Ars Quatuor Coronatorum

He tells us , — " To tho popular world tho necessity for secrecy ueems a weak point in our structure , but when examined by the light of practical working in the past and in Oriental Communities where ancient systems still survive , the concealment of their methods of working is shown to be a necessity of tho greatest importance . "

" It was the discovery of the uses and construction of tho square , level and plumb rule , and a few powers in geometry , which gained by ages of experimental working wero regarded as precious jewels of kuowledge . These

raised their possessors above other men . \ The builders often became the masters of tho situation , and did not fail to bargain for and obtain privileges , which together with their mysteries they safeguarded with jealous care . "

" So well concealed are the methods used by Oriental Craftsmen to produce the work , which often puzzles us by its complexity , that travellers have been deceived into believing that by some intuitive faculty the Eastern master-builder is able to dispense with plans , elevations

and sections , and start the foundations of the variourparts of his structure without a precise predetermination of the bulk and requirements of the several parts . To all appearance the Persian master-builder is independent of the aid of plans . When engaged to build a house he first

of all roughly levels tbe ground and then traces out the position of the walls ( full size ) with powdered ' gatcli' or plaster of Paris , apparently without other measurement than foot paces . Actually be has first of all worked out the general scheme , not as our architects do on plain paper ,

but on a sectional lined tracing board , every square of which represents either one or four square bricks . These tracing boards are the key to the mystery of their craft , and Masons will understand the significance of the discovery that they rspresent in minature scale the floor of the master-builder ' s workroom . "

The surface is ruled both ways with fine lines parallel to the sides , like the sectional paper used by engineers . It is then protected by a coat of varnish , which allows the drawing to bo washed off when done with . The system of planning is simple , as in Persia the bricks are square .

A reed pen or brush is used to dot with Indian ink each small square which represents either one or four bricks , and when the design has been found to work out satisfactorily , the squares are filled up with black and the plan is ready . It is then copied by an assistant onto similar

squared paper and the work is set out by laying bricks corresponding with those on the plan . Error is not possible , as the squares confine the sizes to brick dimensions , and as only one system of bond is used the number of bricks required for the intended structure is easily

computed by counting the squares and multiplying by the height after deducting the openings . When transferred to paper for future references a curious custom is followed which bears signs of great antiquity . These drawings are not kept separate nor bound as books , but are fastened

together side by side with gum , like the Hebrew rolls of the Law , and are preserved in rolls which , when open , extend to about 20 feet . This points to a western origin , as the Hindus , and I believe the Chinese have always used

the book form with folding or separate flat leaves for their records . As a binding each roll terminates with a piece of leather cut in the form of a mason ' s apron with a string fastened to the peak . "

" The floor of the workroom . ' . is generally a space within the building in progress , and hero the full-size details are worked out either by enlargement by squares or geometrical methods mostly empirical . The preparation of this floor requires their greatest care , as its finished face is fine plaster

of Paris evenly laid . The patterns , once workrd out , are incised on the plaster , which being greased , is ready to serve as a mould for slabs of plaster which are cast from it . These , which take the place of tracings of full size details with us , are given out to the workmen and serve as

templates to shape the work to . Perfect accuracy and fitting of tbe several parts are thus assured , as all emanate from one original . " " In those parts of India influenced by Mohammedan art and architecture I noted empirical methods for drawing

the curves of foliated and pointed arches , similar to those used in Persia and modern Egypt . The weavers also had a system of recording both the colour and pattern of a design by cryptographic writing arranged in horizontal

parallel columns , and from these records they could reproduce line , curve , and colour with perfect exactness . But ni the South , at Madura , a different system was

Ars Quatuor Coronatorum

used , and here I had a great advantage in being ablo to study Craft work in progress , carried on by men who wero conforming strictly to rules which , at tho least , possessed an autiquit-y of a thousand years , and what is of more interest to us , a body of Craftsmen

claiming to be possessed of peculiar privileges , divinely accorded , and which , though often prejudicial to the interests of the Braminical priesthood , were usually

although unwillingly conceded , these master-buudera occupying a position in their hierocratic society from which , any attempt to dislodge them might endanger the wholo structure of tho Community . "

Bro . Purdon Clarke next refers to the account of tho Architect Caste in the well known e ? say by Ram Raz ( 1828 ) , who observes of this class , — " They have . - . been long denied the benefit of Sankrit literature . ' . and the

consequence has been , that while the practical part of tho science continued to bo followed up amongst them as a kind of inheritance from generation to generation , the theory became gradually lost to the whole nation , if not to the whole world . "

"In 1881 / . at tho great temple at Madura [ I ] found the ' Sthapati , ' or architect , able to read as well as apply the instructions of the silpa-shaslra relating to temple

building and decoration . In my presence he worked out on the tracing board , by a curious system of centre stem and off sets , a design for a full sized figure of one of thoir deities . "

" At the celebrated Pagoda at Cochin at Travaucore , a further discovery was made—a room specially set apart for the temple architect , the walls of which were covered with full-sized tracings of figures and temple furniture of all sorts , and here again , at my request , the silpa-shastra

was produced and worked from . This concession of a special room within the precincts of the temple should be noted , as in European medieval records the setting apart of a portion of a building in course of erection for the use

of Masons is frequently mentioned , and the practical necessities of their Craft and its mysteries led , I believe , in course of time to the peculiar arrangement and ornaments of the modern Lodges of Speculative Masonry . "

" It may be objected that several of my instancos apply more to the arts of painting and sculpture than to architecture and Masonry , but this is met by the answer that all these arts were formerly considered but as parts of the one science , architecture . . ' . In the present day the

Eastern architect is generally a man woll skilled iu one of the trades , usually that of tho most important of those directed by him . In Persia he is a plasterer ; in India he combines the trades of carpenter and mason , in both of which he is a carver . "

" Both at Madura and Cochin I witnessed a scene similiar to which has been often described in our mo Loval annals , that of a party of workers directed by one reading from a book , and more recently by M . M . Didron and

Durand { Manuel Jflconographie Ghretienne ) , who iu a Greek Monastery found a group of semi-ecclesiastical Craftsmen working to directions read from a book by one of their number . "

At the conclusion of the paper , some very interesting additional information was contributed by tho I . P . M ., Bro . Rylands , a comparison between the ancient and modern tracing board was made in an instructive speech by tho

Secretary , and tho W . M , —who wound up the discussionwas successful in unfolding the real name and title of tbe Chaldean Master of the Tracing Board , for which ho received tho thanks of the I . G . ( To be continued ) .

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masous of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , of which Bro . "VV . W . B . Beach is Grand Master , and Bro . Richard Eve Deputy , will assemble at the Masonic Hall , Newport , Islo of

Wight , at 3 * 15 p . m . on Wednesday next , when the usual Provincial business is proposed to be transacted . A hot dinner will take place at 4 ' 30 p . m ., tickets , 4 s each , exclusive of wine . The attendance of visitins ? brethren is

particularly iuvited . Black morning dress to be worn . The Albany Lodge ( Time Immemorial ) will be affiliated , and tho W . M . elect installed by the M . W . the Provincial Grand Mark Master before tho holding of Provincial Graud Lodgo . This ceremony ooniinoncoa at 115 p . m .