Reviews.

REVIEWS .

THE MAGAZINES . Thc magazines are here for the first time in 1 SS 4 in great vivacity and striking form . We have hardly ever seen a more remarkable number than that of "The Century , " remarkable , most remarkable , in its literary power and

artistic excellency . We can specially commend " Edinboro ' Old Town , " "Log of an Ocean Studio , " "Toru Dutt , " "lhc Forty Immortals , " " Husbandry in Colonv Times , " "General Sherman , " "The Bread Winners , " " Dr . Sevier . " The portrait of General Sherman , one of the most remarkable men educed from the American Civil

War , will have an interest for many of our readers . " The English Illustrated Magazine " is clearl y improving , though it is yet a long way behind " The Century . " It is , however , a most interesting and effective magazine . " Dartmoor and the Walkham , " " The Pianoforte and its Precursors , " "The Emperor and his Marshal , " " Matthew Arnold , " " Rivers and River Gorges , " & c , are all very readable , and most artistically illustrated articles . * ' The

Armourers' Prentices" arc progressing , though , as wc said before , we cannot affect to understand why the tale is not illustrated , thc more so , as it lends itself so thoroughly to the learner's art . " Longman ' s" is again here with " Jack ' s Courtship , " and contains some good average articles , but none out of thc common way or order . Mrs . Oliphant begins a new story called " Madam . "

"Templar Bar . — "Belinda ends sensationally this month , and we fear hardly with strict propriety or old-fashioned ideas of morality in the abstract or concrete . However , times change and wc change with them . What suited our fathers does not sometimes suit us , though we are among those who believe that there is an unchanged importance and reality in the " eternal fitness of things . " 'The rest of "Temple Bar " is taken up with 'Temple

Barrish stories . Thc account of T halbcrg is very interesting . "All the Year Round" abounds in readable articles , and its Christmas number has much to interest and amuse . " A Glorious Fortune , " by W . Besant , is a downright good story , and " What Was lie : " is most weird and moving . 1-ct none read it whose nerves arc overstrung or weak , and let us recommend a cooling and upholding " Lemon Squash , " which our " Mashers " affect so much , so that

it be read with a cool hcadandcalm digestion . " Jenifer is moving on . Poor Jenifer , she learns what too many women learn , what a mistake they have made . " A Drawn Game" will have attractions for many . " 'The Antiquary " is , as usual , very " antiquarian , " and the " Bibliographer" full of special information .

As wc put down our pen to-day there comes over us unavoidably thc same idea which we have often sought to pourtray in this column , —lhc very serious amount of serial reading wc have perforce to accept and assimilate , and thc grave question which surges up and supervenes , as the French put it , " a quoi bon " . the whole of it . '

NEW YEAR CARDS , & c . Like Christmas , thc new year , after the French " Etrenncs" and thc Roman Strenu . e , is equally celebrated by cards , & c . It is curious to realize , as wc remarked last week , that Christmas and New Year cards are ever within legal memory . The letter which follows and which appeared in thc Times of thc 27 th ult ., settles this question decisively , and gives us interesting information on the

subject : — " Sir , —1 he writer of youi article upon thc origin of these missives is hardly explicit enough . Occasional cards of a purely private character have been done years ago , but the Christinas card pure and simple is the growth ol our town and our time . It began in thc year 1 . SG 2 , thc lirst attempts being thc size of thc ordinary gentleman ' s address card , on which were simply put "A Merry Christmas " and "A Happy New Near ; " after that there came to be

added robins and holly branches , embossed figures , and landscapes . Having made the original designs for these , I have the originals before me now . They were produced by Goodall and Son . Seeing a growing want and thc great sale obtained abroad by the small religious prints or images , this house produced ( iSf-S ) a " Little Red Riding Hood , " a hermit and his cell , and many other subjects in which snow and thc robin played a part . At lirst these were printed in Germany , and sold at very high prices .

For a long time the source of their production was unknown . In this country , possibly , Messrs . Marcus Ward , of Belfast , became the lirst producers , printing their own , being followed by Dc la Rue , Spottiswoode , and others . Foreign competition has now largely entered the field , and o should estimate that more than one-half of those disposed af are printed abroad . Most of the subjects are by English brtists , they being the best able to depict home scenes and omc thoughts . —Yours , & c , " LUKE LIMNER . " Rcgent's-park , Christmas Day . "

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

27 S ] FOUNDATION STONE OF ST . PAUL'S . Is it quite clear that we have as yet got thc true history of this event ? In the Parcntalia it is , as far as I remember , simply said at page 292 "thc first stone of this Basilica was laid in the year 10 75 . " In Longman's work , reference

is made to this preface in the Parcntalia , but it has occurred to me that most writers have made a confusion between thc first stone and the last stone , laid in 1710 , " Come now , " the Master Builder cried , " The many years of work arc done ,

Flaunt forth the Flag and crown with pride , The Glory of the Coping-Stone . " ANTIQUITY .

270 ] SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN . 1 made a little mistake 1 find as regards thc evidence of the Parcntalia to Wren ' s Grand Mastership . Such reference is made _ by Elmcs . All that the Parcntalia alludes to is the existence of the Freemasons as a body and as of Italian origin , and also tve have in the Parcntalia a

Masonic Notes And Queries.

distinct reference to the Freemasons as an organization of working Masons in the fragment of a paper by Sir Christopher Wren himself . Dugdale is in all probability ( as is somewhere said ) , the authority for the original statement of Sir Christopher Wren . A STUDY .

2 S 0 ] DR . SAMUEL JOHNSON . Was Dr . Johnson , the lexicographer , a Freemason ? In the Chandos edition of " Boswell's Life of Johnson , " page 391 , under A . D . 17 S 0 , I find this passage : "Mr . Langton and Dr . Johnson having gone to see a Freemason ' s funeral

procession when they were at Rochester , and some solemn music being played , " & c . We know that Boswell was an enthusiastic Alason , and I think this is the explanation of the remarkable interest taken by Johnson in the case of Dr . Dodd , viz ., that Boswell requested him to do so . ROB MORRIS .

2 Si ] THE ROYAL LODGE ( EXTINCT ) CHESTER . I observe Bro . Hughan ' s note regarding the appointment of the lirst Pvov . Grand Master for Chester and the county . Judging from the minutes , which Bro . Hughan has seen , the jurisdiction did not seem to extend beyond thc city . There is no record , at any rate , of any lodge outside the walls communicating at Provincial Grand Lodge

meetings . 1 should think the probabilities arc that Bro . Newton was elected Prov . Grand Master and acted as such , with the consent of the Chester lodges , for the period named in the records , and that no patent was issued to him . If we remember the loose way in which Masonic business was transacted in those days , and the difficulties of communication , I do not think we need feel any surprise . T . B . WHYTEHEAD .

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Festival.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION FESTIVAL .

The ( irst meeting of thc Board of Stewards took place on Thursday last , at Freemasons' Hall . Among thc brethren present were Bros . Rev . A . F . A . Woodford , P . G . C . ; Edgar Bowyer , G . Std . Br .. ; Thomas Cubitt , P . G . P . ; Wm . Clarke , P . G . P . ; William Stephens , A . G . P . ; Horace B .

Marshall , W . M . Brixton Lodge ; Chas . S . Lanc , P . P . G . D , Durham ; George Kenning , P . G . D . Middx ., 1657 ; II . E , Dehane , P . P . G . D . Middx . ; C . F . Matier , P . G . W . Greece ; E . E . Barratt Kidder , I . P . M . 12 ; 11 . H . Wells , W . M . 1671 ; S . Richardson , Chas . Volckman , Chas . Challen , R . J . Taylor , W . M . 1022 ; G . S . Brandon , G . P . Festa , P . M . 1010 ; W . 11 . Chalfont , W . M . 1425 . Morcton

Graham , W . M . t > 75 * C . W . Reynolds , P . M . 1470 ; E . W . E . Wilde ; II . Faija , P . M . 1540 ; John Hallett , I . G . 5 ; Chas . E . Keyser ; S . Nowakawski , P . M . 534 ; Richard Barham ; and F . A . White , P . M . 437 . Bro . Terry announced that Bro . J . D . Ailcroft , Grand Treasurer , would preside at the Festival on the 20 th prox . Bro . II . B . Marshall was elected President of thc Board of

Stewards and all Vice-Patrons and present and past Grand Officers , Vice-Presidents of thc same . Bro . Edgar Bowyer , G . Std . Br ., was elected 'Treasurer , and Bro . James Terry , Sec . 'The Stewards fee was fixed at £ 2 2 s . j brethren ' s tickets at £ 1 is . ; and ladies tickets at ios . Od . Messrs .

Spiers and Pond ' s tender for the dinner at Freemasons Tavern was accepted , and thc following were appointed a Musical Committee : Bros . Horace B . Marshall , Edgar Bowyer , C . E . Matier , Chas . Challen , Wm . Clarke , Thomas Cubitt , G . P . Festa , R . Barham , andR . J . Taylor . The Committee adjourned to Friday , February 15 th .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . EDWARD BARTLETT GRABHAM , P . P . G . S . W . MIDDLESEX . With the close of thc year , there passed from amongst us a well-known brother whose Masonic attainments and ardent exertions in aid of our Charities will cause his name to be long remembered by those with whom he was associated in the work of Masonry . Bro , Grabham was initiated in the Royal Athelstan Lodge , No . 19 , in December ,

1 S 71 , and passed the chair in 1 S 76 . He was a founderand the lirst Master of the Felix Lodge , No . 1494 , and filled thc chair a second time in 1878 . In recognition of his services as Master and Secretary , thc members of thc Felix Lodge presented him with a handsome gold watch . For many vears he discharged thc duties of Preceptor in thc City Masonic Club , his great delight having been to give encouragement to his younger brethren , and where his

patience and urbanity won for him thc esteem and regard of all its members . He was a P . Z . of the Mount Sinai Chapter , No . 10 , and for some years he acted as its Scribe E . He was also P . M . W . S . of thc Invicta Chapter Rose Croix , No . 10 . He was a Life Governor of all our Charities , and had served as Steward on many occasions . 'The Provincial rank of G . S . W . of Middlesex was conferred upon

him in 1875 . On thc 21 st ult ., at thc age of 42 years , he succumbed to the disease which had prostrated him for many months . He was interred at thc Abney Park Cemetery on the 27 th ult ., surrounded by a numerous concourse of sorrowing friends and brethren , desirous of paying a last sad tribute of respect to departed merit . The funeral service was most impressively rendered by the Rev . II . C . J . Bevan .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 s . Gd . for announcements not exceeding Four Lines under this heading . ]

BIRTHS . HALLORAN . —On the 30 th ult ., at Plas-yn-pcnrhyn , Penrhyndeiidraetb , IS . Wales , the wile of j . A . Halloran , B . A ., vicar of Bolton-lc-Clay , Lincolnshire , of a daughter . RASSA . M . —On the 31 st ult ., at Spring Grove , Isleworth , the wife of H . Rassam , Esq ., of a son . MARRIAGE .

GOOCH—BUNNV . —On the 27 th ult ., at the parish church , Newbury , thc Rev . W . II . Gooch , Vicar of Royton , to Edith , daughter of J . Bunney , Esq ., M . D ., of Newbury .

DEATHS . GRABHAM . —On the 21 st ult ., at Stoke Newington , Bro Edward Bartlett Grabham , P . M . No . 19 , aged 42 . MILLS . —On the 30 th inst ., at Cambridge-terrace , Hyde park , J . Mills , Esq ., aged 66 .

Masonic Bazaar At Salford.

MASONIC BAZAAR AT SALFORD .

On Tuesday morning , the iSth ult ., Bro . Colonel Le Gcndre N . Starkie , the R . W . P . G . M . of East Lancashire , opened a grand bazaar in thc Town Hail , the object of which was to meet the sum of £ 400 for the purpose of defraying the expenses incurred in the reconstructing and furnishing of thc I ' rccmasons' Hall , Adelphi-strcet .

Originally the three lodges , St . John ' s , the Harmony , and the Newall , which have been established in this borough , assembled in the Freemasons' Hall , Islington-square . After holding thc meetings here for some time , it was found that thc accommodation was of too limited a character , and about five years ago thc brethren took the building in Adclphi-strcct , which is now used as the Freemasons '

Hall , on a lease for 21 years . The house was thoroughly reconstructed and adapted to meet thc requirements of the brethren for the sum mentioned above . A few weeks ago it was determined to hold a bazaar to obtain the money , and with that object in view a committee was formed , with Bro . Thomas Southern , P . M . Harmony Lodge , as Chairman , and Bro . Alfred H . Allen , as

Secretary , An appeal was made to thc lady friends of the brethren , and thc result was a most generous response . There were three stalls representing the lodges , every one of which was heavily laden with a choice assortment of useful and ornamental articles . The large hall in which thc bazaar was held , was very tastefully decorated and presented a very handsome appearance , and thc stalls were all prettily

set out with Masonic emblems and flags . Thc whole of the arrangements were most admirably carried out . Thc bazaar was under the patronage of the following brethren : Col . Le Gcndre N . Starkie , P . G . W ., R . W . Prov . G . M . East Lancashire ; George Mcllor , P . G . D ., Deputy Prov . G . M . East Lancashire ; Capt . Clements R . Bcswickc-Royds , P . G . W ., P . P . G . W . ; Richard Husband , J . P .,

ex-Mayor of Salford ; John Chadwick , Prov . G . Sec . ; Thos . Mason , Prov . G . S . W . ; Charles Heywood , Prov . G . J . W . ; Rev . K . H . Thomas , M . A ., Prov . G . Chap . ; Councillor I . I . Mcakin , Prov . G . S . D . ; Samuel Porrit , Prov . G . D . C . ; Joseph L . I' . ine , P . P . G . W . ; J . II . P . Lcrcschc , P . M ., P . P . G . R . ; Dr . Peter Roylc , P . M ., P . P . G . D . ; J . H . Sillitoe , P . P . G . D . of C ; Councillor R . llankinson , P . M .,

P . P . G . R . ; Benjamin Taylor , P . M ., P . P . G . T . ; Ellis Jones , P . M ., P . P . G . T . ; Samuel Statham , P . M ., P . P . G . T . ; Alderman W . Robinson , P . M . ; Alderman Jenkins , P . M ., P . P . G . S . B . ; Councillor John Roberts , P . M ., P . G . Deputy D . of C . ; Councillor B . Toulson , P . M ., Councillor P . Kcevncy ; Councillor Henry Lord , W . M . ; Daniel Asquith , P . M . ; and John Barker , P . M . The following

ladies presided at thc stalls : No . 7 , St . John s Lodge , Mrs . I-ord , Miss Williams , Mrs . Armstrong , Miss Armstrong , Miss Moore , Mrs . Oilier , Miss Unsworth , and Mrs . \ v . Brown , jun . No . 2 , the Harmony l-odge , Mrs . Oilier , Miss Oilier , Miss Preston , Mrs . J . Southern , Miss Ashton , Mrs . James Brown , Mrs . J . H . Clarke , Miss Hall , and Mrs . Holder . No . 3 , the Newall stall , Mrs . f . B .

Stanslicld , Mrs . E . G . Stanslicld , and Miss A . B . Stansficld . Refreshment stall , Mrs . Canavan , Mrs . Penwarden , Miss Greatorex , Miss lllingworth , Miss Nowcll , Miss Ada Hall , and Miss Anccll . At the opening ceremony which was fairly well attended , Bro . 'Thomas Southern , P . M ., ' presided , and was supported by Bros . Col . Lc Gcndre N . Starkie , Charles Heywood , J . II . Shillitoe , S . Statham ,

F . Armstrong , E . Williams , A . II . Allen , W . Oilier , Henry Holder , Henry Lord , W . II . Malkin , and Henry Mainwanng . Bro . SOUTHERN , addressing the company as "ladies and brethren , " said he had great pleasure in introducing to them their Provincial Grand Master , Colonel Le Gcndre Starkie . who had kindly consented to oocn thc bazaar .

They would be all very pleased to sec him upon that occasion , more especially under thc circumstances which had brought them together . Bro . Col . LK GENDRE N . STARKIE , who was received with applause , assured thc ladies and brethren that it was very gratifying to him to be so intimately associated with an Order , composed of men who held such high and respectable positions , not only as Freemasons , but in their

relative positions in life , who were so full of the cause of charity , and were trying to enhance the welfare of society . As Freemasons they naturally wished that their Order should be highly esteemed and regarded , but in order to receive that they must perform a duty themselves , which was to show to the outer world that they were worthy of their support and kindness , and were performing the duties which

they held ought to be performed by them as a society . In these days of universal knowledge , when transit was so easy , and when thc ends of thc world , either by the electric telegraph or otherwise , were connected with one centre , by means of which information was disseminated , most institutions must cither rise or fall . It was impossible for them to remain in one morbid state . 'They as Masons claimed that

they had made rapid strides , which were for the benefit of their Order , and also for society generally . It was only last Saturday that their illustrious prince was exalted to another Degree in their Order , and they looked with great pleasure and no small interest to thc fact that to him thc future destinies of this great country would one day be consigned . He was very much taken up with thc

advancement of their Order , knowing full well that if they carried out their principles they would be better men at home , better relations and citizens , and more charitabl y disposed . It gave him great pleasure to sec that the exertions of the brethren in endeavouring to clear off thc debt had not been damped . He was thoroughly satisfied with the house ; he congratulated the brethren on their haying obtained so

suitable a place for thc celebration of their rites and ceremonies . He trusted that their friends would be charitably disposed , and come forward to remunerate the ladies for the beatiful articles they had made . He was certain that if they did so thc debt would soon be wiped off , and thc society benefited through it . He now declared thc bazaar open , and he wished it every and very hearty success .

( Applause . ) Bro . LORD said he thought it would scarcely be Masonlike if they separated without expressing their thanks to Bro . Col . Starkie , who had travelled from the other side of Lancaster to attend thc bazaar , and his presence that

morning was a sure augury of its success . I hey were at all times pleased to see him , and they wished to express to him their deep sense of gratitude for tin sincere interest he always showed in Freemasonry . He had great pleasure in proposing that the best thanks of the assembly be given ta Col . Starkie .