"Il Tegame," Or A Mason's Holiday.

' Scnror . 'ilso is tho spot where Gibbon ivrole , and Cuiigny where B . vwi s ; mg . Wo thus seo that this range of mountains , stretching in windings and whor ' s for nearly n ; ir . hundred miles between the Lake of Geneva and the Gulf of Genoa , lias not beon without influence on the world ' s history and progress . Geneva itself is a placo of great interest when wo reflect on its

history . Originally seized npon by a wandering Celtic tribe , possibly identical with tho Lake dwellers , thafc little isle ou which now is erected a statue of J . . T . Rousseau served as thoir fortress and citadel . Those interested may trace its existence through Gaulish and Roman periods to tho timo of Charlemagne , aud thence to tho epoch of Calvin . In doing so they will not fail to bo struck with tlie

marvellous manner in winch it preserved its political and oven ecclesiastical independence , and with what wisdom aud tenacity its people guarded their privileges . Indeed somo may rise from tho study with a feeling that for good or for evil it was destined to some providential purpose in tho world . For my own part I shall never regret the timo which , when suffering

from injured feet , I gavo to its study in Calvin ' s own library , surrounded with tho recollections of thafc marvellous man . I arn not a Calvinist , but can recognize genius and bolievo ia truth and providence , —in this case shall I add predestination . Tho mountainous space between Geneva and Genoa may bo roughly considered as divided into four nearly equal parts , viz ., tho Pcnine ,

tho Graian , tho Cottian , and tho Maritime Alps . Tho latter range running down to tho sea divides into two spurs , between which is situate tho martyr city "Nice . " Cnosar most probably passed by the most novthornly passage , viz ., tho Little St . Barnard , Napoleon I . by tho Groat St . Bernard ( his German contingent by tho St . Gothard ) . Hannibal , as Arnold

supposes , by tho Mount Cenis route , for although Livy says ho passed afc the conjunction of the Arvo and Rhone , which is near Geneva , his other description does nofc tally , whilst Polybna is still more obscure . Having myself wandered by the Arve on foot , from its union with tho Rhone to its source , stood on tho summit of Mount Cenis , and seen tho plains of Lombardy spread out like a map bofore me , my

own impression agrees with tho description in Hannibal ' s address to the army from tho same spot : — " Before yon are the plains of Italy , bathed by tho Po ; we havo already climbed the ramparts of Italy and Rome , the rest is easy . " As wo have already remarked , the Maritime Alps may be said to approach tho Mediterranean by two spurs , between which is the

martyr town of : Nice . Had Napoleon III . exacted for bis services to Italy tho western spur as a boundary , leaving Nico to the Italians , fow could havo blamed him , and but for Lord Russell ' s egotism , which scorned a transaction , ifc might havo been preserved to them . It is a sore and sorry memory for tho Italians , for as the bird yields itself to its captor , so did tho Italians yield Nice , and tho possession

of that largo and important town would have saved Italy from much of its financial ' embarrassment . As ifc is , the French fleet , stationed in tho Bay , is in full possession of tho Gulf of Genoa , and rides and rules afc its will . I say it with friendly feelings for both nations , bnt how , after this cruel annexation , tho French can complain of Alsace I cannot toll . The Plebiscite vote was a farce .

I was thero not very long after , and talked with the peoplo . "Yes . Signora , but you arc a Franraisc now , " so I must say Madam , to which hor blushes gavo consent . Ono and another made excuses , or protested . An old gentleman gavo tho best reply , " Ah , Monsieur , lout ctait arrangee , cl el fall ait dire , oui , par volonte ou par force . " "Ah , sir , all was arranged , and wo were obliged to yield by good

will or by force . " "Wo might dwell long on this Alpino range of mountains did time permit , but it fills us with surprise thafc in modern times an idea of their impracticability should have returned . Tims Napoleon I . was allowed to accumulate , provide , and hide an entire army , and until his uniforms were discovered , descend unknown on tho flanks of fche Austrian forces without exciting even a suspicion—the avant herald of his own success . Thiers tells us how ,

whilst planning the campaign , ho was heard to say , "Co panvre Mens . Melas ( the Austrian general)—I shall cross tho Alps and take him—there . " Precisely as he indicated he fell on tho flank of tho Austrian lino , fought tho battle ^ of Marengo , and in six weeks cleared Italy of the Austrians , and had possession of tho Quadrilateral . Such aro some of the thoughts which arise in passing the battle field of Marengo , when tho arrival of Massena restored a half lost battle , as did Blucher afc "Waterloo .

Such aro , also , some of the deeds of great generals ; but , alas , how wide is tho gulf by which genius is often separated from •wisdom ! Hannibal in the art of war had no equal , yefc ho failed duly to estimate tho Roman character . Napoleon , the grandest military genius of modern times , has been styled by his own chief worshipper , " n fool in politics , " and he failed to realise the temper

of Europe until be had defied it onco too often . In travelling in Italy ono feels what opportunities these countries afford for the display of military genius . Valour is nofc tho only requisite in an army ; hills ancl rocks , nice calculations of timo , of effect produced , of influences , may all in turn bo pressed into tho service , whilst leaving as little as possible to chance . The power

to judge accurately of those things is tho grand necessity , aud when this power is possessed in a high degree , the leader can work out his plans with almost mathematical certainty . So thoroughly did Napoleon possess this power thafc he had never been known to countermand a regiment when onco he had ordered its destination . ilo rigidly waited for an enemy to move , and divined their object , and then , how simple , how slight , seemed the means by which he attained his obiect ?

Tho merest corporal can arrange a company , a regiment , perhaps an army ; a tyro can paint a portraiture , or mould a statue , but it is the hand of genius alone , guided by knowledge , labour , and forethought , that can animate ihe statue , give sentiment to the picture , or snatch , under desperate conditions , tho impending victory . On the other hand , history abundantly proves that what arc called tho mischances of war consist often only of that culpable negligence or

"Il Tegame," Or A Mason's Holiday.

rashness wliVh permits an enemy to s :. '' -priso a a ] destroy its prey . W . VivKit B . KKDO U ' I-:, M . D ., P . M . 1 : 121 ) . New Afchenamm Club , Suflblk . stroefc , Pall Mall , W , ( To Le continued . )

With Masons At Dinsdale.

WITH MASONS AT DINSDALE .

BY A MASTER MASOX .

nplUESDAY , 2-tth nit ., tho Nativity of St . John tho Baptist ; , tho - ' - Freemasons of Restoration Lodge , Darlington , at tho suggestion of Bro . B . 'ibingtou Ronlton , held High Festival in tho beautiful little Church of St . John , Dinsdale , kindly placed at thoir disposal by tho Rev . J . W . Smith , the rector . About two o'clock tho brethren mustered in strong force in front of Bro . Bailey ' s house , and tho public

nofc in tho secret speculated rather widely upon the phenomenon . Tho appearance of so many gentleman in sober black suggested a funeral , or perhaps it was " a crownor ' s inquest , called in to sit upon a body . " The festive character of tho gathering , however , was speedily revealed as tho brethren mounted Mrs . Wethcrell's drags and turned their heads in the direction of thafc fashionable resort ,

Middleton-ono-Row . Tho drive along the roads was nios" delightful . The heavy rain had ceased , and tho sun shr . no brilliantly through fcho patches of fleecy clouds as they scudded across the sky . Vegetation on all sides was fresh aud luxuriant , and tho deep rich green of tin foliage was ever and anon relieved by gleaming masses of laburnum . Alighting by tho Toes , tho Craft passed fcho pretty church where

formerly an ascofcic rector lived on his platter of peas , as ho preached tho gospel to tho natives and wrought miracles for their conversion . An enjoyable walkthrough the woods brought tho pious Masons to within sight of Dinsdale Church . How beautifully its red tower nestled amongst the trees , aud how grandly the toll of the bell went , ringing through tho landscape which stretched mile after mile till

terminated by the sharp sides of tho Cleveland Hills , standing boldly out in the clear atmosphere . Tho villagers stood afc tho Church gate with their worthy rector , and no less worthy churchwarden , Dr . Eastwood , to receive the approaching visitors . The Doctor advanced and bade them welcome to thn little village sanctuary . ID was a treat , indeed , to have tho privilege of worshipping iu a building so comely

and well cired for . Whether yon walked in the churchyard ontsidoor np tho aisles within , yon found the trace of loving hands that strove to express by the outward tho inward beauty of holiness . Tho restoration has boon carried out in a most conservative spirit ; at the same time there has been no slavish clinging to the past . Anything that really disfigured has been removed . Over fche ; doorway , as you

enter , you perceive an arch formed one-half of a stono seven hundivd years old , and the other of a stone removed from the quarry by tho Fishlocks only a year or two ago . So on all through tho building . TTow tho doctor delights to tell you , forgetting he 1 ms made the same statement fifty times before , that in this function of fche old rind the new vnu have a strik'ng illustration of tlie continuity of tho Kngli-h

Church . There are roguish people , who believe that if the building were moro compressible , he wonld sleri ) with it every night . All honnny to men who so lovo tho House of God ! After the Graft had taken their seats the service wns ' said . A clerical brother intoned the prayers , Bro . Tov « y took the- organ ; fuul three ; brethren from Durham Choir , Messrs . Nnl . ton , Whitehead , find Walker ,

with Bros . F . and E . J . Martin , Bailey , Swales . & c ., dul duty lor the choir . Purcell ' s anthem , "I was glad when thoy said unto me : wo will go into the house of the Lord , " was sung after the third collect ; and Boyco's " I have surely built Thee an house , " before the sermon . Thoso were taken entirely by tho Durham contingent . Wero thero ever such strains ringing through Dinsdalc Church before ? Tho fine

voices of those Wearside brethren made one think of th . 'ifc heavenly choir whoso songs , like fcho voice of the Son of Man , aro " as tho sound of many waters . " Tho sermon was preached by Bro . Shoppard , vicar of Ingleton , and was a practical address upon the life of the Baptist . The Rev . J . Smith read the first lesson , and Bro . Harris , curate of Staindrop , the second . Tho rector closed tho service by

the benediction from the altar . When tho " function" was concluded , Dr . Eastwood took tho brethren round the building , and gave a short lecture upon fche various features of tho structure . In a sentence or two ifc is quite impossible to do justice to the doctor ' s essay ; but it appears that thero are in existence traces sufficiently authentic to show that on the site of the present chnrch thero once stood a Saxon

placo of worship , built probably in about the seventh century . Part , however , of the building now remaining is Norman , erected in tho year 1100 ; whilst tho main portion—being no doubt a restoration — was built in II 7 ( 5 . A restoration involving an addition has again taken place , and now the church Mauds almost as a new building . Various other archaeological facts and inferences wero adduced by Dr . Eastwood , in all of whieh tho brethren , as became their Craft ,

took an especial interest . The interesting monuments in the churchyard also received a passing description . There was a strong feeling of regret that the arrangements for the day did not allow the visitors to partake of the hospitality so genially offered by tho rector . May he and his kindly churchwarden , like Nebuchadnezzar , " live for ever . " A grateful feeling will bo cherished for a long time by tho brethren for tho warm reception they met with from Teossido churchmen .

Afc five o clock tho Craft remounted the drags outside tho churchyard , and made post haste for Croft , where a " cold collation " had been ordered . Tho country could not be seen to greater advantage , tho woods of Dinsdale hugging the mansion ou tho summit of the cliff ; the Church of St . Lawrence ; the solitary row of houses winding with the Tees , where the good folks from Sunderland and Newcastle