I WILL next observe how far this part of the record corresponds with what Pythagoras taught.

THE Pythagoric tetractics were a point, a line, a surface, and a solid. His philosophical system is that, in which the Sun is supposed to rest in the centre of our system of planets, in which the earth is carried round him annually, being the same with the Coper

nican.

It seems as if this system was professed by Masons, in contradistinction to those who held the Mosaic system.

AMONG the Jews were a set of men who were Masorites: in Godwyn's Moses and Aaron this account is given of them," that their name was derived from masar, signifying tradere, to deliver, and masor, a tradition delivered from hand to hand to "6 posterity without writing, as the Pythagoreans and "druids were wont to do."

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PYTHAGORAS lived at Samos, in the reign of Tarquin the Proud, the last King of the Romans, in the year of Rome two hundred and twenty; or, according to Livy, in the reign of Servius Tullius, in the year of the world three thousand four hundred and seventytwo. From this extraordinary desire of knowledge, he travelled, in order to enrich his mind with the learning of the several countries through which he passed. He was the first that took the name of philosopher, that is, a lover of wisdom; which implied that

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he did not ascribe the profession of wisdom to himself, but only the desire of possessing it.*-His maxims of morality were admirable, for he was for having the

* In Godwyn's Moses and Aaron, treating of the Essenes, we have the following comparisons between their principles and the maxims of Pythagoras:-" Their dogmata, their ordinances or constitutions, did "symbolize in many things with Pythagoras': therefore my purpose " is first to name Pythagoras, and then to proceed with the Essenes.— "They follow thus:

"The Pythagoreans professed a communion of goods; so did the "Essenes; they had one common purse or stock-none richer, none poorer than other. Out of this common treasury, every one supplied "his own wants without leave, and administered to the necessities of "others: only they might not relieve any of their kindred without "leave from the overseers. They did not buy or sell among themselves, "but each supplied the other's want, by a kind of commutative barter*ing: yea, liberty was granted to take one from another what they "wanted, without exchange. They performed offices of service mu"tually one to another; for mastership and service cannot stand with "communion of goods. When they travelled, besides weapons for de"fence, they took nothing with them; for in whatsoever city or village "they came, they repaired to the fraternity of the Essenes, and were "there entertained as members of the same. And if we do attentively "read Josephus, we may observe, that the Essenes of every city joined "themselves into one common fraternity or college. Every college had "6 two sorts of officers, treasurers who looked to the common stock, " provided their diet, appointed each his task, and other public neces"saries; others who entertained their strangers.

2. "The Pythagoreans shunned pleasures; so did the Essenes. To "this belonged their avoiding of oil, which, if they touched unawares, "they wiped it off presently.

3. "The Pythagoreans' garments were white ; so were the Essenes "white also-modest, not costly: when once they put on a suit, they never changed it till it was worn out or torn.

4. "The Pythagoreans forbade oaths; so did the Essenes. They "thought him a noted liar who could not be believed without an oath. 5. "The Pythagoreans had their elders in singular respect; so had the Essenes: the body or whole company of the Essenes were distinguished

study of philosophy tend solely to elevate man to a resemblance of the Deity. He believed that God is a soul diffused through all nature, and that from him

« in four ranks or orders, according to their seniority; and happily, if any of the superior ranks had touched any of the inferior, he thought "himself polluted, as if he had touched an Heathen.

6. "The Pythagoreans drank water; so did the Essenes water only "-wholly abstaining from wine.

7. "The Pythagoreans used inanimate sacrifice; so did the Essenes: "they sent gifts to the temple, and did not sacrifice, but preferred the use of their holy water thereto; for which reason the other Jews for"bade them all access to the temple.

8. "The Pythagoreans ascribed all things to fate or destiny; so did "the Essenes. In this aphorism all the three Jewish sects differed each 'from other-the Pharisees ascribed some things to fate, and other things to man's free will-the Essenes ascribed all to fate-the Sadducees "wholly denied fate, and ascribed all things to man's free will.

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9. "The Pythagoreans the first five years were not permitted to "speak in the school, but were initiated per quinque male silentium, and not until then suffered to come into the presence of, or sight of 'Pythagoras. To this may be referred the Essenes' silence at table, "straightly observed, so that decem simul sedentibus, nemo loquitur invitis novem.-Drusius renders it, that ten of them sitting together, none of "them spake without leave obtained of the nine. When any did speak, it was not their custom to interrupt him with words, but by "nods of the head or beckenings, or holding their finger, or shaking "their heads, and other such like dumb signs and gestures: to signify * their doubtings, disliking, or approving the matter in hand. And to "the time of silence among the Pythagoreans, that it must be five years, be referred to the imitation of the Essenes; for amongst them "none were presently admitted into their society, without full trial " and four years probation.—The first year they received dolobellum, a “spade; perezoina, a pair of breeches used in bathing; and vestem "albam, a white garment which the sect affected. At this time they "had their commons allowed them, but without, not in the common dining hall. The second year they admitted them to the participa * tion of boly matters, and instructed them in the use of them. Two

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human souls are derived: that they are immortal, and that men need only take pains to purge themselves of their vices, in order to be reunited to the Deity.-He made unity the principle of all things, and believed that between God and man there are various orders of spiritual beings, who are the ministers of the Supreme Will. He condemned all images of the Deity, and would have him worshipped with as few ceremonies as possible. His disciples brought all their goods into a common stock-contemned the pleasures of sense— abstained from swearing-eating nothing that had life -and believed in the doctrine of metempsychosis, or transmigration of souls.

years after they admitted them in full manner, making them of their ચંદ corporation, after they had received an oath truly to observe all the "rules and orders of the Essenes. If any brake his oath, one hundred of "them being assembled together, expelled him; upon which expulsion "commonly followed death within a short time: for none, having once "entered this order, might receive alms or any meat from other; and "themselves would feed such a one only with distasteful herbs, which "wasted his body, and brought it very low. Sometimes they would "re-admit such a one, being brought near unto death; but commonly "they suffered him to die in that manner.

10. "The Essenes worshipped towards the Sun rising.

II. "The Essenes bound themselves in their oath, to preserve the "name of angels:" the phrase implying a kind of worshipping of them.

12. "They were above all others strict in the observation of the 16 sabbatb-day :—on it they would dress no meat, kindle no fire, remove "no vessels out of their place, no nor ease nature; yea, they observed seventh week a solemn pentecost; seven pentecosts every

every

" year.”

From the great similitude in the principles of the Pythagoreans and Essenes, it seems as if they were derived from one origin, varying in some few particulars suitable to the constitutions of the people; and most probably they first sprang from the Egyptian tenets and maxims.

SOME eminent writers deny that Pythagoras taught that souls passed into animals. Reuchlin, in particular, denies this doctrine, and maintains that the metempsychosis of Pythagoras implied nothing more than a similitude of manners and desires, formerly existing in some person deceased, and now reviving in another alive.

PYTHAGORAS is said to have borrowed the notion of metempsychosis from the Egyptians; others say from the ancient Brachmans.