Secret Societies.

SECRET SOCIETIES .

From the " NEW ENGLAND FREEMASON . "

TEE world , mankind , will never cease its interest in secret societies ; tho bare mention of them is a fascination ; and any details of their origin , history , and objects , portrayed with the selfassured presumption of a ready book compiler , are seized upon by the uninitiated as positive new light . Indeed , it is to be feared that occasionally new members of the great Masonic family are not nnf recniently led by a natural curiosity to peruse publications bearing tho

attractive title ; partly , no donbt , to see unfolded , —as they think , — in a popular form , further or varied narratives of tho symbols , mysteries and ritnal which has opened npon them in the successive steps of the wondrous work . Upon all such let ns once for all endeavour to impress an important fact , namely : that all real knowledge of the Masonic art which over has been , or can be furnished publicly , or

in this popular form of narratives , treatises , allegories , or what not , had already been done fully , ably , together with tho seal and token of absolute authenticity , aud by authority from high accredited , legitimate , Masonic sources . Moreover , manuals , text-books of tho Order , its very trestle-boards themselves , are hand-books of positive knowledge concerning Masonry . To all this must be added the frequent

expositions running over the centuries since the invention of printing in orations , occasional addresses , centennial celebrations , wherein learned and distinguished Freemasons have gathered into eloquent presentation the marvellous story of its antiquity , its progress , its very landmarks , its scope and accomplishments . Verily , can profane hands , instigated by that spirit of persecution which would bring to

nought a love of independence , a lofty , heaven-gnided aspiration ; a spirit , which would smother the dearest longings of humanity , Hying in tho face of the most precious instincts of our common natures—can such a spirit , wo say , be trusted for light upon an Institution whoso purposes , open as the noonday snn , have been hallowed by the intimate devotion and association of the purest men for ages ?

Wo have been led to this topic from reading one of the most recent works of the " ready book compiler , " entitled " The Secret Societies of all Ages and Countries , " by Chas . Wm . Heckethorn , London , 1875 . From the Magi to the Kn-KInx , the work of course is complete . Where single societies have engaged the patient , unrewarded toil of noted antiquaries , our author has full i-ctnrns , item npon item ;

political , civil and religions , all classes of secret societies which Lave made notable marks illustrative of curious phases in tho conduct of men from remote ages are at length and again laid bare . As no book of this sort can get on without seeking to gratify tho traditional intensity of desire to peer more and more into

Freemasonry , so the illustrious Order is complimented with a space occupying quite half tho volume before ns -, and , what ia noteworthy , whether it bo the intention of the compiler or not , ho seems to reckon much of its renowned symbolism an emanation from the host of all the other secret societies which he marshals to view .

The great body of this work is drawn from Do Castro ' s History of the Secret World . All this , however , is immaterial , inasmuch as successive books purporting to give a history of secret societies are in nearly every case cither a rehash or paraphrasing upon what has been before printed . The reflections in each are apt to bo the author ' s own ; in the ono before us , wo aro pleased at anv rate to

think so , aud while he shoots wide , drawing with a long bow , in what he terms facts , bnt iu what are really statements outof the whole cloth , we recognize justness in discrimination ; as , for instance , where he declares that " every secret society is an act of reflection , therefore of conscience . For reflection accumulated and fixed is conscience . In so far , secret societies are , in a certain manner , the expression of

conscience in history . " We have not space nor inclination to refute the tendency of such publications ; they dwell upon points which have over and over again been set in their true light and value ; and by an audacious assumption of premises wholly unwarrantable , infer conclusions prejudicial to tho rights of all confidential associating for any purpose

whatever . The closing chapter npon I rectnasonry we read twice , taken by the minor headings , as well as by the proper desire to see what our author , who had dwelt in so many pages upon the career of the Order , could find in his breast to sum up with . These headings are as follows : — " Vain Pretensions of Freemasonry , " " Vanity of Masonic Ceremonial , " " Masonry Diffuses no

Knowledge , " " Masonry is unfitted for tho Task , " " Decay of Freemasonry , " and lastly , " Masonic Literature . " On these themes , without noticing obviously gratuitous charges , there are , here and there , considerations which a loyal lover of tho mystic tie may find suggestions worthy of thought . They are not

necessarily attacks upon the principles of the Order or its peculiar organization , but on its mocio of meeting the quickened beneficent impulses of tho ago . Again , tho author finds fault with tho growth of the Order , in the view that unworthy admissions must occur , bringing with thern all manner of worldliness .

v nwittingly , perhaps , but nevertheless the author in vain conceals nnder all his thoughts of criticism tho conviction in his own mind that the Order has had a great mission , and been powerfully instrumental for tho promotion of hnmau welfare . On the whole , this history of secret societies is entertaining aud readable . It evidences painstaking , yea , erudition somewhere , and it' the reader has the wit to separate the chaff from the wheat , may bo read with profit .

. Uor . r . AWir ' s 1 ' ILT . S szr > Onracxv . — . It would bo .-t : iit-: i .-r to loauy v . xrc ii possible to state accurately the n ruber of person . ; who have been restored to hv-alth and relieved by these remedies ; and if all tbe detail .- , connected with each individual ease could be eolleeted . the cun-moii .-t .-im < iuui , ., " p .-iia iiud : uu ';\ : i-iu < : which has been soothed nnd e ; ot rid of would be . beyond belief , fhe / i remedies are so well known in the present day . I-la . st and Wist , South and North , that it is strange any individual should remain in ignorance of their valuable qualities in correcting all blood impurities , whether hereditary or acquired , tho ill effects of which they effectually modify and counteract , rendering tho sickly and . feeble physically stroncr .

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

— : o : — All Books intended for Keview should be addressed to the Editor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , 67 Barbican , E . C . * The Year Boole of Facts in Science and the Arts , for 1875 . Edited by Charles W . Vincent , F . R . S . E ., F . C . S . ( London and Berlin ) , Assistant of the Itoyal Institution of Great Britain . London : Ward , Lock and Tyler , Warwick House , Faternoster-row .

THE object of this Year Boole is to furnish to the general reader a Bummary of the scientific and mechanical progress mado during the past year . It is not in everybody ' s power to consult the published journals of our various scientific societies , and even thoso who fortunately possess that power find so much to bewilder them in their

pursuit after a knowledge of simple facts that a work of this kind , which is essentially a book of reference , cannot fail to be of great utility . This book is well arranged , tho place of honour being assigned to the new metal " Gallium , " the most important discovery of tho year . The general contents are classed under various heads .

First comes tho " Physical Science , " then " Chemistry , " then "Technology , " "Geology" "Mineralogy , " "Anthropology , " " Natural History , " " Geography , " " Astronomy , " " Mechanics , " and " Miscellaneous . " Tho sources whence the information is derived are authentic , being the organs of our different scientific bodies , or

those scientific publications whoso merits are generally recognised . In addition , the addresses of such able scientific lights as Professors Balfonr Stewart and Tyndall , Frankland , Hofmaun and Abel on different subjects , and of Sir John Havvkshaw , Bart ., at tho meeting at Bristol , last year , of the British Institution , are carefully abstracted ,

so that tho reader will have no difficulty in grasping the leading facts referred to . Tho labours of compilation must have been very considerable , aud Mr . Vincent is to be congratulated on the evident care ho has bestowed ou his work . Hero and there , where it has been found necessary or desirable , aro sundry illustrations to

supplement the letter press , and to crown all , there is a well prepared index We strongly recommend this Year Boole of Fuels to the notice of om readers . They will find it immensely useful in their researches after scientific knowledge , and we can only hope that sufficient encourage , ment will bo given to the editor to warrant him in continuing the publication from year to year .

Railway Traffic Returns.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS .

The following statement shows the receipts for traffic on the undermentioned railways for the past ; week , us compared with tho corresponding week iu 1875 : — Miles open . Receipts . Hallway . 1 S 70 . 1 S 7 U 1875 J : . ii

Caledonian 739 51 , 320 53 , 308 Glasgow and South Western . . . 315 . V 11 , 980 16 , 632 Great Eastern 701 J- 42 , 353 43 , 331 Great Northern 510 ; " ; 0 , 015 53 , < 35 Great Western 2 , 003 117 , 1 ) 60 115 , 350 L m cash ire and Yorkshire . . . ' 137 ! OH , 756 * ( J 1 , 583

London and Brighton .... 376 : ! : 24 , ;; 03 23 , 688 Loudon , Chatham and Dover . . 153 . ' , 1-1 , 578 15 , 273 London and North Western . . . l , 5 S 7 i [ - 160 , 515 102 , 722 London aud South Western . . . 623 30 , 91 ) 2 32 , 531 London , Tilburv and Southend . . 15 1 , 012 — Manchester and ' Sheffield . . . 259 '; 27 , 931 30 , -1-64

Midland 977 J 106 , 809 110 , 785 Metropolitan 8 9 , 585 9 , 465 - „ ,, District .... SV 5 , 35-1 5 , 6-1-7 St . John ' s Wood . . 1 * 460 473

North British 8-11 } 38 , 748 41 , 539 North Eastern 1 , 400 | 115 , 426 123 , 700 North London 12 6 , 853 6 , 888 North Staffordshire Kailway . . . 191 9 , 5-11 10 , 088 „ „ Canal . . . 118 1 , 493 1 , 754 South Eastern 350 28 , 289 27 , 910

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