Masonic Notes.

0 f Grand Lodge at the Grand Festival a few days ' previously , but occasionally one or two for whom suitable offices could not be found in preceding years are included . For the list of the newly-decorated Grand Royal Arches , we refer our readers to the report of Grand Chapter in another column .

* * * VVe know we are correctly interpreting the feelings 0 f our brother Craftsmen when we say that their sympathy with Bro . J . C . Parkinson , P . G . D ., in the sad loss which has just befallen him is as general as it is

sincere . The death of one that is near and dear to us always creates a sorrow which is grievous to be borne , but when that near and dear one is an eldest son , cut off by an accident in the very prime of early manhood , and with a bright and promising future before him , the

calamity is well nigh intolerable . However , we doubt not it will be some slight consolation to Bro . Parkinson , just at this moment when his grief is most poignant , to know that he has with him the entire sympathy of his brother Masons .

* * * By the death , which was recorded last week , of Bro . F . W . Ramsay , M . D ., there is removed from our midst one who till quite recently was a prominent figure in Masonry and a most genial and popular brother . The

deceased had won distinction in the Craft and Arch , and among the other branches of Freemasonry with which he was connected , was a Past Grand Deacon of the Mark Grand Lodge , and had taken the Thirtieth Degree in the A . and A . Rite . He was also a Life Governor of our three Institutions , and had served

sundry Stewardships in their behalf . He had likewise been a Member of the House Committee of the Boys ' School , and had done good service in that capacity . He will be greatly missed , not only by his familiars , but likewise by those who knew him by repute as a genial and kindly brother .

» * * The first meeting of the Board of Stewards for the approaching Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys was held at Freemasons' Hall , on Thursday , when the following brethren were appointed ollicers ,

namely . Honorary Presidents , Bros , the Earl of Euston , Prov . G . M . Norths and Hunts , and Col . G . Noel Money , Prov . G . M . Surrey ; Acting President , Bro . R . V . Vassar-Smith , Dep . P . G . M . Gloucestershire ; Honorary Vice-Presidents , Bros , the Rev . C . J .

Martyn , P . G . C , Dep . P . G . M . Suffolk , P . P . G . W . Gloucestershire ; J . D . Murray , G . Treas . ; Richard Eve , P . G . Treas . ; Asher Barfield , P . G . Treas . ; E . Letchworth , P . G . D ., G . Sec . ; and Capt . S . G . Hornfray , P . A . G . D . C , Dep . P . G . M . Monmouthshire ; Vice-Presidents—Patrons , Vice-Patrons , and Vice-Presidents

of the Institution , Present and Past Grand Officers , Present and Past Grand Stewards , and Present and Past Provincial Grand Officers ; Honorary Treasurer , Bro . C . E . Keyser , J . P ., P . P . G . W . Herts , J . G . D . ; and Honorary Secretary , Bro . J . M . McLeod , P . P . G . W . Derbyshire .

In Victoria they appear to have a rather summary method of dealing with W . M . ' s who set at naught the authorit y of Grand Lodge as exercised by its Board of General Purposes . It having become known that the Master of the United Victoria Lodge had initiated an

undesirable person , instructions were sent to him not to confer any further Degrees pending the consideration of the case . The Master disregarded these instructs , on which the Board promptly suspended him "Om his Masonic rights and privileges for 12 months . '" e case was then more fully considered at a subsequent

meeting of the Board with the result that the suspension was extended for a further term of two years . Thus for three full years the offending W . M . will have am P ' opportunity for considering ( 1 ) the impropriety 0 mtroducing undesirable candidates into Masonry , a ( 2 ) the propriety of paying due obedience to consulted authority .

* * * 'hose who had the privilege of meeting Bro . Clifford McCalla , Past Grand Master . of Pennsylvania , when was on a visit to this country recently , will r , eve to hear of his death at Port SaidAfrica

, , on May , the 24 th ult . Bro . McCalla , when ' in England , ernany friends . AsGrand Master of Pennsylvaniae was at the time of his first visit—he was received . „ .,, distinction due to his rank , while his genial

at ii , " Presence was looked forward to with pleasure A e meetings of tho Quatuor Coronati , Angloa ric ; " > , and other private lodges . His death will be | B M loss to the Craft in Pennsylvania , not only iv ; , i , " took a deep interest in everything connected 1 asonic work , but also because he was editor and

Masonic Notes.

proprietor of the Keystone of Philadelphia , one of the best conducted and best informed of the American Masonic newspapers . We tender our respectful sympathies to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in their loss .

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

I We do not hoM n , « . ,- » . r . * L , u , isible for the opinions expressed by our correspond , ems , bui we wish in a spirit of fair play lo all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]

THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS . To the Editor of the "Freemason , " Dear Sir and Brother I learn with a little surprise , and I must add some regret , that objection is raised to the re-election

of the House Committee of what is familiarly known as the Girls' School . I may , of course , be told that any Life Governor , being a Freemason , is eligible under Law 61 ; but so are all duly qualified shareholders of railways , banks , and insurance companies eligible to be directors .

This , however , is not taken as justifying or even calling for a change unless reasons exist that demand it . Do such reasons exist ? Speaking for myself ( and probably also for my colleagues , though I have no present specific authority from them ) , I am far from desiring to retain a position that those who elected me

would have me give up ; but believing , as I seriously do , that the most absolute efficiency and good results exist under the present order of things , and feeling assured that the members of the House Committee , recruited as they are now and again from the general

body of Governors , and every one of them substantial benefactors to the Institution , devote immense time and attention to its working and welfare , I venture to suggest that the good old adage about " swapping horses" should be borne in mind , and prevent their unnecessary displacement . —I am , Sir , yours fraternally ,

JOHN B . MONCKTON , Chairman of the House Committee for the present month . May 4 th .

AN OLD ENGRAVING . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , The " old engraving " which Bro . Theo . E . St . George enquires about in last Saturday ' s Freemason is the well-known " Inauguration of Robert Burns as Poet

Laureate of Canongate Kilwinning Lodge , the original painting of which , executed in the forties by Bro . Stewart Watson , now hangs in the Board Room of the Grand Lodge of Scotland . It was drawn on stone by [ ames Gordon , and published by Fr . Schenck , lithographer , Edinburgh .

The scene is , of course , entirely imaginary , Burns , although assumed a member of the lodge on the ist of February , 1787 , never having had the distinction of Poet Laureate conferred on him by the lodge in his lifetime , although the posthumous honour is claimed for him by the lodge many years after . The general

appearance of the lodge room when I last visited it was very similar to what it is in the picture , save that the portrait of St . Clair of Rosslyn hung opposite the organ . The Master of the lodge who assumed Bro . Burns was Alexander Ferguson of Craigdarroch , his immediate supporters in the picture being on the left

Lord Elcho , Grand Master , and on the right Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo , Bart . The " rather ill-visaged brother" was a serving brother , one Kenneth Love—Kenncthus Cupidus , as he was termed in the Roman Eagle Lodge , where , under Dr . Brown , everything was Latinised—and , being a tailor by trade he made and

repaired the clothing of the lodge . The figure in the foreground , conspicuous by his Falstaflian paunch , is the '' fine fat-fodgee wight" Captain Grose , the antiquary celebrated by Burns in his poems . Seated at the same table , with his back to Grose , is Lord Napier , and between them Dr . James Gregory . At the

corresponding table the most prominent figure is Lord Monboddo , of whom we have a fine prclile portrait ; opposite him is the Honourable Henry Erskine , and the brother of whom we have a full back" view is John Mercer , a writer , the Secretary of the lodge , the brother at the back of Lord Monboddo ' s chair being William Wilson ,

Grand Secretary . The musician , who is described as " affectionately embracing a Scotch bagpipes , " is James Tytler , a genius in his way ; but I would call the attention of the Irish brother that his instrument is the Irish pipe , not the Scotch , the latter being supplied with wind from the lungs , the former , as in the picture ,

by means of bellows ; and he who presides at the punch bowl is William Woods , a noted tragedian of his time . In all there are about 60 portraits , but I have only given the names of some of the principal persons mentioned by the enquiring brother . —I am , yours fraternally , W . FRED . VERNON .

To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , The engraving about which Bro . St . George of Dublin , desires information is evidently a reproduction from the well-known painting by Stewart Watson , now in the possession of the Grand Lodge of Scotland ,

Correspondence.

executed nearly Co years after the date ( 1787 ) , when Burns was said to have been crowned Poet Laureate of the Canongate Kilwinning Lodge ; it has no historical value . Bro . Allen Mackenzie , P . M ., in his able review of the life of No . 2—the body in question—champions

the reality of the incident , but Bro . William Officer , S . S . C ., has very clearly shown the extreme improbability of Burns having ever been so invested , or even so designated until a long subsequent period . Our ablest critics treat the story as mythical , and of comparatively recent invention . —Yours fraternally , EDW . MACBEAN , S . D . 2076 .

A RECORD . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , A curious experience happened to me at one of our regular monthly meetings not long since , which I thought might interest the brethren and be the means of ascertaining if any of them have ever had such a singular

round of duties to perform in one evening . We had a fair attendance , about 18 , at 8 o ' clock , when I took the chair and opened the lodge and duly installed the W . M ., who , after returning thanks to the whole lodge , proceeded to business . I asked leave to retire as a friend who was a candidate that evening had particularly requested me to deacon him . This done

so far , I found on retiring at a certain stage that the Tyler had been taken unwell , so placing my friend in the hands of the S . D ., I took the Tyler ' s place , and continued at the post until motion time came , when I signalled the l . G . to change places with me as I had a proposition to make . He did so , I entered , made my proposition , and finished my round of duties for the

evening as l . G . It did not strike me at the time I had done anything out of the way until some of the brethren congratulated me on holding the two extremes of office in the lodge in one evening , and on thinking the matter over , I found I had filled altogether five different offices . It is of course just what any brother

in my position would be able to do , and what they may have frequently done at different times , but the singularity of my experiences was the curious concatenation of circumstances which compelled me to fill the various offices on the one evening . I shall be glad to hear of a similar experience , if not , will conclude I have made " a record . " —I am , yours fraternally , P . M .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

9 85 ] BIBLIOGRAPHY . Mr . Bertram Dobell , of 54 , Charing Cross-road , W . C , is publishing in parts a valuable catalogue of books printed for private circulation . These bocks have been accumulated as the result of much time , trouble , and money , and the catalogue of the curious

and important collection is being carefully edited by Mr . Dobell , from whom copies may be had of the parts as issued . There are now ei ght numbers published , making two parts , at is . nett each part . It is likely the complete work will require some five parts

of four numbers each . All are priced and for sale . All lovers of bibliography will be glad to hear of this capital and ^ interesting catalogue , and pleased to aid Mr . Dobell in its publication . The postage of each part cost id . W . J . HUGHAN .

Reviews.

Reviews .

FREEMASONS' CALENDAR FOR THE PROVINCE OF SHROPSHIRE FOR 1 S 02 . This is a new candidate for the ever-increasing circle of Masonic directories , of which there are now about 30 We feel quite certain its appearance will be hailed with ' irreat satisfaction by all our brother editors , and that Bra . Rowland G . Venables , P . A . G . D . C . Inland , D . P . G . M ., will be heartily welcomed as another labourer in the Provincial

vineyard . 1 he editing is done well , and most carefully withal the particulars given being numerous and ably arranged and some So pages of closely-printed paper makes a most useful directory for the Province of Shropshire , which may be congratulated on having such a zealous and competent Deputy Prov . G . M . to see to its interests 'I here arc only a dozen lodges in the province under the rule of Sir OflL

Bro . y Wakeman , Bart ., the Prov . G M but they make "a brave show" with their 351 members ( an unusually low average , however ) , as they total S 7 votes , which is beyond question one ot the lar'es * in proportion of any province . ttoyal Arch Masonry is sadly behind in Shropshire , with only two chapters and 4 ? companions . The names of all the o / Iicers , P . AI . ' s and membsrs of all the dul

lodges are y inserted , and likewise for the chapters , as well as all the past ( and present ) l'rov . Grand Ollicers from 1 SS 5 , with full printed reports , and a variety of much interesting information indispensable for all zealous members of the province . Brethren will be triad to know that copies may be had from the editor , "the Lodge , Ludlow , Shropshire , for thirteen pence , post free , and is well worth that trifling sum .

MU H lv r v m 0 TH / VISITORS . " Music by K ^" , P M VT 0 N ' , 2 U » S words b > ' Dro- »'• G - KUSStLI ., P .. W . 1204 . The greater number of Masonic songs known to the Craft are not of that character that we can afford to ignore *?* " ? " ' T " ! i ° fa i ' ° "" - ' «•««««« , and fc is a at

, ^ pleasure tne same time if we can say that the newcomer is of more than average merit . The song under notice is distinctl y so , and we can safely advise our musical brethren to add it to their repertoire . The words are taking and the music melodious . b