The Freemason

" an equal share of the responsibility , such as it is , svith others svho signed the circular . " Such magnanimous self-sacrifice is marvellous , and is svorthy of a nobler cause . Bro . Havers cannot have estimated , or he is wilfully blind to the nature and extent of thc responsibility he so lightly accepts . The heated and protracted controversy he disparages svould never have arisen but for the publication

of the circular he champions . That , and that alone , is the cause of the strife and bitterness so much to be deplored . The " Dr . and Cr . " account svhich he suggests as " especially odious " is but the outcome of unsvarrantable assertions , indulged in by himself and co-signatories as to " a most honourable office being put up to " the highest bidder by those svho are ' financing ' the scheme . " Nothing can justify language like this . Yet Bro . Havers

thinks it is becoming , " and he , brother Romans , is an honourable man ! Scheme , indeed . ' Why , any member of Grand Lodge , svhether under the influence of a good dinner or othersvisc , can , if he pleases , at the proper time nominate a brother for election to the ollice of Grand Treasurer . Such is the lasv . When therefore it comes to pass that brethren "dressed in a little brief authority " presume to asperse and impute

unworthy motives to those svho are acting strictly in accordance svith the Bookof Constitutions , it behoves the " blues " to " assert the dignity and advantage of Grand Lodge . " Whether the present Grand Treasurer did , or did not , pledge himself to hold the office for one year only is beside the question . He could not be elected for any longer period . Of this , hosvever , there can be no doubt—he svas elected upon the principle ot a yearly transference oi

the ollice , and upon that principle alone he became the successor of Bro . Col . Creaton . It may be hoped that svhen Hro . Havers and his coadjutors emerge from the " cloud of svordy dust " they are enveloped in , they svill be able clearly to see the principle they so glibly talk about , but have lost tight of . They may depend upon it that thc lay members of Grand Lodge svill jealously uphold its lasvs and sifeguard its

dignity , and , despite all flaunts and gibes , hold fast to the principle of electing svhomsoever they please to the Grand Treasurer's collar year after year . Their laudable aspiration is to confer the honor upon svorth y " blue " brethren , svho have done good suit and service in the Craft , and to say to them , in effect , " Well done ! We rcsvard thee svith this collar as a mark of our entire approbation . Thus

decorated , enter thou into the region of purple . " Like Bro . Havers , I too dislike anonymous letters ; but unlike him , [ am but a humble " blue , '' and therefore the publication of my name is not likely to add sveiglit to the argument nor to influence votes , and might just as svell remain in obscurity . Nevertheless , svith bold loyalty to principle , 1 subscribe myself , yours faithfully and fraternally , N . B . HEADON , P . M . and Treas . 142 G , Z . 145 .

To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , There arc tsvo matters anent the coming election of Grand Treasurer , in the last number of the Freemason , svhich cannot be passed over . One is the statement you have put forth in svhat may be termed " leading articles ; " the other thc letter of Bro . John Havers . With respect to the first , allosv mc to congratulate you upon the success svith

svhich you , sir , have caught up and imitated " the Obstacle to Principle , " alias " Obsta Principiis . " Probably this is a gentle " sarkasum " of yours , but it is so gently veiled that some , not used to read between thc lines , svould find it hard to realise the real meaning of your somesvhat hidden viesvs . I svill humbly endeavour to indicate that , by your imitation of the style of this cumbrous correspondent , even to the touches of Latin svhere plain English svould be so

much more to the point ; hy the reiteration of his words , svords , svords , sans argument , and assertions svithout proof , to afford the means of another anssver , svhich , svith your declaration of fairness , you cannot but admit . You repeat the allegation of " Obsta Principiis " that a " select circle " has named thc Grand Treasurer . To call things by their right names , and to put things plainly , it must be seen that this statement is equal in truth to the

svisdom of the course alleged to have been adopted . There never has been any " select circle " for thc purpose alleged , and the only " select circle " existing has been that of the circulariscrs , svho have formed themselves into a " Caucus " ( your osvn svord , sir , and that of the correspondent whom you imitate !) , svith the purpose of holding back Grand Lodge from exercising its franchise in a free srsanner . ^ The only thing done is , that a fesv brethren in the full

exercise of their constitutional right have met , svhen provincials met in London , and decided , in thc interest of good order , that they svill support one as against tsvo . Do nut brethren constantly arrange before hand , in the interests of all , that nominations shall take a certain form ? For instance , have not the arrangements already been made for the nomination of those svho shall move the election of Grand Master ? Are not thc very speeches prepared in

svhich the respected brethren svill move and second an election svhich svants no moving and seconding ? Are those svho make these selections of proposers and seconders "Cliques , " "Caucuses , " "Cabals" ? Yet they do all these things , and Grand Lodge knosvs it , svithout any of the crosvd who form the constitutent members of Grand Lodge seeking in the gutter of political controversy , as did the correspondent svhom you so successfully imitate , for hard svords to throsv at lovers of order and follosvers of

principle . Nosv a svord in anssver to Bro . John Havers . What he terms the " Dr . and Cr . " account , svhich I regretted to publish , svas only produced on the challenge of the circulariscrs , and they must bear the responsibility of this . Bro . Havers makes it plain that the only organisation in this matter is ( he one of svhich Frank Richardson is thc Secretary . This is the only " caucus , " for no other bod y has officer of any sortand no other body exists . This exists

, "' To overasve the cause' of Freemen ' s votes , With a thundering shosv of P . Ms , names . " ( Apologies to'Talford . ) liro . Havers deprecates the election annually of Grand Treasurer on the score of the heated controversy svhich has been going on . 'The heated controversy has been entirely raised by the circulariscrs , and has

svholly been on the question of principle , until your imitated correspondent imported the italicised untrue assertions , and these statements it svas due to the Craft to expose , and the proof of their untruth has been given to the Craft by , at least , " Tenax Propositi . " My labour has been but to kill the slain .

The Freemason

Bro . Havers does not tell us svhat svill happen if sve do not elect a nesv Grand 'Treasurer this year . Who is to settle hosv long the present one is to reign ? Is any one to be allowed to whisper about the question ? or is it to wait for any one ' s initiative , the svhole matter being every year left , so that a great many names svill be throsvn at Grand Lodge hurriedly ? Does Bro . Havers go so far as

to say that sve are to do nothing ? that svhile the Grand Master can nominate nearly a dozen nesv Grand Officers every year , Grand Lodge , svhich can be trusted to elect the Grand Master , cannot be trusted to elect to one vacant collar ? I am afraid that the keen common sense of Bro . John Havers has become tainted svith the dulness svhich pervades thc place he mentions , for , alas ! his contribution

to you on this question lacks the logic svhich ever before gave point to his svords , and forced respect for his viesvs . These are the last svords on this theme , and nosv sve bare our arms for the fight against the oligarchy svho svould take from us our votes . They seem to regard us as a mere " Mass of bone and muscle , frame to till the soil A fesv brief years , and then rot unnamed beneath it ;

Or , deck d for slaughter , at their master s call . To smite , or to be smitten . " The oligarchists now put to us , the " rulers of thc Craft , " that sve are merely in Grand Lodge as a matter of form , and that the many are to do svhat the fesv propose . They have got , it is true , some to sign asvay their rights ; but in history sve have their counterparts svho sverc firm believers in the Divine Right of Kings—until they svere nipped by

their osvn subservient principles . I fain hope that the brethren svill act on the principles they adopted last year svhen they voted for Hro . Allcroft , whom tlsey did not knosv , against Col . Creaton , svhom they did . And I hope , moreover , that the provincial brethren svill meet and agree upon a provincial brother of high merit for the ofiice in the year after . I am , sir , svith all the respect svhich is your due for your fairness , JOHN WHILE , P . M ., P . Z . 22 S .

To the Editor of thc " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Since your last issue thc undermentioned brethren have svritten to say they support the Circular rclatis-e to the re-election of the present Grand Treasurer . —Yours faithfully and fraternally , FRANK RICHARDSON , P . G . D .

Brackstone Baker , P . G . D . W . T . Balderson , P . M . 1757 , P . P . J . G . D . Herts . John Messent , P . G . S . B . E . C . Mather , P . M . G . George Young , P . M . 1757 and G . P . Herts .

THE HUGHAN TESTIMONIAL . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Will you allosv mc to acknosvledge the follosving subscriptions received since thc publication nf the last list . —Yours truly , GEORGE KENNING , Treas .

Aldersgate Chapter , No . 1 G 57 £$ 5 o John Havers , P . G . D 3 3 o 1 " . G . Strachan , Nesvcastle 220 Faith Preceptory , Bradford 220 Lion and Lamb Chapter 220 Chas . E . Meyer , Philadelphia 1 1 o Mark Richards AIucklA 1 1 o

Chas . VV . Packer 110 Chas . Roome 110 T . K . Patten , G . Treas 1 1 o Clifford P . McCalla 1 1 o John L . Young 1 1 11 G . | . Pepprell , VV . M . 1402 110 T . Si . Humphries , P . M . 530 1 1 o

R . Hudson , P . G . Sec . Durham 1 1 o I . H . Sillitoe , P . M I 1 o Rev . A . F . A . Wojdford , P . G . Chap . ... 1 1 o VV . Bennett Mayc 1 1 o Anchor and Hope Lodge , No . 37 1 1 o Apollo University Lodge 110 G . W . Speth 1 1 o D . Delanoy 1 1 o

Rev . C . W . Lukis ... _ 1 1 o Ancient Ebor Preceptory , York 1 1 o ) . Blenkin , VV . M . 1 G 11 1 1 o C . D . Hill Drury , M . D 1 1 o Zetland Chapter 1 1 o Lodge Fermor , 1 S 4 S 1 1 o I lumber Installed , Mastets'Lodge Instruction 1 1 o Sir E . A . II . Lechmere , Prov . G . M .

Worcestershire 1 1 o York College Rosicrucians 110 Rev . G . R . Portal , P . G . M . M . M 1 1 o

PROVINCIAL GRAND SECRETARIES . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I think it is svell svorthy of thc consideration of the brethren whether the time has not nosv arrived svhen some change in thc appointment of Provincial Grand Secretaries could , svith great advantage to thc Craft , be made .

I would suggest that this office cease to be a paid one , and be conferred annually , svith reappointment if necessary , but this never to extend beyond five years . The causes that have led mc to this viesv , svhich I knosv is held b y a great many brethren , is that no office should be held for life or a long term of ycars svhich has a monopoly of patronage , because this patronage , or farming the

Provincial Grand honours , runs in a certain groove owing to the prejudices or failings of one single man ; also brethren of a vcry much higher social standard svould then fill the ofiice , and at least every five years sve should have a change of patronage , and sve should not hear then of lodges being svithout any of their members Provincial Grand Officers ,

or others getting one in ten years or so , while some have one or tsvo appointments every year . The clerical svork could be done by an accountant in a chief tosvn of the province at a small remuneration , and his ollice used as a place svhere information could be got at any time—Yours fraternally , COMPANION .

CLOTHING AND EMBLEMS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sr and Brothir , I attended the festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution on Tuesday last , and svas struck by the great disregard paid to the Constitutions on the part of many brethren , Stesvards and visitors , particularly by

The Freemason

Provincial Grand Officers . The Book of Constitutions ( 1 S 73 ) , p . nS , par . 1 , says that no brother shall on any pretence be admitted into the Grand Lodge or any subordinate svithout his proper clothing ; and par . 2 distinctly lays dosvn that no clothing nor emblem shall be svorn that does " not appertain to or be consistent svith those Degrees svhich are recognised or acknosvledged by and under the

control of thc Grand Lodge as part of pure and antient Masonry . " I sasv several Prov . Grand Officers svith Mark collars under dark blue . There were also many jewels not belonging pure and antient Masonry , RoseCroix , Alark , and

many others . If the Constitutions can be so ignored as this in one svay , they certainly can in another , and 1 think it is a matter that Grand Lodge should take up and settle once for all . If the Constitutions are to be abided by , no one should be admitted svith any jesvel or clothing that Hoes not conform thereto . —Yours fraternally , M . M .

A TYPE-ICAL TRIAL . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , By the " errata" of your printers I have suffered severely in a recent revicsv of mine . I corrected the name

in tsvo instances to " Ualsamo , " and in one case , where it svas originally right in the proof , 1 kept it , as printed , Halsamo . The typc-ist , anxious for uniformity , seems to have thought Balsanio right , and to make " right svrong . " He may have had " Bassanio" in his head , as given to study Shakespeare , but the blunder is not the less annoying .

THE WRITER OF THE REVIEW . [ It seems that in the proof tsvo marks arc over the tsvo first " Balsamos , " making them appear " Balsanio . " The reader corrected thc third instance for uniformity . We are sorry for the little mistake . —Ed . FM . l

A NEW WORD . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , What is the nesv svord " sarcedodalism" svhich appears in your last issue , forming part of a most intemperate and extraordinary letter ? It seems to be svritten in great excitement , ami it seems to be a most crraticsvord . But svhat I svant to know is , Whence does it come ? and svhat

does it mean ? It appears to me at first sight to be a compound svord , its tsvo component derivations being " sarce " and " doodle-doo . " Am I right ? I svait for further light . —Yours fraternally , THE QUEEN'S ENGLISH . [ Wchas'c looked into the matter and find that the printer correctly follosved " copy . " It is probably a lapsus penn-e , in much misplaced excitement , for " sacerdotalism . —Ed . FM . " ]

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

THE REPUBLIC OF CICERO . B y G . G . HARDIN- * - II . SM , Middle'Temple . Bernard Quaritch , 15 , Piccadilly . This is a nesv paginal translation , from the text of the third edition of Cardinal Alai , Rome , 1 S 4 G , and comes

before us both pleasant to look at and good to read . It is knosvn to scholars and students hosv the famous Cardinal found in a palimpsest of St . Augustine on the Psalms a portion of the long missing treatise of Cicero , " De Republica . " it had long been held that , like a so far lost svork of his , the " De Gloria , " the " De Republica " svas also irretrievably lost . Even nosv Mr . llardingham tells us only about one third of the real work remain ** , and that

patched and put together in fragments from different sources , Mr . Greville is quoted in vol . i ., 3 G 7 , May , 1 S 30 , as recording , " amongst thc most curious of the literary treasures sve sasv ( at thc Vatican Library ) svas a manuscript of some of St . Augustine ' s svorks svritten upon a palimpsest of Cicero ' s " De Republica . " 'This treatise svas brought to light by Alai ; the old Latin was as nearly erased as possible , but by thc application of gall it has

been brought out faintly , but enough to be made out and completely read . " This interesting svork of Mai ' s has been translated into French by Villcinain and Gendre dc Mancey , into Italian by Marches ! , into English b y Featherstonhaugh , Barham , and Yonge , and Latin editions have been issued by Orsannus , Gottingen ; Noble , Leipsic ; andOrilla and Halm , Zurich , Mr . I lardingham ' s translation appears to us to be a very good one , and to err neither in too great

diffusiveness nor too slavish representation of the original . 'The name , as thc svorks of Cicero alsvays do , call up pleasurable thoughts to the English classical student . There is something so large and free in his " coup d'icil " of men and things , something so patriotic and English in all his ideas and opinions , that he is ever a " grata persona " to those who in a . very ignorant age do not affect to despise the memories of Greece and Rome , or to

dive into the recesses of that svondrous store of culture and svisdom , sound learning and true philosophy , svhich may undoubtedly still be found by earnest and loyal seekers amid " the thoughts svhich burn , " the " words •which linger , " the " memories svhscls supervene , " and the esoteric teaching svhich still happily survives the Ilceting episodes of centuries and the destroying hand of Time . As sve pore over Cicero ' s old svorld svords to-dav . the

evidences he displays of svide reading , gracious studies , and soundest lore , sve feel hosv much we still have akin with the ancient Roman . Wc still form part , as sve read , of these Latin personalities svhich crowd the streets of " Roma antiqua , saunter in the Forum , or climb thc summit of the Capitoline Hill . " His svords still can move us as they moved his spellbound listeners of yore ; his patriotic emotions still arc ours ; his recurrent imaginings and then his

calm survey of things still harmonize svith our sentiments and motives of action ; and , above all , the kindly and reasoning nature oi the man , his attachment to lasv , order , and a settled state of things are entirely in accord svith thc lucubrations of our soundest thoughts as regards social , family , and public life . We osve to Cicero many noble ideas , many happy sentences , much that can move the

cold and callous nature of statesmen , theorists , and publicists , as svell as can appeal to all that constitute the realization of true progress and civilizing influences . At times , as sve surrender ourselves to the charms of his style and eloquence , sve almost think that his teaching suits our osvn "disjointed times , " and many are the lessons of svarning , truth , or acute experience svhich thc statesmen of to-day