Pictorial National Library, (to the politeness of the conductor of which excellent work we are indebted for the accompanying representation,) " will be the obelisk shaft, rising from the centre to the height of six hundred feet, seventy feet square at the base, and forty at the top. Around this shaft, elevated on a terrace or platform twenty feet high and three hundred feet square, is to be erected a vast rotunda, supported by thirty massive columns, of twelve feet diameter, and fortyfive feet high; enclosing a gallery fifty feet wide, sixty feet high and five hundred feet in circumference. Above the colonade will be an entablature twenty feet high, surmounted by a balustrade, fifteen feet high, making an elevation of one hundred feet for the rotunda or colonnaded building. On the top, over the great gallrey, and enclosed by the balustrade, will be a grand terrace around the great shaft, seven hundred feet in circumference, and outside of the balustrade a walk, or gallery, six feet wide, and seven hundred and fifty in circumference. The entrance and passage to the grand terrace will be by means of a railway of easy ascent encircling the great shaft.

"If the above plan and dimensions are carried out, this noble monument will be nearly three times as high as that on Bunker Hill, in Charlestown. Within the rotunda it is designed to place niches for the reception of statues of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

CHRONOLOGICAL EPOCHS.

BY THE LATE BRO. GEORGE AARONS, OF LONDON.

ADAM died at the age of 930 years from the creation, according to the chronology of the Bible.

From Adam until Noah there were ten generations, data of the world, 1056.

From the Creation.

Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, reigned

Jeremiah's prophecy was

Destruction of the first Temple,

The History of Esther and King Ahassarus

Esrah, the Scribe, came from Babel to Jerusalem

Alexander, King of Macedonia, was 19 years old when he first reigned

Simon, the Just, met Alexander

The Maccabees

Rabi Lupman wrote

5418

Leopold the First was crowned at Frankfort (A. c. 1658)

5418

Phillip of Spain died (A. c. 1655)

5425

Fire of London (A. c. 1666)

5426

Since the fire of London to the present era is 168 years, (being now 1834)
The date from the creation to the fire of London

5426

VICISSITUDES OF NEAPOLITAN MASONRY † From the London Freemasons' Quarterly Review.

EVERY one knows, especially the English as a free nation-and who could be ignorant in the century in which we live of the fact that the so called successors to St. Peter, viz: the Bishops of Rome, or Popes, and afterwards the Three Crowned Kings, have kept the nations of the entire globe in ignorance. To this end they have had recourse to every means, even to those of cruelty, oppression and crime, in order to obtain the mastery over the rights and property of the rest of the people, without excepting the kings, with whom they waged war when they were weaker, and whom they excommunicated when they were stronger.

The Holy Inquisition-this false, terrible and detestable tribunal of carnage, is it not known throughout the world?-is not its aim apparent ?—have I not myself entered several dungeons of the different inquisitions, in Spain? have

* It has been a subject of much speculation, at what time before Christ to fix the epoch of the creation. Several hundred calculations and opinions have been given, making the extreme dates differ upwards of 3000 years. Since the most learned chronologers do not agree on the point, it is not strange surely, that Freemasons should differ in their computations. Masons usually compute by the "vulgar year of our Lord," adding to it 4000 years; thus calling the present year 5848. But Dionysius Exigus, who, A. D. 532, first taught Christians to date from the birth of Christ, commenced the Christian Era FOUR years TOO LATE. The true epoch of the creation, is B. C. 4004. This is the chronology established by those profound scholars, Ethner, Prideaux, Clemet, and others, aud is according to the Hebrew text. It has received the sanction of the greatest protestant divines throughout the world, and is held in such high repute that it is adopted in the authorized versions of the Holy Scriptures. Sublime Freemasons use this chronology either alone, or in conjunction with the vulgar Jewish computation, which fixes the creation B. C. 3761.-ANON.

+By an Italian, who was imperfectly acquainted with the English language.

I not seen the quartered limbs of human beings hanging in the dungeons? have I not touched with my own hands the cruel instruments which this hellish tribunal made use of to torment the wretched beings who had committed perhaps no other crime than that of not consenting to be dishonored, by voluntarily delivering over their own sister, daughter, or even their wife, to the sordid lusts and fancies of a monk or of a prelate, or having simply uttered a word which this diabolical tribunal did not sanction?

The so-called bull, by means of which even a king found himself excommunicated-separated from his wife and family-deprived of his rights, even of that of his birth, a right, which was even admitted and required by the same holy mother, the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church, of which the holy father is the chief; this representative of Christ, who even forbids reading the Holy Scriptures, which is the word of God, who assumes the exclusive right of interpreting them to his fancy, of erasing some passages and entire chapters, and replacing them by others, forged by his head; taking upon himself the right and the power to modify, to change, and even to do away with that which Christ has told us in His word.

Although it be not my aim to speak of the Popes and of their famous doings, yet I had to premise a few words in regard to them, as they were the chief source and cause of all the evils, which weigh down humanity.

The Pontiff Leo X. added to the bull, edited on the 15th of June, 1520 : "That the Pope has the power of interpreting the Scriptures and of teaching them as he pleases; and in the 30th article of the same bull he says: "The Pope does not receive his authority, his dignity and his power, from the Scriptures, but the Scriptures receive it from the pope" (horrible). Morcover, Gregory VIII. says, in one of his writings, that no book of the Holy Scriptures can be accepted as Canonical without his authority; that the Pope can change the nature of things, and can call forth from nothingness any quantity he likes; that he can dispose in regard to the Gospel, to the Apostles, and to the old and new Testament, being beyond all of them, and that it is sacrilege to judge of the actions of the pope. This will be sufficient to prove, that the evils of humanity proceed from the injustice of men who have ruled over us, and who unfortunately rule over us this day.

After these few preliminary words, let me now introduce the reader to the object of my present discourse.

Before 1793, the Freemasons of the Kingdom of Naples, consisted only of a small number, composed of men of the highest honor and respectability, and part of the nobility. Their meetings were inaccessible, and even the court did not know that such a society existed. The choice of learned men formed its greatest part, and their labors had not the least political tendency. The people were not burthened with heavy taxes; tobacco did not pay any duty, and the literary men, who, on account of their close application to study, had most need of making use of it, could procure it at a small expense. Towards the end of 1783, the king being in want of a sum of money, alleging that it were required for an unforeseen emergency of the State, summoned his private councillor, and having communicated to him his wishes, was told, that there was nothing more easy, and that a small duty on tobacco, which was extremely cheap, would realize beyond that sum, and that neither the young people who were smoking, nor the small number of aged men who took snuff, would venture to complain about it. On the ground of this proposition a duty was laid on tobacco; and the treasury advanced the sum wanted by the sovereign. The snuff-takers, however, who had been able until now to procure this luxury at a trifling expense, which had become by habit a want to them, began to grumble and complain. They united, according to the advice of several dissatisfied snuff-taking Masons, and resolved to put, during the night, their snuff-boxes before the gate of the royal palace, and it was done so.

Next morning it was reported to the king, that about 3800 snuff-boxes had been found at the gate of the palace, and the prince, surprised at the unanimity in this expedient, and having received the required sum, commanded that the order which was given in regard to tobacco should be retracted.

In 1793, after the French Revolution, some relation was established between the French and Neapolitan Masons. At this period, the ignorance in Naples being almost complete and general, there were but few educated persons; and in consequence a few Masons, who, seeing their poor country suffering on account of ignorance under the oppression of an imbecile king, of an impious and cruel queen, and of thieving and ignorant ministers, joined to their philosophical ob jects, those of politics, which tended to the liberty of their country, by means of instruction of the more clever and the more talented young people. As this class of enlightened persons were all applying-one to the civil law, another to medicine, others to public lectures in philosophy, law, mathematics, poetry, and literature, they were able, after a persevering labor, to form clubs and instruct a part of the young people of the middle classes, some unprejudiced nobles, and some ecclesiastics, who made themselves conspicuous in the cause of liberty.

Superstition and ignorance of the people were the cause of so many disasters, which befell the human race. In 1798, the republican French army under dommand of General Championet received orders to take possession of the kingdom of Naples. The government of Bourbon, instead of taking measures to defend itself and to oppose the invading army, which was of little consequence, and might have been beaten-even routed--took to flight after having emptied the treasury and boxes of the State, and went to Sicily, with the king and all his family, leaving every where placards which enjoined the people to keep themselves quiet, as the French were coming as friends. Then the employees deserted their offices, and their chiefs were the first among them to leave the coast, imagining that the French were cannibals, who wanted to devour them; and the arsenals, magazines, manufactories of arms and ammunition, and all other public property, became a prey to the lower orders. In this State of affairs, the Neapolitans of the middle classes took arms to preserve public order, and to prevent the disorder into which the lower class might have thrown themselves, who thought only of rapine. Those of the middle classes, armed, went through the whole town, even on the high roads, with the greatest perseverance, and they succeeded to maintain order until the French arrived at Naples.

The French general, informed of the state of affairs, assembled the few influen- • tial persons who were pointed out to him, and they took measures to put the affairs of government in order again, already constituted as a republic. A number of instructed persons, nearly all of them Masons, were called to the patriotic chamber, and were given as chiefs to all branches of public administration. This new government, which was no more in opposition to the rights of man, and the chiefs of which were the most distinguished persons of the land, made room for the patriotic and philanthro-philosophical re-unions.

The Masons re-united, several Lodges were formed, and in the space of eight months they increased considerably. The enlightenment made rapid progress; but to accomplish the instruction of the lower classes, which were plunged in ignorance, and filled with prejudices, was a difficult task. The clubs which had been formed, consisted of public re-unions, into which the lower classes were admitted, and they effected some progress in knowledge; but the time was too short, as, unfortunately for the Neapolitans, it lasted but eight months. The queen, who, at this moment in Sicily, vexed at having left the kingdom in the power of the French and of the Republicans, did not lose a moment, and sent an emissary to Calabria, in order to stir up this cruel, ignorant, and superstitious people against the republicans. This emissary was the Cardinal Ruffo, who, putting himself at the head of some men liberated from the galleys, of some ban. dits and slaves, devoted to the tyranny for their own interest, came from Sicily, disembarked in Calabria, in order to preach to this rapacious people the right of legitimacy of the king. He made them believe that the holy faith was opposed to all principles of liberty, that the republicans were excommunicated as enemies to that holy faith, and in consequence damned; that they must fight and destroy them: that their possessions and inheritance became the property of the defenders of the holy faith. He would put himself at their head, and would give thei

leave to pillage the whole population, who should dare to defend themselves, and to resist the army of the holy faith. He would grant them full indulgence and remission of sins for every murder which they might commit.

These promises, given to a rapacious people, were followed by the greatest results. An immense number of Calabrians joined themselves to the cardinal, and marched upon Naples.

It would be impossible for me to relate the atrocity committed by this mass of tigers, eager for blood and prey, who robbed whilst assassinating the peaceful inhabitants whom they met. It was reason enough to have the hair cut, that is to say, to those who wore no tail, to be put to the most cruel death, under pretext that they were Jacobites (that was the name these robbers gave to the republicans which they robbed and killed.) But all this is nothing in comparison with that which they committed on arriving at Naples-there the pillage and carnage lasted four days. No regard was paid to old age, children, or invalids, if they only were pronounced Jacobites. This name was sufficient for the unfortunate citizen being robbed, killed, cut to pieces, thrown into the fire, and devoured by this kind of very brutes in the human shape. Excited and encouraged by the cardinal their leader, these brave and faithful followers gave themselves over to the most horrible of atrocities. Fires were blazing in all open spaces, in order to throw into them, alive, the most respectable inhabitants of the town; the heads of the fathers of peaceful families were paraded on pikes through the streets, and with them they played foot-ball. I shudder with horror whilst writing these recollections of my boyhood, and I am almost too weak to write them. Some readers will think that I exaggerate things by making use of such definite terms in my narration: but no, I relate truth and real facts, without exaggerating or changing them: and I appeal to history as my witness.

After this most barbarous carnage, the parallel of which is not to be found in the history of any nation in the world, they proceeded to the imprisonment of all the citizens who had filled public situations, or who had written or acted in favour of the republic. But, who were those men? These were men of the highest integrity, men of the soundest erudition, men of the literary republic-they were the Masons themselves. Let me cite the names of some of them, who, despising the greatest torment, and even death, upheld the honor and dignity and character of brave men, of citizens and of Masons, and who have rendered themselves worthy of being remembered by history, and of being ranked among the heroes of that period.

Serrao, Bishop of Potenza, hanged; Admiral Carraciolo, competitor with Nelson, hanged; Battistessa, hanged badly and afterwards had his throat cut; General Schipani, hanged; General Mantone hanged; Granalé, from the ladder of the scaffold looking at the people, exhorts his friends to revenge the betrayed nation, and dies a hero; Conforti, a distinguished author, hanged; Fiano, Serio, and Velasco, hanged; Carafa, one of the Dukes of Andria, hanged; Pignitelli, and five others of the same name, hanged; Cirillo, the famous physician, condemned to death, had grace offered him for the services he had rendered the king and his family, but he refused it, saying, that only assassins needed grace; Colonna, Falconieri, Fiorentini, and Scotti, author of the nautical catechism, hanged; Russo, Ciaja, Baffi, and Neri, hanged; Luogoteta, the famous lawyer, Rotondo, Pagano, the famous poet, Defilippis, then minister of war, Albanese, General Federici, Bishop de Vico, Muscari, Prince of Tarella, Troise, Masso, and Mancini-all hanged. The Duke de la Torre, and five other Masons, were burned alive; and a great number of brave Masons, whom, for the sake of brevity, I will not name, with forty priests, and thirty magistrates, were all hanged.

I will now continue my relation; but allow me to give an explanation of the term "Holy faith." This lawless band of robbers signified by this expression, that the pillage and carnage were committed in the name and by the authority of the holy faith and this appellation was given them by their leader, the Cardinal Ruffo.

The French republican army was so small in the States of Naples, and espe