Reviews.

REVIEWS .

AU Books intended for Eeview should be addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 67 Barbican , E . C . — : o : — Here and There among the Alps . —By tho Hon . Frederica Plunket . London : Longmans , Green and Co ., 1875 .

Tins is a pleasantly written narrative of a ramble by two ladies among the Alps , not rivalling , of course , in interest , the thrilling accounts wo often read of Alpine climbing ; such , for instance , as ascents of Mont Blanc , tho Matterhorn , and other of the very loftiest peaks ; but showing what ladies , possessing the requisite energy and

nerve , may accomplish between the two extremes of laborious audacity , on the one hand , and the stereotyped progress with which the ordinary tourist is generally contented , on the other . Having engaged a good guide , and having provided themselves with all the necessary equipments for their journey , the Hon . Frederica Plunket

and her sister set out on their tour of exploration , and , in the course of their wanderings , they contrived to see and do a great deal more than nine-tenths of the visitors to these delightful regions have even the courage to attempt . They ascended the Matterberg and the Tschingal Pass , the Diorolegga Pass and Piz Morteratsch , the Monte

Confinorle and the Stelvio Pass , the Itochnarry , the Pfandelseharte , and other peaks and passes too numerous to mention . They occasionally experienced some disappointments , which they bore with unfailing good temper , and some difficulties , which they surmounted with a zeal and energy that would have done credit to more seasoned

mountaineers . Ascents of 8 , 000 and 10 , 000 feet , were accomplished without the slightest hesitation , and the slight contretemps the travellers met with in some places were made the subject of merriment . Rough and ready fare , scant accommodation and the like , were of no account whatever . How they fared may be judged from the following brief sketch , at p . 23 : —

" Taken separately , the component parts of onr luncheon would not sound inviting . A rather hard knapsack for a seat , snow for a footstool , and , for food , some very dry bread and an antiquated chicken , a good deal burned , whose limbs had to be torn asunder by main force , and whose flesh was about of the consistency of Swiss

carved wood . These delicacies were washed down with some wine and snow , and the meal was complete ; but the sauce which accompanied it , giving relish to the whole , was not prepared by human hands , is indescribable , and can only be tasted and enjoyed by those who have earned it with a hard morning ' s work on the Upper Alps . "

Tho travellers had a great desire to ascend Piz Morteratsch , bnt experienced some difficulty at first in finding the needful guide . Tho first called in gave his opinion that it was unfit for ladies . Tho snow was " so frightfully soft , " " No lady could stand the fatigno of it , " " Even the strongest men cannot lead for more than a quarter of an

hour at a time , but have to go to tho back to rest . " Nothing daunted , however , they called in one Christian Grass , who , like doctors , " gave quite a different opinion from that of his fellow-practitioner . " " No difficulty on tho snow , " said he , bat the rocks were steep . So the ascent was accomplished wiihout any serious difficulty . "It is ,

however , " adds the author , " not an expedition to be recommended to ladies , unless they arc used to mountain work , find have steady heads , in which case it is a very pleasant piece of climbing , and the snowy summit affords a magnificent view . " A climb of over 12 , 000 feet and by ladies whom wo usually designate as tho weaker sex

But some gentlemen found ou the summit appear to have got throngh their task with less ease and comfort—true they were not Englishmen . Says the author : " they did not seem to have liked the ascent much , and sighed a good deal over the recollection of its fatigues . One of them informed me , in a melancholy voice , that he weighed

200 pounds . Not being up in Swiss weights , this presented no definite idea to my mind , so , not knowing exactly what to say , I put on a face which I . meant to be expressive of sympathy , but I afterwards remembered that I had on a linen mask at the time , and that it must , unfortunately , have been lost upon him completely . "

The author thinks the Eugadine over-praised . " A fortnight spent in the Eugadine did not much alter the first impression it had made upon us . We still thought its scenery over , praised , and its climate unpleasant . Tho air there certainly is peculiarly light and bracing ; but it is not very agreeable to bo

frozen every morning , baked at noon , and perished at night , nor to rise , as wo did ono morniug in August and find a white world all round . Then the situation of Pontresina , though by far the best in that district , still appeared to me rallu < r badly chosen , for though

cl"SO to the Boniina chain , it is so placed that scarcely any of the mo-it beautiful peaks aro visible from it . As a centre for excursions it has , no doubt , great advantages , aud to those who can walk well enough to penetrate into the recesses of the magnificent chain at whose baso it lies , it is a most attractive spot . "

However , if the scenery was not what they expected , they seem to have been agreeably disappointed in other respects . Tiiey had heard , for instance , a great deal about tho incivility of tho inhabitants , but " certainly at Samaden and Pontresina we found every one with whom we came iu contact very obliging and friendly . " " The prices ,

too , far from being exorbitant , as we had been led to expect , were , we thought , very moderate . " The food , if not recherche , was wholesome . In short , rumour , as far as their experience went , proved false in regard to this as to many other matters .

The book , we repeat , is ^ pleasantly written , and ladies who may contemplate a tour among the Alps this summer , aud are not afraid of roughing it a little , may read with advantage tbo record of the Hon . Frodrica Plunket and her sister ' s experiences , especiall y in the matter of equipment and guides ,

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected commxinications . We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents .

FREEMASONRY NINETY YEARS AGO .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . SIR , —A few days ago I was looking over a bundle of waste paper and old books , and after I had cleared away a lot of rubbish , only fit for the fishmonger to wrap his herrings in , I came across a " backless book , " purporting to give an account of the life of Joseph Emperor of Austria . After perusing several

pages , my attention was fixed upon the copy of a curious document referring to Freemasonry iu that country in the year 1783 . In these days of Popish prohibition and Princely recognition of the Craft , the contents of the page before me had special interest . It was only a few days previously that I had read your comments on tho splendour which is likely to accompany the Installation of the Prince of Wales

as Grand Master of England , and I conld not help picturing to myself the great contrast between the Emperor Joseph and the present heir to the throne of England . Thinking that the proclamation to which I refer will be of interest to the Masonic body , about to be still closer allied to royalty , I have pleasure in forwarding you a copy of it . It reads as follows : —

" Whereas , in all well regulated States , nothing should , within a certain description , be permitted to subsist , without being confined to some particular rule and order , I have thought it necessary to enjoin what follows : — " The assemblies of men called Freemasons , of whose secret I am as completely ignorant , as I have at all times been adverse to inquire

into their mysteries , are daily increasing even in the smallest towns . Snch meetings , left entirely to the discretion of their members , and subject to no kind of direction , may occasion many excesses , equally injurious to religion and good morals ; as also induce the superiors , in consequence of a fanatical fellowship , to deviate from the strict path of rectitude , in regard to those who are their dependents , but

not initiated into tho mysteries of their Order ; and , in fine , occasion great and needless expenses . Already have other powers forbidden all such assemblies , already have the members been brought to exemplary punishments , because their secrets were not nniver .-ally known . Although I am mysolf very imperfectly in tho confidence , it is enough for me to know that somo good and benevolent acts havo

been performed by the Masonic Lodges , to provide in their favour better than has been done in other countries ; therefore , although I am a stranger to their constitution , and to what is transacted at their meetings , these shall , nevertheless , be countenanced , nnder the patronage of the State , as long as they shall do good ; therefore , the Freemasons shall enjoy a formal toleration , upon their submitting

to such regulations as shall be prescribed by me . " The writer of the book comments upon the above proclamation as follows : — "This fulmination against a social and charitable institution , of the nature of which the Emperor professed he knew nothing , gave little trouble to the Brothers of tho mystic Order in the Austrian dominions , and their Lodges continued to be held as if

no such edict had appeared . In Bavaria , however , tho case was very different ; for the Elector there put down all the Lodges without reserve , and not only compelled every member of the Fraternity to confess his being snch , but to renounce the Order upon oath , on penalty of fine or imprisonment . One motive for these denunciations of a harmless institution was the hatred which the Elector , and his

friend tho Emperor , had conceived towards Frederick the Great , who patronised Freemasonry , and was the terror of his neighbours . " The same book gives a brief account of a visit , by Prince William Henry , to Plymouth , in the year 178 G . During his stay in that town His Royal Highness " became a member of the society of

Freemasons ; being initiated in due form iu the Lodge , number 80 , then held at the Prince George Inn , in that town . " I remain , yours respectfully , WM . H . HATTON . Stalybridge Reporter Office , 3 rd April 1875 .

Honour Its Own Reward.

HONOUR ITS OWN REWARD .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE , DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Tho fact of H . R . H . the Princo of Wales having been elected M . W . G . M . and tho approaching installation about to take placo on the 2 Sih instant has been productive of a vast amonnt of good to the Graft . Many of our brethren , who had been content to be classed as brother Ma- 'ous , now rcsrrct they had

not attended Lodges of Instrncion to lender themselves eligible to ( ill tho offices of Wardens , and ultimately reach the summit of ambition—tho Master ' s chair . The same applies to the distinctive badges worn on the breast . The Master ' s Jewel is presented for efficient working , but tho Charity Jewel is paid for by the wearer , with pride and satisfaction , under tho knowledge that he is fnirly

entitled to it , from having done good service to the Charities . If the brethren will look to tho columns of your valuable paper they will there see how eager members are in every Lodge to send a Steward to those three Charities , clearly showing that the brethren , ou their initiation , do not forget tho first principle on which onr Order is founded , viz .: Charity . Great credit is due to thoso youn" Masons

who have represented the Charities ; they may look back , in after years , and see tho good they havo done for tho aged and the orphans . The seeds of charity , onco implanted , can never be er . i . ! eutcd , and other charities will be equally benefitted by their exertions . I am , yours fraternally , A PAST MASTER ,