The Ensuing Elections To The Boys' And Girls' Schools.

well-to-do . Or , I will take a small shopkeeper clearing £ 200 per anntim of profits , and a master workman earning £ •!¦ per week wages . Tho latter is decidedly the better off of the two . Again , when an officer dies , his appointment dies with him . When an artist dies , tho brain that conceived , and the hand that fashioned the saleable statuo or picture are at rest . When the mechanic dies , the

implements of his art and the remembrance of his skill alone remain . But the trader leaves behind money value in the shape of stock , and the good will of his business . Here , then , are elements of inequality , which it were folly to ignore . But assuming equality of means and position , we must still consider other circumstances . Some had large , some small families . Some had , some had not , other relatives

dependent on thorn for support . In some families sickness prevailed largely , in others it was rarely , if over , present . In somo cases these and like conditions may have come together , iu others separately . Lastly , some may have been good Masons , as they were good men , others indifferent Masons , as they were held indifferently in public estimation as men . And having analysed the claims of these

seventynine candidates , with a duo regard to each of these several conditions , and having found in each case , as I think we shall find , such inequalities as I have described , it still remains for us to make one final analysis , in order to ascertain the relative merits of the several candidates . Wo must put all these grounds of consideration together , and then only shall we truly know which of the candidates are most

deserving of your support and patronage . And how puzzled we shall bo ! We shall find perhaps that A was a good Mason and charitable , but he had a small family . B , an equally good Mason , was unable to give , for his family was numerous . C was a gentleman with a small family , but tho claims on his purse wero heavy . D had means , but likewise a sick wife , and one or two brothers to help

forward in life . E , who was on the road to fortune , died prematurely . And so on , through the category . My algebra , I fancy , is somewhat rusty , but I think the permutations and combinations of all the pros and cons , that might be urged in connection with these seventy-nine candidates , would provo very formidable . Bro . Hughan , I fear , has fallen—unwittingly , no doubt—into the

very common error of generalising . He attempts to apply one uniform test to all cases alike , quite forgetting that the merits of the candidates are , perhaps , as various as the candidates themselves are numerous . Nor has ho made any allowance for another point not altogether unworthy of consideration . Though Masons , as such , may exercise a firmer control over their likes and dislikes , they

cannot wholly rid themselves of them . Bro . Jones will support the protege of Bro . Brown rather than of Bro . Robinson . He knows well enough that neither of his worthy brethren would solicit support for an undeserving object , bnt he is associated in business with Bro . Jones , or was at school or college with him . It is tho misfortune of those who seek to establish ono law which shall bo generally

applicable to all , to find—I was going to say any number of—cases which positively refuse to be generalised . Perhaps some one may say , "Pity 'tis , ' tis true , " yet true it is undoubtedly . Ono further remark I venture to offer . Among tho candidates for the Girls' School are four whoso fathers " aro sdd to have subscribed through their Lodges , whatever that may mean . " Bro . Hughan calls

this " an equivocal form of contribution . " Permit me to suggest a solution of the riddle . These brethren possibly wero able to afford only such small subscriptions as would not entitle them to rank with annual subscribers . Their contributions found their way into the coffers of the institution for which they were intended , through the stewards who may have representee ! their Lodges at the annual

festival or festivals . Or , perhaps , tho Lodges of which they were subscribing members , held ono or more Life Governorships , the money for which was provided out of the corporate funds . The members of a Lodgo so subscribing , would have each an equal sharo with his fellows in this or other Life Governorships , and might therefore be said " to have subscribed through their Lodges . " I can solve other

people ' s propositions no more than Bro . Hughan . I only suggest one or other of these solutions . I think I have shown the principle of Bro . Ilnghan ' s scrutiny is wrong . I am certain it would be most unfortunate if we gave or withheld our support iu the case of a particular candidate on the sole ground that his or her father had or had not contributed to our " charities " during his " lifetime , or presumed prosperity . " It is

illogical on the not unnatural presumption , that those who have been able to bestow charity on others , have , or ought to have been able to bestow something on their own families , who , therefore , stand less in need of assistance . I fear I am trespassing too largely on your valuable space , but the issue raised is an important one , and I hope this will be deemed somo excuse for the length of my letter . Fraternally yours , Q .

The Chevalier Ramsay And Freemasonary.

THE CHEVALIER RAMSAY AND FREEMASONARY .

To the Editor of THE FJIKKMASON ' S ( VHONICLK . Sin , —In your issue of the loth inst ., Bro . J ' rr V-. n , I perceive , asks certain questions as to tho connection of tho CI- / valier Ramsay with Freemasonry , and also , whether any evidence thereon exists among the archives ¦ 1 ' tho Grand Lodge of England . Tho latter point I can oiler no opinion upon , but in my occasional reading of Masonic

Ihcrature , I have found two or three passages which may bo of interest to Bro . Bnchtvn , if he be not , vifc least , already familiar with them . The first I have extracted from Thory ' s Acta- L . -tor nor urn on Chronologic d V ' Histoire de la Franche-Mar'ninerie Fraaraise el Flravnp ' rc , and is to this ctloct -.

—" Cette an" ¦ . ' •;¦ , le chevalier baronet ccos ^ ais / iV /; iiiY /;/ jottc , a Loiidres , Its fondonien .-i li ' une Macomierio iioiiveilo qu ' ii 1 ' aisait dt . 'seendre des ( roisndes , ofc dont il attribuait 1 'inveniiou a G '< id ' 'fr < ii' d < : iw » . i ( lo ; i . 11 prctendait que la Lego do St . Andre , a Edimbourg , etait le cheflieu du veritable Ordre des Francs-Mucous , jcsquels eiaienfc les cicsceudaus des chevalier ; ilea croisudu-s . il confotait trois gvad . es ,

The Chevalier Ramsay And Freemasonary.

l'Ecossais , le Novice , et le Chevalier fln Temple . Ilamsay preche une refermo bnseV sur sa decoavcrte ; ourejette cette doctrine . " Tho date assigned to this in 1728 . The second is from a foot-note at p . 205 of Findel ' s History of Freeums'tiiry . " R has been stated , more than once , thathe ' was in London in 1728 ,

to lay the foundation of this new Masonic system , but Kloss contradicts this ; ho was only once in England , and that in 1730 , to receive the degree of Doctor of Law . I have noticed references in other works , but none seem to afford anything conclusive . For my own part , I should hardly like to accept the statement on such , in my opinion , insufficient date as I have seen . Tour ' s fraternally , W . M .

Answers To Correspondents.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS .

All Letters and communications must be addressed to the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , 67 Barbicayi , London , E . C . P . Z . 17 ' 1 'A . —See Bro . Hughan ' s Memorials of the Masonic Union of A . D . 1813 , a notice of which appeared some time since in these

columns . Q . R . —We havo no wish to involve ourselves in controversy of any kind .

L . L . —Wo cannot undertake the task . It hardly comes within our province . S . G . —You will most likely obtaiu it at Bro . Spencer ' s , Great Queen Street .

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended for Eeview should be addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 67 Barbican , E . C . — : o : — MAGAZINES OF THE MONTH .

Fraser opens with an article on the " Portraits of John Knox , " with six illustrations . So admirable a sketch of a man so eminent in history as the great Scottish divine is not often to be met with elsewhere in the pages of periodical literature , unless it be , perhaps in those of tho quarterlies , or of Blachvood . There are three sources of interest

attaching to this particular article . In the first place , it is a life-like sketch of a great man . In the second , it discusses the merits of sundry portraits of the great Reformer , and their claims to being received as genuine . In the third place , there is but one man living from whose pen it could havo emanated —unless we are woefully mistaken—and that is Mr . Thomas Carlyle . We claim no special merit

for this discovery , for the likeness to such works of his as The French Revolution , Sartor Resartus , & o . is unmistakable . Of the other articles , we would draw attention to a description of " Tetuan , " and sundry suggestions as to " Recruiting and the Militia , " by two officers of Her Majesty ' s Service , who are clearly at home in this very intricate subject . "The Secret Papers of the Empire" offer some very sad disclosures as to tho great rottenness of things in France during the

few years that preceded the late disastrous war . George Hoggan M . B . and CM . writes very strongly against the cruel practice of " Vivisection , " which , if what he urges can be substantiated , is far more commonly practised than the public have tho slightest idea of . The nnmber , which is facile princeps of those that have appeared during the last six or eight months , closes with an account of " Three Experiments in Co-operativo Agriculture . "

Tinsleys ' , as we remarked last month , is chiefly to be admire ! for the excellence of its serial fiction . It is difficult , perhaps , to follow the threads of four different stories which run together , but the difficulty is materially lessened , when the constructive powers of the writers are as conspicuous as in these cases , and where the several narratives flow on so smoothly . We have a slight preference—but this ,, after all , is purely a matter of taste—for Mr . Farjeon ' s tale" Love ' s

, \ ictory , " and " With Harp and Crown . " But almost of equal excellence ? with the serials , arc tho shorter tales aud papers . Dr . C . Maurice Davies is agreeably chatty in his " Social Status Quo . " " Dreams of a German Jew No . III ., " and "Mistaken Identit y , " are very readable There is , too , a gracefully-written Troubadour song from the pen of Dr . Davies , bearing the title of " Love ' s Concentrated Kiss , " and the treatment is quite in consonance with this class of poetry .

The career of Jabez Clcgg in the "Manchester Man" is the principal feature of Cassell ' s Family 2 Iaga : ine . Last month we left poor Jabez struggling for dear life in the swollen Irk , and we now find him escaping as by a miracle from the terrible risk to which he was accidentally subjected by his rough enemies of the grammar school . After his recovery ho is apprenticed to Mr . Ashton , whose favour he at

once secures by tho steadiness of his conduct , his application to work , and the perfect truthfulness of his character . Clearly Jabez , as ho deserves to be , is ou the high road to fortune . Our readers , too , will find the other serial , " Pretty Miss Bellow , " quite as interesting as in prcviotn numbers . Tho other contributions arc varied in character , ! u ; t there is not .. . ' .. o among them wo shonld like to have seen omitted

\ jamily magr . n-o being the fittest place for articles on domestic matters , it is not surprising to find some such excellent papers as those on "How to give a nice little dinner ? " "How shall I furnish wv bcii-voom ? "—a most important question as regards homo comfort—