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The Pythagorean triangle, or, The science of numbers
The Pythagorean triangle or The science of numbers Author:George Oliver Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE PYTHAGOREAN TRIANGLE. INTRODUCTION, HAVE often wondered how it could happen that our ancient brethren should have omitted to work out the details of... more » Freemasonry in a more particular and perfect manner than we find accomplished in the publications of the last century; because it was generally believed, even then, that such discussions would be extremely advantageous, by dissipating the mists and prejudices which biassed the minds of men, and indisposed them for the reception of truth. Numerous evidences of this fact are scattered over the writings of the few masonic authors which distinguished that period. " The best way," says Lawrie in his preface, "of refuting the calumnies which have been brought against the fraternity of Freemasons, is to lay before the public a correct and rational accountof the nature, origin, and progress of the institution, that they may be enabled to determine whether or not its principles are in any shape connected with the principles of revolutionary anarchy, and whether or not the conduct of its members has ever been similar to the conduct of traitors." And from the publication of such sentiments, it must be evident to every brother's experience, that the feeling against Freemasonry, which displayed itself so openly, only a few years ago, has assumed a much milder form, if it be not entirely removed. It will not however be difficult to account for the dearth of masonic writers in a preceding age. Before the eighteenth century, symbolical masonry, being limited to the simple ceremonial, needed few illustrations ; because, as the science was chiefly operative, the most valuable secrets would be those which had a reference to building—to the scientific ornaments and decorations of each particular style of architecture as it flourished in i...« less