The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-09-02 00:00:00

THE MASONIC PROCESMON.

Although this Irma nut favoured by the real pre..
teller of his Majesty, yet aid was under hi. entiction
and patronage, and attended by those chosen Peers
inid others to whom he had granted his royal cum.
ittiwion, it properly enough desetves a niche in the
record of the royal visit. It had long been the wish
of a citglajo clots of perwmis in Scotland, to erect
upon the Caltou-hill, at Edinburgh, a copy of the
Temple of Murry* l'arthenou at Athens, avowedly
to counuenpinne the share which Abercroinby,
Moore, Lynedock, Rosalyn, and other Koltun% Scott..
ttxo had, in briuging the war of the Revolution to
all moue, nod perhaps also covertly, as a senior ex-
piatory Crettlite for the deattuctrou which • Scots-

woo bad rornight upon the °tritium; oimlissi hit
Athens. this intended structore K.r"iir per-
baptised The National Monument of Irocbglaiilf; bit
Me soinie bad not been so writ receive4ais
:Of Athal end others, the original pojeetans 464 ih
xistided.. Arsons', the idea or awoureqd
with the idea of the death. and 1.147
gift of Are milieu:a Independence; Sod 'by this
was alleged that in 'the pehlic border,' *hitt had
briorimpossid for the carrying on el Iliell+4. SCOt;-
land had a monument a.re perennial.. That pro- ,
jectot", being unable or Dawdling at their oars charge
to erect the monument.souglit a.d from thCclitareh,i,
The.GeDeral Aiweinbly lauded the thing at "
•ireitattle sod appropriate expression of gratitidep 1
the lased of Weise' but they did not pet' their
hands very deeply into their own pocket', not were
!their recommendstions very officirtit upon lite
pockets of their flocks. Thus plc Faster keg
ed for
_years, and thOugh throno the elt we rue
Loft Braante, tnore than OUP iiii;llo
mode upon the Wards of the Hooey of
and the bounty of the public, those bowels write nft",
moved. nor that bounty opened to the giving of antsy
sum. The subscription lied however been isecaruu--
hating patio per gallant. till it was hoped that with
the eclat of his Majesty's prrsenctv, they might 'fu-
ture to lay the foundation. Preparations were ac-
cordingly made fur this purpose, and the cerealtotty
took place on Tuesday, the 47th of August.
Between the hours of eleven and two, the Grand
Lodge of Scotland, and the Provisional Lodges
marched to the number, as we should suppose, of
about four thousand of the ancient and mysterious
craft of Masons. His Grace the Duke of Hamil-
ton, in his plaice as Grand Martyr, supported by
the Duke of Argyll, the Earl of Rosalyn, the Ho-
nourable Colonel Duf, and a number of other
Noblemen and Gentlemen. The procession began
to move from the Parliameot-ginare at about a
quarter past two. It proceeded in proper order
along crowded streets, guarded by cavalry, until
the bead of it came to the Waterloo lintel, where
the Duke of Athol, the Earls of Roseberry, Hope-
toun, and Elgin, with Viscount Melville and Lord
Lynedock, joined it, as his' Majesty's Commis-
sioners. The whole then ascended the mazy paths
of the. Callon, which was scarcely less thronged
than on the day of the King's landing, between
line* of the 13th and 66th regiments, till they ar-
rived at that summit of the tall upon which the
building is to be erected. The Calton has three
summits; on the south stands is monument to Nel-
son; on the west the Royal Observatory; and on
the north this building. The foundation had been
prepared with care, and the stone nearly eight feet
each way, and 15 inches that hung suspended from
a crane. A plotforso was erected in the east ft* the
ofioe beavers of the Greta{ Lodge. wish a crimson
4.14, 14. frost fur their irswlexneits.silftjwiiigniaks
and on the west was areartlser platform. far liorAhs-
lesty's Commission, the Magistrates of Edinburgh,
a Commitstee of the Subscriber% the fag-end of
the Scottish household, and seine other authorities.
From •Crident or intention, those who lisai had the
charge of the preparations had not been over-attest-
live to the masonic part of the array ; there was no
platform for the Brethren of the Grated Lodge,
and they had to scramble around the place as they
best could.

When the Grand Lodge had thus proceeded to
the ground, his Grace the Duke of Athol declared
the will of his Majesty, read the Commission, and
intimated to the Grand. Master that all things were
ready for the work. The Grand Master then said—
" As we have received his Majesty's atithoity, and
heard Isis Commis.sion, so do we now proceed with
the wink," The Grand Chaplain implored the
blessing of the Almighty Architect; the Grand
Treasurer sod Secretary laid the depositationr, and
the stone was 'Greet:4l, the band playing. Great
light will shine." The Grand Wardens applied
the square and lead, sod the Growl Master tusk up
the mallet amid the loudest cheering to complete
the sirs •k. When that was done he pronounced the
benediction oil the edifice. Then he emptied the
cornucopia, poured out the wine and the ail, and
pronounced the benediction on the people, which,
it. was every speech of Isis Grace, was answered-by
loud cheers. The signal gun was fired, the Calton,
the-Castle, the Crages, Leith Fort, and the ship-
ping fired royal salutes, after whirls the Grand
Master reastended the platform. and pronounced
the Address :—Gratified, as he coald Lot but tie, to
feel himself called on this occasion to perform this
duty, it was a duty which he could have wished bad
fallen into hands more able, more willing heecould
assure them there could be none. if he looked
around to either sight or left. bellow none but those,
the sight of whom was of itself a gratification. They
had 111;W laid the foundation of a structure. the
model of which had beets the admiration of the
ancients, which had lasted and hail been adinired
for ages, and which had resided the corrosion of
time, and even the unhallowed rapseisy of barbaric
conquerors. With reference to the object of the
edifier, he would say, that whatever were the glories
of ancient Greece, Scotsmen were so valiant in the
field, that those of Greece hardly excelled them.—
The vile chosen fur this edifice was a peculiarly
fortunate one—it was hallowed ground—it was
near the spot where ruse ■ monument to :he me-
11101, of a hew, who, ufter having brokru and
vanquished the combined enemies of his country.
died as he I'Md lived, in the arms of victory.—
The aceompaniments were highly gratifYing—it was
gratifying to be in the presence of those whom the
King bad appointed as his Commissioners, sod in pre-
sence of the Magistrates of the city, and other high
personages, and to be surtounded by so many of his
countryinen. Ile would also say a few words re.
specting the time : it was that of his Majesty's visit
to Scotland—a visit which would, he trusted, be
productive of happy effect.. .1-le did not ullude to
the mere expressions of personal streaming to the
Sovereign which hail been evinced, bat to some-
thing more substantial and valuable. The snivel
of the King had connected him mire intionstely.
with Scutluid. It gave the King an opportunity of