Original Correspondence.

I look upon this ruling of the Grand Registrar ' s as contrary to all custom , and as likely to be very injurious to the best interests of the Order , by taking from the shoulders of the W . M . the weight of responsibility which at present attaches to him , and by lowering the dignity of the chair

in allowing others to perform the duty which he , the W . M-, has undertaken as a ruler in Masonry . I note that the Grand Registrar says , " If the W . M . occupy the chair . " In the cases quoted above the W . M was absent . I am yours very fraternally , JOHN CHADWICK , Prov . G . Sec . E . Lane .

A QUERY . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — May I ask the favour of your opinion upon the following point : A Past Grand Officer of England honours a lodge by

occupying the Master ' s chair . As a Past Grand Officer should lie not be addressed as "Right Worshipful Master " or " Very Worshipful Master " ( as the case may be ) instead of the usual formula of " Worshipful Master ? " Your opinion on this point will much oblige , yours

fraternally , INQUIRER . November 21 st , 1 SS 1 . [ Certainly not . His proper address is the usual lodge formula . There can be nothing higher in the lodge than the W . M ., unless the Grand Master or Prov . Grand Master be present in the chair . —ED . F . M . ]

PROV . GRAND LODGE SOMERSET , AND 41 , BATH . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I am much pleased to see an account of a meeting of the Royal Cumberland Lodge , Bath , in the Freemason to-day , for , as a member , I was very sorry to note that no

reference was made in the report of the late Prov . G . Lodge of Somerset to the remarks of M . W . Bro . the Rt . Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon , Pro . G . M . and Prov . G . M ., before appointing our esteemed W . M . ( Bro . C . Radway ) to the office of Prov . S . G . W . The Earl of Carnarvon would have been most happy to

have invested Bro . Dr . Henry Hopkins , F . C . P ., P . Prov . S . G . W . of Warwickshire , as the Prov . S . G . W ., but that distinguished brother had most distinctly stated that he would prefer not to accept any more honours , so as to allow of younger brothers being advanced thereby . However , I consider that the very hearty and kind eulogium paid by

the M . W . Pro G . M . to this last exhibition of Dr . Hopkin ' s disinterestedness and zeal for the Craft was , after all , a higher honour than the appointment itself , and , considering also that the brother has been but a short time a resident in Bath and the province , it proves that his labours have been thoroughly appreciated by the Prov . G . M . and

other dignitaries of the Order . I shall never forget the reception given to Dr . Hopkins at the celebration of the centenary of the " Freemasons ' Hall Medal" last year , when , as the W . M . of 41 , he had the happiness of receiving the Dep . Prov . G . M . ( Bro . R . C . Else ) and other distinguished visitors , as well as us

members , as his guests . We all pray that the worthy doctor may be long preserved to us , and whilst feeling justly proud of the honour which has fallen to our W . M ., like he does , we really thank Dr . Hopkins for the collar . Yours fraternally , 4 - November njth .

Reviews.

Reviews .

KNOWLEDGE . Edited by R . A . PROCTOR . Bro . Charles Wyman , 74 and 75 , Great Queen-st . " Knowledge " is a weekly magazine " intended , " w'e are told , " to bring the truths , discoveries , and inventions of science before the public in simple but correct terms ; to be , in fact , the minister and interpreter of science for those who have not time to master technicalities , whether of science generally or of special departments . " As such , we

welcome it heartily . We note its promise of efficient reality , and shall look to the performance of its assurances for the valuable proof of laudable efforts in a good cause and an useful undertaking . No . 1 . is very readable and very interesting , alike in its general bearing and in its scientific outcome . It seems to be intended to be , and we have no doubt but that itwill prove itself to be , a thoroughly reliable and faithful record of science and scientific progress , and

while it avoids the great stumbling-block of all papers and magazines just now , scientific or unscientific it matters not , baneful personalities , it will seek to convey to all readers in an unadorned and unadulterated vernacular the important wonders of scientific discovery , the indubitable " facts " of scientific exposition , and scientific induction . It has for its editor one of the clearest and ablest writers of the day ; it is well printed , and evidently

most closely and conscientiously edited , and it has before it , we venture to predicate and hope , a long and successful career of general utility and public approval . " Science and Religion , " by the Editor ; " The Relation of Food to Muscular Work , " "Are Women Inferior to Men ?" "Comets , " "Illusions , " "The Eastern Hills in November , " " Darwin on Worms , " are all contributions of a high

order of merit , and will repay perusal and thought . We are glad to note that our contemporary , whose career we shall watch with interest , professe to give both a chess and a whist column . We can cordially recommend " chess students " to analyze the " play " as given between " Me-Phisto " and an " amateur . " The letter of the " Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society" in the correspondence column is both true and amusing .

Reviews.

THE DURHAM UNIVERSITY JOURNAL . This 22 nd number of the 4 th volume , for November , maintains its general tone of ability , and its reality of interest for " Durham Men . " We are glad to note the progress and prosperity of the University .

ARUCH COMPLETUM , & c . Vol . iii . George Brog , Vienna , iv . Maria Theresien , 19 , Strasse . This is a lexicon of words and things which are contained in the two Talmuds , the " Targums " and the " Midraschim " of the Hebrew Bible . This volume is by Dr . Alexander Kohnt , Chief Rabbi of Tunfkirchen , and will be very useful to Hebrew students .

BIBLIOTHECA RABBINICA . By Dr . AUG . WUNSCHE . Leipsic . Otto Sculye . The 12 th and 13 th parts of this valuable work . They relate ( 12 th ) to Books of Moses ( 13 th ) to the "Lamentations . " They are , in fact , a Rabbinical commentary on passages and portions of the Bible , and have for students of the scriptures and German scholars much value .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

PICART'S CEREMONIES . Since I wrote my last communication , thanks to the courtesy of E . W . Stibbs , 32 , Museum-street , I have seen a Dutch edition , of 1727 , and an English edition of "Gough" by Du Bosc , of 1733 . In both the plate occurs ; both equally contain the treatise on the " Rose Croix . " In the Dutch Edition there is a footnote " anent"

Freemason ry , " and also one in the English edition . Mascrier's claim to the compilation of the article on the " Freemasons " in his edition of 1741 seems , therefor-, well founded . But two very important questions require settlement . T e one is , When was the Dutch edition originally published ? and whether or , no the Dutch edition preceded the French , or the French preceded the Dutch ? Mascrier ' s preface in 1741

is both curiously and cautiously worded . His title page , indeed , tells us that the work contains 243 plates , designed by the ha-d of Bernard Picard , but I may add the English edition talks of "others" as well as Picard . Picard is supposed to be French for Picart . In the preface he thus begins : " We cannot say that the book here given is absolutely a new work . To go back to the beginning ,

the idea has been conceived for more than twenty years , and has since been executed in different attempts with a success , such as will appear by what we shall subsequently relate . There is here then , to speak truly , nothing but a new edition , but so rearranged and so little resembling the first edition as to the form , by the considerable and essential changes we have made , that we think

ourselves obliged to give an account to the public of our labour , and of the utility that it can hope to obtain from it . " When the first edition was published , however , he does not tell us , or whether in France , or Holland . He mentions " L'Ouvrage qui a etc imprime en Hollande , " but not the date ; but he alludes to a letter of 173 S , by Jean Frederic Bernard or Picart . If so , that would seem that a

French edition was published anterior to 173 S , as Bernard thence complains of Mascrier ' s suppress'ion and alterations . Bernard had said that he had suppressed the half at his work , and others had complained that Mascrier was only a " replica" of Bernard . Curiously enough , he talks , too , of the " Premiere Edition , " and the " Edition Hollandaise , " "Edition de Hollande , " "L'Edition Hollandoise " "La

Premiere Edition , " & c , but he nowhere gives us any date ol that first edition , though his words would lead you to suppose it appeared in Holland . Can any one tell us if he has seen an earlier Dutch edition than 1727 , or any French edition earlier than 1723 ? To sum up , according to Brunet , a French edition , was published in eight volumes in nine in 1723 to 1739 , or thereabouts , which were edited by the two

Bernards and Bruzen de la Martimere , and were composed of the writings of Abadie , Simon , Thiers , Dupin Reland and others . The engravings were , it is believed , by Picart . A Dutch edition , that is in Dutch , was published in 1727 , to 173 S also in nine volumes "translated from the French . " Brunet does not however mention it . Mr . Stibbs , 32 , Museum-street , has

in English a fine copy , edited Du Bosc ( Gough ) in 1733 to 1739 . There was a reprint of the first volumes in 1735 , but not the whole , but whether in French or Dutch is not quite clear . Mascrier ' s edition appeared in 1741 , in seven volumes , towhich Frederick Bernard objected in a'letter , i 73 S , mentioned above . There was an ediiion in i 7 S 4 by Poncelin , little thought of ; onein thirteen volumes , in i 8 iostillless , and a small edition later by Prudhomme , of no value . One

fact is clear , either the plates in the English edition of 1733 and the prints of 1741 are " transfers , " or the plates of the edition in Dutch of 1727 are "transfers" from 1723 , which is not likely . Still the question remains , is the Masonic plate in the 1723 edition ? Was there an edition in Dutch before 1727 , or was the original edition in 1723 the earliest , and in French ? So far the statements of Brunet seem to lean to that hypothesis . What does Alibone say ? MASONIC STUDENT .

The " Masonic Student " will find an account of Picart's work at pp . 67-Sof my " Masonic Sketches and Reprints " ( English edit ., 1 S 71 ) . Though the vol . 1 was dated 1723 , the 5 th was of the year 1737 . The reference to Freemasonry and the reproduction of " Pine's List of Lodges , " & c , are to be found in vol . 4 , p . 251 , and is of the year 1735 . The work was published at Amsterdam , 1723-37 , in

7 vols . The last two appear to form a separate work , and arc dated 1723 and 172 S . Bro . M . Cooke , in " Freemasons ' Magazine , " 1 S 70 ( p . 165 ) , is said to have declared that " Sir Steele was a Freemason of the York Rite , or Ancient Masons , " & c . ; also that the sheet in question depicts " the name and places of the Ancient Masons , " & c . The List of Lodges is taken from Pine , and acknowledged

accordingly , so its origin is quite clear ; but as to Sir Richard Steele , nothing has yet been discovered to connect his name with the Craft . These seven volumes were all first editions . There were two more volumes issued in 1743 , and two finally on " Superstitiones Anciennes et Modernes , " also at

Amsterdam , 1733-6 , eleven volumes together , which I find Ellis and YVhite had in their catalogue , bound in six volumes for £ 12 12 s . An English translation was published 1733-g , which ( strange to say ) occurs for sale in a catalogue received from Stibbs , of Museum-street , this morning , for £ 7 17 s . Cd . Picart ' s "List of Lodges" has been

Masonic Notes And Queries.

given in the Freemason , and it , and many others , are to be found in Bro . Gould ' s " Four Old Lodges . " Bro . Kenning ' s "Cyclopaedia" refers to Picart briefly , and should be consulted . Bro . Carson , in his " Masonic Bibliography , " gives the English edition as No . 1134 , also a French issue of twelve volumes , 1 S 07-10 . Bro . Carson says that the reason of Sir Richard Steele ' s portrait occupying such a prominent position has not been explained . W . J . HUGHAN .

CORDINER'S ILLUSTRATION . Bro . Gould alludes to this illustration and the word " . Initiation , " though of no authority however . Bro . Gould overlooks two points ; one , that the word " Initiation " is an interpolation and does not exist in reality on the seal ; and secondly , that the illustration has been frequently given , as in " Fallou ' s Mysteries , " but is absolutely rejected as to such a purport by careful Masonic students and critics . It

represents the " Matyrdum of Thomas a Becket , " though by an anachronism the king is represented as present . No doubt if such a seal did exist with such an allusion to a mystic reception it might strengthen the " Benedictine theory" of Findel , though that , as Schauberg points out such is really " untenable . " I may add that Schauberg remarks that both Winzerand Fallou commit ' the great fault of giving no references , or authorities for their " numerous statements . I may allude to this subject again . - MASONIC STUDENT .

MASONIC SYMBOLISM . What is the earliest Masonic symbolism ? is a question deserving of " note . " There is a vast unexplored region of Masonic symbolism in the seventeenth , sixteenth , and fifteenth centuries , which requires to be carefully studied . I do not mean tosaythatall " undesigned coincidences" are to be taken as a proof of Masonic antiquity , but some certainly may fairly be . Fallou and Winzer both allude to

the emblem of the circle and compasses found on the gravestone of Master Hugo Libergier , who built the church of St . Nicaise , Rheims , and there was buried . Schauberg gives the references as respectively Fallou , S . 221 ; Winzer , S . 130 , which some one perhaps can verify . It is a great pity that neither Fallou nor Winzer give authorities for their statements . _ Findel rests on them , and so we have " sheepwalking" in perfection . ANTIQUAR 1 US .

SPECULATIVE AND OPERATIVE FREEMASONRY . In the Freemason for October 15 th 1 objected to the lodge held at Warrington , A . D . 1 ( 1 46 , being considered plainly operative , for of its character there was not sufficient evidence to justify even the assumption . On October 22 nd , the " Masonic Student " ( who has been working very diligently lately amongst the old records ) replied

that he had been led to conclude that this lodge into which Ashmole was initiated was " mainly an Operative Lodge . " He also stated how pleased he would be " to prove the existence of Speculative Lodges , such as the lodge at Warrington in 16 4 6 , but at present all such evidence is wanting . " Of course it is well to remember that the question as to the existence of Speculate Lodges , A . D .

1646 , is quite _ distinct from the initiation of Speculative Freemasons in the same period . Of the latter there is no doubt whatever in England , and earlier in Scotland . It is quite probable that we shall yet find the lodge at Warrington to have been of a Speculative character . At all events we know that in 1670 the majority of the members of a lodge were of other trades and professions than that

of a Freemason , though enrolled as brethren of the Craft , and even held office then and before in the lodge . In the Freemdson of November igth I find it stated by the Editor ( who is one of the hardest working Masonic students I know of ) that he is "sure of the fact , as indeed is patent from the evidence itself , that the Freemasons ' lodges Ashmole knew of , and Randle Holmes alluded to ,

were entirely independent of the Masons' Company , and simply and truly mainly Speculative Lodges . " Evidently then the Editor has altered his views on the subject , for what he deemed mainly Operative he now says is mainly Speculative , and I am g lad he has such strong proof to warrant such an assertion . We shall all look out most anxiously for the advent of the December " Masonic Magazine . " W . J . HUGHAN .

GEOMETRIC . This is the name given "b y that worthy Mr . Euclid " to the " syence , " " and now it is called through all the land Masonrye . " For this reason I send the following from a book done " at the charges of Robert Peake , printed at London by Simon Stafford , 1611 . " It is an architectuial work , of which the fourth book is devoted to the " Rules for Masontry , or Building with Stone or Bricke , made after

the fine maners or orders ot Building , viz ., Thuscana , Dorica , lonica , Corinthia , and Composita , " & c . The full title is : " The First Booke of Architecture , made ry Sebastian Serby , entreating of Geometric . Translated out of Italian into butch , and out of Dutch into English . London : Printed for Robert Peake , and are to be sold at his shop , neere Holborne Conduit , next to the Gunne Tauerne . Anno Domini 1611 . "

THE FIRST CHAPTER . " How needfull and necessary the most secret Art of Geometric is for euery Artificer and Workeman , as those that for a long time have studied and wrought without the same can sufficiently witnesse , who since that time have attained vnto any knowledge of the said Arte , doe not onely laugh and smile at their owne former simplicities , but in tructh may

vcry well acknowledge that all whatsoeuer had bene formerly done by them was not worth the looking on . Seeing then the learning of Architecture comprehendeth in many notable Arts , it is necessary that the Architected or workeman should first , or at the least ( if he cannot attainc vnto any more ) know so much thereof , as that hee may vnderstand as principals of Geometric , that he may not be accompted

amongst the number of stonespoilers , who beare the name of workmen , and scarce know how to make an answerewhat a Point , Line , Plaine , or Body is , and much lesse can tell what harmonic or correspondencie meaneth , but following after their owne minde , or other blindeconductors that haue vsed to worke without rule or reason , they make bad worke , which is the cause of much vncut or vneuen workmanshi p which is found in many places .