Illustrations of Masonry

Illustrations of Masonry by William Preston (1741-1818) is one of the most influential vindications of Freemasonry ever published and an indispensable source for the history of Freemasonry. This electronic edition makes available the texts of all nine editions produced during Preston's lifetime between 1772 and 1812. All the texts are compeletely searchable, allowing the user easily to access the mass of information in the different editions on subjects as varied as Masonic ritual, the use of music, and the early history of Freemasonry in Britain, America amd Europe. Users can also compare the different editions of the Illustrations, and explore how Preston's view of Freemasonry was elaborated through the successive editions of the book. Digitised images of the original 1788 edition are also included.