Reviews.

Reviews .

nTFS ON THE HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY . By H ENHY S UTHERLAND , M . D ., P . M . University 1 odg . ' . 1118 . nie ' se " Notes" which were privately printed for " prenration only " in 18 77 . scenl t 0 us t 0 be very use ( ul and itoiious alike in inception . conception and general " conm" " Not that we can predicate of them absolute correcttCU s ' iu general outline , or illustrative detail , in " universals , " ' " in .. particulars , " but the idea is a very good one , per ° js novel in its treatment , and suggestive of subsequent se ' more matured efforts , which may help materially to benefit the Masonic student , and enlighten properly the ' m-masomc readers .

,, The author has evidently taken great pains to put toother a concise and summary account of the " land-*> ks » f Freemasonry , but if we might advise him , we " ¦ ouki say , " the skilful and well imagined outline you have sketched out requires a little more careful colouring and filling i" - " Fur i » stancc > Mackey is clearly wrong , as others are , in dividing Masonic history into mystical and

authentic . . Anderson was , in no sense , a mystic . He simply Anglicised into a readable language , the archaisms of the Guild legends , and we have no doubt the Guild Legends were '' traditions" firmly believed and carefully handed on . _ We should therefore prefer to divide writers into those of the historical and traditional school , and as Masonry , like most other

associations of any importance , has a " prehistoric time , eve- think the division and the distinction pointed out in Kenning ' s Cyclopaedia are the best and truest for all critical purposes . But these " notes" are very useful and conscientious , and we feel sure may be expanded into a veiy ' isefuland valuable work .

LA SEMA 1 NE FRANCAISF . Is a French paper published in London , which offers to the English readers the charm of reading good French , and clever " feuilletons " comfortably in England . And there is no doubt , that thc paper carries out its programme , and gives English readers , on the system of our old and

well known friend " Galignani , " Albert Smith's " Amiable Pirate of the Rue de Rivoli , " the " crime de la creme " of current French literature . It will be a good thing for many of our readers , to whom perchance as " whilom of ye olden tyme , " the French of "Stratford atte Bowe" is more familiar than thc vernacular e > f Paris .

THE ELECTRIC LIGHT . —A PAPER nv EUWAIIU CONUEII , Jus . FREEMASON O FFICE . A very interesting and lucid paper , on a most important and probably valuable development of , scientific discovery , read by Mr . Edward Conder , jun . at a meeting of the Engineering Society , at King ' s

College , London . Some of our excellent friends of the " Evening Star " Lodge will probably shake their heads at it , but in this age of scientific discovery , and marvtllous adaptation of the forces and gifts of nature to man ' s use , comfort , and enlig htenment , who can say what will not be ? What may not be ? We commend the little pamphlet to the notice of our readers .

PANORAMIC TOY BOOKS . — THE QUEEN OF HEARTS ; OR WHO STOLE THE TARTS . JOHNNY GILPIN'S FAMOUS RIDE , by Cow PER . ALAS , COCK ROBIN , by S . V . B . Dean and

Sons , 160 , rleet-st . These most interesting Christmas books deserve the notice of the old , just as they claim the admiration of the young . They are very effective , and veiy happily and skilfully illustrated .

OLD JONATHAN . W . H . and S . Collmgrulgc , Aldersgate-street . We welcome an old Christinas friend with sincere pleasure . He is an agreeable guest at this time of the year , and records not only present pleasant sympathies , but agreeable souvenirs of " auld lang syne . "

MASONIC PHOTOGRWHY . We arc much pleased with the photographic representation of the Bible , Square and Loving Cup of the " York Masons , " obligingly forwarded to us by Bro . Whytehead .

MASONIC TOAST LIST AND MENU . We have received from Bro . J . S . Cumberland , of Vork , a very handsome toast list and menu , most skilfully drawn up , but which our limited space prevents us doing full justice to . We understand that a fuller review will probably appear in an early " Masonic Magazine . "

Multum In Parbo; Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo ; or Masonic Notes and Queries .

MARK MASONRY . ' sec a Bro . "Mark , " wishes me to furnish a reference l " the earliest Mark Warrant that I know of , and desires " its very words . " Doubtless this has something to do with l'ie discussion of late in the Freemason as to Mark Masonry generall y , which I have carefully perused from time to time- , hut do not write now to take any part in it , because , "" fortunately , I am not so pleasantly engaged at present

as to be able to afford the time , ' am not aware of any old Mark Warrants existing anywhere , and hence consider that it is not necessary or desira"lf . to present copies of the modem . Charters of a late e'tiiud . The fact is , in early times , the choue of a Mark W ; 's a custom , not a degree , and one much more generally observed lhan now . Many of our old lodge minutes prove the universality almost of this custom , with speculative as well as operative Masons , during the seventeenth cen-

Multum In Parbo; Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

tury , and early in the last , of which we need only instance the records of " Mother Lodge Kilwinning , " Lodge of Edinburgh , Aberdeen Lodge , and others , the pages also of the Sca / lisk Freemason being of late devoted to the representation from time to time of the " Haughfoot" lodge records , containing curious marks , & C When the custom was changed to a degree I cannot say , but probably soon after

the institution of the Royal Arch , and certain degrees of the "Ancient and Accepted Rite" from 1736-40 . The earliest actual reference to the degrees of " Mark Man " for Fellow Crafts , and " Mark Master " for Master Masons , is dated 1778 , and occurs in the records of the old lodge at Banff . My friend , the " Masonic Student , " takes rather a different view to what I do as to the antiquity of thc

Master Mason , as a degree , for I do not think it is proved that Masonic degrees can be traced before thc last century , the Fellow Craft being one who had served his lawful lime , in early days ; and a Master Mason , one who employed or presided over both classes of workmen , viz , Apprentices and Fellow Crafts . However I do not want to raise obstacles , but rather to induce all who can , to add to our ' store of facts . W . J . HUGHAN .

The Roman Catholic Church And Freemasonry.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND FREEMASONRY .

La Semaine Francaise—noticed elsewhere—gives the following extract from the Independence Beige , which we have thought well to translate for the Freemason . " Monsr . Besson , Bishop of Nismes , enters into a war with Freemasonry . He has forbidden Jthe intrusion of

Masonic emblems into the churches of his diocese . Whenever those signs are placed upon a coffin the priest is to remove them . Books sold by the lodges are to be refused . A dying person , notoriously a Freemason , is to be treated as a public sinner , that is to say , his confession in not to be heard txcept after special and exact retractation . " This order is preceded by a "Minclement" ( charge ) ,

of forty pages in i 8 mo . This charge is not badly written . The Bishop of Nismes is evidently one of our most eloquent prelates , and it is possibly in order to take thc place of Bishop Dupanloup , that he commences this campaign . The bishop is , however , in error in nearly all his statements of fact . It is clear that he has received certain information , but it is not the

less clear that such information is entirely incorrect . Iwill only cite one illustration of this . The bishop says , at page 32 " the grade of Hie Knight Kadosh , is the Supreme Grade . The emblems of this grade arc a crown with a three-headed serpent . The serpent points out the evil principle , the three heads are tl e emblem 1 i the evil which is introduced into the three classes of society . One head of

the serpent wears a crown and indicates Sovereigns ; another head bears a tiara and indicates the Pope ; the third bears a sword and indicates the army . As a pledge of his oath the Knight Kadosh strikes down with his dagger the three heads of the serpent , that is to say , the crown , the tiara , and the sword . " Such statements will make Freemasons laugh . H . R . H .

the Prince of Wales , who is Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of London , has never struck down with his dagger the crown , r . or the sword , and though he is a heretic , I doubt if he would strike down the tiara . At the same time , with thc " Mandement " of the Bishop , appeared an account of the centenary of the reception of Voltaire .

We then read how that at the reception of the Patriarch of Ferney , the lodge of the " Nine Sisters " had for W . M . the illustrious astronomer G . l aide , and among those who were present were to be found the Abbe Pingre , the Abbe ' Cordier de Saint Firmin , thc Abbe Bignon , and thc Abbe Remy . It might be called thc relation of a ceremony of thc

church . But the church has reflected since Voltaire . Formerly she entered into the lodges of Freemasons , now she loads them with anathemata . It is truly curious to note the formidable idea which Monscigneur has formed of the power of the Masonic lodges . For instance , he declares that the Freemasons , at a

meeting at Wilhelmsbad , in 1785 , " decided the condemnation of Louis XVI ., and the assassination of Gustavus III . It was thc Freemasons who tore Pius VII . from the palace , and imprisoned him at Valence . It was the Freemasons who made Napoleon III . declare war against Italy . Freemasonry counts at present six millions of adepts , spread among 12 , 000 lodges . It costs Freemasonry nothing to

hasten its triumphs , but woe to him who tries to arrest its progress . The Archbishop of Quito was poisoned at the altar . The President of the Republic of Equador was assassinated . The Bishops of Germany , like those of Brazil , have been plundered and exiled . " From one end of the world to the other you will find this mysterious hand , which strikes and slays in the dark . As the Independance Beige says , so say we , " Hola ! "

His Royal Highness Prince Leopold , has , with the approval of her Majesty , kindly consented to preside at the annual distribution of prizes and certificates at the Birkheck Literary and Scientific Institution . The date of the event has not yet been fixed , but if suitable to his Royal Highness , it will take place early in January next .

HOLLOWAY SOINTSIKNT AND PILLS—Rheumatism , Nenr . ilii , ta . — It is sometimes ilillieult to oetermine which oftlie-e eliseases is allli tine ; tl . e M ' . ll ' crer , hut this ignorance will not matter if Holloway ' s remedies he used , ihey alleviate anel care all inuscul . r anet nervous pains . In hereditary rheumatism , after bathing ihe alleeteei pans with warm sa't water , Holluway ' s Ointment should

be well rubbed upon the snot , that it 11 ay penetrate and exert its soothing and regulating properties on the ' deeper vessels anel nerves which are unrtulj excited , anel cause both the pain and swelling . H illoway's t-eaiment has the merit ol removing the disease * without debilitating the constitution , which was the inevitable result of the bleeding , mercury , and colchicum practice formerly adopted in ttK « e complaints .

Notes On Art, &C.

NOTES ON ART , & c .

The collection of etchings of Mr . Seymour Hacleu includes examples of Bakhuisen , Jacques de Harbari , thc master of the Caduceus ; Bartholomew Behan , Nicholas Berghem , Abraham Bosse , Jean Both , Peter Bout , Canaleito , Annibale Caracci , Claude , Durer , Van Dyk , Everdingeiij Faithorne , Fyt , Goltzius , Hollar , Karle du Jardin , Lucas an Leyden , Marc Antonio , Katel le Moor ,

Namweencx , Ossenbeck , Adrian van Ostade , Paul Potter , Rembrandt , Ruysdael , Stoop , Swaneveldt , Turner , Adrian Van de Velde , Waterloo , Wilkie , and Zeemann . Lord Chelmsford , it seems , at the time of his death , was engaged in writing a work containing many amusing reminiscences and anecdotes of the English Bar . He had invited several of his colleagues to assist him with their recollections . —Alhcnamm . ¦ AN ARISTOCRATIC CHRISTMAS ISTIIMRF . R . —

Among the contributors to the Faulty Fair TVinter Number , which was published on the 10 th inst ., are the Duke of Beaufort , the Duke of Manchester , the Marquis of Londonderry , the Earl of Winchilsea and Nottingham , the Earl of Dunmore , the Earl of Desart , the Countess Batthyany , Lady Florence Dixie , and Mr . Bret Harte .

Mr . William Spottiswoode , the newly-elected President of the Royal Society , has resigned the office of secretary to the Royal Institution . We are informed that , in recognition of his valuable services as treasurer and subsequently as secretary , it is proposed that the members shall subscribe for a bust of Mr . Spottiswoode , to be presented to the Royal Institution . —Academy .

An Unpublished Composition by Rossini is to be played shortly at Monte Cavallo as a serenade to the King and Queen of Italy . It is a fanfare for a military band , and was composed for the late Victor Emmanuel in return for his present to Rossini of the cross of a new Order , the Crown of Italy , founder , on the marriage of the present King H umbcrt . Rossini called his fanfare the " Crown of Italy , "

but the work , composed in 1868 , has lain unused till the present time . Thc King of Bavaria is erecting at Herren-Chiemsee a royal chateau , on the plan of that of Versailles . When completed it will be at least as large as the Royal Palace at Munich . The building is to be spread over 15 years and the estimated cost is 36 , 000 , 000 marks ( £ 1 , 800

000 ) . Three hundred workmen are at present engaged upon it , who are lodged in barracks temporarily erected for their accommodation , and by the orders of the King the greatest care is taken to insuie their comfort and to enable them to provide for their wants at moderate expense .

Mr . Nevill North y Burnard , the Cornish sculptor , died at Redruth , in that county , on the 27 th ult . Mr . Bret Harte proposes to deliver his lecture , " The Argonauts of' 49 , " an illustration of early Californian life , this winter , in London and in the principal « wvincial towns .

An interesting exhi ^ - ' ' . tapestries was opened in the Win- ' - ...,-iiall . The chief specimens were recen ' . icw at the Paris Exhibition . The col-\ t <* ~ .. includes eight large panels representing scenes from the " Merry Wives of Windsor , " the designs being by Mr . T . W . Hay . They formed the dining-room decoiation at the Prince of Wales's pavilion , and rectiveda gold medal .

I hey are now thc property of Sir A . Sassoon , K . C . S . I ., by whom they have been lent for the purpose of the present exhibition . There is also a series of panels of tapestry representing hunting scenes , designed by Mr . E . M . Ward , R . A ., for Mr . Christopher Sykes , M . P ., and a number of smaller productions . Among the other specimens is a large panel representing the siege of Londonderry . It

formerly was a panel in the old Irish House of Lords , but was transferred to the Bank of Ireland at Dublin . It has just been restored at Old Windsor . It is said to have been the work originally of Huguenot refugees . The exhibition also includes a series of eight panels in applique' work on gold ground , part of the decoration of the morning room in the Prince of Wales ' s pavilion , and executed by the

Ladies' Work Society , of which Princess Louise is the president . There are also a number of valuable pictures by Bristow ( a native of Windsor ) , Algardi , T . F . Dicksee , Millais , & c . Her Majesty the Queen and other members of the Royal family have taken great interest in the tapestry works . Yesterday afternoon Prince Leopold visited the exhibition .

September 12 , 188 , 3 , will be the 200 th anniversary of the delivery of Vienna from the Turks b y John Sobieski . The municipality of the city has resolved to celebrate the occasion with special honour . The new Hotel de Ville is to be completed , and will be publicly inaugurated on that day . A monument to commemorate the patience and bravery of Count von Starhemberg , who conducted the

defence against the Turkish host , will also be finished and dedicated . Other appropriate arrangements will be made subsequently . " Amabel Vaughan " in addition to the tales , poems , and Masonic papers mentioned in our last , will contain an article " On the Social Status of Civil Servants , " reprinted from the Civil Service Review , as well as a

carefully written Masonic Memoir of the Author , from the pen of our well-known veteran Masonic Writer , Bro . G . M . T » eddell , F . K . S . N . A ., & c . One of the stories republished Tom thc early pages o [ the Freemason is called " Another Fenian outrage " and is supposeel to reveal the Masonic Secret . Copies of Bro . Emra Holmes ' s new book may be

had after Christmas at the office of this paper . Subscribers should send particulars of full Masonic rank . KING ' S COLLEGE SCHOOL . —The annual distribution of prizes will take place in the great hall of King ' s College ou Tuesday , Dec . 17 inst ., at seven p . m ., the Rev . Canon Ince , D . D ., Christ Church , Oxford , Regius Professor of Divinity , in the chair .