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The first part of the present volume consists of a reprint of The Free-Masons' Melody published by Bro. J. R. Hellawell, of Bury, under the direction of the Officers and Members of Prince Edwin Lodge, Bury, in the year 1818, and which had become very scarce. It contained the greater part of those old and favourite songs known to the brotherhood prior to, and about the time of, its publication, and many of which have now become familiar in our mouths as household words. The antient orthography has been retained, although the instances are not very numerous where variations of any importance occur in the spelling.The Appendix contains about eighty additional Songs, Chorales, Hymns, Cantatas, mostly original, and not a few of them written expressly for the present work. Besides these there will be found a few Songs of early date, which have not hitherto, so far as is known, been published in any modern collection of Masonic Songs.
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