respectable persons have often manifested. In short, when we consider the fair and estimable characters of many of our masons, the order appears respectable: but, on the other hand, when we advert to the forged and absurd tales, and to those idle forms, customs, and ceremonies that are attached to the institution, we cannot help wondering how those worthy members can patiently or possibly endure them, or quietly continue in the connection. But they conceive, no doubt, that the good preponderates, or that the excellencies of masonry outweigh its defects, and satisfy their minds with that consideration. Be it so, it is not meant here to judge or blame them for so doing: they have certainly a very good right to think and act for themselves, so long as no one is thereby wronged or injured. The present form and organization of the masonic sect appear to be but of very recent origin, and cannot perhaps be traced beyond the era of the revolution. The fraternity soon after began to assume something like its present appearance; and as it consisted mostly of rather suspicious characters, it was for a long while deemed a tory or jacobitical institution. It did not spread very much before the accession of the Brunswick family; after which it multiplied apace, but was still thought to consist, chiefly at least, of disaffected persons and friends of the pretender. In process of time, however, that reproach was completely done away, when it came to be known that not only courtiers, but even some branches of the reigning family were among its members. The first regular lodge in this town was opened at the White Lion Inn, October 1. 1729. Since which time there is supposed to have always existed here one or more regular lodges. There are now here three lodges. Two of them deem themselves to all intents and purposes regular and orthodox, but are not willing to allow the third to be so. What is the real ground of this difference, or what it is that constitutes masonic regularity or irregularity, orthodoxy or heterodoxy, is beyond the competency of the present writer to pronounce or explain. He has been informed by some of the Lynn masons, that the whole number of them now in this town, (exclusive, as he understood, of those of the irregular lodge) amount to above five hundred: from which it would seem that masonry is here at this time in a thriving and flourishing condition. As to their great and boasted secret, we shall not presume to guess what it may be, but shall most willingly let it quietly remain among the mysteries, without the least solicitude or wish for its discovery. Nor will we so much as mention the heavy charge which professor _Robison_ and the _Frenchman_ brought some years ago against the whole order; believing as we do that it was totally unfounded.