Masonic Portraits (No. 6). The Craftsman.

these would bo sufficient to render any man famous amongst his fellow citizens . Even in these days of progress and of reconstruction , it does not fall to the lot of many members of the architectural profession to build such vast national monuments as the Meat and Poultry Markets .

Many a man who is obliged to hide his genius in the shade would be glad of an opportunity to try his powers upon n work of national importance , but the dreamers who build castles upon no better foundation than a drawing board , are not always the persons to make good pi'actical

architect's . Architecture , indeed , is the most tentative of all the arts . A design which looks well on paper may prove a failure when it is realised in solid brick and stone , and the man who does not know how to alter and amend as the building is rising before his eyes , is not deserving of the

name of an architect . Our hero is a man of practice . He possibly cares little for the theories of mere archaeologists , and strives , in all his works , to adapt the means to the end . His wide studies have embraced engineering as well as architecture , and his designs for the widening of London

Bridge are universally admitted to be admirable . If the Bridge must be widened , our worthy brother ' s plan is the best that can be conceived , but we greatly fear that the suggested alterations will not cure the evil , and we shall not be sorry if this admirable scheme is shelved , and a new

channel of communication opened below the Tower . In all the various relations of life our brother is popular . He is not a diner-out , and does not care much for the festive board , but in his own home he is a genial host , and in his business relations he is thoroughly

honourable and straightforward . His integrity as an official is almost proverbial , and his grasp of all the details of his duties is profound . He is much more ready with his pencil than he is with his tongue , and he would possibly much rather prepare a sketch plan of a building than

make a speech , or offer a mere business explanation of his designs . It is not often that a man of action and genius can manage to shine as an orator . It is no reproach to our worthy brother to say that he does not possess the

gift of speech . Nature , which has bestowed so many gifts upon him , has withheld this , the most fascinating of her treasures ; but true art , which is always contemplative , does not , often need the assistance of oratory , it speaks for itself , and in a language which is universally understood .

Our worthy brother naturally is not disposed to rest upon his laurels . He is fully conscious that he has further renown to win . It it will he his fortune to add a Vegetable Market to the magnificent range of buildings in Smithfield . A splendid Council Chamber for the Corporation will shortly

be erected from his designs , and it may some day or other bo his fate to rebuild the City of London School upon a new and more convenient site . In the execution of these new works wo can only wish him God speed , and ultimate success We may , indeed , venture to express a

hope that he will find time amid the serious duties of his office , to devote some attention to the claims of Freemasonry . A great architect should bo ambitious to distinguish himself in the Lodge room . His practical knowledge should enable him to give point to those grand speculative truths which are the glory of our Order .

Prices And Their Fluctuations.

PRICES AND THEIR FLUCTUATIONS .

a ^ HE enormous advances in price of nearly every article of domestic and general use during the last quarter of a century have given rise to much discussion , and will , probably , furnish a fruitful ground of controversy and speculation for many years to come . From the earliest

times , since money has been coined , prices have been subject to fluctuations , owing to the greater or less scarcity of the articles of purchase , or the greater or less scarcity of the medium of exchange . When coal is plentiful and easy of access , it is cheap , and in proportion as it becomes scarce and

difficult to obtain , it becomes dear . In like manner , where gold , the principal medium of exchange , is plentiful , as at the gold diggings , it causes everything else to rise in price , and where there is but little of it in circulation , prices are low .

The present almost general rise in prices is attributable to the recent remarkable gold discoveries , which have had the effect of lowering very considerably the value of the precious metals . Since the discovery of gold in California and Australia , the quantity of gold in use in the world has

Prices And Their Fluctuations.

been nearly doubled ; and this has led to readjustments of prices , both of commodities and labour , throughout the civilised world . If we refer to past history for a parallel to this , we find at least one instance of a rise in prices as general and of

even greater magnitude , The conquests of the Roman empire added so enormously to the wealth of Italy that from about the date of the accession of Augustus a most remarkable rise in prices commenced , which continued without interruption until about the end of the fourth

century . A variety of other circumstances contributed to this rise , the principal being the debasement of the coinage as practised by some of the Emperors . The effect of all these circumstances was inevitable . In the reign of Domitian , prices had reached an enormous pitch . Beef was

only to be had at a price equivalent to 7 / per English pound of the present day , whilst Pork and the better kinds of sea-fish fetched 10 / 6 per pound . The Sybarite who indulged in luxuries in those days had to pay as much as £ 5 or £ 6 for a plump goose , and £ 8 for a pheasant .

Peas , beans , lentils and millet cost from 32 / to 64 / per English peck , and some kinds of fruit even reached very high prices . The price of citrons varied from 10 / 6 to 16 / each , whilst Damascus plums could only be had at the rate of about eight for half-a-crown .

Melons would be about 1 / , and Pomegranates about 6 d a piece . A modest pint flagon of the commonest beer co . 'i lOd , and the better class of beer , the " Bass ' s bitter" cf those days , fetched 1 / 8 per pint . The cheapest wine was 3 / 4 per pint , the best about 10 / per pint . Clothes were not

much dearer than at present , except boots , which could not be got for less than from 50 / to 80 / per pair . Of couri-e salaries and wages were high in proportion . An agricultural labourer would earn as much as 16 / per day , a stonemason 30 / , and a wall-painter from £ 2 to £ 2 10 / per day .

The lawyer ' s fee of those days was £ 6 8 / 8 instead of 6 / 8 as at present , and no advocate would attend the hearing of a case under about £ 30 . The standard of wealth altogether must have been very much higher then than now . Seneca , the philosopher , is reported to have died worth two

millions and a half sterling , and instances are given m history of single repasts for which the amount of a modern fortune was expended . From the beginning of the fifth century , however , the tide began to turn . Mining operations had for the most

part ceased , and gold began to get scarcer . The fall seems to have been as rapid and even more decided than the rise . In King Alfred ' s time , an entire ox could be had for 7 / , a cow for 6 / 2 , a pig for 1 / lOf , a sheep for 1 / 2 , and a goat

for 4 | d . The three most expensive animals were horses , asses , and MEN , but one of each might be had for the sum of five GUINEAS ; the price of a man being £ 2 16 / 3 , of a horse £ 1 15 / 2 , and of a donkey 14 / 1 .

Tradition , of a more or less reliable character , affords us some interesting statistics as to the wages received by the various classes of operative masons in olden time . It would be interesting on some future occasion to endeavour

to collect these statistics , but we fear the task would be extremely difficult . The ancient members of the Craft were , unfortunately , not much given to placing on record any facts relating to their occupation or their Order ; and much even that has been recorded has been lost or destroyed .

The Historical Picture.

THE HISTORICAL PICTURE .

We understand that the success of the Great Historical Engraving of the Installation of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales is now assured . The Artist , Brother E . J . Harty , has received the highest possible patronage . Amongst the latest subscribers are the Kinsr of Sweden and the Swedish

Deputation of five of his Nobles , the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland , and the Irish Deputation , the Baroness Burdett Coutts , the King of the Belgians , and the King of Greece . Other Royal and distinguished personages will shortly be added to the list . We learn that the period for the insertion

of portraits of those who were present at this interesting ceremony will shortly close , the Engraver being under contract to finish the plate at an early date . Brethren who are qualified should lose no time in communicating with

Bro . Harty , whose address they will find in another column . We do not doubt that the picture will prove to be the most interesting Masonic souvenir , without exception , that has ever been published .