Reviews.

anil fancies that , iu searching through his Avorks , " wo meet with direct outbursts of fceliug upon this portion of his history . Were the circumstances Avhich accompanied his marriage tho 'forobemoaued moan' upon Avhich tho poet looked back repentantly iu his sonnets ? Was it accident that just in his earlier dramas the pictures of bad imperious Avomen , such as ho never subsequently

depicted , filled his fancy ? that in Houry VI ., when he retouched it , he gave such . 'double force to the traits of character Avith which ho had endowed the terrible Avives of the King And Glostcr , an ii to unburden his own heavy heart ? With how much true Conviction , as out of self-drawn experience , he utters the Avarning in "'lVelfth Night" ( II . 4)—

Let the Avoman take Au elder than herself ; so wears she to him , So sways she level in her husband ' s heart . "

The next chapter treats of his descriptive pooms , " Venus and Adonis , " and " Luercce , " of which we are told , " everything betrays that they were written in the first passion of youth . " Then folloAV accounts of " Dramatic Poetry bolero Shakespeare , " and " The Stage , " to which , having regard to present considerations of space . we refer our readers themsoh'es . Suffice it to say that tho state of the drama before , and in the days of Shakespeare , is fully and

impartially described , and that any of our readers to whom this portion of tho history of English literature is comparatively obscure will find much profit from a careful study of the author ' s exposition . In our next , AVC shall deal Avith one or more of the plays of Shakespeare , as handled in these pages , so that our readers may be in a better position of tho value of Mr . FuruivalPs eulogisms on the merits of the author .

Aniient and Primitive liite of Masonry in and for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and its Dependencies . Sovereign Sanctuary 33—96 ° . Peace , Tolerance , Truth . Salutation on , all points of the triangle . * A CIKCL'I / AK of three pages , Avith this title and a hieroglyphic headpiece , is not a promising subject for revieAV . It has , nevertheless

beeu sent to us for that purpose . As principal Officer , or Most Illustrious Grand Master General , Ave find mentioned "LIT . Bro . John Yarker ( P . M . of all Orders ); " aud as this brother is the author of the Notes on the Mysteries of Antiquity , Avhioh Ave revioAved last Aveek , we are led to associate tho two productions . Sincere Masons can hardly vieAV Avith pleasure a multiplication of

rites , however high-faintin ' . If Ave aro not mistaken , the obligation accepted by brethren affiliated to tho Ancient and Accepted Rite , Avhose head-quarters are at Golden Square , Avill preclude them from participation iu the mysteries over which Bro . Yarker ably presides . The Circular states that the lUtu in America Avas originally constituted in 1836 ; that it works 33 degrees , embracing Jewish

Chivalric and Egyptian Masonry ; that the third section contains the Hermetic degrees , and deals Avith "high philosophy" and religious myth—( here is certainly a Transatlantic smack . ) Its decorations are—tho grand Star of Sirius—tho decoration of Alidee—that of Grand Commander—tho Lybio Chain—tho decoration of Eleusis . Bro . Yarker ' s Notes took away our breath , Avhich we with difficulty

recovered ; and now our heart sinks under a sense ot utter uuworthiness and incompetency . Sirius—Alidee—Eleusis—Lybia ! Hermes , Simon Magus and Cagliostro—ye have not lived iu vain ! For aught we can tell , the Most Illustrious Grand Master General , applying the Brahmiuical secret of invisibility , may be even now at our elbow ; may , like the great Dn Totet , envelope us iu a mesmeric wave from

his resistless Avill , and draw us nolens vulens to unspcakablo things If Bro . Yarker will promise us—tho " powder of projection "—mastery of the " emerald tablet "—power to make diamonds and to operate the " palingenesia of plants , Ave Avill consider the possibility of resisting all lower attractions , to devote ourselves to contemplation of "Peace , Tolerance aud Truth" in the bosom of his Sovereigu Sanctuary .

Debrelt s Peerage and . Baronetage and Knightage . Londou : Dean and Son , St . Dunstan ' a Buildiugs , 160 A Fleet Street , E . C . THESE works , which havo been published annually for more than one hundred and sixty years , are simply invaluable . What happened in the days of the second Charles , Dutch William or good Queen

Anne , Avhcu Debretts wore not , it is impossible , nor wore it , perhaps , very material to say . It is certain that tho memories of Lord Charuberlaius and Gentlemen . Ushers must havo beeu very long and trustworthy , or they would never havo performed their duties , of ushering iu and marshalling men of rank , Avith anything like satisfaction . Now-a-davs our titled folk aro so numerous that such books

as these are absolutely necessary in every gentleman s library , Sultice it that for size , appearance , A-ariety and excellence of information , no publications wo know of surpass Dobrett .

The Civil Service Year Book and Official Calmdar LS 75 . Loudon Office of The Civilian , S Salisbury Court , Fleet Street , E . C . THE editors of this useful calendar have made some amends for the tardiness of its appearance by the valuable character of the material they have collected . Everything relating to the organisation of the Service , its institutions , ami the competitive and other examinations ,

which must be passed before candidates aro admissible , have been brought within the modest compass of about 100 paged . That thid matter is good is beyond doubt , and the delay , perhaps , is excusable , as details of the 1 'iayfair Commission ' s report could not have been included . Civil Servants will find this oook of infinite value lor purposes of geueral reference .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

All tii'Uers wust bear the mune and address of the Writer , not nevrssarihj for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We ennvot undertake to return rejected communications . We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents .

"A FEW WORDS ON AMERICAN MASONRY . '

(" FREEMASON'S CH 110 NICLE , " No . 1 , 2 ND JA . NIAKY 1875 . ) To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHKOXICLE . DK . VU SIR AND BKOTHEK , —In your " leader" on the above subject is the following , " No country is more lavish of outlay on Masonic architecture , Avitness tho magnificent Temples of Boston , Philadelphia , and NeAV York ; in fact , in nine-tenths of American toAvns and cities

the Masonic Hall is , par excellence , the Hall . No country is more ostentatious of parade , glitter , SIIOAV and extravagance , vide accounts of Masonic inaugurations , processions , and celebrations . Yet , where are the Masonic Charities , Benevolent Institutions , WidoAvs' Funds , Orphans' Home , and Schools ? Echo answers—would it be possible for an echo to reach us from across the Atlantic ? "

I desire , to say a few Avords respecting tho foregoing , and especially as to your assertions , Avhich have , in my opinion , been made Avithout fnll enquiry , or under a misapprehension of the facts ; and though my remarks Avill be brief , yet I trust the facts submitted Avill be sufficient to prove that American Freemasonry is not quite iu tho lamentable position yon assume .

1 . As to " outlay and Masonic architecture" the " new country" is much ahead of the " old , " and so that may be taken as indicative of the hearty co-operation of the American fraternity in seeking to provide Homes and Temples Avorthy of the Craft , and suitable for the working of our solemn ceremonies . 2 . " No country is more ostentations of parade , glitter , show and

extravagance . " On this point , perhaps it is as Avell to say but little , especially as it may resolve itself into a matter of opinion , but if the annual processions of our ProA' . Grand Lodges aro considered , and the inauguration of neAV Lodges by Prov . Grand Masters—Bodies and Officers unknown in the United States Masonically—I doubt even

if this statement can be substantiated , especially also if it be taken into account that in the United States alone there are about eight times as many subscribing members as in this country , and consequently some more processions may fairly be expected in the one country than in the other .

3 . "Where are the Masonic Charities , Benevolent Institutions , Widows' Funds ? " & c . & c . Had it not been for the latter question , yon would not have been troubled with this communication , aud Avhilo it comes late in the day , owing to numerous engagements , I hope it will be iu time to remove any erroneous impression on your mind , or thoso of your

readers on the subject . From the question beiug unanswered , I presume you consider there aro no Masonic charities worthy of the name in the United States , and hence tlicit—if true—Avould be your justification for observing that " the abuses aud prostitutions of Masoury , have long been a standing reproach to our Trauslantic brethren , and a cause of regret

to every true and zealous member of our ancient Brotherhood throughout the world . " I have not tho necessary time , neither am I able to present an abstract of the total amounts of tho funds employed in the sacred cause of Masonic charity in the United States ; but ere long I hope some competent brother ivill do so . In many respects

the disbursements on this head by the Grand Lodges are not at all a fair indication of the aid rendered to the distressed Mason , tho lonely Avidow , and the unfortunate fatherless children , because the ) Lodges generally—so far as my knoAvledge extends—have much larger sums available for charities than we have , the membership on an average in the Lodges beiug greater in America than in England ,

and the Lodges feAver in number in proportion to the number of members , added to Avhich still more care is exercised in the granting of warrants than under our Grand Lodge . In fact the supervision exercised by Grand Lodges over Lodges under " dispensation , " prior to tho Avarrants being granted , members ouly being allowed to belong to one Lodge , and the motives for seeking to leave tho Parent Lodge ,

being so scrutinized that the system Avould prove quite unworkable in this country , and an intolerable bore , though doubtless it would bo much for the benefit of our Grand Lodges , Avere even a modification of tho plan made available for Great Britain and Ireland . I deny the inference intended to be deduced from your question .

because on examination of the facts you Avill find that , Masouicalhj , the United States' Grand Lodges are warm hearted supporters of "Faith , Hope , Charity , " aud especially "the greater of these—Charity . " In proof , thereof , let mo select three instances only , and then I have done !

(«) The Grand Lodge of Kentucky has a " Masonic Widows' and Orphans' Home , " tho grand Buildiug being all but complete . When ready it will accommodate 500 children . Please note the capacity of the Building , which , if I mistake not , will prove equal in size and accommodation to the buildings of our Royal Masonic Institutions for Girls , Boys , and aged Freemasons combined ! The inmates at

present number 155 . Doubtless tho number will shortly be extended to 200 , for the Grand Lodge of Kentucky at its last session donated the handsome sum of 78 , 000 dollars ( about £ 15 , 600 !!) In the words of the editor of the Masonic Review , " This is doing , not saying . "

( b ) In the Grand Lod ge of Pennsylvania , the substantial charities connected Avith the Craft are varied " and of the most beneficial characlcr . The "Stephen Girard Charity Fund , " for the relief of poor aud respectable brethren , " is now about 60 , 000 dollars ( about £ 1 ? , 000 ) , aud the Grand Lodge Charity Fund for the relief of poor uud ruspectable widows and orphan children , and the mothers aid