Dr. Dassigny's Enquiry.

DR . DASSIGNY'S ENQUIRY .

By the kind permission of Bro . AV . J . Hughan , we are enabled to give this scarce and interesting " brochure , " for the information of our readers who may not have seen the Memorials of the Union . A SERIOUS AND IMPARTIAL

ENQUIRY Into the Cause of the present Decay of FREE-MASONRY IN THE Kingdon of IRELAND .

Humbly address'd to all the BRETHREN Accepted of before and since the Constitutions , To which are added , Such Instructive Remarks as may he found useful to reA'ive the Honour of that ANTIENT CRAFT .

As likewise , by way of APPENDIX , will be inserted the OLD and NEAV REGULATIONS of the London CONSTITUTIONS , by the Consent and Approbation of the GRAND-LODGE of Ireland , and Dedicated to the Right Worshipful and Right

Hon . the Lord A iscount ALLEN , Grand-Master of this Kingdom . The AVhole adorned with a Curious Copper-Plate suitable to the Order and Design . BY FI FIELD DASSIGNY , M . D ., Author of the Impartial Answer to the

Enemies of FREE-MASONS . D U B LIN : Printed by EDAVAKD BATE in George ' s-Lane near Dame-Street . M , DCC , NLIV . Reprinted by permission from Bro .

Hughan ' s "Memorials of the Masonic Union of 1 S 13 . " To the Most Noble and Puissant PRINCE TRUTH .

Dread Sir , YOUR excellent AVisdom in distinguishing Sincerity from Falshood , in discovering the Base and Impure from the Generous and BraA'e , enboldens me at this Time to lay before your Feet the following Enquiry ; nor Avill I doubt your Hoyal

Favour , since I have endeavoured to preserve those lasting and unalterable Principles Avhich the Subjects of your Kingdom

so remarkably possess ; and notwithstanding that the deepest Arts have been contriv'd , the most subtile Machinations formed to overpoAver and destroy your Territories , to punish and oppress your stedfast and faithful Servants , you have hitherto had the pleasure to reflectthat

, all their barbarous and wicked Contrivances have met Avith a just Disappointment : Nay , Time , that general Depopulator of all other Provinces , hath shown so eminent a Regard to your Government , that it hath brought to light the cruel Intentions of

your Enemies , Avhereby you have been able to overturn their iniquitous Schemes ; and as the Palm-tree , tho' depressed , Avith greater Glory Shone . Thus may you live , most noble Prince , inheriting the Virtues and Honours of

your Ancestors , insomuch that Tyranny , Faction , and Depravity of Nature , may at all Seasons submit , and pay due homage to your PoAver . I am , Dread Sir , Your faithful Subject and Servant , The AUTHOR .

PREFACE . NO government can properly subsist Avithout certain Avholesome laAvs and regulations , and as our commonwealth not onl y pleads the pride of antiquity , but with equal justice boasts of the beauty , order ,

regularity , and happy disposition of its fundamental constitutions , and as the happiness of the craft also depends on a perfect intimacy with those rules handed down to us by our Avise legislators , Avhose labours and skill , in the everlasting art of

Architecture , Avill demand the praise and admiration of the learned brethren in future ages , I have endeavoured in the folloAving sheets to represent some mistakes , irregularities , and unseemly transactions , Avhich have been occasioned by the Avant

of an acquaintance Avith them , nor will the brethren . I hope , take it a miss , ( as I have chose Truth for my patron ) that I should strictly adhere to its principles , and point out the base and impure from the generous and brave : neither is it to be

Avondered at , that there are some of the former disposition amongst us , since experience evidently convinces that in all sects of men some impious and turbulent spirits appear , whose unlaAvful actions ought