Original Correspondence.

RED CROSS OF CONSTANTINE . To thc Editor ofthe " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Al y attention has been directed to your present issue , and finding my name mentioned in a letter from New Zealand , I feel bound , though with reluctance , to reply to that portion of it which concerns myself . For the last two

months I have been in communication with a conclave in New Zealand , where I find certificates , & c , which appear to have been sent out , haye not been received . In June last I forwarded a circular letter to every conclave and enclosed a form for return , but with no response from New Zealand , except in the case 1 have just mentioned . I am rejoiced to

find at last the name of the Recorder of the Delta Crucis Conclave , No . 126 , Auckland , New Zealand , and I shall not let another day pass without putting myself in communication with him , then I shall doubtless discover the reason he has never written to me before . Faithfully yours ,

WM . ROBERT WOODMAN , G . Recorder and Registrar General . Ford House , Exeter , 2 nd Dec . P . S . —The above having been delayed unavoidably until this weeks issue affords me the opportunity of saying that early in the spring the Burdett Conclave , Dunedin , N . Z .

put itself in communication with me , and all documents they required have since been sent , returns made from Dunedin , and the Conclave is at present in good working order . I shall hope soon to hear that Bro . Wade has received my letter and the necessary documents whicii were dispatched thc moment I read his letter in your most valuable paper .

ROYAL ARCH LAWS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Companion , — I have read with pleasure Comp . " Alasonic Student's " and our R . Ex . Comp . VV . J . Hughan ' s letters

as to above . Being the fortunate owner of a perfect copy of " Abstract of Laws " referred to by them , and also of the Laws themselves , I can bear them both out as to the title page being :

V . D . C . C , L . X . X . X . V . I . " The year being A . L . S 6 , A . L . 1 7 S 2 , is I would deem settled , as the Laws end on page 22 , thus : " Done from our Ancient Codes , and now revised in our Grand and Royal Chapter this 10 th day of Alay , A . L . 57 S 6 , A . D . 1 7 S 2 . " JOHN ALLEN * , Z .

" J BROOKS , H . " FRANCIS COUST , J . " Can our R . Ex . Comp . Hughan inform us when this title "Grand and Royal Chapter" was changed into "Grand Royal Arch Chapter ?" Yours fraternally , JAMES II . NEILSON . 32 , Lower Leeson-strcet , Dublin , Cth December .

A CORRECTION . To the Editor ofthe "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — In thc Times of Friday week appears an account of Grand Lodge on the previous Wednesday , in which a palpable mistake occurs , whicii I am anxious to correct in the pages of the Freemason .

Our esteemed Bro . E . Letchworth is there described as a Past Alaster of the Lodge of Antiquity . Now , though that well known and active member of the Craft is a member of the Lodge of Antiquity , he is not a P . AI . of the lodge , never having occupied the Alaster's chair . He is , though , a P . M . in the lodge , not of the lodge . His merits arc too many to need even the " gloss " of this little mistake .

Alay 1 make another remark ? Are we not erring just now in sending these accounts of Grand Lodge to non-Alasonic papers ? I admit that there are two sides to the question , but still , judg ing from what takes place in another jurisdiction * , I think we ought to be cautious in thc matter . Yours fraternally ,

A AIEAIBER OF LODGE OF ANTIQUITY

GRAND LODGE OFFICERS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — " Not Infallible , " in all save the noin de plume he has adopted , reminds me of another celebrated "oracle , " the famous Jack Bunsby . " The bearing of his remarks , " no doubt , " lies in their application , " but I freely confess I

am no more able to profit by 5 * our correspondent ' s instruction than were Captain Cuttle and his friends under vcry similar conditions . As , however , unlike " Not Infallible , " I always strive to grasp my opponent ' s strong points , allow me , in retiring from this discussion , to

congratulate him most heartily on ensuring , by his artistic treatment of this well-worn subject in the last number of the Freemason , an affirmative response from all your readers to the query with which his letter terminates . I am , dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally ,

BAYARD . P-S . —I will just add , in opposition to the view presented by "Not Infallible , " that the "illustrations" in "Lex Scripta ' s " last letter seem to mc to have a great deal to do with the ciuestion . Thev nrove incontestablv that thc

distinguished brethren appointed to rule over Alasonic provinces in Scotland and Ireland do not consider it an indignity to have withheld from them a title ( Grand Officers ) , Without which , according to some , the prestige of our Lnghsh provincial rulers is sensibly lowered .

HIGH GRADE A 1 ASONRY . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — For the information of Bro . J . Alarsden , who asks ¦ n your last edition whether the term ' " Forin " is applied to thingsand in what

persons or , way , I transcribe the lollowmg from thc records in the ancient minute book of Lodge 48 : — "July 1 st , 174 C . Enacted at a Grand Lodge held that evening , that no brother Alason should be admitted into "le dignity of a Ilighio . liain under less than a charge of 2 s . od ., or the Domaskin or Forin , as John Thompson , irom Gateside , paid at the same night 5 s . "

Original Correspondence.

There is another entry on the same page , viz .: " Alemorandum . Highrodiams to pay for making in that order only is . Gd . " - —here follows eight names on eight lines ; then on the ninth line : "Paid 2 s . 6 d ., English , William Gibson . " Beneath these entries we are informed : "N . B . The English Alasters to pay for entering into the said Alasterships 2 S . Gd . per majority . "

From this we may infer that there were two higher orders with separate charges , i . e ., the Highrodiams and the Domaskins , and we may safely conclude that there were two classes of . payments for thc "Highrodiam Grade , " 2 s . 6 d . and is . Gd . I make no further comment , but will leave Bro . Alarsden to form his own conclusions from the information at his disposal . Youis fraternally , ROBT . WHITFIELD .

THE LATE BRO . JOHN HERVEY , P . G . SECRETARY To tlie Editor of thc "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , —• Kindly allow me to correct an error in your issue oi last week . In returning thanks for the toast "Prosperity to the Lodge of Unions , " at the Festival of the Emulation Lodge

of Improvement , Bro . John A . Farnfield mentioned that a Committee had been formed , consisting of five members of thc Royal York Lodge , No . 7 , and five members of the Lodge of « Unions , No . 256 , with thc view of raising a fund in order to perpetuate in some suitable manner the memory of our late Bro . Hervey , and he is reported to have said that this Committee would be presided over by Bro . Afurfon .

This is an error . What Bro . Farnfield reall y said was , that the Chairman of the Committee vvas Bro . Sir John B . Alonckton , P . G . D ., President of the Board of General Purposes . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours faithfully and fraternally , R . R . DAVIS , P . AI . 256 , Hon . Sec . " Hervey Alemorial Fund . " Wallington , Surrey , Sth December .

" COSAIOPOLITAN AIASONIC POCKET BOOK . " To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Will you allow me , through your colu-nns , to correct a most singular error that appears in the " Cosmopolitan Alasonic Pocket Book for 1 SS 1 . " The name of A . C . Todd is given as Grand Superintendent for Dorset instead of Comp . J . AL P . Alontagu , J . P ., D . L ., vvho has held thc

office since July 30 th , 1 S 77 . From correspondence on the subject , I have ascertained that the mistake arose from a clerical error on the part of the brother vvho furnished the returns from that province . _ I might add that the demand this year will again necessitate the issue of a second edition , which wilfafford the opportunity for correction . Yours fraternally , EDITOR "COSAIOPOLITAN AIASONIC POCKET BOOK . "

Reviews.

Reviews .

ULTIAL-V THULE . By HENRY WORDSWORTH LONGFELLOW . George Routledge and Sons , Broadway . Ludgatc-Hill . Wc have read this little contribution to poelic literature of 1 SS 0 in its closing hours with much pleasure . It is true it is but a slight and evanescent token at the best of the genius and poesy of that pleasant" minnesinger , " whose

words have rung so truly , and linger so gratefully , on the tastes and with the memories of us " poor pilgrims " of the Nineteenth Century . The " Ultima Thule" of Longfellow seems to be a sort of parting gift to that realm of poetry , and " finer thought , " and " quaint conceits , " and gentle sentiments , and pleasant harmony , in which he has so long reigned an " Anax Andron . " But still we hope for even

a " longer measure , " a fuller offering from that hand which has lost none of its " cunning , " from that mind , where the " living fire " is still happil y burning . \ We speak warmly because we feel gratefully . We owe some happy hours of our life to Longfellow ' s gentle and genial verse , and we hope , as we believe , indeed , as we know , that others share in our admiration , and accede to our estimate of his

most true poesy . How many of Longfellow ' s melodious lines still linger with us as " household songs , " point our addresses , illustrate our speeches , are used by the statesman and the lecturer , and are lisped by the tender utterances of childhood ' s ever pleasant voice—who can venture fo estimate ? We know of few writers to whom this good century of ours owes so much of innocent , healthy pleasure ,

and we can point to few who have really laboured so well in the ever needful and praiseworthy effort to afford encouragement to virtue , and stability to truth . In " Ultima Thule " we find many verses worthy of note , both for the kindly sentiments they contain and the elevating thoughts they suggest . But , alas , our space is very limited . We pass over , therefore , his " Dedication , " in which we have thc

" idea" of this little offering of the poet , clearly put before us to realize and to admire . We have , " perforce" to leave unnoticed here " The Chamber over the Gate , " " Jugurtha '' "The Iron Pen , " "Robert Burns , " "Helen of Tyre , " "Elegiacs , " "Old St . David ' s at Radnor ; " and among "Folk-Songs , " thc "Sifting of Peter , " •'• Alaiden and

Weathercock , " "The Windmill ; " and among sonnets , " Aly Cathedral , " " The Burial of the Poet , R . H . Dana , " "Night , " and even the touching "L'Envoi , " "The Poet and his Songs , " and content ourselves with one little extract of great beauty and completeness , which seems like a song for music in its softness and melody :

THE TIDE RISES , THE TIDE FALLS The tide rises , the tide falls , The twilight darkens , the curlew calls ; Along the sea-sands , damp and brown , The traveller hastens towards the town , And the tide rises , the tide falls .

Darkness settles on roofs , and walls , But the sea in the darkness calls and calls ; Thc little waves , with their soft white hands . Efface the footprints in the sands , And the tide rises , the tide falls .

Reviews.

The morning breaks ; the steeds in their stalls Stamp and neigh , as the hostler calls ; The day returns , but nevermore Returns th ? traveller to the shore , And the tide rises , the tide falls .

We may observe that this little "brochure" only costs ono shilling , therefore we say to our readers , "buy it , and give yourselves , at so cheap a rate , the happy thoughts which elevate , and the kindling memories which move us all . " LEGENDA SANCTORUAI , Vol . IL , Part III . Fasciculus II . By HERBERT EDWARD REYNOLDS , ALA ., Librarian of Exeter Cathedral . Elliot Stock , 62 ,

Paternoster-row . This admirably edited and printed book deserves the notice of the antiquary and the archaeologist . It is full of interest and importance to the student of the past . The notes add much to its interest and elucidation , and we congratulate and thank the editor and publisher for so valuable a work .

THE GLASS OF FASHION . By the LOUNGER IN SOCIETY . John Hogg , Patcrnoster-row . This work , very well printed , deserves attention and perusal . Its idea is good in itself , and it seems to us well carried out . The rules of society are partly unwritten as well as written , and though we will riot say that in such multifarious remarks on such abstruse and important questions ,

the stern eye of the critic and censor might not discover some slight errors of fact or reality , yet , undoubtedly , in the main , the suggestions and statements of the " Lounger " are very true and ' sound , and we have ourselves read the book through with much p leasure . We could have said more , but our copy was seized upon by two young ladies , full of "charades , " and " proverbs , " and "historical scenes . " We can fairly commend thc work .

THE CHRISTMAS GRAPHIC . The proprietors of the Graphic "taking , " as the Times says , "time by the forelock , " have just brought out their special Christmas number , ft contains eight coloured and seven plain engravings , all of high merit as artistic productions . Mr . Arthur Locker , Mr . F . Anstey , Miss C . J . Hamilton , Ll . Col . F . E . West , and others , have

contributed to thc letter press . Air . Millais has painted a picture called " Cherry Ripe , " for this number , and which is reproduced by a copy in colours . The ori g inal is a living young lady , and it is a charming little picture . The following facts relative to the " first edition " of the Christmas number may interest our readers : The first edition

consists of 400 , 000 copies , and has involved an outlay of £ 14 , 000 . The drawing and engraving cost £ 3000 , the printing and electrotyping £ 6000 , and the paper—weighing 120 tons— £ 5000 . No fewer than 450 persons have been employed in the ' vvork , most of them for six months . As the first edition is all sold , we presume there will be a second one this year , though there vvas only one edition last year .

AIASONIC A 1 US 1 C . " VVOAIAN , DEAR VVOAIAN . " Composed by Bro . P . GLOVER . This song has considerable merit , and will be a welcome addition to [ the somewhat limited repertoire of Masonic music at this season .

AIUSIC FOR A LODGE OF AlARK AIASTERS . Re-arranged by Bro . EDWARD J . B . MERCER . The ceremonies of the Alark Degree owe much of their effect and impressiveness to the musical accessories ; and Bro . Alercer deserves the thanks of all the members of this popular Order for the edition now placed before them . It contains thc processional , opening and closing hymns , with

appropriate chants consecutively placed for the ceremony of advancement , according to the ritual , and with the sanction of the Grand Lodge of Alark Alaster Alasons of England . Wc should add that it was originally compiled by Bro . Dr . Hopkins , Past G . J . W . and P . AI . 26 , 74 , and , with his consent , re-arranged and published by Bro . Alercer . "THE GRAND LODGE GALOP , " by Bro . FRANCIS

LAW , Grand Jeweller to the Grand Lodge of Scotland . We are pleased to be able to bestow unqualified praise on this lively and vigorous composition , and we feet sure that , although its title and thc connection of its composer with the Grand Lodge of Scotland will be the means o £ introducing it more particularly into Alasonic circles , its general merit will ensure for it a far wider area of popularity than is even covered by the Craft .

CHRISTA 1 AS CARDS . ' Alessrs , EYRE & SPOTTISWOODE have again produced a splendid assortment of Christmas and New Year ' s Cards . Each year we almost think the ultimate standard of perfection has been reached , but the word finality appears to be unknown in the line art department of Alessrs Eyre and Spottiswoodc ' s establishment , and this year the novelties , if

not so numerous , are charming in point of artistic features , and not less meritorious in poetic illustrations . We are g lad to note that this important industry is now practically in the hands of the English trade ; the productions of such houses as Alessrs . Eyre and Spottiswoode liaving shown that the " foreigner " can not only be equalled but far surpassed .

VV . P . COLLIN'S CATALOGUE OF WORKS ON A 1 ICROSCOPICAL SCIENCE , ENGLISH AND FOREIGN , & c . 157 , Great Portland-street . Although a Catalogue of Scientific Works may be thought too " educational " for special notice at this festive season , we think , considering how prominent a feature the microscope has now become in helping to vary the

monotony ot tlie "evening party , we cannot do better than call attention at this season to the excellent selection of works provided for the lovers of this most fascinating science . Bro . Collins deserves the thanks of students for making them acquainted with the works of English and foreign authors , and we trust he will receive thc support he deserves . We may mention that in

connection with this business Air . Chas . Collins , manufacturing optician , has issued an Illustrated catalogue of microscopes of every description , including all the varied apparatus required in the study . Air . Collins' reputation as a manufacturer is so well established that we need not do more than call attention to the fact of his issuing such a catalogue . '