The Christmas Tree.

THE CHRISTMAS TREE .

Merry boys and laughing fairies Throng around yon Christmas tree All our Ediths , Ethels , Maries , Toms and Bobbies now we see ;

Sophy , Maud , and Jane , and Milly , Dick , and Kit , and George are there , Laughing Amy , pleasant Polly , Gentle faces bright and fair .

Hear ihe ; shouts of cheery voices Echoing from tlie " sacred room , " How the heart of youth rejoices , Banished every care and gloom :

Carols sweet the children singing , Remind us of a roundelay Rais'd by voices dear and ringing , In the mists of" far away . "

Once again the room is thronging With sweet faces known so well , Many an old and lov'd belonging Seems that busy crowd to swell ; We listen to their airy patter ,

We see their forms all' full of grace ; Mid the merry cries and clatter , We watch again each cherished face . Little children , laughing lasses ,

And the front of boisterous youth ; All are there—how fast time pasfes . Vanish'd all ot grace and truth ! Kindly shadows siill abiding , Seem to flock around yon tree : All so gentle and confiding . Full of love and chivalry !

Vain delusion . ' lam dreaming : Tis but fancy ' s fond mirage ; Al is ! Alas ! tis only seeming All that gathering gay and large . Other voices shout in gladness ,

Other pleasant forms are here , And amidst the heart ' s deep sadness Those dear phantoms disappear . M ; rry maidens come beguiling , Asking , with resistless mien ,

" Why are you not gay and smiling ? Paying homage to onr Queen ?" "Fair girls , this poor old heart has travell'd To other gatherings , other da ) s . And the twisted skeins unravell'd

Of life ' s dark , and weary maze . " Still may all of joy attend you Joyous maidens in your games , Still may all of good belt iend you

Lasses with your classic names ! Still , fond youth , may you lemen b-r , As the whispered tale you tell , January has its December , All too soon for lovina - well !

May this Christmas g-uher glad ' y , Cheery boys and maidens glee-, As the fun arises madly Round that fairy Christmas tree .

May lithesome forms and glowing tresses , Of flashing eyes the gladsome gleams , Lighten with some soft caresses All your pleasant Christmas dreams ! C'l- ' LF . BS .

Reviews.

Reviews .

r . OTTisii PROVKRBS . A JNetv Edition , by James Donald . —Tegg , and Co ., London , 1875 . This little work is a reprint , by Janies lonald , of Andrew Henderson ' s collection f proverbs . It is a very interesting little

ork , and we especially call the attention our readers to it . Proverbs have been e staple vernacular literature of all nations > to say , and yet nothing is so difficult as , terall , to define a proverb . Some have called em tlie " oracular wisdom of centuries . " Good

u Johnson defined a proverb to be " a short nleitce frequently repeated by the people , " and t is , as he usually is , we venture to think , very . -ar the mark . Some have said tbat his definion does not cover all proverbs , but as a general

lie it does , as after all there is no true proverb hich is not popular in its use and tradition , lotherwell in his preface , in 1832 , to that edition f Henderson , tells us that Howell says the true 'gradients of a proverb are " sense , shortness

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and sa \ t , " and Motherwell puts it well when he quctes Benjamin DTsraeli as laying down " the essential feature " of proverbs , that they are the " condensation of much thought and observation within a small compass . " It seems , that the first published book of Scottish

Proverbs was in 159 8 , when a collection was issued by Mr . David Ferguson , Presbyterian minister . James Kelly published a large work , and very valuable one on the subject , in 1721 , at London , and Allan Ramsay published two thousand two hundred proverbs in 1737 and in successive

editions . This new edition of Donald ' s is based on Henderson ' s , and is a welcome addition to cur parremiographic . il literature , if we may use so hard a word . Those of us who have read the Archbishop of Dublin ' s charming little work on ' ' Proverbs" will remember and realize how

much pleasure and improvement result from the study of what Benjamin DTsraeli called ' * ' those abridgements of knowledge , " conveying " great results with a parsimony of words ^ prodigal of sense . " How true and vet how witty are some of the Scottish

proverbs . There s nane sae busy as them that hae least to do . Twa heads are better than aue , though they were only shecps' heads . Wanton kittens make douce cats . Forsake not God till you find a better master . A faithful friend is the medicine of life . Canny chi-ils carry

cloaks when it ' s fair ; the fool , when it ' s foul has nane to wear . Fortune can take naething but what she gave . Ance wud and aye waur . A gossip speaks ill of a' and a' of her . A gride wife and health is a man ' s best wealth . East or West , hame is best . Its earl y and crooked ,

as the De a said of his horns . Ladies and Turkeys need delicate upbringing . Waes the wife that wants the tongue , but weel ' s the man that gets her . Virtue never grows auld . And so we might go ou , practically ad infinitum , but we stop heie , in mercy to our readers ,

commending these pleasant proverbs to all who like honest wit and true good sense , accompanied with that cheerful spirit which characterizes so remarkabl y many ofthe proverbs of North Britain . For , as the saying truly runs , " As long lives the merry man as the sad . "

THE GARBEN . A weekly illustrated journal of gardening ., No . 212 , Vol . VIII . —William Robinson , 17 , Southampton-street , Strand . We have received , and looked over , this gardening serial with sincere pleasure and gratification . It is most admirably got up , and the coloured drawings are both striking and unique .

To all who are interested in the most health y and gracious of all pursuits , " horticulture , " this periodical must bean invaluable " vade mecum , " and a more desirable present at this Christmas season we do not know than the seven volumes of this meritorious and valuable publication . We commend it to the notice of all our flower-loving readers .

HAND AND HEART . Thomas B . Burrows , 75 , Shoe-lane , Fleet-street , conducted by the Editor of ' * Home Words . " This is a new candidate for popular approval , to appear January 7 U 1 , 187-5 . Tous Freemasons it is particularly welcome , as containing a portrait

of our little Royal Lewis , Prince Albert Victor , with his autograph in 1875 . The journal is intended , it is said , for the " industrious class , " and is neatly printed , well arranged , and admirabl y illustrated . A journal which the working classes will reall y read is a great desideratum . A good

many well-intentioned people seem to think the average working man a sort of demi-savage , and heathen , aud that it is proper and necessary to speak and preach to him as such . Indeed , these addresses are generally " ad hominem " sermons , and we fear , as a rule , John

Dobbs , skilled mechanic , is not an ardent admirer of sermons , per sc . What he rather wants , we fancy , is a good and instructive paper , full of technical information and illustrative anecdotes , together with good Anglo-Saxon prose , and

readable poetry , with a considerable amount of natural history , and of mechanical science . Such topics will always find , we are inclined to believe , many grateful readers among our skilled working men , for our estimate of working men generally is higher than most of our contem-

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poraries . We shall be glad if " Heart and Hand " succeeds in its object , as no doubt nothing can be worse than that " cheap and nasty

literature , " now so prevalent , that garbage of journalism which is distributed wholesale and broadcast , alike in London and the country districts . We wish the editor and publisher all success .

PENNY ALMANACK AND DIARY . —Moses & Son . Last year we spoke approvingly of this little book—we do the same this year . It is very convenient and portable , and as our copy was given

to a young lady , who immediately put it into the pocket of her jacket , —Yes , jacket—we feel that we have said enough for it to-day . We quote her remark— " It ' s a very cosy little book , " and so we wish it all success . w . v . -A .

Consecration Of The "Stuart" Chapter, Bedford (540).

CONSECRATION OF THE "STUART" CHAPTER , BEDFORD ( 540 ) .

Tuesday , the 14 th of December , will long be a day to be remembered amongst Masons , not only of Bedford in particular , but also of Bedfordshire in general , for on it was founded the first chapter of Royal Arch Masons in the county . Eight and twenty years ago the late Bro . Stuart founded ,

and for many a long day after he and his brother fostered , the lodge which bears their name , one of them , indeed , exchanging at tbe close of one well-remembered lodgenight , the labour of his earthly lodge for the well-earned refreshment and rest of the Eternal lodge above . The lodge then truly lost its early patrons , but there -was still one of the old names left to exercise the same care

over its fortunes , and it never , even for a moment , lost its prestige or popularity . For many years Colonel Stuart , the present S . W . of the lodge , has felt the desirability of leading Bedfordshire Masons to the climax of Masonry , and on Tuesday week this desirable consummation was effected .

On that day were assembled at the lodge-roam of 540 a goodly number of Royal Arch companions , including Colonel William Stuart , High Sheriff of Bedfordshire , J . P ., P . G . H . ; P . S . G . W ., & c ; H . Wentworth Little , P . S . G . W . Midx ., P . G . H . Midx ., M . E . P . Z . ' s of 19 ; Byett , Grabham , Lynes , M . E . Z . 834 ; Read , and Barfield ; Comps . Rev . W . Tebbs , 285 ; Kev . R . Faussett Ward , 712 ; Brook , 304 ;

Capt . Polhill-Turner , Bull , Cookson , Captain Colburn , Trapp , Cuthbert , Captain Green , Leslie , Whyiey , & c . After some time spent in inspecting the admirable ap pointments of the chapter , supplied by Comp . Kenning , a chapter was opened with the following acting oflicers : — M . E . Z ., R . W . Little ; II ., Barfield ; and J ., Lynes . On the admission of the brethren , Comp . R . W . Little

assisted by Comps . Rev . W . Tebbs , Chaplain ; Read , as P . S . ; and Barfield and Lynes , as the other two P . Z . ' s , duly consecrated , dedicated , and constituted the Stuart Chapter , 540 , Bedford , of Royal Arch Masons of England . To say that the ceremony was that usually adoptetl by Comp . Little is simply to say that it was performed in a

most impressive manner , giving the companions of the newly constituted chapter a most thorough insight into the solemnities of this holy and Royal rite . Comp . Little next instituted the three First Principals : —Comps . Col . Stuart , M . E . Z . ; Bull , II . ; Cookson , J . After which the Most Excellent invested as officers Comps Rev . Wm . Tebbs , Chaplain ; J . Trapp , Treas . ;

Captain Colburn , E . ; Captain Polhill-Turner , N . ; Cuthbert , P . S . ; the last named then investing as his assistants Comps . Captains Green and Fisher . The chapter , as its first duty , asked the acceptance by Comp . Little of honorary membership of the chapter he had thus constituted , together with its thanks for his kind offices .

This vote was warmly acknowledged by the recipient of the honour . As its next business the chapter unanimously elected Bro . George Reynolds , thc old and much respected Tyler of Stuart Lodge , as its future Janitor .

Many joining members and candidates for exaltation were then proposed , after which , in answer to the M . E . Z . ' s demand for " propositions of benefit , " " hearty good wishes " were announced from Royal Arch Chapters 19 28 5- 3 ° 4 ; 7 -. 8 . -J 4 , 840 , and 948 . After which the chapter

was closed in due form . The companions subsequently sat down to an excellent banquet provided by Bro . Wicks ; when an exceedingly pleasant evening was spent . After the usual official toasts , " The Health of the M . E . Z . " was proposed by Comp . Trapp ( Treasurer ) , and most feelingly acknowledged . The M . F .. Z . then proposed the healths of " Comp . R .

W . Little , " " The Visitors , "" Piincipals I-I . and J ., " " P . S Cuthbert and other Officers , " and of " Chaplain , Rev VV . Tebbs . " After which the proceedings of this auspi cious day were brought to a close . We cannot conclude without remarking the musical ar rangements of Comp . Cookson ; the way in which Comp

Gilbert ( of Richmond ) fulfilled the duties of Janitor ; the unflagging energy and zeal of Comps . Bull and Cuthbert ; and the substantial support of the M . E . Z ., who , as his predecessors had done in days gone by for the lodge , thus gave the benefit of his Masonic knowledge , as well as the honour of his name , to the Stuart Chapter .

WIPE YOUR FEET . —The best Cocoa Nut Mats and Matting arc made by Treioar and Sons , Co , Ludgate-hill .