PHILOSOPHIC SCOTCH RITE. This system was estab lished in Paris, and adopted by the Grand Lodge in 177G. Some few years previously a Mason named Pernetti founded a rite, to which he gave the name of "Hermetic, or Sublime Masters of the Luminous Ring," the object of the oontriver being to instruct his disciples, not only in the higher degrees of Masonry, but also in the art of transmuting metals and preparing the elixir of life. Pernetti had for a pupil a physician named Boileau, who did away with the alchemy, and made it more purely Masonic, and then gave this re formed rite the name above affixed to it. This rite, which Clavel says is still practiced in France, has twelve degrees, the three degrees of Ancient Craft Masonry being necessary pre-requisites, though they do not form a part of the rite. The degrees are: 1, 2, and 3, Knight of the Black Eagle or Rose-Croix, divided into three parts; 4. Knight of the l'hormix; 5. Knight of the Sun; 6. Knight of Iris; 7. True Mason; 8. Knight of the Argonauts; 9. Knight of the Golden Fleece; 10. Grand Inspector, Perfect Initiate; 11. Grand [nspector, Grand Scotch Mason; 12. Sublime Master of the
Luminous Ring. The doctrine taught in this rite was that Freemasonry was founded by Pythttignras; and tee lectures consisted of an explanation of the philosophy and peculiar doctrines of the Samian sage, asserting, for instance, that the symbols he adopted in his secret instruction were chiefly derived from geometry; thus, the right angle was an emblem of morality and justice; the equilateral was a sym bol of God, the essence of light and truth; the square referred to the divine mind; the cube was the symbol of the mind of man after it had been purified by acts of piety and devotion, and thus prepared for mingling with the celestial beings. The point within a circle, and the dodecahedron or figure of twelve sides, were symbols of the universe; the triple triangle was an emblem of health; and the letter Y representation of the course of human life, in which there were two diverging paths, the one of virtue leading to happiness, and the other of vice conducting to misery.*