THE ANTIQUITIES OF EREEMASONRY.
The period
therefore, antedating the era of
Grand Lodges (1717),
3
will be
examined
in the
introductory part of this work.
In dealing with what Fort has happily styled the " Antiquities of Freemasonry," whilst
discussing, at some point or other, all or nearly all the subjects this writer has so dexterously
handled, the method of treatment I shall adopt will nevertheless vary very much from the
system he has followed.
In the progress of our inquiry
regard to the origin of
will be necessary to examine the leading theories with
that have seemed tenable to the learned.
These I shall
Freemasonry
it
subdivide into two classes, the one being properly introductory to the general bulk of evidence
that will be adduced in the chapters which next follow
and the other claiming attention at
;
a later stage, just before
we
part company with the
and emerge from the
'•'Antiquities,"
cloud-land of legend and tradition into the domain of au