Why Bro. Gould Discredits Wren's Connection With Freemasonry.

May 1691 , when even his adoption was still in the womb of futurity , it , follows that , to say the least , the evidence as to Wren ' s Masonic career is somewhat conflicting , not to press tho fact that no such Masonic ' Grands' were in existence in 1668 6 . "

We see now how Anderson s overdosing Wren ' s Masonry led Bro . Buchan to suspect the statements of Aubrey and all the rest Bro . Gould ' s researches seem to have extended over the whole field of literature bearing upon tho question at issue ; for instance , " The Parentalia , " a book

relating to tbe Wren family , but especially to Sir Christop her . Bro . Gould not only examined the said work , but he even hunted up the MS . copy , and he expresses a decided opinion that it was written by Christopher , tho son of Sir C . Wren . After quoting a number of

extracts relating to architecture from the said work , ho came to the conclusion that he could draw no inference from them that Wren was a Mason . The memoir of a family by the name of Strong ho also consulted . Tho book was written in 1716 , though not printed before

1815 , and here again our author hunted np the original MS . copy . In that work he learned that Thomas Strong , in 1665 , built lodgings for tho scholars afc Oxford , under the direction of Dr . C . Wren ; that in 1675 he made a contract with the Lords , for rebuilding St . Paul ' s , & c . But he could find no reference in the whole book either to the

" Lodge at St . Pauls , or to the phrase of " Free and Accepted Masons . " In short , wherever Bro . Gould searched , whether in the writings of Wren ' s intimate con - temporaries or in those of Wren ' s own family , ho conld discover no intimation about Wren ' s Masonry , save ancl

except the solitary statement by Aubrey . About Aubrey , our Bro . Gonld says : "With a naturally curious and inquiring mind , he lost no opportunity of obtaining traditionary and personal information . This peculiarity had procured for him the

character of a "foolish gossip . ' Indeed , Ray , the distinguished naturalist , in one of his letters to Aubrey , cautions him against too easy credulity . * I think , ' says Ray , ' if you give me leave to be free with you—that you are a little inclined to credit strange relations . ' Hearn speaks

of him— ' that by his intimate acquaintance with Ashmole in his latter years , he too much indulged his f mcy , and wholly addicted himself to wbimseys and conceits of astrologers , soothsavers , and such like ignorant and

superstitious writers , which have no foundation in nature , philosophy or reason . ' Mai on observes , ' However fantastical Aubrey may have been on subjects of chemistry and ghosts , his character for veracity has never been impeached . ' "

Anthony Wood ' s opinion of Aubrey is as follows : " He is a shiftless person , roving and magohie headed , and sometimes little better than crazed , and being exceedingly credulous , would stuff his many letters sent to A . W . with fooleries and misinformation , which sometimes would

guide him into the paths of error . " Anthony Wood also used to say of him , when ho was at the same time in company , " Look , yonder goes snch a one , who can tell such aud such stories , and I'll warrant Mr . Aubrey will break

hia neck down stairs rather than miss him . " And Toland said of Aubrey , " Though he was extremely superstitions , •. . . yet he was a very honest man , and most accurate m his account of matters of fact , but the facts he knew , not the reflections he made , were what I wanted . "

Among the dreams and anecdotes that Aubrey left us , one will suffice . " Dr . Richard Napier , " says Aubrey , " was a person of great abstinence , innocence and piety . When a patient or querent came to him , he presently went to his closet to pray , and told to admiration the recovery or death

of his patient . It appears hy his papers that he did convers e wifch the Angel Raphael , who gave him the responses . " After reading the above , wc need not , feci surprised to read in the Saturday Review of 1879 , p 383 , It must be confessed that the authenticity , or afc least the accuracy , of Aubrey's anecdotes of eminent men has been much suspected . " The " Encyclopedia Britannica " "Refers to Aubrey as a " highly credulous nature , " and by

Wees he is styled , " A gnod classical rcholar , a tolerable naturalist , and a most laborious antiquarian , hut credulous , and addicted to superstition . " ( New Cyclopaedia 1822 , 20 . ) Our Bro . Gould says : —

Aubrey ' s memorandum has been sufficiently examined , j ? £ t in parting with it I may remark that his story of Wren ' s forthcoming adoption appears to me quite as incre-

Why Bro. Gould Discredits Wren's Connection With Freemasonry.

dible as the other talcs relating to tho architect , extracted from his anecdotes of eminent men . " Wo shall only add , that if the honest but weak-minded Aubrey had said that Wren had told him that ho was a

freemason , there would havo been no reason to doubt it . But as upon mere rumour , Aubrey stated that Wren was going to become a Freemason ; with tho mass of negative evidence before us , all that can bo said upon tho subject is , it is barely possible , but highly improbable . ( To bo continued . )

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

—* . o : — PROVINCE OF HAMPSHIRE AND THE ISLE OF WIGHT .

A MEETING of tho above Province was hold at the Masonic Hall , adjoining tho Imperial Hotel , Aldershot , on Friday , the 27 th ult . Tho Itov . Canon Portal , Provincial Grand Mark Master , oresided , and thero was a large attendance , including Bros . Lord John Tnylour , the Rev . J . N . Palmer , 11 . Eve , E . E . Street , Gordon Miller , " R . J . Itastrick , A . It . Holbrook , W . D . Parkhouse , H . 3 . Gny ,

J . W . Wilmott , It . W . Mitchell , F . Powell , Mursell , G . J . Tilling P . G . Mark Secretary , Marshallsay , P . H . Emanuel , W . Green , Hacker , Harrison , H . Stone , & o . The P . G . Mark Treasurer ( Bro . G . Felton Lancaster ) presented a very satisfactory balance sheet , and to the regret of all present tendered his resignation , owing to a press of

other engagements . Bro . R . J . Rastrick was nominated as his successor , and unanimously elected . The P . G . Mark Secretary read a statement showing the progress and business of the Province , by which it appeared that there had been a larger accession of members

in this Province during the past twelve months than in any former similar period . Tho P . G . Mark Master expressed his gratification at receiving this report , and then invested his Grand Officers , as follow : — Bro . W . Hickman Deputy P . Grand Master

Lord John Taylonr 320 Prov . G . Senior Warden E . E . Street 62 Prov . G . Junior Warden H . Stone 54 Prov . G . Master Overseer A . R . Holbrook Prov . G . Senior Overseer J . W . Willmott 2 Prov . G . Junior Overseer

Rev . L'Argent Bell 64 ... ... ) p „„„ r p . „ . •_ Rev . Dr . Mullins 54 j Prov " G " Cha P lalDS R . J . Riistriok Prov . G . Treasurer Gordon Miller 17 Prov . G . Reg . of Marks G . J . Tilling 63 Prov . G . Secretary Mursell 140 Prov . G . Senior Deacon

Harrison 54 ... ., ... Prov . G . Junior Deacon Woodhonse 125 Prov . G . Inspector of Works J . Parkinson Prov . G . Dir . of Ceremonies Francis Powell 305 Prov . G . Assist . D . of Cera . Arthur B Atkinson 125 " ) prQV Q gw d „ Hitchin 51 j

H . Pigeon jun . 320 Prov . G . Organist R . VV . Plummerl'IO Prov . G . Inner Guard Pcrdv Harrison 54 ... ... * i

Greig 305 v Prov . G . Stewards Bendall 54 ) Watson 17 Prov . G . Tyler The Lodge being called upon to choose one of their number as a Steward at Grand Lodgp , Brn . H . Stone , tho W . M . of the Aldershot Mark Lodsre , was unanimously selected to represent the Province . The brethren subsequently adjourned to a banquet afc tbe Imperial Hotel . —Portsmouth Times .

The Annual meeting of tbe Provincial Grand Lodge of Kent was held on Wednesday , at Deal , under the banner of the Lord Warden Lodge , No . 1096 . A full report of fche proceedings shall appear in our next issue .

A Convocation of the North London Chapter of Improvement took place at the Alwyne Castle Tavern , St . Paul ' s Road , Canonbury , on Thursday . Comps . J . E . Sheffield M . E . Z ., Dean H ., Radoliffe J ., Shaw S . N ., G . W . Knight P . S . Nofcvvithstandincr the intense heat of the weather there

was a very good muster . This Chapter of Improvement is rapidly increasing . Its conductors cordially invite Royal Arch Masons .

The members of the Prosperity Lodge , No . bb , have arranged thafc their annnal summer banquet shall take place at tho Oatlands Park Hotel , Walton-on-Thames , on Wednesday next , the 9 fch inst . An influential Committee

has been formed to carry out the arrangements , and under fche presidency of Bro . C . J . Rich , the present Worshipful Master , we have no doubt bufc thafc fc ' ie festival of 1884 will be as successful as any that the brethren of Prosperity have hitherto celebrated .