Reviews.

Reviews .

" La Chaine d'Union . " We are happy to note and to inform our brethren that this interesting French periodical , so ably edited by Bro . Hubert , has distinguished itself by its clear and decided views of the extreme folly of the last revolutionary act of the Grand Orient of France . We do not mean to say that

Bro . Hubert and ourselves agree perhaps in every particular , but we are pleased to find that he accepts our general view of the situation , that Freemasonry is neither atheistical nor sectarian , and that the recent change by the Grand Orient of France in their Constitution , on the absurd p lea of toleration , is as Jesuitical as it is peurile .

" The Garden Oracle for 1878 . " Edited by SUIRI-EY HIBBERD . —Gardeners' Magazine Office , n , Ave Maria Lane . We have received and read this " Horticultural Year Book " with pleasure and interest . It is a most valuable book for practical gardeners and unpractical amateurs , and the careful reader will find it most ¦ worthy of his

attentive consideration . To all who value a garden—and no more pleasurable and healthy enjoyment exists , —we commend this little work because it is for all who busy themselves in garden work , a very useful vade mecum . Wc have often thought how much better people are employed looking after their pansies , and roses , and carnations , to say nothing of geraniums , and tending their

Marie Louise , their Louise Bonne , their Josephine de Malines , and even their Bishops' Thumbs , for instance , than mixing themselves up in much of the noise and folly and deception of the great Vanity Fair of human life . But as we do not wish to bore our readers with too much p hilosophy at this season , wc stop here . We are among those who like both flowers in our garden and fruit trees

on our walls , and we confess to have a great weakness for flowers and fruit . And we can realise no greater enjoyment than to see how our " Noblesse " " oblige " or our " Royal George " behaves , to watch the grapes in our hothouses , the apricots and nectarines on our hot walls . Indeed we have often found Masonic teaching in the contemplation of the careful cultivation of our fruit trees , keeping before us that it is always well to remember

that other things require training besides trees , and that this life of ours is a training and a cultivation , not for the luxuriance of blossom onlv , but also for the perfection of fruit . We grow , however , so didactical and so sentimental that we will close our remarks . We recommend the " Garden Oracle " to all who wish to study and realise the progress of the season and the envelopment of floticultural life .

"Angels and Men , " by WIILIAM SMITH . —Nisbetand Co ., 21 , Berners Street . No one can say that we do not live in a poetically inclined age , for ours just now is a " plethora " of poetic lucubrations of countless kinds . Indeed , it is a very remarkable fact in itself , this production of poetry , which is going on at a rapid rate amongst us . We do not say that

all the poetry we have to run over is of the same standard , for there is " poetry and poetry , " as we all know ; and though no doubt much that comes forth into publicity is not read at all , there is a residuum which is undoubtedly very striking and very real . As long as the world lasts tastes will differ and opinions vary as to what is interesting and effective in poetic efforts , and the question , "What

is Poetry ? " seems capable of more than one answer , for it is quite clear that the admirer of Longfellow , for instance , may not feel himself at home with Swinburne ; the reader of Lord Houghton may not care much for Rossetti ; the disciple of Praed may doubt Browning , and the believer in Tennyson may shake his head at Cholmondeley Parnell ; he who believes in John Keble may not realise

Edgar Poe . And yet we venture to think that the great academe of poetry may well include these various classes , as it is indeed a fair champaign , and presents , as it were , before our wondciing eyes a marvellous growth of goodly trees , differing in species , size , and value . We therefore ask for toleration as regards our poetic writers of to-day , as wc belong to that eclectic school in

respect to poetry which can read Matthew Arnold and enjoy Frederick Lockyer -, which can sympathise with Austin Dobson , and the Boudoir Ballads , while wc equally wonder at Mr . Morris , and delight in the promise of numerous writers among the " oi polloi" of poetry . For poetry seems always to be a great school of toleration and development . It is idle to lay down a standard and say

none are poets who do not come up to it . We might as well proclaim " Paradise Lost" as the ne plus ultra of poetic excellence , and excommunicate Butler , Dryden , Pope , Cowper , Gray , or proclaim our faith in Klopstock's " Messiah" and ostracise Geibel and Platen , and Heine , and Strachwitz , and Zeidlitz , and Chamisso . If in anything wc ought to keep clear of mouthing

is as regards poetry . We therefore think that though " Angels and Men" may appear to some uninteresting and overstrained , it is a little book worth some study and some consideration . Of course a poem in four books m blank verse is a serious undertaking , especially in an age of cursory and careless reading . But the passages we have dipped into , here and there , ( let the reader note our honestavowal ) , we ' are much pleased with , nasmuch as most

unlike some of the polished utterances of the hour , they are neither full of scepticism nor irreligion . They neither suggest doubt or palliate immorality . The writer has clearl y a facile flow of words , and a pleasant adjustment of ideas , and we agree with him in his view of man ' s lifelong conflict , his needs and his aids , his hopes and his dangers , his safety , his rest , and his reward . The work is dedicated to the Poet Laureate , and will , we doubt not , be read and admired by many of our brethren .

Reviews.

" A Book of Episodes , " by J . M . Chanson ; Dean and Son , Fleet-street . ' We took up this little work with interest , we put it down with astonishment . We had stumbled upon a new language , new ideas , new emotions , new sympathies . The five episodes which make up this wonderful little volume are respectively entitled " The episode of Farnham

Priory , " " El . Santo Rosarie , " " Clytemnestraand Agamemnon , " " John Mainwaring fecit , " "The last Cruise of the Concordia . " Three of them are all equally affecting ' equally moving , and equally awe-inspiring . We are told on first-rate female authority , whose exactness we do not doubt , that we have in these episodes the vernacular of our young men , the language in which they condescend to

make love and to enquire for a " cigar , " or to politely request an harmless infusion of B . and S . It is always pleasant in this dull world of ours to find some " new delight , " some unexpected emotion , and wc confess that the perusal of this book of " Episodes " has opened out to us a new region of thought , experiences and language . We say nothing of the plots of the episodes , of the stories

per se , the teaching they offer , the " moral " they convey . They are something so peculiar that we cannot possibly criticize them on any ground of analogy or normal construction . They remind us strongly of certain " penny dreadfuls" which we arc assured are eagerly perused by our young men , such as the " Bounding Panther of the Ceaseless Prairie , " the " Lone Virgin

of the Cannibal Islands , " the " Vindictive Monk of the Deserted Monastery , " and " the Midnight Visitor of the Ruined Chateau . " We should not so much object to the thrilling narratives , and the weird talcs , the actual horrors and the suggested sensationalism , because wc know that unfortunately such is the taste of the hour , and though too we deem such a profusion nf mystery awe and crime , a

mistaken use of the imaginative power and a decided injury to morals and good taste amongst us . But we do most loudly prote . t against the grammar ; it is unlike anything we have ever read before . Sentences there are without a verb , though with plenty of adjectives and notes of exclamation ; paragraphs also abound in which it is impossible to say which is the predicate , which the subject . Indeed , there

are places in which we can find nothing but mysterious hyphens and alarming notes of admiration . Now we do not wish to seem to be too severe , but we feel strongly that such a peculiar use , such a stringing together of words can only end in positive barbarism , in a fearful retrogression of our " English tongue . " But having said this , we may add that if any of our readers want plenty

of romance and plenty of the emotional , if they want to sup off horrors , and be alternately excited and depressed , we certainly admit that they can easily be satisfied by reading this Book of Episodes . We shall not be even unprepared to hear that the book'is much read , and more thought of , for it is " bizarre " enough to please any 0111 . But as candid reviewers we have expressed our opinion

honestly , manfully and in good faith . Wc add one little sentence as an illustration of what we deem pure nonsense and incorrect English : — "He had been many years away—changed as he was none knew him till lie told . " Told what ? It seems the writer wishes to convey the idea , that he told the retainers , ( young men ' s word for servants ) , that he was the brother of course of the " murdered one ! " for the terse

writer goes on to say— " But when he told , " ( again we ask what ?) " all these retainers of the place rejoiced . " Is this English ? We venture to say , No ! We may add that " Clytemnestra and Agamemnon " can hardly properly be called sensational , or the Last Cruise of the Concordia either , though in both the grammar is equally defective , according to our recollections of Lindley Murray . " Bicentenary Memorial of the Lodge , Canongate ,

Kilwinning , 20 th December , 1877 . " We have received this most interesting little memorial . So interesting do we deem it , that we have written to learn if wc can get permission to reprint it for the information of our English Freemasons in the " Masonic Magazine , " with the facsimiles , as we could not dilate upon it here to our satisfaction without greatly exceeding the normal modest limits of reviews in the Freemason .

Roman Catholic Opposition.

ROMAN CATHOLIC OPPOSITION .

The evidence is continually accumulating which indicates the bitter hostility of feeling entertained against Masonry on the part of the Roman Catholic Church . High Papal authorities , including even the Pope himself , put forth their proclamations against the Institution , and pronounce anathemas upon every Roman Catholic Free '

mason . A stern discipline is sought to be enforced against any followers of the Church who may be rash enough to enrol themselves members of the fraternity , So it is , the priest refuses to give the dying Mason the consolation ofthe rites of the Church until he has renounced Masonry ; and so it is , if the Catholic Mason dies without abjuring the Institution , he will bc most likely to be denied

Christian burial according to the forms of the Church in which he had membership . Two cases in point have recently come to light , —one in this country and one in England . In the latter case the man was a devout Catholic no less than a faithful Mason , He was an excise officer and of good reputation ; dying suddenly no opportunity was given to demand recantation of him as the

price of extreme unction . When , however , the family of the deceased sought to arrange for his burial in the Roman Catholic Cemeteiy , and requested the parish priest to officiate at the funeral , they were met by the reply that the man who had died was a Freemason , and therefore could not bc buried in consecrated ground . Canon Walker , the priest in charge , said that it was contrary to

Roman Catholic Opposition.

the rules of his Church to inter a member of any secret society ; and he seemed by no means unwilling to use the occasion to show his own hostility to Masonry , and to make clear the position occupied by the Church he represented . A Protestant clergyman was called in , and the service of the Church of England was read over the deceased Catholic , who was buried as a heretic in consecrated

ground—his only offence being that at the time of his death hewas a Mason in good and regular standing . It hardly seems possible that such bigotry and intoleran ce should be manifested in these latter days , or that the Rom an Catholic authorities should carry their opposition to Mason ry to such an extent . But other evidence is not wanting to prove the bitter and undiminished hostility of Papacy to the

Craft . The allocutions of Pius the Ninth may not be quite so severe , as to how the Church shall deal with Masons , as were the proclamations of some of his predecessors . Threats of the Inquisition may no longer be fulminated , but the spirit of the present Pope , as shown in the papers he has put forth—the Bulls and Edicts regarding Masonry —is as hard and intolerant as was the temper of Clement

himself . The Roman Catholic authorities and leaders are all in accord on this subject . Priests , teachers , editorsall join in misrepresenting the character and purposes of Freemasonry , and in denouncing members of the Catholic Church who may seek to affiliate with the Craft . Thus the Catholic Universe deemed itself justified in ridiculing the recent Templar gathering at Cleveland , and indulging

m sneers at the manifestations made by the Order in religion ' s name . Men of all classes , professions , and faiths decorated their residences on the day of the great display in the Forest City ; only Roman Catholics kept their houses closed and put forth no sign of greeting . Just now the Boston Pilot is severely exercised because the civil authorities have asked the Masons to dedicate the soldier ' s

monument in Boston . It seizes the occasion to cry out against the Order and to influence its readers , and , so far as possible , the Roman Catholic community , against the Institution . This is to be expected . Papacy was never tolerant . Its genius is in the line of illiberality , restraint ,

persecution . It will allow no secrets among its followers that the Church cannot penetrate . It will recognise and approve no organisation that it cannot control . Its opposition must be counted upon , first , last , always . —Free mason ' s Repository .

Multum In Parbo,Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

A CURIOUS MASTER MASON'S CERTIFICATE . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — A day or two ago a friend and brother of mine showed me a parchment document , in MS ., a little less in

size than half a sheet of foolscap , which he had turned up in rummaging amongst a lot of family papers . The document in question bears the following 1—" Fleece Lodge , in Barnstaple , No . 2 S 1 . " To the Right Worshipful the Master and Wardens of

every perfect regular constituted Lodge . " This is to aquaint you , and all true and faithful Brethren , that Richard Browne , the barer hereof , was rais'd to the degree of a Master Mason , in our Lodge , the 27 th of December , 17 6 3 ; and , as a sober , worthy , honest Brother we recommend him , and as one may do honour to the Craftt . Sealed with our Lodge Seal , the 6 th

January , 1706 , A . M . 3 l (>(> . " ] ohn Peters , Mr . " J . Place , S . VV . " George Rooke , J . W . " Awth . Page , P . M . " Richard Rooke , Secretary . " The red wax of the seal , I may mention , is almost de faced , and is impressed on a strip of corded ribbon , proba

bly a light blue at one time , but now faded . I have before heard of travelling certificates being presented to brothers in the old times—is this one ? Fleece Lodge , No . 281 , also , I find does not exist in Barnstaple ; but in its place is Loyal Lodge , No . 251 , founded in 1783 . Perhaps some old member of the latter can say when Fleece Lodge collapsed . Yours fraternally , DRYASDUST .

WHAT IS A FREEMASON ? Is a question very often asked . I will tell you what he is like and what he is ? He is like a fox for cunning , a dove for tameness , a lamb for innocence , a lion for boldness , a bee for industry , and a sheep for usefulness . A word on each : he is cunning enough to become a man ( i . e . a Freemason ) ; he is tame

enough to continue one ; he is innocent enough to deserve to be one ; he is fierce enough to be worthy of being one ; by contributing like the bee in summer for winter he continues to be one ; and like a sheep he is not only doing good to himself , but to those who may be acquainted with or dependent on him . Nay ! he is a dutiful child , an affectionate parent , a tender husband , a faithful servant , a

good master , a peaceful neighbour , a loyal subject , a wise king , a just ruler , and a true friend ; full of affection to his brethren , faithful to his friends , generous to his enemies , warm with compassion to the unfortunate , selfdenying to little private interests and happiness ; magnanimous without being proud , humble without being mean , just without being harsh , on whose word we can

entirely rely , whose professions of kindness are the effusions of his heart , one in fine , whom , independently of any views of advantage , we should choose for a superior , could trust as a friend , and could love as our brother from the same parent . " This is a Freemason according to Freemasonry . " Yours fraternally , A BROTHER .