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Article SWITZERLAND. ← Page 2 of 2 Article ARCHITECTURE AND ARCHÆOLOGY. Page 1 of 1 Article ARCHITECTURE AND ARCHÆOLOGY. Page 1 of 1 Article GENERAL ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE. Page 1 of 3 →
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Switzerland.
The Union of the Swiss Lodges only recognises or exercises in its province the Masonry of St . John . However , the Scotch lodges which now exist are admitted to be in force as purely local and scientific societies ; but neither the Swiss Union nor its organs recognises them as members of the national alliancenor
, accords to them any kind of exterior influence upon it ; and , so far as it concerns them , discharges itself of all responsibility . In the * Masonry of St . John , or of tbe three symbolical grades , the Union of the Swiss Lodges recognizes the following princi ples : —
1 . The Masonic Order is an association of free men , who mutually engage to learn and exercise the art of Freemasonry . 2 . Its essential aim is the propagation of a true philanthrophy . Thus a knowledge of moral truth , the practice of virtue , and the advancement of the general good , are the triple aim to which its efforts tend .
3 . Besides tbe practice and the use of the symbolic forms , the means which the Masonic Order employs to achieve its aim are the following : —Mutual instruction in the dearest interests of humanity ; edification of the soul by symbols , speeches , music , and singing ; encouragement to wisdom . and virtue by the enjoyment of social pleasures in society . The bonds of fraternity which unite its members , and ¦ exercise in common of charity , form the complement of these means .
The Swiss Masonic Union requires of all its members an entire submission to the laws of the country , obedience and fidelity to the government legally . established . The organs of the Union are : — The Grand Lodge . The Grand Master .
The Administrative Council . The Provincial Masters . The Deputy Masters . The Lodges of St . John . The Colleges of the Officers . Tbe Lodges of Master Masons . The Lod of Companions ( Fellow Crafts )
ges . The Lodges of Apprentices . The organisation , the powers , and the attributes oi these different organs are determined by tbe constitution . All the other arrangements relative to the organisation of the Union , and of each of its parts , proceed from legislation , or are the object of regulating measures ,
Architecture And Archæology.
ARCHITECTURE AND ARCH ? OLOGY .
GRINLING GIBBONS AND THE RITSONS AT PETWORTH . Dr . Turner , in a paper on the Antiquities of Petworth , which was to bave been read at the last meeting of the Sussex ArcbaBological Society , but was postponed , gives some particulars of tho carvers who wore employed there . The most striking feature in this house the writer
, says , is the room on the walls of which are profusely displayed , the equisite wood carvings of Grinling Gibbons . Tho size of this room is 60 ft . long by 2-lft . broad , and 20 ft . in height . The carving is arranged in festoons of fruits , flowers , shells , birds , and sculptured vases , tbiis forming panels for pictures ; the whole surpassing in beauty of execution and quantity of carving any other of his justly admired works . Walpole , to whom bave often
I before alluded , and who was a man of singularly good taste in the fine arts , in speaking of this wonderful carver in wood , says that , — "before Gibbons , there is no instance of a man who could give to wood the loose and airy lightness of flowers , and chain together the various productions of the elements with a free disorder natural to each species . " And after having enumerated
Architecture And Archæology.
others of his celebrated works , such as those at Windsor , Chatsworth , Burleigh , Southwick in Hampshire , ancl Stanstead , ho continues , " but the most superb monument of his skill is a large apartment at Petworth , enriched from the ceiling betiveen the pictures with festoons of flowers , and dead game , all in the highest state of perfection and preservation . One vase surpasses all the others in beauty
of execution and elegance of design , being covered with a bas-relief of the purest taste , worthy indeed of the Grecian age of Cameos . Selden , one of his disciples and assistantsfor what single hand could bave executed such plenty of laborious productions—lost his life in saving this carving when the house was on fire . " To the credit of our country be it spokenGibbous was a native artisthaving been
, , born in London . His ancestors , however , a few generations back , were of Dutch extraction . For many years the carved work of this room remained incomplete , and would probably havo continued to do sofor who , of his own accord , could have ventured to offer himself to complete what so clever an artist as Gibbons had undertaken and left unfinished—had not that great patron
of men of genius—and more particularly of such men as had not the means of bringing themselves and their performances into the notice they deserved , —I allude , I need hardly say , to George O'Brien , Earl of Egremont , of whom it has been asserted with great truth , — " To pining genius he raised up a Avay ,
And merit usher d to the blaze ot day . Had not , I say , this large-hearted nobleman found , accidentally , among tbe workmen employed by Charles , Duke of Norfolk ^ while building Arundel Castle , a father and son named Ritson , natives of Cumberland , who were engaged by his grace ' s architect , for the purpose of carving the mahogany made use of in fitting up the library . Struck
by tho extraordinrry * talent displayed by tho son , then only a boy twelve years of age , the Earl did not lose sight of him , and some years after took him into his service at Petworth . His first engagement with his lordship was but of short duration , for , at the expiration of little more than a year , be left him , and returned to London , where he remained ten years , but finally entered upon a fresh
engagement with Lord Egremont in 1827 , remaining in his lordship ' s employ , and that of Lord Leconfield , then Colonel "Wyndham , until his death in 184-6 , during which period of nineteen years' he completed the carving of tho carved room , finishing it only the year he died . Comparing the two works , we cannot come to any other conclusion than that his execution is inferior to that of Gibbons , but
still not very much so . I knew Ritson well , ancl have often been led to regret that he was a man of intemperate habits , and of a most obstinate temper , so that he would only work when be himself felt disposed to clo so . Had it been otherwise , be would havo attained to great eminence . As it was , he died in a back street of this toivn , worn out both in mind and bodand supported entirely btbe liberality
y , y of tbe present possessor of the estate . I attended him throughout his illness , and was in the act of administering to his comforts when he expired . There are portraits of him and Gibbons , by Clint , in the room to the beauty of which they so largely contributed . The wood made use of in this carving is maple . — -Builder .
General Architectural Intelligence.
GENERAL ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE .
We ( Cambridge Chronicle ) had an opportunity during the past week of looking over the works now in progress at tbe Guildhall , and were pleased to find them proceeding so satisfactorily . The largo assembly-room will bo of noble dimensions , and will be equal to , and indeed rival , many rooms in the principal toivns in tho kingdom . We cannot hope to compete either in size or magnificence with the
Town-ball in Leeds , St . George ' s Hail , Liverpool , or Exeter and St . Martin ' s Hall , London , but wo ought to be satisfied to be able to approach them . This in size we shall do , as the dimensions of the last-named building are , 21 ft . in length , 55 fb . in width , and 40 ft . in height ; while our new assembly-room will be 110 ft . in length . 52 ft . in width , and 40 ft . in height , so that it will very nearly approach tho size of St . Martin ' s Hall , and will be of larger area on the floor
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Switzerland.
The Union of the Swiss Lodges only recognises or exercises in its province the Masonry of St . John . However , the Scotch lodges which now exist are admitted to be in force as purely local and scientific societies ; but neither the Swiss Union nor its organs recognises them as members of the national alliancenor
, accords to them any kind of exterior influence upon it ; and , so far as it concerns them , discharges itself of all responsibility . In the * Masonry of St . John , or of tbe three symbolical grades , the Union of the Swiss Lodges recognizes the following princi ples : —
1 . The Masonic Order is an association of free men , who mutually engage to learn and exercise the art of Freemasonry . 2 . Its essential aim is the propagation of a true philanthrophy . Thus a knowledge of moral truth , the practice of virtue , and the advancement of the general good , are the triple aim to which its efforts tend .
3 . Besides tbe practice and the use of the symbolic forms , the means which the Masonic Order employs to achieve its aim are the following : —Mutual instruction in the dearest interests of humanity ; edification of the soul by symbols , speeches , music , and singing ; encouragement to wisdom . and virtue by the enjoyment of social pleasures in society . The bonds of fraternity which unite its members , and ¦ exercise in common of charity , form the complement of these means .
The Swiss Masonic Union requires of all its members an entire submission to the laws of the country , obedience and fidelity to the government legally . established . The organs of the Union are : — The Grand Lodge . The Grand Master .
The Administrative Council . The Provincial Masters . The Deputy Masters . The Lodges of St . John . The Colleges of the Officers . Tbe Lodges of Master Masons . The Lod of Companions ( Fellow Crafts )
ges . The Lodges of Apprentices . The organisation , the powers , and the attributes oi these different organs are determined by tbe constitution . All the other arrangements relative to the organisation of the Union , and of each of its parts , proceed from legislation , or are the object of regulating measures ,
Architecture And Archæology.
ARCHITECTURE AND ARCH ? OLOGY .
GRINLING GIBBONS AND THE RITSONS AT PETWORTH . Dr . Turner , in a paper on the Antiquities of Petworth , which was to bave been read at the last meeting of the Sussex ArcbaBological Society , but was postponed , gives some particulars of tho carvers who wore employed there . The most striking feature in this house the writer
, says , is the room on the walls of which are profusely displayed , the equisite wood carvings of Grinling Gibbons . Tho size of this room is 60 ft . long by 2-lft . broad , and 20 ft . in height . The carving is arranged in festoons of fruits , flowers , shells , birds , and sculptured vases , tbiis forming panels for pictures ; the whole surpassing in beauty of execution and quantity of carving any other of his justly admired works . Walpole , to whom bave often
I before alluded , and who was a man of singularly good taste in the fine arts , in speaking of this wonderful carver in wood , says that , — "before Gibbons , there is no instance of a man who could give to wood the loose and airy lightness of flowers , and chain together the various productions of the elements with a free disorder natural to each species . " And after having enumerated
Architecture And Archæology.
others of his celebrated works , such as those at Windsor , Chatsworth , Burleigh , Southwick in Hampshire , ancl Stanstead , ho continues , " but the most superb monument of his skill is a large apartment at Petworth , enriched from the ceiling betiveen the pictures with festoons of flowers , and dead game , all in the highest state of perfection and preservation . One vase surpasses all the others in beauty
of execution and elegance of design , being covered with a bas-relief of the purest taste , worthy indeed of the Grecian age of Cameos . Selden , one of his disciples and assistantsfor what single hand could bave executed such plenty of laborious productions—lost his life in saving this carving when the house was on fire . " To the credit of our country be it spokenGibbous was a native artisthaving been
, , born in London . His ancestors , however , a few generations back , were of Dutch extraction . For many years the carved work of this room remained incomplete , and would probably havo continued to do sofor who , of his own accord , could have ventured to offer himself to complete what so clever an artist as Gibbons had undertaken and left unfinished—had not that great patron
of men of genius—and more particularly of such men as had not the means of bringing themselves and their performances into the notice they deserved , —I allude , I need hardly say , to George O'Brien , Earl of Egremont , of whom it has been asserted with great truth , — " To pining genius he raised up a Avay ,
And merit usher d to the blaze ot day . Had not , I say , this large-hearted nobleman found , accidentally , among tbe workmen employed by Charles , Duke of Norfolk ^ while building Arundel Castle , a father and son named Ritson , natives of Cumberland , who were engaged by his grace ' s architect , for the purpose of carving the mahogany made use of in fitting up the library . Struck
by tho extraordinrry * talent displayed by tho son , then only a boy twelve years of age , the Earl did not lose sight of him , and some years after took him into his service at Petworth . His first engagement with his lordship was but of short duration , for , at the expiration of little more than a year , be left him , and returned to London , where he remained ten years , but finally entered upon a fresh
engagement with Lord Egremont in 1827 , remaining in his lordship ' s employ , and that of Lord Leconfield , then Colonel "Wyndham , until his death in 184-6 , during which period of nineteen years' he completed the carving of tho carved room , finishing it only the year he died . Comparing the two works , we cannot come to any other conclusion than that his execution is inferior to that of Gibbons , but
still not very much so . I knew Ritson well , ancl have often been led to regret that he was a man of intemperate habits , and of a most obstinate temper , so that he would only work when be himself felt disposed to clo so . Had it been otherwise , be would havo attained to great eminence . As it was , he died in a back street of this toivn , worn out both in mind and bodand supported entirely btbe liberality
y , y of tbe present possessor of the estate . I attended him throughout his illness , and was in the act of administering to his comforts when he expired . There are portraits of him and Gibbons , by Clint , in the room to the beauty of which they so largely contributed . The wood made use of in this carving is maple . — -Builder .
General Architectural Intelligence.
GENERAL ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE .
We ( Cambridge Chronicle ) had an opportunity during the past week of looking over the works now in progress at tbe Guildhall , and were pleased to find them proceeding so satisfactorily . The largo assembly-room will bo of noble dimensions , and will be equal to , and indeed rival , many rooms in the principal toivns in tho kingdom . We cannot hope to compete either in size or magnificence with the
Town-ball in Leeds , St . George ' s Hail , Liverpool , or Exeter and St . Martin ' s Hall , London , but wo ought to be satisfied to be able to approach them . This in size we shall do , as the dimensions of the last-named building are , 21 ft . in length , 55 fb . in width , and 40 ft . in height ; while our new assembly-room will be 110 ft . in length . 52 ft . in width , and 40 ft . in height , so that it will very nearly approach tho size of St . Martin ' s Hall , and will be of larger area on the floor