On My Back.

up with tho tide towards the bnsy clocks . Out upon tho river , and alongside the beach are boats innumerable—for rowing aud sailing can here be enjoyed at an exceedingly moderate tariff—whilst tho moonlight and other trips are to bo pleasantly remembered by thousands besides myself amongst those who have selected Gravesend for their summer outin < r .

How fitful are the reminiscences that hover around the sick conch Off at a tangent to the dancing waters of the Solent , where yachts are slanting to the glorious breeze , and tho darkling hills of the Isle of Wight frown out upon the sea , as if in envy of us who are afloat on so magnificent a day . On to the pier at Ryde , whore tho band p lays so sweetly in the deepening twilight , and where gay parties aro

moving briskly to and fro in the enjoyment of the summer evening air . Pleasant are tbe day trips to Sandown , Ventnor , and the Chines , where al fresco dinners are " the thing , " between delightful drives , with which the island abounds . How brimful of mirth are the trips around the Needles—how exhilarating and pregnant with interest the imposing naval spectacles at Spithead , where Southsea is

extravagant with the gaiety of thousands of visitors . Again , there come back recollections of fine yachting cruises along tbe southern and westorn coasts , from Dover to Plymouth , putting in here and there for rest and recreation ; quiet rowing along tho snnny Thames—past Richmond , Twickenham , and Kew , with pic-nics in the Hampton Gardens . All these come welling up before me as I

recline by the open window of this most salubrious of all watering , places—Torquay . Dear in memory is the old spot—long before it grew into the "forest of villas " it now is , when the Beacon Hill , just opposite my quiet lodging , was intact ; before the new harbour had spread its arms to embrace the increased shipping of the port ; before the wide tracts of green fields around Torre Abbey and the

" Warren" had been disturbed by the operations of the builder . Edging the calm , still waters of the bay are pictures of natural beauty unrivalled in all my journeyings ; while on the tide snowy , sailed yachts are borne in luxurious ease and grace , and from the villa-speckled hills—if one has the strength to mount long flights of steps and climb zigzag paths—thore can be commanded a stretch of

scenery , both land and sea , equalled only , so far as I know , by the classic Bay of Naples itself . I have travelled muoh , and the pages of memory are adorned with many glowing pictures of pleasantry , and interest suggested by your article on " The days when we go Gipsying . " They may come

again some day j and this echo from the sick couch is uttered in na complaining mood . I envy not those who , in robust health and spirits , are now away upon the wings of holiday keeping . But even in this warm sequestered spot , this home of the zephyrs , I must close my windows early , and wish to one and all bon voyage , though I am still lying ON MY BACK . Torquay , 11 th July 1882 .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

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

*\ jt " TEADING ON MASONRY . "

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I " should not have considered it worth while" to notice the letter of your correspondent "CARITAS CUM DIS

CRIMINE were it not to point out how common has become the odious custom of indulging in personal vituperation amongst men . You have yourself deplored the accident , and I notice iu your contemporary the Freeriason , of the 24 th ult ., an exclamation of which

note should be made by Masonic writers . "Is it not a wonderful thing that Freemasons can never write upon any subject whatever , apparently , -without at once degenerating into obvious personalities ?" It will be my aim to leave unsatisfied the latent curiosity of my Brother with the Latin cosmomen . Verv likelv it would not ha . vn

enli ghtened him much , or have " added force" to my letter , had I not " refrained from publishing my name and address . " Suffice it to say his vision must be oblique if he imagined from my letter that i desire to constitute myself "tbe champion and apologist of Masonic tramps , " or that his conclusion is any more well-founded When he imacines T am " either Vfirv vnnnir ini-lnnr ! in t . Iin "Rni . nl

Art , " or that I am myself tho hero of tbe veracious story I relate of the destitute Brother who unsuccessfully tackled the brethren at tt ° « . ° . 0 me 1 ' Dla"i uai 7 hotel . " You , Bro . Editor , know I am not ne "identical wayworn gentleman in question ; " and , indeed , had been , the "touching facts" would hardlhave gained addi

y any - 'onal force by choosing to " declare myself iu your columns . " Our classical Brother should recollect that tho amenities of journalism ave not yot quite disappeared , and that to opeu rebutting evidence ) 7 a declamation against your opponent ' s presumed character is not o most Masonic or trentlcmnnlv mode of argument . I will onlv

anlT ° ntlllS Part ° tl , c snb J ecfc i that the galled jade always winces , , cl 1 can but come to tho conclusion that my correspondent is a _ , ? ry young Brother , unaconainted with thn snhiect r . nnr . p . rnimr

„ J ° h ho writes so fluently , " otherwise he would not have been cWl CCeSSft ' y tackIed" hy one who fleeced him out of a anit oC w 6 S and tvvo I , CUDcls t ° secure lodgings in a place to which ho Tv | , fI ecotmnemlecI . who "never turned up at his destination , " bnt who * f '' ^ ' f nn tno way and cruised off to some frush pastures , CmfM" t ' US tlmo ll 0 nin , y ( SJ ' ) * nGCo ! n S another section of the

Correspondence.

Pardon me quoting so freely from tho diction of my friend : it is as amusing as it is classical , and cannot be improved upon . But ovon abetter point in tho effusion is that ho does not in tho slightest sense touch the principle involved , fn the first place , he cvados the teading distinction between Masonic charity , which ovory Tliramito is bound to uphold , and turns off at a tangent upon ' ¦ Masonic Mendi .

' •fine ;/ , ' which nobnrly mentioned , and which nobody can more aboruinato than tny friend ' s " very young brother I" I entirely sympathise with " CARITAS CUM DISCRIMINK" in tho position into which ho has been thrust . " In a large city that occupies a central point for travellers , and on the high road between North and South "—upon my word I cannot for tho life of mo refrain from quoting astain—ho

has undoubtedly had " unusual opportunities of seeing specimens of the Masonio mendicant ; " yet , methinks his exnerience must have been unfortnnate , or " very yonng , " when ho finds hurled at him " snoh torrents of blasphemous abuse , " by " begging blackgnavds " to whom he has declined to give money . The alliteration is unique , but such epithets applied to Freemasonry are not gentle . Ho has

had his temper ruffled , or he would not—have written that lettor ! After all , my brother so benignly shows ho has a large heart , and that his only object is to advocate discrimination in the giving of relief , that I mentally shako hands with him , and may some time or other give him my " name and address . " I cordially agree with him in the belief , and I could strengthen that belief by reciting

many instances , that " the every day charities of the brethren are very numerous . " It is the glory of tho Craft that this is so ; but that it should be turned into an inquisitorial machine , and follow iu the vein of a Charity Organisation Society , would be lamentably destructive of the high-minded and holy principle of Charity as defined in the Eoyal Art . As I hinted in my last letter , there are hundreds

of worthy Masons to whom a practical illustration of the sentiments so freely uttered in the banquet hall would be as a heaven-sent blessing—who are too sensitive to appeal , but who , if discriminately relieved , would instinctively reflect the real Charity of Freemasonry a thousandfold more than does all the glitter and glare of our preaching at the dinner table .

Let us draw the distinction between the deserving object of our Charity , and the "Masonio mendicant" of whom your correspondent speaks . A simple means of checking the latter would be to endorse his certificate with a record of the date on which he was relieved , and the amount granted . How could such an unworth y brother long exist on ill-gotten aid ? But to tar all with the same

brush is not charitable , and the farthest idea from my miud was that " every Masonio beggar should be at once relieved , for fear . that he should be better than he seems or looks . " I am no stickler for any curtailment of the amenities of the Fourth Degree , for I believe they tend to generate the true spirit from which generosity flows ; but when we find so much of -what our American brethren call " high

falntin '" over the charitable achievements of the Craft , compared with what is devoted to its pleasurable accompaniments , the world must draw its own conclusion as to the sincerity of our professions . In a word , let " CARITAS CUM DISCRIMINE " agree with me that to inflict an inquisitorial examination upon a deserving brother

who needs our assistance would bo to drive him to desperation and to destitution before he would accept a gift ungracefully bestowed , while , on the other hand , to band the certificates of known mendicants with the badge of their profession would be to banish them from the harvest fields of their illegitimate calling , and in a short time make their game not worth the candle . With hearty good wishes to my

" very young brother , " and to you , dear Sir , I remain , Yours fraternally , 12 th July 1882 . " CONSTANT READER . "

MASONIC MENDICANCY

To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —There is no doubt much truth in the remarks , published by you last week , of " CARITAS CUM DISCRIMINE . " Every now and then cases of Masonic imposture are made known to the Craft in the columns of the Masonic journals . These have the effect of making Lodge almoners more wary , and the result is a

decrease , as your correspondent says , in Masonic Mendicancy . But without endorsing all " A CONSTANT READER " has said on the subject , let me just point out that this extra caution may oftentimes be exercised to the detriment of really deserving applicants . Your earlier correspondent mentioned the case of a wayworn brother being sent empty away , and we have his assurance that the circum .

stances , as narrated by him , did occur . On the faith of that assurance , I say the facts are not creditable to the brethren of the locality in which they took place , and furnish one more apt illustration that caution may be carried too far . Let me mention a case of which I learned the particulars a few months ago , and in which this excessive cantion would have been equally to be deplored . A brother from

one of the remoter Provinces had occasion to visit London on a matter of business . On arrival he unfortunately fell into the hands of the Philistines , was hoenssed , and when he camo to his senses next morning fonud himself without his money and valuables . Of course , ho had no business to fall into the hands of the Philistines , no ! usiness to allow himself to be hocusued , and thereforo no business

to be next nioriiiiit ; -minus his property . Nevertheless that was the predicament iu which he found himself , and bnt for the timely loan of a /'; " . ¦ ¦ shillings ho must have remained a good twenty-four hours houseless and foodless . As it was ho was able to telegraph to his bankers , and the needful reached him tha following- morning ' . Let me ask

" CARITAS CUM DISCRIMINE " if , in the case cited by a " A CONSTANT READER , " it would have been serious departure from proper Masonic caution had tho brethren mentioned dismissed their " wayworn brother " with the price of " glasses all round " in his empty pocket . I i ' ai . ey , as a mlu , your true Masonic Impoutor lays him 3 elf out in a businesslike way , to pocket largo sums , aud would curse you if you gavo'him