Masonic Notes.

abolishes at one fell swoop the Institution , annuitants , candidates , officials , Committees , Subscribers , Festivals , and everything connected with them . Fortunately the number of those who thought that

reform and destruction were not synonymous terms prevailed over those who did , and the R . M . B . I . still lives , and , what is more , is still flourishing and looking forward with increasing interest—firstly , to its Festival in I 8 QI , and then to its Jubilee in 1892 .

* * * We are very glad to hear that Bro . Lord Alcester , who was only appointed and invested as Senior Grand Warden some fortnight ago , and who was knocked down by an omnibus , on Saturday evening last , when

crossing Piccadilly , on his way to his chambers in Ry der-street , St . James ' s , is making good progress towards recovery , is in excellent spirits , and able to sit up in his room . His lordship was found to have had three ribs broken , and his rapid recovery is most creditable to his constitution and the surgeons in attendance .

* * * One of the most pleasing features in connection with lodge work is the somewhat rare occurrence when a brother has the privilege of occupying the chair for

the purpose of initiating his son . It speaks well for the status that Masonry has attained in the family circle , and for the esteem in which the brother is held in his own lodge . * * *

An event of this kind took place at a special meeting of the Montague Guest Lodge , No . 1900 , at the Inns of Court Hotel , on Wednesday , when Bro . G . P . Festa , one of the founders of the lodge and its Treasurer , had the gratification of initiating

his only son , Mr . Gulio Festa , into Freemasonry . The ceremony was admirably performed by Bro , Festa , whose personal interest in the work imparted an earnestness and sincerity to the words of the ritual which rendered it more than ordinarily impressive .

Afterwards the brethren , including several visitors , sat down to an excellent banquet . The usual toasts were drunk , that of " The Initiate " being received with much heartiness , and all joined in wishing him God-speed in his new home . Bro . Gulio Festa leaves for Brazil today ( Friday ) . # #

* The Court of Governors of Christ ' s Hospital have appointed Bro . Henri Bue to the chief French mastership , vacant by the death of Bro . the Rev . Dr . Brette . There were 18 candidates , including Professor Spiers

( of King ' s College ) , M . Boielle ( of Dulwich ) , and Mr . Gosset ( Fellow of New College ) . Bro . Bue is a son of M . Jules Bue , the well-known Taylorian Reader at

Oxford , and is at present French master in Merchant Taylors' School . Bro . Bue is a Past Grand Standard Bearer , and one of the founders of La France Lodge and La France Chapter .

* * * Among the candidates for the Shrievalty of London is Bro . Major Cockle , who has distinguished himself very greatly in Masonry . He is a P . M . of the Westminster and Keystone Lodge , No . 10 , a Past Prov .

S . G . W . Middlesex , as well as a member of sundry of our leading London lodges , such as the Prince of Wales , No . 259 , the Carnarvon and Florence Ni ghtingale Lodges , as well as of the Apollo and Isaac Newton University Lodges of Oxford and Cambridge

respectively . To our great surprise , however , one of our City contemporaries is pleased to describe him as a member of the lodge of the " Nine Nurses . " The Lodge of the " Nine Muses , " No . 235 , we are well acquainted with , but not so that of the Nine Nurses , which we imagine must have been invented for the occasion .

At the centenary dinner of the Royal Literary Fund , held at St . James ' s Hall , on Wednesday , and at which H . R . H . the Prince of Wales presided , many eminent men distinguished in various walks of life—political scientific , and literary—were present , amongst the

latter Bro . J . C . Parkinson , who , after the very admirable and exhaustive speech of the Prince of Wales , had the gratification of reading a most satisfactory report

of the society ' s operations , which was followed by the announcement of many substantial donations , which included 100 guineas ( for the 53 rd time ) from the Queen , the total amounting to ^ 3 800 .

* * * We are pleased to note that the Warner Lodge of Instruction has voted £ 2 10 s . towards the Boys' School

Pension Indemnit y Fund . This is the first lodge of instruction , we believe , which has contributed to the fund , and we hope the example thus set will be largel y followed .

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]

A PRINTER'S ERROR . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In your report of the candidates elected to the Correspondence Circle of Quatuor Coronati Lodge on the 2 nd inst , you print J . V . Carew , W . M . of the

Minerva Lodge , Leipsic . As the brother in question is a distinguished man in every way , kindly allow me to state that his name is J . Victor Cams , Professor , M . D ., Ph . D ., D . C . L . Oxon , editor and translator into German of " The Origin of Species , " and President of

the " Free Union of the Five Independent Lodges of Germany . " Thanking you for the insertion of this correction , — Yours fraternally , G . W . SPETH , Sec . Quatuor Coronati .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

899 ] OLD MASONIC JUGS . In my letters upon this subject , which appeared in the Freemason of the 5 th and 26 th ult ., I thought that I had fully explained the history and manufacture of these interesting but by no means uncommon objects . If Bro . G . L . Shackles , whose letter hereon appeared in your impression of the ioth inst ., will kindly refer

to my notes of the 5 th ult . on Bro . Carson ' s jug , he will g lean the information he requires . I will , however , give a few more details in connection with these last century curios that may prove attractive to those of your readers who are interested in specimens of the ceramic art , more particularly when they bear emblems of a Masonic nature . There is no direct

evidence of there being in existence any pottery embellished with designs taken from the tracing boards of the Craft earlier than 1750 . All the specimens that I have seen are in black , brown , and violet transfer printing , upon white , cream , and pale yellow ware , or white porcelain . In 1750 , a Mr . John Sadler and Mr .

Guy Green posed as the inventors of printing on pottery from copper-plate engravings . They were cmployed by Wedgwood and other potters to decorate their wares down to the end of the eighteenth century , and they were particularly partial to cassical subjects and

designs . I have an oval dish of pale cream-coloured pottery , with a representation of a landscape in violet transfer printing . With the exception of the figures and Masonic emblems , it tallies with the design on Bro . Shackles' jugs , as it depicts ruins , a river , abridge , "in the middle distance a fortress or castle on the

brink of the river , with a mountain in the far distance . In the foreground there are large-rooted trees that nearly surround the whole picture . The specimen is rendered particularly interesting and rare as it bears on the back the impressed mark " Wedgwood , " few pieces of this description being so marked . This fixes

the date of my dish , and probably Bro . Shackles' jugs , as being between 1759 and 1768 . In the latter year Josiah Wedgwood took a Mr . Thomas Bentley into partnership , when the trade mark became " Wedgwood and Bentley . " I may state that the productions of Messrs . Sadler and Green were

exceedingly artistic , although not equal to the efforts of Holdship and Hancock , of Worcester . On Leeds pottery of a later date the transfer representations of Masonic emblems are ill-defined and frequently coarse in execution . There are numerous specimens of this old ware bearing the sun moon , stars , pillars , mosaic

pavement , working tools , jewels , the letter G , & c ., & c , some with and without emblematical figures of Faith , Charity , and Prudence , the latter , like Justice , blindfolded , with the sword and scales . Bro . Shackles ' jugs , by his lucid explanation , appear to be works of art , and as such I take them , as before stated , to be of

Wedgwood ' s early white ware , decorated by Sadler and Green . The figures of the Master and Wardens on the jugs are uncommon , and the bracket holding '' a pair of crossed pens enclosed by a ribbon " especially so . I venture to hazard a conjecture that the members of the lodge to whom these jugs belonged had a set

respectivel y distinguished by emblems of office . By this I do not wish to infer that the Secretary of the long , long ago and his colleagues each consumed " five pints , " notwithstanding it was a hard-drinking age . Bro . Shackles states that one of the jugs holds the latter quantity . ( Is it the one decorated with the

secretarial jewel of office : ) It is the custom at the present time for founders of lodges , being also officers , to wear jewels bearing their respective badges of office . In the last century it may have been the practice for founders of a convivial turn of mind to present their lodges with vessels to contain either the humming ale or more lordly " punch . " The

legends or mottoes— "Amor honor et justitia" and "Sit lux et lux fuit "—mentioned by Bro . Shackles , were dealt with by me in my letter of the 5 th ult . In conclusion , I wish to correct or make clear a statement I made on the 26 th ult ., and to which my attention has been privately drawn by a member of the Quatuor Coronati . I then stated that I had examined and seen sold two white salt-cellars of Chelsea china marked with a

Masonic Notes And Queries.

triangle formerly belonging to Horace Walpole . My correspondent appears to have misunderstood my statement , thinking that I alluded to those mentioned b y that distinguished man of fashion and zealous collector of curios . In Walpole ' s catalogue of Strawberry Hill , written in 1784 , and which I again quote , he

writes of" two white salt-cellars with craw-fish in relief , of Chelsea china , a very uncommon design , which I have found only once , viz ., at the Earl of Ilchester ' s , at Melbury , where are four such salt-cellars , all marked with a triangle . " The rare collection of works of art so dearly prized and often mentioned by Walpole in

his voluminous correspondence was brought to the hammer in 1842 , and fetched the then large sum of upwards of ^ 29 , 000 . Since that time undoubted specimens of the celebrated Strawberry Hill collection figure in sales , with their history duly scheduled , and it was under such circumstances that I had the good fortune of handling the aforesaid two salt-cellars so

highly valued by the quondam Lord of Orford . I had a great desire to possess them , but the bidding was general , and the sum realised so far exceeded my modest valuation of their merits as artistic productions that I did not venture to outbid the ultimate purchaser . For the third time I have to apologise for trespassing

so much upon your valuable space , but my enthusiasm or craze in matters ceramic must be my excuse . T . C . WALLS , Associate Quatuor Coronati .

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

Craft flDasonry .

METROPOLITAN MEETINGS .

Faith Lodge ( No . 141 ) . —The last meeting of the season of this old lodge was held at Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet-street , on the 29 th ult . Among those attending were Bros . Wetzlar , W . M . ; Langdale , S . W . ; Sheppard , J . W . ; Carter , P . M ., Treas . ; W . Stuart , P . M ., Sec . ; Welch , S . D . ; Ryan , J . D . ; Green , P . M . ; C . Dairy , P . M . ; Rumball , P . M . ; Capt . Walls , P . M . ; Fromholtz ,

P . M . ; Hudson , P . M . ; Hakim , I . P . M . ; and others . Bros . Beveridge and Havens were visitors . The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed , Bro . H . 0 . Sharpley was most impressively raised to the Third Degree . The ballot was then taken on behalf of Mr . Martin Wilson , and it being unanimous , he was ably inducted into Craft mysteries .

The lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to refreshment . The usual toasts followed . The W . M . is an excellent speaker , he shines equally as well at the banquet table as in the lodge room , and it will be a matter of regret to all when he vacates the chair in October next . His year of office has been a most prosperous and happy one .

Leigh Lodge ( No . 957 ) . —The installation meeting of this lodge , which has now attained its 27 th year , was held on Monday at Freemasons' Hall , Bro . Frederick Klein , W . M ., presiding . The brethren present were Bros . John Diprose , P . M . ; C . A . Cottebrune , P . M . ; F . Marx , P . M . ; R . C . Morffrey , P . M . ; I . Firth Creswick , P . M . ; Thos . C . Butt , P . M . ; H . Von Joel , P . M . ; W . Woodruff ,

P . M . ; G . H . Bramley , P . M . ; Charles Corby , P . M . ; and a large number of lay members . The visitors were Bros . H . J . Wicks , P . M . 1269 ; H . Massey , P . M . 619 and 192 S ; Alfred VV . Barker , P . M . 1 743 ; VV . Kent , J . W . 1321 ; E . C . Mulvey , P . M . 179 , 2202 , 2246 , W . M . 2353 , P . G . S . Surrey ; J . Gammon , 2331 ; S . Norveckoroski , P . M . 534 ; J . Blunsdell , P . M . 742 ; C . Pole , J . W . 1257 ; C . Comyns ,

1739 ; J . Sandheim , P . M . 225 ; H . L . Diprose , P . M . 1 S 85 ; John Sandon , 704 ; Sam . Morley , I . P . M . 1 S 53 ; George Browne , 700 ; A . H . Hawfrey , 1507 ; W . H . Johnson , W . M . 1 S 20 ; Henry J . Roberts , 700 ; Alfred Clark , J . W . 1924 ; R . Sykes ; W . C . Thomas , 65 ; Charles Gammon , 704 ; Samuel E . Southgate , S . W . 700 ; F . Bromley Smith , I . P . M . 1539 ; J . Braham , S . D . 72 ; VV . J . Bidgood , Org .

700 ; w . L . West , 17 ( 15 ; Alex . Jones , I . P . M . 2021 ; G . F . Edmunds , P . M . 7 66 ; VV . F . Hughes , P . M . 179 ; George Girling , 1741 ; J . C . Whittington , 1 S 27 ; and VV . Betts , P . M . 1341 . The VV . M . in splendid style raised Bro . James Grose and initiated Mr . Win . Jenkins . He afterwards installed the S . W . and VV . M . elect , Bro . Wm . Hewett , and the following

brethren were then invested as officers for the year : Bros . F . Klein , I . P . M . ; Walter Densham , S . W . ; Henry T . Bridges , J . W . ; John Diprose , P . M ., Treas . ; Charles A . Cottebrune , P . M ., Sec . ; George Hughes , S . D . ; Wilson R . Bentley , J . D . ; Wm . A . Hetherington , I . G . ; F . P . Marx , P . M ., D . C ; Wm . T . Woodruff , P . M ., and Hy . Sillis , Stewards ; James Mitchell , A . D . C . ; and Richard

Whiting , P . M ., Tyler . Bro . Bramley , P . M ., gave notice that at the next meeting he should move that the lodge give 10 guineas as the nucleus of a fund , to be supplemented by the private donations of members , for presenting Bro . John Diprose , P . M . and Treasurer of the lodge for 16 years , with a testimonial on his completing the fiftieth year of his age in September next . The W . M . proposed a candidate

for initiation , and the lodge was thereafter closed . The brethren adjourned to the Crown Room , Freemasons ' Tavern , and partook of a choice banquet . The usual loyal and Masonic toasts followed . "The Queen and the Craft" and "The M . W . G . M . " having been duly honoured , Bro . Cottebrune , in responding to the toast of "The

Grand Officers , " said that was not the first time it had been proposed in that lodge , and when it was first proposed he had a great deal to say on the position of Grand Officers . From time to time hehad had to repeat the same thing , but if he did so now it would be tiresome to the brethren . The Grand Officers were good men , and that was acknowledged , and he was pleased that it was . As to the new Grand