Reviews.

Reviews .

MASONIC MAGAZINES . Voice nf Masonry ( Chicago , U . S . A . ) . Bro . J . C . W . Bailey , editor and publisher of one of the voices of Alasonry , in order to express his satisfaction at the continued prosperity of his monthly magazine , has considerably enlarged it

for the new year , and it is now one of the largest of its kind ( as it is also one of the best ) in the United States . We are always pleased to receive it so regularly , and never fail to obtain some valuable Alasonic information on referring to its pages . The series of articles by our friend and

Bro . Hughan , on the "Early History of British Freemasonry , " are worth more than thectist ofthe year ' s issue , so we do not wonder at the paper being such a success . Die Bau / iiilte ( Leipsic ) . The organ of the " German Alasonic Union , " and so ably edited

by the learned Alason J . G . Findel , is still published weekly , and is as vigorous as ever . We shonld prefer it , however , in the octavo form . Alasonic Jewel ( Memphis , Tenn . U . S . A ) . The Jewel is the official organ of the State of Tennessee , and has lately appeared in a symbolical wrapper which certainly is as curious as it is

handsome . Bro . A . J . Wheeler is the editor and publisher , and is evidently determined to make the paper worthy of its distinguished patronage . A condensed report of the last Granel Lodge is published in tha number for February ; 3 S 6 actual representative's of lodges were present , and apparently a happy and truly Alasonic meeting was closed in peace anil harmony .

"The Keystone ( Philadelphia , U . S . A ) . The weekly No . ( 36 ) for Alarch 22 , is now before us , and we are glad to see our old friend is as full of genuine Alasonry as ever . It is we'll named the Keystone , anil we hope the Craft in Pennsylvania especially , has long ere this taken

the only legitimate means of expressing its satisfaction at the able manner in which its worthy Editor conduits the paper , by liberall y subscribing for copies , and introducing them to the notice of their friends . An effectual way , by the by , to make known even some other

publications , as well as the " Keystone ; " and lest we may bc considered modest , we will at once own the " Freemason , " and our new Monthly are in our thoughts just now , and are candidates for the universal suffrage of the fraternity . " Masonic Advocate " ( Indianapolis , Ind .,

U . S . A ) . The name suggests the following , which heads the Paper— " Alasonry : The Light reflected from her Altars reaches the Homes of the Widow and Fatherless . " Bro . Alartin H . Rice ( P . G . AI . ) cannot have a better Beacon to guide him as Editor , ami has only to remember

the foregoing to be assured of his duty whilst steering the Craft in Indiana . The leader on " Alasonic Obligations ' * in the Alarch number is above par , and will repay a diligent perusal . Bro . Rice tells us truly that " Among too many , the obligations of Alasonry appear to be almost

forgotten . Though initiated — passetl and raised to the sublime degree of AIaster Masons , they seem not to have realised the solemn and high obligations they assume of their own freewill . . . . The imprints of the Alasonic lessons are not given to be rubbed out with

pleasure ; for their obligations are as perpetual as they are distinct anil practical . There are none , indeed , that are higher , or that can supersede them in their moral power . . . Therefore he that becomes a Alason , should remember that he his no longer a common man ,

for he has been ordained , set apart and obligated in the grandest fellowship fraternity that the wisdom of human genius has ever devised , a fraternity that has numbered millions in its ranks , and to-day counts among its brotherhood as many great hearts anil true men as any fraternity on

the face of the Globe . " Brethren ! think of these words and if you know any one who is shaking in liis allegiance , and intending to cease paying his small subscription to his leielge-, mark the foregoing , and mail him a copy of the " Freemason .

Freemasons Monthly Magaune ( Boston , U . S . A . ) . The veteran eeiitor of the oldest Alasonic monthly magazine in the world , Bro . Charles W . Aloore , has our best wishes for a most prosperous career throughout the present year , and

Reviews.

for as long as he can wield his facile pen , which we hope will be for many years to come . An extra " spurt" has been made to start this wellconducted periodical with a better chance of financial success , and therefore we have reason to believe that when the "balance is struck" at the

end of the year , there will be more than sufficient to pay the printer . The first article is on Henry Price , the "lirst Grand AIaster in the United States . " A copy of a letter has lately turned up , which was sent to the " Rt . Honourable and Rt .

Worsluplul Grand Master , or Deputy G . AL or G . W . of the Grand Lodge of the Free and Accepted Alasons in England , " and it is dated 23 rd June , A . M ., , 5736 . The letter is certainly a remarkable one for several reasons , anel these mostly because antagonistic to Price ' s claim as

Prov . G . AIaster by patent from the Gram ! AIaster of England . Why was this letter in A . D . 1736 , addressed to the G . AL , or D . G . AL , or G . W . of England ? Surel y the Grand Secretary was the proper official to be atldressed ; and if Bro . Price was unaware of Bro . Read ' s

appointment in 1734 , he should have known that Bro . Reael was the Granel Secretary in A . D . 1 7 . 3 . 3 , and therefore the addresses to the officers in question is , to the say the least , inexplicable . We may be quite certain that the Grand Secretary would be the medium of communication

with the members of the Lodge at Boston , anel as such an officer is mentioned in the Book of Constitutions A . D . 1723 , ignorance of the fact could not be pleaded . J'rice signs as G . AL We should be glael to know his authority for so doing . The Earl of Loudoun was Grand AIaster ,

and Price , Prov . G . AIaster , if his claim was correct . Pine ' s engraved'list of lodges , published in 1 73 5 , should have been known to Price anel Officers of the lodge . In that little work the lodge is numbered 126 , and we are told in the Constitutions of 1738 page 154 that "In the

Mastership of Dalkeith , a list of all the lodges was engraven by Bro . John Pyne , in a very small volume , which is usually reprinted on the commencement of every new Grand AIaster , and dispersed among the brethren . " If Bro . Price ' s claim to the Prov . G . M . was a valid one , and tlie

foregoing letter is a true copy of the original forwarded to the Grand AIaster of England , A . D . 1736 , how is it that subsequently in the Book of Constitutions of 173 S , i / 5 < 5 Sec , Price does not appear amongst the Deputations granted abroad to Provincial Grand Alasters . Please answer this Bro . Moore .

IJileriiica , by Bro . D . Sheriff ( London : Simpkin , Alarshall , and Co . ) . —Bro . Sheriff"is not onl y a poetical genius , but represents a strange union of the mathematical with the ideal , the practical with the beautiful , or in other words a combination of fact and fancy .

The Book of Poems , ( Hihernica ) is a look of gems , and if we mistake not our Bro . Sheriff should occupy a place in the front rank of poets hailing from the " Emerald Isle , " for if ease of expression , beauty of diction and true musical ring are criteria whereb y to distinguish one of nature ' s own , surely the author of Hibemica

may lay claim to the distinction . Alany of the poems we had marked ( on scanning the volume ) for reproduction in these pages , but want of space necessitates our refraining from giving anything like a fair proportion of the extracts we had selected . The following verses will serve to indicate the character of many of the lyrics scattered over the collection .

" Aly gallant bark with folded wings Sleeps on the tranquil tide , Lulled by the gentle murmings Of night winds as they glide . "

" A thing of life and thought she seems Rocked on the billows' crest ; Of dangers long since past , she dreams—Of tempests now at rest . " There is no lack of loyalty in its pages , for in the " Verses on the Queen ' s visit to Ireland , 1 ith

August , 1 S 49 , ' there is a profusion of the most unbounded elevotion te ) ' * our loved one , our fair one , our own chosen Queen , " and patriotism is well represented in a most spirited and manly composion of ten verses , which if all Irishmen would but take to heart , the conclusion would soon become a happy reality , and ,

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" Then Ireland , from the foulest stain Shoulel stand in glory free , The proudest island of the main , Joint Alistress ot the Sea . "

A song at page 6 , which reads very pleasantly , commencing ' Success to the lane ! where the Castle of Cairn , " has since its publication been given a Alasonic finish , anel we have been favoured with the concluding lines as follows : —

" Hail Cnftsmen . Oh ! hail , for without thy blessing , What ' s most glorious in man had been lost in the shade , For thy lovely design , and thy mission would

seem To prevent vicious discord , or harbour of spleen , And disseminate love in this valley so green . " May thy Royal Arch flourish , and truth aid its cause , Alay virtue adorn , and give strength to your laws In this land of wild mountains , and vallies so

green . Alay this peace-spreading banner be ever unfurled , Alay its standard shed li ght to the whole peopledworld ,

Alay its rays bri ght effulgence benign shed its beam From the low cot of mirth to the halls of the king , In regions remote from this valley so green . "

We recommend our readers to procure copies and judge for themselves , and we conclude our sketch by wishing success to Bro . Sheriff' in his literary enterprises .

Ct mels Tails , no longer a mystery , By J . A . R . ( Re-eves and Son , London ) . —To us this little book has proved a most pleasant study , and if we are not now enlightened a little more on the subject of the Cometary Bodies , it is not the fault

of J . A . R ., who has done his best by diagrams and explanations to illustrate the confessedl y mysterious subject . The author evidentl y assumes that the Tails of Comets , and in fact Comets generally , are composed of aggregations

of gases of various densities , that they shine by reflected light , and that their heat is dependant upon the amount and constitution of the atmosphere surrounding them , ( not upon their distance ) , hence he explains that the fact of a star not

being apparently altered when seen in close proximity to thc Tail of a Comet is owing to its beingseen through the same medium as the Tail , a long time before the illuminated Tail interposes , and therefore under the same refraction . When

the Tail has [ Kissed the star , no change of position of the star takes place until the atmosphere has travelled forward to a considerable distance . The above J . A . R . thinks " is the solution of the mystery" It is at all events most ingenious .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . BENJAMIN PAINE TODD . We regret to announce the death of a muchesteemed member of the Craft , Bro . Benjamin Paine Todd , P . eM . and Treasurer of the Egyp . tian Lodge , No . 27 , which occurred at his residence , No . 81 , Kingsland High-street , on Tuesday , the 29 th ult ., at 10 o ' clock a . m ., aged

55 , after a long and severe illness . Bro . Todd was initiated in the Egyptian Lodge in April , 184 s , was the AIaster of that lodge in 1851 , and has held the office of Treasurer ever since ; also a P . Z . of Chapter No . 3 82 , Uxbridge . He was a staunch and consistent supporter

of the several Alasonic Charities , and a Life Governor of them all . He was well known in the Craft for his kind and genial manner ; a firm friend , and an affectionate husband and father . He has left a widow and eleven children to mourn his loss .

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