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THE GRANDS VINS AGENCY , 12 a , REGENT STREET , LONDON .

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CHAMPAGNE "MEDAILLE D'OR . " Thus named , being the only Wine in the District of Epernay ( centre of Champagne ) to which the GRANDE MEDAILLE D'OR was awarded at the Paris Exhibition in 1 S 7 S . We guarantee this Wine to be real , genuine Champagne Wine , of the finest quality , from one of the best Vineyards of the centre of Champagne . Medaille d'Or Carte Noir ( extra sec ) , 1874 , 1878 , 1880 Medaille d'Or Carte Blanche ( sec ) , 1874 , 1878 , 1880 Medaille d'Or Vin Tranquille ( non mousseux ) . Medaille d'Or Grand Cremant , 1878 , a delicious lighter Wine . Wc are happy to say that this Wine has again been awarded a Gold Medal at the London International Exhibition . COGNAC , FINE CHAMPAGNE . We have secured the finest and oldest FINES now in existence—Vintage iSdb , 1 S 20 , 1 S 36 , 1 S 4 S , and Vo . ( vieille fine ) . Two Gold Medalds have just been awarded us for these excellent Wines . LIQUEUR , SEVE DE FINE CHAMPAGNE The Queen of all Liqueurs . Sold in elegent Flagons of 1 Litre and i Litre , at 10 s . and 5 s . ( 3 d . per Flagon . Prunclle Bressaune , Create de Pekoe , and all other Liqueurs .

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VIN D'OR . Natural Wine from the Lebanon , recommended by the best Medical authorities in Paris as the best tonic , especially for Ladies . Suitable as a Dessert Wine , or at any other time of the day . BORDEAUX , BOURGOGNE , RHENISH , & ITALIAN WINES . Best Vintages , Best Quality , & Moderate Prices . All our Wines have been carefull y selected , and we give the strongest guarantee as to their Purity , their Name , and Vintage . All these Wines can be tasted at the HOTEL CONTINENTAL , 1 , Regent Street London , where they are generally preferred to any other Brands . Assorted Cases of our principal Specialities and Price Lists sent on application . TRADE SUPPLIED . THE GRANDS VINS AGENCY , 12 a , REGENT STREET , LONDON .

To Correspondents.

To Correspondents .

E . G . —Next week . BOOKS , & c ., RECEIVED . "Jewish Chronicle , " " Hull Packet , " " Broad Arrow , " "Freemasons' Chronicle , " " Annuairc Supreme Conscil , " "Royal Cornwall Gazette , " ¦ ' Citizen , " " Court Circular , " " Victorian Masonic

Journal , " " El Taller , " " The Freemason " ( Toronto ) , Le Monitcur , "" De la Chance Universclle , " "Allen ' s Indian Mail , " " La Abeja , " " Keystone , " " Birmingham Daily Post , " " The Tricycling K-ournal , " " Asamblea Legislation , " " Sunday Times . "

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reJTEapsgaipfrS ^ k A ^ y ^ S ^ iS ^^ . ^^ A ^/ P ^^ jj ^ UvAig g ^^^^^ g ^^ yy ^^ y # Jri ^ 'yy ^ y » ' ^^ MS- iL ^ SATURDAY , SEPTEMBER 27 , 1884 . «

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ Wedo not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of the opinions expressed by ourcorrespondents . but we wish in aspirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion , ] ——

' . GRAND LODGE OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , The very unfair tone you have chosen to take in reference to the establishment of the Grand Lodge of South Australia , as shown in your leaderettes of the 21 st and aSth of lune , can only be excused upon the plea of your

being unacquainted with the actual facts of the case ; but , however , as long before this reaches you you will be placed in possession of the fullest information with regard to what you term a " factitious movement " proceeding from a " small body of agitators , " doubtless you will make the " amende honorable . " Your statement , " on the very best authority" ( sic ) " that a number averaging about a dozen in each lodge

are faithful to the Grand Lodge of England , " is absolutely untrue—that is , if being faithful to the Grand Lodge of England means being opposed to the Grand Lodge of Australia . I'he statement also that a minority in each lodge had declined to join is untrue . Only 14 members altogether ¦ of the English Constitution declined to join , and these 14 are from nine lodges . Some of these have since repented , and are now working under the South Australian

Consti-The ' Grand Lodge has now been established four months , and all the lodges have met , at least , four times since , convened by summonses under the Grand Lodge of Aus-

Original Correspondence.

tralia , forwarded to every member , and yet no protest or complaint has been made by any member . An attempt was made by two ex-members of one of the city lodges to resuscitate it under the English Constitution ; but , although making most strenuous efforts , they failed to gain the assistance of even a third . One of these brothers has since become one of the founders of a new lodge under the

South Australian Constitution . If it is possible for any of the English lodges to find a sufficient number of members to continue to hold their meetings , and they are desirous of so doing , there will be no obstacle placed in their way ; in fact , a resolution was passed at the first meeting of Grand Lodge to the effect that should any lodges choose to continue to hold under their parent Constitutions , fraternal

recognition and acknowledgment should be accorded to them . Having acted throughout all these proceedings in a straightforward , honourable , and Masonic manner , we do feel somewhat aggrieved that you , in your zeal for the cause of English Masonry , should ( we trust unwittingly ) do the South Australian Masons so much injustice . To call ninety-nine hundrcths of a community a factitious and small body of agitators is scarcely

worthy of the honourable position you hold as one of the principal leaders of thought and action in the Masonic world ; if anything further were required to assure us of the wisdom of claiming for ourselves perfect autonomy it is

the persistent manner in which we are misunderstood and misrepresented in the old country . Trusting that you wil see your way to do us at least tardy justice—I am , dear sir and brother , fraternally yours , JAS . H . CUNNINGHAM , Grand Sec . Grand Lodge of South Australia . Adelaide , August 14 th .

HUGHAN'S ORIGIN OF THE ENGLISH RITE OF FREEMASONRY . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , At page 112 of this very able and interesting work the author states that the warrant of the Garden of Eden

Chapter—which he prints on page 11 i—is theoldestdocument of the kind he knows of . Permit me to inform him , as well as his readers , that there are two other warrants now in existence , dated the same day , i . e ., 12 th May , 1769 , viz ., the Cana Chapter , Colne , and Nativity Chapter , Burnley . These three Lancashire warrants were evidently issued simultaneously , as they all bear the same signatures . — Yours fraternally , J . H . SILL 1 TOE , P . G . J . East Lancashire .

THE SURVIVORS OF THE MIGNONETTE . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , A communication has reached me stating that two of the survivors of the yacht Mignonette are brethren . I have seen and tested one—Stephens—and I find that all are poor and penniless . Cannot we , as a body , succour our afflicted brothers in this time of dire distress ? I shall be

very pleased to become the medium of such a charity , and trust that through these columns a sufficient amount may be subscribed to once more place our distressed brethren in , at least , the same position as when they left England . —I remain , yours fraternally , G . T . OLVER , Sec . No . 75 . Falmouth , September iSth . [ Until the trial has taken place , is not this appeal a little premature ?—ED . F . M . )

WAS SHAKESPEARE A MASON ? To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Can you inform me if William Shakespeare was a Mason ? I have a very old iron seal with the bust of Shakespeare and Masonic emblems on the reverse . I have thought it might have originally been made for a

Shakespeare Lodge , but finding only one , 2 S 4 , founded in 1792 . It could not have belonged to that , as the seal must be more than 50 years older . I send you a rubbing and impression of the seal , and if you can form an idea what the seal was made for you will oblige , —yours fraternally , Worcester , LAMB SMITH , P . M . 2 S 0 , Sept . 20 th , 1 S 84 . P . P . G . D .

P . S . —This seal with others should have been in the exhibition , but at first it was my intention only to send 12 articles , until the exhibition began to grow beyond expectation . 1

PROPOSED "MASONIC ARCH / EOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION . " To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Will you kindly allow me to ventilate in your columns a matter which has for some time been in my thoughts ?

It has occurred to me that more co-operation in Masonic research would be deirable , in order to save young students like myself the useless labour of travelling over ground already explored by others , and in order to place on record in some convenient and easily accessible form the results already obtained in the various departments of Masonic inquiry .

_ Almost every other branch of knowledge has its " Association" or "Society , " specially intended to promote this object . Has not the time now come , when a keener interest is every day being manifested in Masonic antiquity , for us Masons to form some such body ? " I hope no one will for one moment imagine that I undervalue the precious work alread y done b y that band of devoted whose familiar

inquirers names are so to us all , or that I am proposing to interfere with them in the prosecution of their researches . But I do think that there are a number of minor points in the history of Freemasonry which might be elucidated by the combined efforts of a " Masonic Archaeological Association , " and that its formation would be a great help and encouragement to the younger generation of students .

What 1 would venture , therefore , to suggest , is that such an association should be formed , to hold meetings twice a year at different places , when papers might be read , discussed , and afterwards printed . By this means each member would be encouraged to undertake the investigation of some point , and by the publication of the proceedings each inquirer might easily ascertain what had been done before to elucidate the particular question which has aroused his interest . The working expenses of such an association need not be

Original Correspondence.

large ; but my object is now to invite expressions of opinion from you , Sir , and from others of similar experience in Masonic inquiry , as to the feasibility of my scheme , rather than to go into its details . —Yours fraternally , E . L . HAWKINS , P . M . 357 and 47 S , P . P . G . Warden Oxon , Prov . G . Sec . Oxon .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

404 ] BISHOP WARBURTON . Can no one give us the information , previously asked for , whether Bishop Warburton , and the Herald Warburton , and the Prov . G . M . of Cheshire , Hugh Warburton , were in any way connected by relationship ? DRYASDUST .

405 J THE CHEVALIER RAMSAY . In answer to an appeal made to me in the article of last week on Hughan's " English Rite of Freemasonry , " I forward the following extract from the " Catalogue of Oxford Graduates" : — " Ramsay ( Andrew Michael , Knight of the Order of St . Lazarus ) , cr . D . C . L . Apr . 10 , 17-10 . " A BROTHER AT OXFORD . 40 CJ

ALMANACH DES FRANCS MASSONS , 1775 . I find that I have among my foreign Masonic works a little Masonic almanack , printed in 1775 , at Amsterdam , by Jean Schreuder , and which is interesting as containing a cabinet order of Frederick the Great , dated July 17 , 1774 , countersigned by Von Frukenstan and Von Hertzbergs , acknowledging the Grand Lodge of Germany as recognised by the Grand Lodge of London . This little work also contains a list of 53 Dutch Lodges . A . F . A . W .

407 ] CURIOUS OLD ADVERTISEMENT . Perhaps some of our readers may be able to throw some light on the following advertisement , which we chanced upon in the columns of the Daily Advertiser for Saturday , nth January , 1777 :

" UNION GRAND LODGE . " The Brethren are requested to attend at Brother Nelson's , the White Hart Tavern , Bishopsgate - street , on Monday next , the ( 13 th ) inst ., for the Election of Grand and other Officers for the ensuing year . , "J . HILL , Secretary .

" Supper to be on table at Seven o'clock . " 40 SJ THE DEFENCE OF MASONRY . with due submission to our esteemed Bro . R . Gould , if the words by a "Worthy Brother , " interpolated in MS ., as he tells us , by an unknown writer in the Grand Lodge copy of the "Freemason ' s Pocket Companion , " 173 S , were written contemporaneously , it seems to me that the

circumstantial evidence in favour of Anderson being the author is materially strengthened . At the same time no one can deny but that the style of the " Defence " is very peculiar . I may add , as Bro . Gould knows , that in Smith's edition of 1736 , this "Defence" does not occur , and that the then number of lodges is only 126 . MASONIC STUDENT .

409 ] LE PETIT ALBERT . A good deal of controversy has been going on about this little Hermetic work , and some have denied its existence . It is now far some reason of other under the special malediction of the French Roman Catholic clergy , and charged against by bishops , Sic It is said to be full of Manichajan heresy , just as an ingenious French or Italian Abbe has found out that Freemasons are Gnostics . The book

exists , and has passed through many editions . Mine is 1729 , Lyons , and contains a large collection of silly charms and incantations , and certain matters which are out of date , taste , and propriety , as well as some curious illustrations of S . Veronica and the handkerchief , the " Hand of Glory , " ( which Dousterwivel talks of in the "Antiquary , " ) the Pentalpha , as a form of Hebrew Cabala . Talismans of various kinds , the Hermetic and

mystical system of magic teaching , and their cabalistic characters , which the old Hermetic writers gave to the planets , which Barrett reproduces as the magical alphabet , and which curiously enough are reproduced in Mason's marks . The real name of the book is " Secrets Merveilleux , " & c , though the book is generally called " Petit Albert . " BOOKWORM . 410 ] ANOTHER "ANCIENTS" ROYAL ARCH MINUTE

BOOK . In a footnote on page 12 S of his "English Masonic Rite , " our good friend Bro . VV . J . Hughan refers to No . 174 , now 130 , Southampton , as being , so far as he knew , the only chapter of the "Ancients" that kept separate minutes . The minute book thus referred to was at the recent Worcester Exhibition , and is said in the excellent

catalogue , No . 402 , to date from 17 S 3 . Bro . Hughan will be glad to learn that I have in my possession the separate minute book of another " Ancients " chapter . It is bound in rough calf and lettered on the side "H . R . A . Lodge of Antiquity , No . 19 G . " This lodge was an " Ancients " lodge , warranted 26 th June , 177 6 , and is now No . 146 , meeting in Bolton . The lirst meeting recorded in the Arch

minute book was held 22 nd November , 1801 , and is called "Holy Royal Arch Chapter of Emergency , " and the minutes of each meeting recorded are invariably headed "Holy Royal Arch Chapter , " or "H . R . A . Chapter . " The book also contains cash account and payments of subscriptions b y members . The chapter would appear to have worked without a charter until after the Union , when

a charter was granted under the name of the " Melchisedek " Chapter attached to the Lodge of Antiquity , now 146 . In the earlier days of the chapter , candidates were recommended by the Craft lodge . In my history of the lodge , Bolton , 1 SS 2 , I give a copy of the form of recommendation . The chapter has unfortunately been dormant for many years , though still retained on the Grand Chapter register . JAMES NEWTON .

411 ] THE OLD STANDARD BEARER . The following brief particulars connected with the Edinburgh Defensive Band Lodge , No . 151 on the roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , are from an old Masonic periodical . We fancy there are not many lodges