II. "Long Livers"^ is " a curious history of such persons of both sexes who have liv'd several

ages, and grown young again ; " and professes to contain " the rare secret of Eejuvenescency." It is dedicated — and with this dedication or preface we are alone concerned — " to the Grand Master, Masters, Wardens, and Brethren of the Most Antient and Most Honourable Fraternity of the Freemasons of Great Britain and Ireland." The introductory portion then proceeds : *
" Men, Brethren, —
" I address myself to you after this Manner, because it is the true Language of the Brother- hood, and which the primitive Christian Brethren, as well as those who were from the Beginning, made use of, as we learn from the holy Scriptures, and an uninterrupted Tradition."
" I present you with the following Sheets, as belonging more properly to you than any [one] else. By what I here say, those of you who are not far illuminated, wlio stand in the outward Place, and are not worthy to look behind the Veil, may find no disagreeable or unprofitable Entertainment : and those who are so happy as to have greater Light, will discover under those Shadows somewhat truly great and noble, and worthy the serious Attention of a Genius the most elevated and sublime : The Spiritual Celestial Cube, the only true, solid and immoveable Basis and Foundation of all Knowledge, Peace, and Hap^jiness." . ■ . . ■ . . ' .
" Remember that you are the Salt of the Earth, the Light of the World, and the Fire of the Universe. Ye are living Stones, built up [in] a spiritual House, who believe and rely ou the chief Lajiis Angidaris. . ' . You are called from Darkness to Light." . • . . • .
[A considerable portion of the preface is here omitted. The writer moralises at very great length, and throughout several pages the only observation bearing, however remotely, upon the subject-matter of the current chapter, is his suggestion that legal pettifoggers, or " "Vermin of the Law," should be " for ever excluded the Congregation of the Faithful," and " their names rased for ever 02it of the Book M." from which — disregarding all speculation with reference to his hatred of the lawyers — some readers may infer that the idea of a Booh 31.* had been copied from the Fraternity of the Eosie Cross, by the society he was addressing.]
"And now, my Brethren, you of the higher Class, permit me a few Words, since you are but few ; and these few Words I shall speak to you in Eiddles, because to you it is given to know those Mysteries which are hidden from the Unworthy."
" Have you not seen then, my dearest Brethren, that stupendous Bath, filled with most limpid Water. . * . . • . Its Form is a Quadrate sublimely placed on six others, blazing all with celestial Jewels, each angularly supported with four Lions. Here repose our mighty King and Queen (I speak foolishly, I am not worthy to be of you), the King shining in his
* Although much abridged, the ipsisdma verba of the Rev. A. F. A. 'Woodford are preserved throughout.
* "London: printed for J. Holland at the Bible and Ball, in St Paul's Churchyard, and L. Stokoe at Charing Cross, 1722."
3 The passages italicised are those which have been most frequently quoted in support of the theory that onr preseiit system of Freemasonry was directly influenced by earlier Hermetic societies.
* Jink, p. 100.
EARLY BRITISH FREEMASONRY— ENGLAND. 125
glorious Apparel of transparent incorruptible Gold, beset with living Sapphires ; he is fair and ruddy, and feeds amongst the Lillies ; his Eyes two Carbuncles ; . • . his large flowing Hair, blacker than the deepest Black; . •. . •. his Eoyal Consort, vested in Tissue of immortal Silver, watered with Emeralds, Pearl, and Coral. 0 mystical Union ! O admirable Commerce ! "
" Cast now your Eyes to the Basis of this celestial Structure, and you will discover just before it a large Bason of Porphyrian Marble, receiving from the Mouth of a large Lion's Head . ■ . . • . a greenish Fountain of liquid Jasper. Ponder this well, and consider. Haunt no more the Woods and Forests ; (I speak as a Fool) hunt no more the fleet Hart ; let the flying Eagle fly unobserved ; busy yourselves no longer with the dancing Ideot, swollen Toads, and his own Tail-devouring Dragon ; leave these as Elements to your Tyrones."
" The Object of your Wishes and Desires (some of you perhaps have obtained it, I speak as a Fool) is that admirable thing which hath a Substance neither too fiery, nor altogether earthy, nor simply watery. . • . . " . In short, that One only Thing besides which there is no
other, the blessed and most sacred Subject of the Square of wise Men, that is 1 had almost
blabbed it out, and been sacrilegiously perjured. I shall therefore speak of it with a Circum- locution yet more dark and obscure, that none but the Sons of Science, and those who are illuminated with the suUimest Mysteries and profoundest Secrets of Masonry may understand,
It is then, what brings you, my dearest Brethren, to that pellucid, diaphanous Palace of
the true disinterested Lovers of Wisdom, that transparent Pyramid of purple Salt, more sparkling and radiant than the finest Orient Euby, in the centre of which reposes inaccessible Light epitomiz'd, that incorruptible celestial Fire, blazing like burning Crystal, and brighter than the Sun in his fuU Meridian Glories, which is that immortal, eternal, never-dying PYEOPUS, the King of Gemms, whence proceeds everything that is great, and wise, and
happy." . • . . • . . • .
" Many are called, Few chosen." . • . . " . . • . Amen.
" EUGENIUS PniLALETHES, Jun., F.E.S. "March 1st, 1721."
The author of " Long Livers " was Eobert Samber, a prolific writer, but who seems to have made his greatest mark as a translator. Two of his translations— published in his own name —are dedicated to members of the Montague family, one to the Duke, the other to his daughter. Lady Mary.^ The title of " Long Livers " states it to be by " Eugenius Philalethes, Jun.," author of a " Treatise of the Plague." The latter work, published in 1721, is also dedicated to the Duke of Montague, and the preface abounds with the same mystical and Hermetic jargon as that of which I have just given examples. A brief illustration of this will suffice.
" A true Believer will not reveal to anyone his Good Works, but to such only to whom it may belong. . • . . • . This elevates us to the highest Degrees of true Glory, and makes us
1 Amongst his miscellaneous works may he named, " Koma Illustrata," 1722, and an "Essay in Verse to the Memoiy of E. Russell, late Earlof Oxford, 1731." He also translated "A Method of Studying Physic " (H. Boerhaave), 1719 ; "The Courtier " (Count B. Castiglioue), 1729; "The Devout Christian's Hourly Companion " (H. Drexellius), 1716; "The Discreet Princess, or the Adventures of Finetta " (reprinted 1818) ; " Que Hundred New Court Fables " (H. de la Motte), 1721 ; "Memoirs of the Dutch Trade in all the States of the World," 2d ed., 1719; and " Nicetas " (H. Drexellius), 1633. Some of the dates are not givcu, and the last apparently refers to the year of original publication.
126 EARLY BRITISH FREEMASONRY— ENGLAND.
equal with Kings. It is tlie most pretious and most valuable Jewel in the World : a Jewel of Great Price, redder and more sparkling than the finest Eubies, more transparent than the purest Chrystal of the Eock, brighter than the Sun, Shining in Darkness, and is the Light of the World, and the Salt and Fire of the Universe."
Eugenius Philalethes ^ — i.e., Eobert Samber — also exhorts his Grace " to do good to his poor Brethren." It is certain that Samber received many kindnesses at the hands of the Duke — indeed, this is placed beyond doubt by the expressions of gratitude which occur in the preface of one of his translations,- dedicated to the same patron. He says : " Divine Providence has given me this happy opportunity publickly to acknowledge the great obligations I lye under to your Grace, for these signal favours which you, my Lord, in that manner of conferring benefits so peculiar to yourself, so much resembling Heaven, and with such a liberal hand, without any pompous ostentation or sound of trumpet, had the goodness, in private, to bestow on me ; " and concludes by styling the Duke " the best of Masters, the best of Friends, and the best of Benefactors." This preface, which is dated Jan. 1, 1723, and signed " Eobert Samber," brings us back very nearly to the period when " Long Livers," or at least its dedication, was written, viz., March 1, 1721 — i.e., 172| ^ — or, according to the New Style, 1722, in which year, it should be recollected, the Duke of Montague was at tlie head of the English Craft. Now, in my judgment, nothing seems more natural than that Samber — himself an earnest Freemason, as his exhortations to the Fraternity abundantly testify — should seize the opportunity of coupling his gratitude towards his patron, with his affection for the Society to which they commonly belonged, by a complimentary address to the " Grand Master and Brethren of the Most Honourable Fraternity of the Freemasons of Great Britain and Ireland."
In this connection, indeed, it must not be forgotten that the Duke was a most popular ruler.* From 1717 to 1721 the Freemasons were longing to have a " Noble Brother at their Head," until which period only did they, from the very first establishment of the Grand Lodge, contemplate choosing a Grand Master "from among themsehes," ^ as Anderson somewhat quaintly expresses it. "At the Grand Lodge held on Lady-day, 1721, Grand Master Payne proposed for his successor John, Duke of Montagu, Master of a Lodge : ^ who, being present, was forthwith saluted Ch-and Master Eleet, and his Health drank in clue Form ; when they all express'd great Joy at the Happy prospect of being again patronized by nolle Grand Masters, as in the prosperous times of Free Masonry" ''
I have given these details at some lengtli, because (as it seems to me) a good deal of misconception has arisen from the phraseology of Samber's dedication having been discussed
' The various 'books and pamphlets classified under the title of Philaldhes, with varied prefixes, fill nearly an entire volume of the British Museum Catalogue. Inter alia, the following are given : PhilalMies (Ewgeams) pseud, [i.e., Thomas Yaughan] ; Philalethes (Eiigenius, }\xn.) pseud. [i.e., Robert Samber]; Philalethes (Eireneus) pseud, [i.e., George Starkey] ; Philalethes (Ii-enseus) pseud, [i.e., William Spang]. The last-cited nmii de plume is also accorded to Thomas Vaughan, J. G. Burckhard, Louis Du Moulin, and Samuel Prypkowski.
- The Courtier, 1729 ; probably, from the date of the preface, a 2d edition.
' The Julian or Old Style, and the practice of commencing the legal year on the 25th of March, subsisted in England until 1752.
■• "Grand Master Montagu's good Government incliu'd the better Sort to continue him in the Chair another year" (Constitutions, 1738, p. 114).
° Ibid., p. 109. ^ It is very prob.ible tliat Samber was a member of this Lodge ?
'Constitutions, 1738, p. 111.
EARLY BRITISH FREEMASONRY— ENGLAND. 127
\>y commentators, without any consideration whatever of the circumstances under which it was written. Indeed, a portion of the criticism that has been passed upon it, before I announced the real author's name in the Freemasoyi} rests entirely upon sujypositmis, more or less ingenious, which identify the writer with Eosicrucian or Hermetic celebrities."
Although I am quite unable to discern anything in the language employed by Samber, which calls for critical remark in a history of Freemasonry ; yet, as a different opinion is entertained by many other writers whose claim to the public confidence I readily admit, it has seemed better, on aU grounds, to place the evidence, such as it is, fairly before my readers, in order that they may draw what conclusions they think fit.^ With this view, I have presented above every passage which, to the extent of my knowledge, has served as the text of any Masonic sermoniser, although, as the commentaries upon this Hermetic work are scattered throughout the more ephemeral literature of the Craft, I cannot undertake to say that a more subtle exposition of Samber's strange phraseology than I have yet seen, does not lie hidden in the forgotten pages of some Masonic journal.
" Long Livers," or its author, is nowhere referred to in the early minutes of the Grand Lodge, or the newspaper references to Freemasonry of contemporaneous date, which were of frequent occurrence ; and from this alone I should deduce an inference totally at variance with the belief that the work possessed any Masonic importance. The only reference to it I have met with in the course of my reading, before its disiirterment from a long obscurity by the late Matthew Cooke, Dr Mackey, and others, occurs in a brochure of 1723, which an advertisement in the Evening Post, No. 2168, from Tuesday, June 18, to Thursday, June 28, of that year, thus recommends, curiously enough, to the notice of the Craft : " Just published, in a neat Pocket Volume (for the use of the Lodges of all Freemasons), ' Ebrietatis Encomium,' or ' The Praise of Drunkenness,' confirmed by the examples of \inter alios\ Popes, Bishops, Philosophers, Free Masons, and other men of learning in all ages. Printed for E. Curll.* . • . Price 2s. 6d."