Original Correspondence.

fraternal , that it is really a matter of regret to find oneself at issue with him . Differences of opinion must exist , and I would fain hope that none more serious than those between " W . F . " and Bro . Constable and his numerous supporters may exist amongst those associated in Masonic work . However imperfectly I have expressed my opinions in reply to " W . F ., " I have yielded to an inclination to

say a few words on a vexed question . In conclusion , I must in all candour admit that I have done my best to aid Bro . Constable in his arduous and disinterested labours , and ask permission , to express , through your columns , my sincere appreciation of his zeal and energy . I am , dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally ,

FREDERICK BINCKES . July 2 , 1877 . THE RESPECTIVE COLUMNS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir "and Brother , — If Bro . " J . C . " will look at his G . L . certificate he

will see there the three columns , and at the foot of the Ionic the square ; of the Doric , the level ; of the Corinthian , the plumb-rule ; thus showing to whom each is authoritatively appropriated ; but let him more especially hear the First Lecture , Fcurth Section . Faithfully and fraternally yours ,

H . S . T . DEISM , THE GRAND ORIENT OF FRANCE AND Ti-IE GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , —

During the last few months many letters and articles have been published in your journal , as well as in other Masonic papers , on the essentiality of the belief in God as the principal pillar in Freemasonry . If I am not mistaken , it has been proposed not to acknowledge the Grand Orient of France and its subordinate lodges in case

the paragraph in question of the constitution of the alleged Grand Power should be erased . Now there occurs something very remarkable . There is the Grand Lodge of Hungary , who have only a few months ago altered their rituals , and made them obligatory to the subordinate lodges , in such a manner as to strike

out and not to leave the slightest remembrance of the Great Architect or God ; neither is it to be found in the new rituals any priyer , so much so that the matter has been made an object of discussion recently in the Grand Lodge of Hamburg . The Grand Lodge of England having only a short time

ago exchanged representations with the Grand Lodge of Hungary , ought to know all that , and , therefore , without entering into the merits of the question at issue , it strikes me that something should be considered wrong in France which is right in Hungary . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , FAIR PLAY .

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE LADIES . To the Editor 0 / ( lie " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I see by your last issue that the ladies are rapidly rising in favour with the Craft , and the converse will assuredly as rapidly follow . Our excellent and

energetic Bro . Binckes is in favour of " good innovations , " and therefore introduced ladies to the last banquet . Good , say I . Bro . Binckes , however , is far outbid by some of our brethren in the north . To wit , it appears from a report in the last number of the Freemason that not only was the out-going Master of a certain lodge presented with a costly Past Master ' s jewel , " enriched with a diamond and

specially made to order , " but that the members of the same lodge were " about to present a magnificent diamond ring " to the wife of the said P . M . It is a matter for regret that your report does not state what this highly esteemed lady has done for the Craft ; however , we may rest assured that she merits the distinction . Yours fraternally , DELTA .

THE PRINTED REPORT OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE OF THE BOYS' SCHOOL , AND THE EXPENDITURE FOR 1876 . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother ,-

I see no notice in your careful and accurate paper of this report , which I am told is printed , distributed , and published . I am anxious to see it , as I want to offer you a few friendly remarks respecting it . How is it that you ' . have not yet received it ? Yours fraternallv , A LIFE-GOVERNOR .

[ We know nothing about it officially , and no copy of it has been forwarded to us . When we receive it we will duly notice it for our correspondent ' s information , and we shall be happy to publish his friendly remarks . It is , no doubt , odd that the Freemason has not received a copy of a report " printed , distributed , and published ; " but then so many queer things take place that we are astonished at nothing . —ED . ]

MASONIC LOTTERIES . To the Editor of the "Freemason . ^' Dear Sir and Brother , — I have read "W . F . ' s " letter and agree with him in the main , but should like to hear what is or can be

said on the other side . By the way , can you explain what is the exacf proportion of " premium" in respect of payments of prizes to tickets ? I am not , I confess , quite able to master the published statements , or to understand them ( probably my own fault ) arithmetically . I am , yours fraternally , T . S .

Original Correspondence.

BROTHER SHAKESPEARE . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — As it may interest some of your Masonic archaeologists and book collectors , I beg to send you the following " cutting" from the Timesol July 4 . — " From the Library of Mr . W . Wentworth Buller , sold last week bv Messrs ,

Sotheby , Wilkinson , and Hodge , an imperfect copy of the first edition , 1623 , printed by Isaac Jaggard and Edward Blount , containing the portrait by Droeshout , but the verses of Ben Jonson and a portion of the last leaf facsimiled , measuring i 2 Jin . by Si'in ., sold for ^ 42 ; another , the edition of 16 . 3 , 2 , Thomas Cotes for Robert Allot , a fine copy , but the title in fac-simile , and the verses , sold for

£ 8 ; another , printed for C . P ., 1 G 64 , " the third impression , and unto this is added seven playes never before printed in folio , " a fine copy , with portrait , and verses beneath , considered to be very rare , as nearly the entire impression was burnt in the fire of London , £ 28 . Sir William Tite ' s copy of this edition sold for £ 79 . Another , the fourth edition , printed for H . Herringman , E . Brewster , and R . Bentley , 168 ? ; portrait , and verses beneath— £ 15 5 s . All of these ,

however , were more or less imperfect . A copy of the "Romeo and Juliet , " printed by Thomas Crecde for Cuthbert Burby . 1599 , the title and other parts fac-similed , sold for £ 6 10 s . " Much Ado about Nothing , " first edition , printed for Andrew Wise and William Apsley , 1600 , title page genuine , but several leaves supplied in fac-simile—£ 10 15 s . This copy formerly belonged to Sir W . Tite , who paid £ 63 for it . Mr . G . Daniel's perfect copy sold for £ 267 15 s . Yours fraternally , A LOVER OF SHAKESPEARE .

Constancy And Truth.

CONSTANCY AND TRUTH .

"As turns the needle trembling to the pole It ne ' er can reach—so turns to you my soul . " Of all the qualities woven together in the human breast none approach in dignity and power that of truth . It is , as is written , a Divine attribute—the fundamental principle of every virtue , and prevails over all things . It adds

grandeur to a man ' s life to know that he is true , and the shafts of envy , hatred , malice , and all uncharitableness , fall impotently before it . The ancients who worshipped their deity , Fides , knew it above all things , and it is mercifully decreed the heirloom of the rich and the poor alike , so that whether we look at the two opposite principles of truth and falsehood

in a simplv worldly light , or view them in a religious sense , we see how closely they are knitted into and allied with every man ' s existence , forming in fact the very basis of his whole conduct . It is given as a text of diplomacy that the acme of perfection in a good diplomat ' s dispatches is to clothe his expressions with the semblance of facts , but at the same

time carefully conceal the truth , and by this astute and wily policy hold the vantage ground of his opponent in the finesse of governments . This plan , we regret , is not confined to official use , but permeates through all society , assuming various names and phrases as suits the wearer , being generally clothed in ambiquity or plastered on the conscience as a thing of no great harm , and only a white

lie , because " it is not policy ( you know ) to tell the truth at all times . " The idiom that "truth is stranger than fiction " is not an exaggeration , and we may with propriety say that to the conventionalities of social life can be attributed a great amount of lying—that sort of thing which the amenities of cultivated society recognise and admit , albeit it is lying

as profound as was ever invented by Lucifer himself . Such are the expressions of every- day courtesy , " I am very glad to see you , " and " 1 hope you are in good health , " & c , which generally mean diametrically opposite to that they express . As the normal condition of moral government , truth is the sole pioneer that elevates it to the standard of

perfection and gives it power over the community , just as individual men are rendered happy or miserable , respected or despised , by the possession or the absence of it . The golden rule , to be contented is to be true , and every man should inscribe the legend on the lintel of his door , " Let all the ends thou aim ' st at be thy Country ' s , thy God ' s , and Truth's . "

Everybody hates , or professes to hate , inconstancy , and therefore it would seem reasonable to suppose that all would be sincere ; but , alas ! such is not the case , and those who apostrophise truth the most are apt to be as wavering , insincere , and venial as those who profess not at all . There is nothing so becomes a man and elevates him in the opinion of his fellow men as the dignity uf honour ,

and honour is the very soul of truth , for it guards his footsteps through every pathway of his life and keeps his name unblemished and unsullied . That the origin of truth is Divine is plainly shown in every page of Holy Writ , and the wonderful declaration , through the mouth of the prophet Haggai , that Zerubbabel will be made as a signet of truth , is a proof that the Most High had

chosen him . Perhaps there is nothing in language that illustrates the almighty force and power of truth sotouchingly as the exquisite little poem ( written by Theodore Tilton ) of the King ' s Ring , in which was" Graved a maxim true ' and wise ,

Which , if held before his eyes , Gave him counsel at a glance Fit for every change or chance ; Solemn words , these are they : Even this shall pass away I " And while we are alluding to the subject of rings , it may not be inapropos to refer to a curious gem owned by the

Constancy And Truth.

hero of George Fawcett Rowe's American Comedy of " Brass " ( which is shortly to be presented to the public ) , in which Waifton Stray indulges in falsehoods ad-infinitum , and of so glaring a character , that the effrontery of the liar is clear to every body except himself , and thus the moral is complete . It is related that one of the Gregory ' s possessed a

wondrous sapphire ring which he constantly wore , and it ceased to be pellucid , and became opaque , on the approach of sickness or any danger ; but it is not necessary for man to be guarded and forewarned by any earthly gem , however rare and beautiful , as he has that within—the silent monitor , the true faith and trust in God , if he lives and walks uprightly .

The circle , the level , and the perpendicular must be true , else the whole fabric of the builder is untrue and the workmen at fault ; so morally men ' s lives must be gauged bythe standards of constancy and truth or they are useless and misspent . Every man must be firm as was Caesar when , in the Senate , close approaching the fatal moment of his murder , he declares himself to be " constant as the north .

em star , " and dies constant too . But the grand secret is to apply the principles of truth to every act of our daily lives , and although there be those who " assume a virtue if they have it not ! " let men be sure that the talisman of truth is the only safeguard to an honourable and upright career , for it is this character in a man which will ensure his prosperity here and

his eternal happiness hereafter . It is not necessary to make vain search for truth ; it is written everywhere on the face of Creation—all celestial and terrestial things proclaim the harmony and regularity of their Divine Creator , and shall man , " vain man , " foolishly turn to the path of sorrow and refuse comfort ?

We sincerely hope not . The sublime beauty of truth is that it requires no herald , no adventitious aid . It is found deep in every man ' s heart if he will but plough down and find it , nor need he grope blindly for it " in a well . " ALFRED WELDHEN .

Reviews.

Reviews .

"The Poet's Magazine . " No . 1 , Vol . 2 . By ARTHUR MOXON . We are n . uch pleased with this agreeable candidate for public favour , and think the idea a good one , per se , and one which deserves to be highly commended . There is much good poetry , and much real poetry in these pleasant pages , and we only wish that our space permitted us to

give one or two extracts for our readers . We have for . warded to the editor of the Masonic Magazine one or two specimens as evidence of a felicitous muse , and we refer our readers to the work itself as very wholesome reading , amid so much that is trivial , tiresome , and uninteresting to . day . They will be pleased , we feel sure , with such welcome toil .

"English Banners and Flags , " & c . We think it right to call attention to this carefully compiled illustrated catalogue which our worthy publisher has put out , and to commend to the notice of our readers and the trade . It is admirably illustrated , and will make all who peruse it feel what an amount of energy and

business transactions are included in such an " Illuminated Handbook . " All friendly and benefit societies , from bleating Shepherds down to jovial Gardeners , to say nothing of Foresters , Buffaloes , Odd Fellows , and Comical Chaps , will be able to have their artistic tastes fully gratified and their decorative ambition happily accommodated .

The " Liberal Freemason . " 223 , Washington-street , Boston , U . S . We have read the third number of this new candidate for Masonic support with great satisfaction , and we can

safely call the attention cf our readers to it . We trust that it will be well supported by our brethren in Massachusetts , and that its painstaking editor may not have to complain , as so many do , of useless labours and profitless pursuits .

The " Voice of Masonry . " Chicago and New York . Edited by Bros . J . W . BROWN and ALBERT G . M ACKEY . This excellent American Masonic magazine keeps up its high reputation . We always peruse it with pleasure and profit , and we heartily wish it all success , and a remunerative circle of appreciative readers .

Politics Again.

POLITICS AGAIN .

We read in the " Chaine d'Union" for July that the French Lodge " Orient de Gaillac , " already rendered notorious by its deliberate disobedience to the Constitutions ot the Grand Orient , has been closed by authority , in consequence of a very foolish and regrettable act on its paf ' It seems that the lodge , which must have " tetes exaltes

and " irreconcileables " in its ranks , judging from its ac , has thought well openly to express its opinions on great political question , and openly to blame the Gove ment of the day , though a Masonic lodge . ,. We need hardly point out to our readers the absurai y and illegality of such a proceeding , and can only » that , in our opinion , any lodge that so far forgets 1 ^ and the duty and teachings of Freemasonry , deserves closed by authority .