craft to remain in force for three years , and then to be subject to revision . Meanwhile it had been arranged that a learned and eminent

brother ( the Rev . George Adam Browne , M . A . ) should revise the lirst or historical part and continue it down to 1815 . This , however , was never done , although the historical matter contained in the preceding edition was reprinted , but does not seem to have got further than final proofs . In 181 : 5

the Duke of Sussex , then Grand Master , on his own responsibility , gave orders for a Frontispiece lo be prepared bv Bro . R . W . Silvester , engraver to the Grand Lodge , uncle of the late Bro . R . S . Warrington , and founder of the business in Garrick Street , now known as Warrington and Company . Owing to various alterations and delays , the plate was not finished until April , 1822 , when Bro . Silvester sent in his bill for £ 73 1 os ., payment of which ' was deferred on the