Notes By A Novice.

NOTES BY A NOVICE .

SEA-SIDE GOSSIP . It is j usk one ° f those days when the human heart can carol like a bird ; sunshine , bright and dazzling ) hovers over the great metropolis , and even the grey arches of London-1 nidge , as we approach them , seem robed in unfamiliar glory . Yes , my d- ? ar Brother Editor , I'm off , or rather

toe are off —( don ' t be impertinent , I shan't tell you anything about the mystic " we" ) . But we have just stepped aboard a Westminster steamboat by mistake , and off we go to " Paul ' s Wharf , " when we credulously considered we were on the high road , or rather high sea , to—no

matter where . Great anxiety prevails for the space of ten minutes , as the vessel for which we are really bound has her steam up and colours fly ing . Fortunately tlie captain's chronometer does not agree , apparently , with " Big Ben " of Westminster , and we are enabled to rectify the

little error by a sharp run to the " Swan Pier , where we find that the exemplary porter is mounting guard over our luggage , and who upon seeing us exclaims pathetically that he has lost his morning ' s work . The poor fellow being reconciled to his unhappy fate by a liberal

application of " palm oil , goes on his way rejoicing , and we follow his example on board a certain renowned steamer which , as usual , is christened after one of the royal family . Immediately the captain gives the word to start , which the small

boy , his echo , repeats—and incontinently we find ourselves involved in the mazes of the " Pool , " while occasional cries of " Stop her' "—suggestive of a feminine runaway kleptomaniac—indicates forcibly that some lazy barge or other will not get out of the way . However ,

" All these doubts and dangers passed , AVe anchor in the port at last . " I may observe ( parentheticall y ) that wc were received with loud acclamations by the people on landing at our destination , and one vonth with

sandy hair was so overcome with enthusiasm at the sight of a rather plain girl on board , that in waving his cap as a symbol of joy , said cap fell into tho water , and is now doubtless adorning tho caudal appendage of some monster of the briny deep .

You know , dear old Editor , how severely I have suffered from indisposition ( to work ?) of late , and how concise I have been in my correspondence . Do not , therefore , expect much this time , but allow me to do the olium enm dig as well as I can .

In the first place , 1 must bu reticent as to where I am , and for three reasons : — Firstl y , 1 am told you have now seven thousand subscribers . Secondly , If I betrayed my whereabouts , six thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine of the aforesaid subscribers would infallibly come down and hunt me out .

Thirdly , I don ' t well know where I am . You will remember , however , that you commissioned me to note down any Masonic facts that mi ght come under my observation during niy " grand tour . " Well , I have senn one "fact " in the shape of our genial Brother "Span , " whose

joke about the " warm" reception he met with in our lod ge must be fresh in your memory . We walked about together—that ' s another factand made sundry remarks upon architecture in general , and the prevalence of Roman noses amongst the population in particular , when

suacienly a bell rang—we exchanged a hurried grip , and my " Span " was lost to 'view in cubits of sea-water . The next Masonic illustration appeared in the person of a portly friarrubicund and round . Our passing conversation was sweet , but short : and he . too , vanished from

my sight . With the next I was more fortunate . "Methinks I see him now , " as our galley proudly sweeps tho salt sea waves . Bro . Oldburne is a true hi gh priest of Neptune , and rows almost as well as ho can shoot ( St . George ' s and ye Westminsters , to wit ) . Verily , he resembles an athlete

of tho good old times , and would have been laurel-crowned in the Isthmian games of Greece , ' or tho amphitheatrical displays of ancient Home , when the " voxpopuli" shouted stcntoriousl y , I anew , et Circonsi . " Bro . Oldburne is also a

Notes By A Novice.

capital Mason , a . P . M . of two lodges—in one of which , let me remark , en jyassant , he succeeded a " Novice'" in the chair- and is also a P . Z . of a fine chapter held near unto the " silvery Thames , " Unfortunately , his stay here can be but brief , as such is his zeal for tho Craft that he willingly

foregoes the healthful breeze and refulgent skies in order to be present at his lodge , which meets this week . I am happy to be able to report that Freemasonry is hi g hly respected in the place of my temporary sojourn ; the most estimable inhabitants are members , and their lodge of

instruction is admirably worked by several efficient Past Masters . Within a radius of ten miles there are as many lodges ; and although I deprecate the too rapid spread of the Order , there is no doubt that in this locality its marked increase is a wholesome sign , and an index of the zeal and energy of the brethren .

I will just conclude this sketch with a glance at the " Sublime Order of Judges , " one of the associations to which I referred in a former paper as having existed about ; seventy years ago . Their modus operandi was as follows , and merit the praise of simplicity . Tho victim was led into the meeting-room , with his eyes covered ; he was conducted to the chair of the " Sublime

Presiding Judge , -who placed a tankard in his hand , and desired him to taste its contents and pronounce accordingly . If the candidate responded , "' arf-and- ' arf" the chances were ten to one he was right , as the liquor was seldom varied ; whereupon the chairman and the whole sublime assembly shouted as one man , " You ' re a Judge , "

and he was forthwith proclaimed one of the mystic fraternity . Now , Brother Editor , I know you want a change—come down here for a day or two , and I will give you an opportunity of qualifying yourself lor the judicial bench iu an equally summary manner . Till then , au revoir !

Obituary.

Obituary .

SIR KNIGHT MAJOR HENRY FRANCIS SMITH . KM . COMl \ OF THE TEMPLE CUESSINO ENCAMPMENT . With the most sincere regret we have to

announce the decease ( at the early ago of 41 ) of this highly-esteemed Brother , whose public and private virtues endear his memory to all

who had the honour of his acquaintance . He was initiated in the Victoria Lodge , V . R ., No . 822 , eleven years since , in which he served all tho various offices , and passed the chair of K . S : was instrumental in establishing the

Chandos Lodge of the 1 st Middlesex Artillery Volunteers , in which Corps ho held Her Majesty ' s Commission as Major . Ho was a R . A .. Mason and S . W . of the Mallet and Chisel Lodge of Mark Masters , Emt . Com . of the Temple

Crossing Encampment , Prov . Grd . Capt . of Lines , Surrey , in which ollice ho was Inaugurated by P . E . C ., Sir Knight F . W . Mitchell only last May , and better than all , a Life Governor of several Masonic Charities . His liberality was

unbounded , his courtesy that of a gentleman , and his loss is deeply deplored by a vast circle of friends ; and , as a very intimate friend observed to tho writer , " In fact you could not possibly say more than ho deserves !"

BRO . WILLIAM JERDAN . Wo extract the following from tho Times newspaper of tho 13 th inst . Bro . Jordan was for many years a Member of the Grand Master ' s Lodge , No . 1 : — " Forty years ago there were few names better

known in London society and in tho world oi letters than that of William Jerdan . Surviving almost all his literary contemporaries , ho died on the 11 th inst ., at Bushey-heath , in his 88 th

year . A native of Kelso , and educated at Edinburgh for tlie Scottish law , he camo to London to push his way in literature . Of his varied fortunes in this precarious profession he

Obituary.

has given a faithful record in his 'Autobiography , published about 15 years ago . His genial spirit , ready wit , and abundant anecdote made him a welcome guest in other than mure literary circles . With most of the notable personages of the last 50 years-he had personal acquaintance , and with

some of the men of higuest mark in literature and politics he was on terms of intimacy . Au interesting volume of personal recollections , entitled ' Men I have Known , ' appeared two years ago , inscribed to the then Chief Baron ( Sir Frederick ) Pollock , also a Borderer , with whom

Mr . Jerdan since boyhood had maintained an unbroken , friendship . Tt was Mr . Jerdan who , in the lobby of the old House of Commons , seized Bellingham , the assassin of Mr . Percival . At that time one of the reporters for the Press , his connexion with periodical literature continued

for half a century . In recent numbers of Eraser ' s Magazine are contributions from his pen , and the last two parts of the Gentleman ' s Magazine contain an article ou the celebrated Beef-Steak Club , which no other living man could havewrittenfrompersonal knowledge . Forseveral

years recently he has contributed to the Leisure Hour a series of reminiscences of distinguished men , illustrated by characteristic letters . Of the Royal Literary Fund in its early days he was a zealous advocate , and by his influence greatly aided its prosperity . His kindly help

was always afforded to young aspirants in literature and art , and his memory will be cherished by many whom he helped to rise to positions of honour and independence . Late in life ho received a pension of £ 1 . 00 a year for his long services in literature . "

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ Tlie Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . " ] ROYAL ARCH MASONRY .

( To the Editor of lhe Freemason . ) DICAI : Sn : AND BitoriiKi :, —I perceive some remarks in your columns regarding a dillerence of statement about lhe two pillars which some tradition says were set up before the Hood . On looking up HalliwelPs history I find it saying "There were two kinds of

atones of such virtue that one would not burn , and the other would uol sink ; the one called marble , and the other latres . . -. . Water was the chosen instrument of destruction , but the tow pillars of science remained iu triumphant security , " & c . Jabal is given as the name of the writer of the sciences on the pillars , and

Hermes , sou of Shem , is said to have , been " the fortunate discoverer of one of them . " The above story , of course , I treat as a mere / able . If there be anything iu it at all , it suggests the querywere , any of the Pyramids built before the llood and survived it ? Common sense telis us that if the

patriarchs were able to write on stone or brass , they did not require to set up pillars ; but could have written what they desired on slabs or plates which could have been preserved in the ark . Also , the heads of Noah and his sons would serve as repositories for knowledge . However , a legend or tradition must be made up

somehow . The Chaldean story , again , is that '" Xisiithrus dug up the seven Sacred Books which he had buried at Sepharvaim , " after coming out of the ark . Wc , of course , arc ready to ask—why did he not take said books into the ark with him V but we must not examine

the legend too closely . "Pillars" here I take to be a better word than " columns . '' These pretended Masonic traditions of ours , now , are something similar to the . stories lo which Paul refers in his epistle to Timothy , when lie says , " Neither give hoed to fables and endless genealogies ,

which minister questions rather ihan godly edifying ;" or as hu also says , " Houise profane and old wives ' fables . " It appears somewhat curious to me , although I dare say it is capable of explanation , that Freemasons seem to know far more about the . doings of their

predecessors (< 0 in the . tune ol Noah or Solomon than they do regarding their proceedings during the short reign of George the First of 1 ' iigland ( 1714 to 17 :. ' 7 ) . Another curious point is , that those really valuable documents which exist detailing the real doings of lhe Craft about and before a century and a half ago have

been almost totally ignored , especially until very lately , while all sorts of notions , dreams , traditions , legends , & e ., have been most industriously liibricukd , promulgated , and incessantly waved before the ejesof the Fraternity . Truly , if Dominie Sampson were alive , he would come out with a most wonderfully * longdrawn , " Prodigious ! " ' I am , yours fraternally , LEO .