Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

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

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION . To tht Editor of the Freemason . Sir and Brother , — In the Illustrated London ] Siews of May ist there appears an engraving with the title of " Inmates of the Royal Masonic Institution for the Aged and Widows , " which I assert without hesitation to be a caricature . To

my certain knowledge there has never been such a party . Had an illustration been given in the style of those of the Schools , the inmates of this noble Institution would have considered it a compliment , but the one in question is an insult to the aged , and particularly to the widows , which the editor-ought not to have allowed to appear . If you will give this a place in your Journal you will oblige , Sir and Brother , yours respectfully and fraternally , L B .

Royal Masonic Institution , Croydon , May nth . [ We do not suppose that there was any intended disrespect , as both the letterpress and illustrations were marked alike by kindness to the inmates and the Craft , and a desire evidently to call friendly attention to the Institutions of our Order . —Eu . ]

THE FATHER OF FREEMASONS . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — In your issue of Saturday last you inserted a letter signed "Honour to whom Honour is Due , " relating to our esteemed Bro . Isaac To wnsend , a member of Adam ' s Lodge , No . i c , 8 , Shecrness , as the father of Freemasons , in

opposition to Bro . D . Osmett , of Sherborne , Dorset , who was initiated in January , 1820 . But as your correspondent made an error in the date of Bro . Townsend ' s initiation , I beg to correct it , as it may be the means of bringing forth the name of the oldest member of the Craft , who , I am sure , the brethren will delight to honour . Bro . Isaac Townsend . was born in Essex on July . 26 th ,

1793 , and was initiated into the rites of Masonry in Lodge 79 , Greenwich , in March , 1815 , consequently he has been sixty years a Freemason . We have likewise , in the Province of Kent , Bro . P . W . Thorpe , Provincial Grand Treasurer , who , I believe , was initiated in the same year as

Bro . Townsend . The brethren of the Province of Kent are proud of having among them the two oldest brethren of the Craft . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , A . SPEAKS , P . M . of 158 . Sheerness , nth May , 1875 .

To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir anil Brother , — Seeing my father ' s name ( Benj . Thorpe ) mentioned in a letter headed " The Father of Freemasons , " in your journal of the 8 th inst . with a confusion of dates , as far as he is concerned I can give them correctly . He was born in June , 1793 , and was initiated in the Wellington Lodge , Rye , Sussex , in October , 1814 . He is now , and has

been for some years past , the Provincial Grand Treasurer for Kent , and this year , 1 am thankful to say , he has per . formed the duties of his office , correspondence , Ac , without any assistance . He had the pleasure of initiating his grandson in the Invicta Lodge , 709 , in August , 1862 , now nearly thirteen years since , and rarely fails to attend the monthly meetings of his lodge . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , B . K . Tnoni'i :, P . M . 709 , P . Prov . G . R . Kent .

THE "SCOTTISH FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE . " To the Editor of the Freemason . Deor Sir and Brother , — I am very much amused at the remarks I have recently read about myself in the " Scottish Freemasons ' Magazine . " 1 believe that I have met the writer of them before in controversy , and , therefore , I am not astonished at

anything he says . 1 learn for the first time that it is not customary or competent for writers to protest against unfair critics and unjust criticism . I care nothing for honest criticism , come from what quarter it may , but I do object to personalities , and above all , to shallow utterances and pretentious pomposity . I do not believe that in treating of literary matters you are at liberty to import into

what assumes to my mind , in one aspect , a judicial deliverance , any of the prejudices of personal encounters ! We ought as Freemasons to be above all such lower grounds of literary pettiness , and leave them to the profane world . The Reviewer had a clear right to criticise any little work I published " more suo , " on grounds which appeal

to fact , to truth , and reason . But if in doing so a critic shows convincingly to any dispassionate bystander that he has not half read the work he is criticising , and that he does not for some one reason or other clearly understand what he has read , and if , too , the critic demonstrates that at best his views on the whole subject are hazy , and his knowledge but skin deep , any author , I contend , has a right to appeal to the supreme court of the public , in order to prove

that the critic is " hardly up to the mark , " and that his criticism is valueless , " perse . " I only write on public grounds ; on personal , I care nothing for any animadversions ; as I feel quite sure , from the opiuiuns of some of the best informed Masons in England and America , that however I may have failed from want of power to illustrate and enforce my argument , my premises are sound , and my conclusions iriefragable ,

Original Correspondence.

With regard to the question of "nervousness" for " incisiveness , " which I confess not to have noticed , it is , like " argumentive , " only a printer ' s mistake , which the writer might surely have seen . But I do not wish to complain of remarks , or to defend

my little essay ; all I desire is to record my humble protest against the thoroughly unmasonic temper which colours the startling " dicta " of an old offender against the rules of courtesy and fairness in Masonic controversy . A . F . A . WooDroui ) .

THE INSTALLATION JEWEL . To the Editor of the Freemason , Dear Sir and Brother , — Is anything settled about the Steward's jewel ? How is it to be arranged ?

Are designs to be offered , and is the competition to be open ? Is there any chance of a general commemoration jewel ? Yours fraternally , EXPECTANS . May Day , 1875 .

A CORRECTION . To the Editor if the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , —¦ In justice to myself , I feel bound to call your attention to either a " misprint" on your part , or an " error" on the part of your informant , with respect to

the kindly report of our festive gathering , in celebration of the Installation of H . R . H . the Prince uf Wales as M . W . G . M . of England . Your report states that I said , in the course of my remarks— " I well remember the great excitement occasioned at the acceptance of the Grand Mastership by the late Duke of Sussex , " & c , & c , Sec This is most incorrect . The words I used were : — " I

well remember , although young , the death of his late R . H . the Duke of Sussex , and the grief expressed by numerous members of the Craft at the loss of so distinguished a nobleman and so good a Mason . " I trust you will do me the justice to insert this explanation , and oblige , Yours fraternally , S . W . GARDNER , W . M . 1181 .

THE GIRLS' SCHOOL HOUSE COMMITTEE . We have received the following circular : — " Dear Sir and Brother , —1 beg to inform you that I have been nominated to fill the vacancy on the Board of the House Committee occasioned by the election of Col . Francis Burdettas one of the Trustees ; and I shall feel

obliged if you could make it convenient to attend the meeting of the Life Governors , to be held at the Freemasons ' Hall , on Thursday , the 27 th inst ., and there record one of your votes in my favour . The interest I take in all Masonic matters , and more especially in this Institution , being so well known to you that I am led to hope the same may

be sufficient to secure for me yoursupport on that occasion . I have no desire to displace any of the brethren who at present constitute the I louse Committee , but solely to fill the vacancy before referred to . " I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , " H . A . DUBOIS . " 2 , Gresh . im Buildings , Basinghall-strect , May , 14 th . "

Multum In Parbo; Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo ; or Masonic Notes and Queries .

THE MASONS' COMPANY . On looking carefully over Ashmole ' s Diary , I find that he does mention the Astrologers' Feast after 1759 , namely , July 13 th , 1682— " The Astrologers' Feast was restored by Mr . Moxon ; " and , again , January 29 , 16 S 3— " The Astrologers' Feast was held at the Three Cranes in Chancerylane , Sir Edward Dcering and the Town Clerk of London

were Stewards . " With regard to the " Old Freemasons , " Sec , though it is true that , in Preston ' s Edition of 1788 , the words occur , as Bro . Hughan properly points out , yet , as Bro . Dr . Oliver made that footnote his own , in his Edition of 1861 , the 17 th , by greatly altering and abbreviating it , I venture to think that he ought to have verified his authorities . Preston , with all his merit , which is very

great , was somewhat careless m collating quotations and MSS ., but this want of correctness constitutes one of the greatest difficulties of the Masonic student . All our writers more or less accept too readily the unverified statements of others , and hand them on , without hesitation , from one to another , A . F . A . Woonroiii ) .

In answer to our most active and indefatigable Masonic student , Bro . Woodford , 1 desire to state that in the Freemason for May 8 th , I gave the entries in Elias Ashmole ' s Diary respecting his initiation in a lodge at Warrington , A . D . 16 4 6 , and his visitation of a lodge in London , A . D . 1682 , which I transcribed from the Edition of Lilly ' s and Ashmole ' s Lives of A . D . 1774 , and which

Bro . Woodford some time since informed me were the same as the first edition of the Diary , published in 1714 . I cannot find any authority for the reference to the " seven other Old Freemasons , " in Preston ' s " Illustrations of Masonry , " which latter statement is not only to be found in the excellent edition of that well-known , by the revered Bro . Dr . Oliver ( Spencer , London ) , but also in the

earlier issues , even to 1788 , which I have now before me . In the first and second editions but little historical information is to be found , but the successive issues were much enlarged from time to time . Will Bro . Woodford kindly have the whole of the reference to Elias Ashmole transcribed from the History of Berkshire , so far as the author refers to Freemasonry ? It would be a boon to many , ant ) would , I feel , be

Multum In Parbo; Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

appreciated by the numerous readers of the Freemason Also state date of the edition of the History of Berkshire in which the reference to Ashmole ' s Masonic career occurs . I presume Dr , Knipe ' s statement is the authority for the assertion in the " Biographia Britannica" that Ashmole's election as a member of Masonic lodge was by him " considered as a mark of great honour . " The quotation is to be found in Dr . Mackay ' s Grand

Encyclopa ; dia of Freemasonry , but I should like an authorised transcript of the original , and also date of first publication of work . We k . now nothing as yet about the Astrologers ' Feast , but for certain Bro . Ashmole was not only a Freemason , but also a believer in Astrology . In fact , he apparently fancied studies which were by the majority considered unfathomable . Preston ' s transcripts from old documents are sometimes

most inaccurate . W . J . Humus .

Reviews.

Reviews .

Mr . Heckethora has written a work professedly on secret societies , lately published by Bentley and Son . We opened it expecting to find a work of original research and careful verification , for a history of secret societies must always be a very difficult undertaking from the very nature of the case . We must confess to our entire disappointment . We say nothing of the childish attacks on Freemasonry , and

Mr . I leckethoms evident ignorance of what Freemasonry is or professes to be ; but we cannot concede that Mr . I leckethorn ' s jottings and cuttings and extracts can fairly be called a history of secret societies at all . The history of secret societies is , as we said before , not only a very difficult one , but it is a very interesting one , and requires to be studied and elaborated with much of care and no

little of power . It is a very curious chapter , look at it which way you will , in the history of the human race , and cannot be disposed of by some shallow sciolist who has not yet mastered the A B C of his subject , and utterly misappreciates the true records [ of this remarkable feature of the human love for the mysterious and the incommunicable . Mr . 1 leckethorn's dissertation on secret societies strikes us

as eminently weak and unsatisfactory , and clearly based on a somewhat imperfect ™ acquaintance with the subject on which he is dilating . There are two other great drawbacks to his work , its superficiality and its imperfectness . It professes to be a history of all secret societies , and it only deals with those of which we have even already fuller and more minute information than

Mr . Meckethorn imparts , while it ostentatiously ignores altogether many-of which we should like to know something . All , therefore , that Mr . I leckethorn ' s work can fairly be called is , a " Contribution towards the History of Secret Societies , " a little diffuse and somewhat heavy . We feel bound to say this , in the interest of Masonic students , as we could not allow it to be a work of any

authority on " Secret Societies . " With regard to his attack on Freemasonry , we can afford simply to laugh at it . His verbiage and line of attack seems , to say the truth , to savour of a Roman Catholic School of thought and feeling ; and if Mr . Heckcthorn be not a disciple of Stoncyhurst , the animus of his incriminations of our Order coincides in a somewhat remarkable measure with

the effusions generally everywhere of the Ultramontane Press just now . Be that as it may , this new attack on our good old Craft will do it and us no harm . To use a young man's phrase just now , it is in " very bad form , " and the " rubbing in" does not go down . And while we say this , we do not wish to assert that Mr . Hcckethorn ' s book is without value . " Au contraire , " subject to much reservation as to his authorities and

views , wc think his book , for what it does contain , may be scanned over by the Masonic student who is working up the history of secret societies . But for a publication which shall give us the " raison d'etre" of such societies , on higher and more satisfactory grounds—for a more calm , and critical , and philosophical , and exhaustive treatment of a large subject—we must , we fear , wait yet for the coming writer , as such conditions are hardly to be found in the one-sided and sketchy history cf Mr . Heckethorn .

District Grand Lodge Of Bengal.

DISTRICT GRAND LODGE OF BENGAL .

A Quarterly Communication of the District Grand Lodge of Bengal was held at Freemasons' 1 Iall , Calcutta , on Saturday the 20 th of March . Present : Bros . John B . Roberts , Past Dep . D . G . M ., as District Grand Master ; F . Jeanings , Past Dep . D . G . M ., as Dep . District Grand

Master ; W . B . Mactavish , D . S . G . W . ; W . G . Amos , Past D . G . D ., as D . ) . G . W . ; J . B . Knight , Past D . S . G . W . ; W . II . Jones , D . G . Treas . ; W . C . Bonnerjee , D . G . Reg . ; D . | . Zemin , Past D . G . Reg . ; Thomas ( ones , Past D . G . Reg . ; II . II . Locke , Past Dep . D . G . M ., as D . G . Sec . ; W . 11 . Fitze , Past D . S . G . D ., as D . S . G . D . ;

A . LeFranc , D . | . G . D ; Jas . Watson , D . G . D . of C . ; P . C . Datt , D . G . Assist ., of C . ; W . M . Benwell , Past D . G . A . D . of C ; | . II . Turner , Past D . G . S . B ., as D . G . S . B . ; ( . II . E . Beer , Past D . G . Org ., as D . G . Org . ; C . 11 . Compton , Past D . G . Org . ; W . H . T . Ayres , D . G . Purst ; T . Leach , of L . 232 , B . B . ; J .

Mumford , C . F . Egerton Allen , II . M . Rustomjee , J . L . Anderson , Lieut . B . D . liayes , Hobt . Monk , D . G . Stewards ; Bro . G . Alexander , D . G . Tyler . The following lodges were represented : —Star in the East , No . 67 ; True Friendship , No , 218 ; Humility with

Fortitude , No . 229 ; Marine , No . 232 ; Anchor and Hope , No . 234 , Courage with Humanity , No . 392 ; St . John , No . 486 ; Excelsior , No . 825 ; Star of Orissa , No . 1106 ; Temperance and Benevolence , No . 1160 ; Sandeman , No . 1374 ; Pioneer , No . 1490 ,