PRESTON’S, ILLUSTRATIONS OF MASONRY Edited by Andrew Prescott, Academy Electronic Publications, Sheffield, 2002. Compact Disc, £30.00, ISBN 0-9541589-0-3. Available from PO Box 1973, Sheffield S10 1WT.

William Preston lived during a period when the modern form of Freemasonry was shaped. He was initiated into an `Antients’ lodge in 1763, moved over to the `Moderns’, and became, 1768-1777, assistant to the Grand Secretary. He and others were expelled from Freemasonry for several years following an unauthorised public procession. Shortly before his death in 1818, he witnessed the union of the two Grand Lodges and the creation of the "Emulation" ritual.
    During his life he assiduously researched into the moral teachings and history of Freemasonry. He was an accomplished classicist and became a printer, eventually manager, then partner, of the King’s printers. His concern to teach the moral symbolism of Freemasonry led to the Grand Gala in 1772. As a souvenir of this occasion he wrote his Illustrations of Masonry, published that year. Revised editions followed: a total of nine in England until 1812. Editions were also published in Germany and the United States. His book, as Professor Andrew Prescott points out, was "exceptionally influential".
    For this reason, Professor Prescott of the Centre for Research into Freemasonry, at Sheffield University, has produced a CD ROM containing the text of all nine editions of Preston’s book published during his lifetime. It allows any keyword to searched, producing a list containing every page, in every edition, in which that word appears. Clicking on each will bring that page to the screen.
    Professor Prescott aims to bridge the gap which exists between masonic and non-masonic research into Freemasonry and Preston’s work is a seminal text. One example can be seen in the study of the dechristianisation of the Craft, which "seems to be a response to the spread of Freemasonry throughout the Empire (particularly in India)". Preston’s book reveals that the Christian connections of Freemasonry were assumed in his 1775 edition but were "largely concealed" by the time of his 1812 edition. This shows that the process, thought to be complete in 1723, was actually far more gradual.
    This CD ROM is a superlative and essential research tool for all academics and other researchers investigating the formation of modern Freemasonry.
    Michael Baigent