The Round Towers of Ireland; or, the mysteries of Freemasonry, of Sabaism, and of Budhism, for the first time unveiled. Prize Essay of the Royal Irish Academy, enlarged, and embellished with ... illustrations

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THE ROUND TOWERS o* IRELAND; OR THE MYSTERIES OF FREEMASONRY, OF SABAISM, AND OF BUDHISM, FOR THE FIRST TIME UNFEILED. " PRIZE ESSAY" OF THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY, ENLARGED, AND EMBELLISHED WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS. BY HENRY O'BRIEN, Esq. A.B. Hie sacra, hie genus, hie majoium multa vestigia." Cicfko. " were of fame, And had been glorious in another day." Byron. LONDON: VVHITTAKER AND CO., AVE-MARIA LANE; AND J. CUMMINO, DUBLIN. mocccxxxiv LONDON : Printed by William Clowes, Duke Street, Lambeth. TO THE LEARNED OF EUROPE, TO THE HEADS OF ITS SEVERAL UNIVERSITIES, TO THE TEACHERS OF RELIGION AND THE LOVERS OF HISTORY, MORE ESPECIALLY TO THE ALIBENISTIC ORDER OF FREEMASONS, TO THE FELLOWS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY, TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY, TO THE FELLOWS OF THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES, TO THE EDITORS OF THE ARCHÆOLOGIA SCOTICA, TO THE COMMITTEES OF THE SOCIETIES FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL AND THE DIFFUSION OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE, AND TO THE COURT OF THE HONOURABLE THE EAST INDIA COMPANY, THIS VOLVME IS INSCRIBED.

AS A NOVEL EXPOSITION OF LITERARY INQUIRIES IN WHICH THEY ARE SEVERALLY INTERESTED, AND AS AN INTIMATION OF RESPECT FROM The Author. PRE FACE. In Fraser's Magazine for the month just expired, there has appeared an article headed the " Arcana of Free masonry," which will save me the trouble of an introductory dissertation. The style is quaint, but that will be overlooked : its author is evidently a true mason and a good man ; and initiated, as he is, in all the fundamentals of his fraternity, he will be the more ready to recognize the truth of my disclosures, as well as to admit the originality of the proofs which I adduce. To him, therefore, whoever he is, do I with confidence refer. " In the spirit of the mighty dead," says he, " the great ones of the earth, that seem ever and anon to look down through the clouds of this murky atmo sphere, and to beckon us heavenward, nothing strikes more keenly, in our conviction, than that passion for divine truth which burned unquenchably within them.

VVrith what hallowed devotion they worshipped it, with what intense aspirations they loved it, we must remember but too painfully, when we converse with men as they are, and read the writings they applaud. " yes — it must be so ! The first and noblest object VI

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. to which the ambition of man can aspire is the discovery and propagation of truth, on which the felicity of all created thinkers absolutely depends ; and, for tunately, the glory of its discovery is nothing superior to the joy of its communication. And therefore have the finest and freest souls, that have caught the brightest glimpses of truth's eternal radiation, ever most earnestly sought to lead their brethren and kindred to the same difficult and solitary height from which they themselves first witnessed the dawnings of the prophetic dayspring. " How many illustrious names, however venerable, have from time's eldest records sought out with in defatigable assiduity the relics of divinest Wisdom ! How often beneath her charmed inspirations they wandered forth, exulting over the boundless fields of metaphysical and physical science — endeavouring by the things that are manifest to retrace the hidden Divinity — to look through nature up to nature's God !

And if happily they discover some strange and stir ring indications of the Almighty's elaborating hand, or some bright testimony of his vivifying, though im palpable Spirit, have they not hastened with glowing hearts, and souls overcharged with adoration, to whis per the mystery in secret, or to proclaim the marvel to the world ? " The history of Freemasonry being, in fact, the history of the gradual progression of devotion and philosophy in the youth, maturity, and declension of our planet's millenary circle, is intensely interesting

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. VII to the philosophic mind, as the ages of the one have a thousand mystic correspondences with the ages of the other. After taking a luminous survey of the advances of human intelligence, as revealed in Scrip ture, it traces the perpetual tradition of divine wisdom among the hierophantic academies of classic me morial. None understand so well the essential truth of their theoastrological 7nythologies and their sym bolical mysteries. They track every subtle declension of lofty and bright-souled truth into the shadowy circumference of hostile error; and thus, establishing their minds on the deepest foundations of history, they continually build up superstructures of all that is precious in literature or elegant in art. " In thus eulogising Freemasons, we, of course, allude to Freemasons initiated into the deep spirit of divine philosophy, and not mere nominal professors.

True masons, — those who are made free by their free devotion to God's spiritual service, and accepted by emulating the self-immolation of their celestial prototype of heaven and earth for just and disciplined worthies, — we would discourse of these and these alone. It would be as unfair to judge of Freemasonry in its hidden sanctuary within the veil, by its irregular members, as to judge of its religious illustration with out the veil by merely nominal Christians. " But for true, or free, or speculative masons. These are the men who, attached to their celestial Saviour with filial enthusiasm incommunicable, and to each other by fraternal sympathies that melt them into

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. beautiful unanimity of immortal emulation ; these are the men who feel a more especial and endearing in terest in the whole history of mankind. To them, whatever is ' wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best,' in all the records of humanity, hath a kind of kindred familiarity of association unknown to others ; for in all true men they recognize their ancestry or their brotherhood, and they watch the broad line of their genealogical descent with the reverent fondness of a lineal and loyal progeny. In their history they love to contemplate the magnificent economy of Providence for the gradual perfectionising of all lapsed intelli gences. In this they view every variation of churches and states with tranquil and unbroken satisfaction, and from it they look forward to the future with that fine, free, and fearless confidence which Christian philosophy alone inspires.

" In the present times, these relations to society have assumed a somewhat deeper and still more thrilling intensity ; they know well enough that old age hath come upon the earth, and that the latter day is at hand ; and that the prophecies relating to her dissolution and bright regeneration are, ere long, to be accomplished in their fulness. " They confess, witfc rejoicing, the vast spread of intellectual light and freedom that now gilds the con cluding pages of our planet's history. They believe that the true and venerable principles of church and state will be confirmed and illustrated in their breadth and length, and height and depth, by the last and

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. IX prophetic experience of pious and patriot sages, ere the kindling judgment breaks out upon the asto nished world. " Such is the position of Freemasons in society at present. And when we consider the extent of this chosen band of good and wise men, bound together by the fellowship of indissoluble benevolence, and scattered over every kingdom and republic, we cannot but observe their influences with peculiar scrutiny of attention ; for, by keeping fast their own counsel, and preserving mutual good faith, they ever possess a strong, though secret, domination of philanthropy over all the affairs of church and state. In her peaceful and inviolable retirement, Masonry is, as it were, the primum 7nobile and mainspring of society, — unseen herself, but urging the whole visible mechan ism into harmonious and musical action.

"In the present times, Freemasons cannot but feel that a terrible responsibility is committed to their charo-e. The ancient interests and ambitions of O churches and states are coming into perpetual and jarring collision with the new. The ebb-tides of bigotry and despotism are clashing with the ad vancing currents of enthusiasm and dissolute passion. The spray of the whirling eddies already whitens the deep, and the roar of the conflicting breakers is heard far away upon the wind. God saith, ' I will overturn, overturn, overturn, until He shall come whose right the kingdom is ;' and the sea and the waves are roar ing upon every shore, and men's hearts fail them X

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. for fear, and for looking on those things which are coming on the earth. To true Masons is intrusted the hazardous charge of piloting the vessel athwart the boiling whirlpools. They will save, if they can, earth's latest age from indecent strife and confusion, and struggle hard against the unfilial and" disloyal apostates, that would bring down her grey hairs with sorrow to the grave *." Here I would willingly close my introduction ; but as it may seem strange that a work, which bears upon its title-page the character of " Prize Essay," should not have been published by the Society that have awarded it the prize, I am obliged to open up a statement of facts which I had rather have concealed ; yet, in doing so, I shall take care, now that all vexa tion has passed over, that no symptoms of asperity shall escape my pen ; all the colouring of language I shall equally avoid ; nay, even inferences, however obvious, I shall not press into observation, but confine myself strictly to a matter-of-fact detail as to the conduct of the party in the case in question.

In December, 1830, the Royal Irish Academy, after many fruitless efforts to obtain information on the subject of the Round Towers, proposed a premium of a gold medal and fifty pounds to the author of an approved Essay, in which all particulars respecting them were expected to be explained. This intimation I never saw. The stipulated time for the composition of treatises — viz., a full twelvemonth — expired, and * Fraser's Magazine, Nov. 1, 1833.

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. XI the several candidates sent in their works. After a perusal of two or three months, the Council agreed upon giving the premium to one of them ; but his work being deficient in some of the conditions required *, it was furthermore resolved, that he should be allowed some additional interval for the supplying of these defects, and this determination they put into practice by the following advertisement : — " ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY HOUSE, " Dublin, February 21, 1832. " It having appeared to the Royal Irish Academy that none of the Essays given in on the subject of the ' Round Towers/ as advertised in December, 1830, have satisfied the conditions of the question, they have come to the following Resolutions : — " 1st. — That the question be advertised again as follows : — " • The Royal Irish Academy hereby give notice that they will give a Premium of Fifty Pounds and the Gold Medal to the Author of an approved Essay on the Round Towers of Ireland, in which it is expected that the characteristic architectural peculiarities belonging to all those ancient buildings now existing shall be noticed, and the uncertainty in which their origin and uses are involved be satisfactorily removed.' " 2nd. — That the time be extended to the 1st of June next, for receiving other Essays on said subject, and for allowing the Authors of the Essays already given in to enlarge and improve * The " characteristic architectural peculiarities" belonging to each of the Towers was the omission required to be supplied, and for this alone three months were extended.

During that time I wrote my entire Essay, and of course did not omit this requisite. But as these could give no interest to the general reader, I have omitted them in the present enlarged form. If called for, however, I shall cheerfully supply them, as an Appendix to another work which may soon appear.

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. them ; for which purpose they will be returned, on application at the Academy House. " All Essays, as usual, to be sent post-free to the Rev. J. H. Singer, D.D., Secretary, at the Academy House, 114, Grafton-street, Dublin ; each Essay being inscribed with some motto, and accompanied with a sealed billet, superscribed with same motto, in which shall be written the author's name and address." A few days before this appeared I heard, for the first time, of the subject having been for competition. Wishing to ascertain whether it was decided or not, I availed myself of a pretext for calling upon Dr. M'Donnell, one of the Secretaries to the Academy, when the following conversation took place between us : — "I wish to know, Sir," said I, "whether the Council would patronise a Translation of ' Ibernia Phœnicia,' which I have just embarked in, with Dr. Villanueva's consent 1" " The Council have already subscribed to the original, and I believe they feel no difficulty in under standing it in that form," — was the reply.

" I do not at all question their competency," I re joined : " but to the public, Doctor, it is a sealed volume ; and I cannot think it foreign from the spirit of your institution to countenance such an idea. Besides, it is not a mere echo of the original that I intend to give. I purpose to enlarge it by many additions of my own, accompanying it all through with notes and illustrations."

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. XIII " To what points in particular will those additions refer ?" " To the development of the mystery which over hangs the Round Towers." " Oh ! on that head the Academy have already made up their minds. What is your theory about them ?" " Surely, Doctor, if the Academy have already made up their minds upon the subject, my information can be to you of no value ! Good morning." If my disappointment at this interview was great, my delight, a few mornings after, was incomparably greater, on beholding the advertisement above intro duced; and though the shortness of the time allowed, with the positiveness of the assertion so recently and reluctantly extorted, made me suspect at once that there was some management in the business, yet, having thoroughly assured myself, from the wording of that manifesto, that I was entitled to enter the lists, I plunged into the discussion without further delay, and day and night, in sorrow and in difficulties, I laboured, until I finished my Essay against the appointed day, when I sent it in accordingly to await its chance.

Four days, however, had only passed over, when the Council, having perceived that they had been taken at their word, by the appearance of a new can didate, allowed their friend to take back his Essay for one month more, to render it more perfect ! And in the exercise of their discretion, they had the mo-

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. desty to advertise, by a document precisely similar to that already inserted, that their object in so doing was to " obtain 7iew Essays on said subject." This last advertisement was not published for some days after their friend had removed his work from the Council Board ; so that there were no more than about three weeks remaining, for the inditing of new works upon a subject, for which lives have been found inadequate, and for which their friend had already been allowed a period nearly approaching to two years ! Soon as informed of this manœuvre, I called upon Dr. Singer, as the Secretary, and entreated of him, with much ardour, that he would put a stop to those proceedings ; stated, that I was myself the author of one of the Essays, which I would not further parti cularise ; and that, as I had reason to apprehend something wrong was in contemplation, I would feel obliged if he exerted himself to have the Essays detained, and determined upon by their merits as they then stood.

He asked me to explain the ground of my apprehensions. I complied : whereupon he assured me that I was mistaken in that quarter, as " the individual," says he, " at whose request we have extended the time, is one for whom we all have a regard, and is, by no means, the person on whom your suspicions light ! " It was but little consolation to me that the person in whose favour all this partiality was exerted was " not the person on whom my suspicions lighted!" I remonstrated, but in vain. Every syl- TREFACE. XV lable that transpired afterwards tended only to show that the decision was already pronounced — that the premium was already awarded. I then hinted at the injustice of seducing me into the competition, at the very risk of my life, upon so short a notice, and not vouchsafing now so much as to examine my production.

This had some effect, and I left the Doctor with an assurance, that I " should, at all events, get a heai'ing." The day for the reception of the amended Essays again came, and mine again made its appearance. In the interim was started a periodical, under the direction of some members of the Council, the most prominent of whom was the favoured individual himself. In the second number of this periodical, on the Saturday after the last sending in of the Essays, there appeared an article, written by the Rev. Cæsar Otway, a member of the Council, under the assumed name of Terence O'Toole, in which, half playfully and half mysteriously, he lets the cat out of the bag, and actually asserts, as the event verified, that the premium was already determined to a member of their own body ! Here are his words : — " The Round Tower, to the right, is a prodigious puzzler to antiquarians.

Quires of paper, as tall as a tower, have been covered with as much ink as might form a Liffey, in accounting for their origin and use. But all these clever and recondite conjec tures are shortly, as I understand, to be completely

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. overthrown, and the real nature of these Round Towers clearly explained, for the first time, in a Prize Essay, presented to the Royal Irish Academy, by an accomplished antiquarian of our city *." Notwithstanding the disguise, here assumed, of " as I understand," and so forth, the writer of this announcement had, at this moment, not only perused his colleague's Essay, but actually registered his vote in its favour! And as to his pretending that the deve lopement was a discovery, by saying " for the first time," he betrays therein the extreme either of un truth or of ignora7ice, as the theory alluded to is but the echo, in all particulars, of Montmorency's book, every sentence in which I prove erroneous in the early chapters of the present volume ! I could no longer, however, be ignorant as to the identity of the person in whose favour Dr. M'Donnell had told me the Council had " made up their minds" — casually cor roborated afterwards by Dr. Singer! — I saw at onco, that the " acco7nplished antiquarian of our city" was Mr. Petrie, the antiquarian artist of the Royal Irish Academy — himself a member of their Council !

However, Dr. Singer had promised that I " should get, at all events, a hearing ! " And this was per formed with a vengeance. Three months was the time devoted to the examination of all the foi'mer Essays. It remained, therefore, only publicly to announce what was privately resolved upon. But as my Essay, the only 7iew one, was at all taken in, it * Dublin Penny Journal, July 7, 1 832.

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. XVII was indispensable but that they must read it, and six long months did they appropriate thereto ! At the end of this period, they saw that the position assumed was right, and that I was entitled to the premium. But they had already pledged themselves to give it to their friend, whose theory was the direct opposite of mine ; and, consequently, every sentence in it, or in mine, must be wrong — a discrepancy, how ever, which they thought to reconcile, by leaving the original prize undisturbed, and voting me a separate one ! Had they the candour to avow that this was their dilemma, I should never have murmured, but quietly submitted to the issue : instead of which, however, they worded their resolution in such a form, as led the public to think that there were two premiums all along intended : and that the first of these was given to the best composition, and the second to that which approached it in quality !

It was as follows : — " ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY HOUSE. " On Monday, December 17, a meeting of the Council of the Royal Irish Academy was held, for the purpose of decid ing on the merits of Essays received, pursuant to advertisement, On the origin and use of the Hound Towers of Ireland, when the following Premiums were adjudged: viz.— " Fifty Pounds and the Gold Medal to George Petrie. " Twenty Pounds to Henry O'Brien, Esq." Now, be it observed, that it was not only of the b

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. gold medal and fifty pounds that I was deprived by this manœuvre, but of the one hundred additional pounds which Lord Cloncurry had offered upon the same subject. Of this the Academy were also the dispensers, on the understanding, that whoever should get their gold medal and fifty pounds — the only premium which they had offered — should also get his Lordship's hundred ; so that by this stratagem, they assigned to their friend not only their own, but his Lordship's, patronage ! I was in London at the time, and signified my dis satisfaction by letter. Several were interchanged, in one of which I gave them to understand, that I would submit to the injustice, if they would but publish my work in their Transactions simultaneously with Mr. Petrie's. This they declined ; assuring me that they would publish it, but not simultaneously, and not until after !

No comment is necessary for this ! Meanwhile their periodical, which, from the first moment of its starting, whenever reference was made to the Round Towers, unqualifiedly asserted that they were Christian, and only coeval with the 7nonas teries *, thought proper now to change its tone ; but * " Killmallock has been a place of some distinction from a very remote period, and like most of our ancient towns is of ecclesiastical origin, a monastery having been founded here by St. Maloch, in the sixth century, of which the original Round Tower still remains." — Dublin Penny Journal, vol. i. p. 65. " These (the Ruins of Swords) consist of a fine and lofty Round Tower, coeval with the foundation of the original monastery." Dublin Penny Journal, vol. i. p. 177.

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. XIX as an open acknowledgment of error would be too self-abasing for academicians, they only put forth a feeler, as if implying doubt on the matter ; which would have the two-fold effect of screening the " Council's" verdict — as the result of doubt or ambiguity — and of preparing the public mind for the altered and 7iovel conclusion to which all, I trust, will ere long, as well as themselves, have arrived. My eye, however, was on their plans, though sepa rated by a " roaring sea." I knew that where there were so many windings to mature the plot, there must be as many to prevent its detection ; and, accordingly, the very first move they made, in these their new tactics, I check-mated, at once, by the following letter : — (No. 1.) London, March 16, 1833. " Dear Dr. Singer, " The Dublin Penny Journal of February 23d, on ihe article ' Devenish Island,' contains this sentence, viz., ' whether the towers are the accompaniment to the churches, or the churches to the towers, is a question not yet decided.' " Now, this — coupled with the circumstance of the com mittee having awarded two premiums, to two, as I understand, conflicting ascriptions ; and that when only one was originally proposed — induces me, with all deference, to offer this me morial, through you, to the Academy.

" As the development of truth in the elucidation of history, is the object of the antiquarian — and as the ' labourer is worthy of his hire,' I take the liberty respectfully to ask, whether, if b XX

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. I make my ascription of the Round Towers a mathematical demonstration, with every other incident relating to their founders, comprehending all the antiquities of Ireland, as con nected therewith— and this by all the varieties and modes of proof— whether, I say, in that event, will the Academy award me the gold medal and premium ? or, if that cannot be recalled, an equivalent gold medal and premium ? My intercalary work, substantiating all the above, is now finished, and can be forwarded to the committee by return of the same post which will favour me with your answer. " I have the honour to be, dear Sir, " Your obedient, &c, " Henry O'Brien. " Rev. Dr. J. H. Singer, Secretary to the Academy." By the above proposal I must not be understood as ad7nitting that my original Essay " was not sufficiently co7iclusive ;" but as I had more arguments still in reserve, I wanted to elicit from the Academy the admission that it was ti'uth they sought after.

After waiting, however, more than three weeks, and getting no reply, I forwarded some other proofs, accompanied by a letter, of which the following was the conclusion, viz. — (No. 2.) " These are but items in the great body of discoveries which this intercalary work will exhibit. In truth, I may without vanity assert, that the whole ancient history of Ireland, 8rc. is therein rectified and elucidated — what it never was before. " Am I, therefore, presumptuous in appealing to the Royal

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. XXI Irish Academy — the heads of Irish literature and the avowed patrons of its development — for the reward of my labours ? " I shall, with confidence, rely upon their justice. " I have the honour to be, with sincere regard, &c, " Henry O'Brien. " To the Rev. Dr. J. H. Singer, Secretary to the Academy." (No. 3.) " Royal Irish Academy House, April 16, 1833. " Sir, " Your improved Essay and letter were yesterday laid before council; and as Dr. Singer is at present confined with the gout, it devolves on me to communicate to you the following extract from the minutes. " ' Resolved, that the Secretary be directed to reply to Mr. O'Brien, and to stale that any alteration or revocation of their award cannot be made, whatever may be the merits of any additional matter supplied to them after the day appointed by advertisement ; but, if Mr. O'Brien be willing that the new matter be printed along with the original Essay, the council will have the same perused in order to ascertain the expediency of so enlarging their publication.' " By order, " Rich.

Row, " Clerk to the Academy. "To H. O'Brien, Esq." (No. 4.) " London, April 18, 1833. " Sir, " Had I a 7iotion that the Academy's reply would be such as your letter has this day imparted, I would never have sat down to indite those additions, much less have forwarded them for their perusal. For why did I write to the Secretary three iveeks a°/o, but to ascertain whether or not, in the event

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. of my doing so and so, would the Academy act so and *o ? aud thus repair that injury which they had before inflicted ? What could be more easy than to give me a categorical answer, one way or the other ? Instead of which, however, they left me to my own conclusions, which — as usual, in such circumsi ances — leading me to construe silence into acquiescence — I transmitted my documents on the tacit faith, that though the Aca demy would not pledge themselves by a written promise, they would, notwithstanding, if my researches proved adequate, reward my industry by a suitable remuneration. " Now, however, when my papers have been received, and my developments communicated, I am told that, be their merits what they may, the award is irrevocable ; and I have no alter native, in the writhings of my mortification, but the consolation of being injured and duped at the same time. '' You will say, perhaps, that my new evidences have not yet been read ; and that, therefore, my property is secure and sacred.

But has not the accompanying letter been read? And what was that but a programme of their contents? " / had thought that the Royal Irish Academy were not only a learned, but a just and a patriotic society. / had thought that having marshalled themselves into an institution, with the avowed object of resuscitating from death the almost despaired of evidences of our national history, they would not alone foster every advance toward that desirable consummation, but shower honours, and acclamations, and triumphs upon him, who has not only infused a vital soul into those moribund remains, but made the history of Ireland, at this moment, the clearest, the most irrefragible, and withal, the most interestingly compre hensive chain of demonstrational proofs in the whole circle of universal literature *. * If this appear oversanguine, I trust it will be attributed to its only cause, a strong sense of injustice expressed in the moment of warmth, and without ever expecting that this expression should see the light.