Notes On Art, &C.

NOTES ON ART , & c .

T IIE NILE . —The height of the Nile was , 1 oraphed em Monday last 16 cubits 4 kerats . 'Thus the ° -tr-it of the flood corrtinues , while the average date of Me highest point is close at hand . The official statement f the annual height of the river since 1 S 25 is before us , , i iq cubits 4 kerats is the lowest measure recorded .

The "ist <> f August is the earliest date given for the end I thJ rise , and the 27 th of October is the latest on rerd But it has generally occurred between trie 20 th of September and the 1 oth of October . The steady progress of works of charity in London may be traced as strongly as ever in the two excellent little volumes , " Low ' s I land-book to the Charities

0 f London , " ( S . Low and Co . ) , edited and revised to August , 1877 , by C . Mackeson , F . S . S . ; and " The Royal Guide to the London Charities for 18 77-78 , " by Herbert Fry ( Hardwicke and Bogue ) . —Even while " War in the East Relief Fund , " " Indian Famine Relief Funds , " and so forth , are claiming all our superfluous cash , we find from such addenda as an " Invalid's Home Association , "

or a " Kyrle Society , " to supply a collection of sea-weed , shells and artistic objects for poor homes and sick rooms , lhat domestic benevolence still strikes out new channt Is for its tranquil flow . We are glad to note in the preface to either hand-book au absence of the antagonism observable last year between the older and smaller charities and certain new and slightly agressive " organisations . "

There is clearly room for all to work without doing dancrtr to one another . Cleopatra ' s Needle was to start for England either on 'Thursday or yesterday ( Friday ) , weather permitting , the vessel being christened on Wednesday . The rudder , mast , deck-bouse , anel " bilge pieces , " to procure stability , have been fined to the ship , which is to be

lowed by the steamer " Olga . The Castellani Collection of gems , bronzes , marbles tec , which have been exhibited in New York for sonic time past , and was lo nave been bought by the Americans , may , after all , conic back to the- Old World , as only a very small portion of the purchase-money — l' ( io , ooo—has beeu obtained . Ouv British Museum may

yet have a chance of securing these treasures . The Conference of Librarians opens at the London Institution 011 the 2 nd prox ., when an exhibition of every kind of literary appliances will be held . Over eighty libraries have joined ihe movement , and the confer errce suggest the formation of a " Library Association of tbe United Kingdom . " THK NEW NATIONAL OPERA HOUSE . —AVe

believe that many ol the promoters rro longer expect that the partially erected structure on the Th . iiues Kmbarrknicnt will ever be corn pitted as a National'Opera-house , aud there is some probability that it will eventually fall into the hands ot others , am ! be converted into a grand hotel , for which the site is considere . l to be exceptionally well adapted . Whatever its ultimate fate may be , it is

ireitain lhat within the last week or two the unfinished building has been closely examined by surveyors and other experts on behalf of a body of capi'alists whose object is te complete it as an hotel . We understand tbat their opinion is that without disturbing either the external walls of the building or several of those inside , the shell of the building could be adapted to hotel purposes without

difficulty , while among other features of the original design thu grand and other staircases could be retained . In consequence of this the promoters ot the new project are prepared to make an offer to the Opera-house representatives lu take over the building in its present rendition at a valuation , and then to complete it without fuither delay as an lintel . —Architect .

ROYAL ACADEMY OI-MUSIC . —The competition for the residue of the Sterndale Bennett Scholarship ( two terms ) was held recently , the examiners being Mr . K . 11 . Cox , Mr . I I . C . Lund , Mr . Walter Macfarren , and the Principal ( Professor Macfarren ) . The Scholarship was awarded to Henry J . Cockram , Edwin M . Flavell being commended .

THE BATON IN THE KNAPSACK . —On Sunday week the Due il'Aumale , in presence of the garrison oi Chauniuit , handed tbe order of Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour to General Jeanningros , saying— " Soldiers , — Forty-two years ago Corporal Jeanningros , who , like you , carried his knapsack and musket , received his first wound .

I flirty-four years ago 1 handed to Lieutenant Jeanningros , who was called thc Bayard of the Zouaves , the Cross as Kni ght of the Legion of Honour . To-day I hand to tjeireral Jeanningros , six times wounded on the field of battle , the Star of Grand Officer . 'This order has never decorated a more valiant heait . "—P , ilt Mall Gaxetlc .

While waiting still for that revised version which some fancy will supersede our present almost incomparable Biulc , we may welcome at Mice as a substitute and a preparative the "Revised j ' -tiglish Bible " ( Eyre and Spottiswoode ) , presented to us "y J . G . in the name of four well-known scholars . 'Though bardl y so bold in all its changes as will be the offspring "f the Revising Committee , it does ample justice on the mistranslations ( often purel unintelliible ) of the poetic

y g books of the Old Testament in the Bible of King James , no less than to the textual changes which modern criticism "as rendered necessary in the New . Hardly , indeed , is it too much to say that to ordinary readers the force and il / ift of chapter upon chapter of ancient prophecy will "awn for the first time after perusal of its renderings . An occasional phrase of modern form where modernising was not necessary to the sense is the one defect—not , howcv < rr , a slight one—we have noticed .

Masonic And General Tidings.

Masonic and General Tidings .

THE " FREEMASON INDIAN FAMINE FUND . —Intending subscribers to this fund are earnestly requested to send in their subscriptions , large or small , at as early a date as convenient . Upwards of . fcioo has already been received , a list of which will appear in the Freemason of October 6 th , together with any sums that may reach the

office ( 198 , Fleet-street ) up to 6 o ' clock p . m . on Thursday . Bro . His Royal Highness Prince Leopold , R . W . P . G . M . Oxon , who for the last few days has been the guest of Sir Coutts Lindsey , at Balcarres , arrived on Tuesday night at Mount Melville , the residence of Bro . J . Whyte Melville , the convener of Fifeshire .

The Marquis of Hartington will , on tho 17 th of next month pay a visit ti Chesterfield , lo lay the foundation-stone of a hall which is to be erected in that town to the memory of George Stephenson . The hall will cost about £ 12 , 000 . It will be used for science and art teaching and other educational work . Madame Worrell-Duval announces a Grand

Evening Concert to take place at the Horns Assembly Rooms , Kennington , on Thursday , Oct . the 18 th , when several well-known artistes will appear . The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cumberland and Westmoreland was held yesterday ( Friday ) , at Cockermouth , under ihe banner of the Skiiidaw Lodge , No . 1002 . A full report of the proceedings Ttill appear in our next .

The first picture provided for the new Town Hall at Manchester , just opened , is one which represents the introduction by Bro . f-lvde Clarke of tho Corporation erf Manchester to the late Sultan of Turkey at Buckingham Palace .. —City Press . The Masonic Hall at North Attleboro , Mass ., worth 20 , 000 dollars , was destroyed hy fire , February , the 28 th 1877 . Many of the records were destroyed . Insurance 14 . 000 dollars .

Another * ' oldest Mason " has been discovered in Castleton , Richmond County , New York , in-the person of Bro . Elijah Pratt , aged 91 years . He has been a Mason 6 5 years . The corner stone of Solomon ' s Temple , which has been discovered , lies ninety feet below the present

suiface of the ground . In a niche a Phoenician , jar was found . TURKEY . —There is a Royal Arch Chapter at Constantinople , working under the Irish Constitution , which has been in existence for nine years ; and is said to be in a very flourishing condition . T HE H OSPITAL SATURDAY F UND . — The

amount collected in the boxes in ihe streets and large establishments of London on Hospital Saturday was £ 835 , being a slight i < crease on the sum realised in the same way last year . Of this amount £ 68 3 12 s . 51 I . was contained in the boxes lodged at Messrs . Home ' s Bank up to 11 . 30 p . m ., and was made up as follows : —Gold , £ 60 ; Silver , £ 45 1 18 s . fid . ; Copper , £ 163 14 s . 'The boxes

placet ! in the steamboats brought 111 JL 31 Mrs . those kindly put up by Messrs . Spiers anrl Ponu on the counters of their various establishments realised , £ 27 13 s . ( id ., and those put up by Messrs . Faulkner £ 1 12 s . nil . Tl , e remainder was made up of money deposited in boxes at Covent Garden 'Theatre , Holborn Restaurant , sundry hospitals , e \ : c .

M ANCHESTER . —For the information of ihe

fraternity iu Manchester , the publisher bugs to stnte that the Freemason may now be ohtiiucd at Overall ' s , 47 , Bridge-street , Manchester , on Saturday morning at 8 o ' clock . LIVERPOOL AS A MILITARY CENTRE . —The Government , it is stated , have resolved to form Liverpool into a military centre in place of Warrington , which is

found to be inconvenient and disadvantageous . 'Tlie barracks at Rupert-lane are to be exterrded ami improved , and additional barracks arc to he erected on an aojicent site for the artillery and militia . There was considerable opposition tothe proposal for making Liverpool a military centre when it was under consideration some years ago . In answer to the numerous letters that the

publisher has received from brethren m Liverpool , we beg lo state that the Frrenianni is to be obtained irr Liverpool on Friday afternoon at 3 o ' clock , at the Office , 2 , Monument place ; at thc Masonic Hall , Hope-street ; and at the Landing Stage .

Lord Hartington has accepted the invitation of the Liberal Association for the West of Scotland to take part iu a gathering in Glasgow in November . His lordship has also accepted similar invitations from Liberal associations in the Fast and North of Scotland .

Madame Christine Nilsson will , early next month , sing at concerts at Manchester , Liverpool , Birmingham , and Brighton , prior to her departure to fulfil her engagement in Russia . FENGE MURDER . — On Wednesday Mr . Justice Hawkins continued ably to sum up the evidence . In the course of his remarks having alluded to the

momentous issues to be decided , his lordship expressed his belief that the jury would give their verdict without sympathy or prejudice , and regardless of the consequences which might ensue . Altera passing tribute of praise to the counsel engaged in the case , the learned Judge elaborately reviewed the testimony ader ' ueed , his address lasting

ten hours and a half . 'The jury retired at twenty minutes to ten o ' clock , and returned at five minutes past eleven , giving a verdict of " wilful murder" against all the prisoners , but recommending the two women to mercy , especially Alice Rhodes . Sentence of death was then passed amid almost unprecedented excitement .

Masonic And General Tidings.

The consecration' of the New Finsbury Park Lodge , No . 16 95 , took place on Thursday last . A report will appear in our next . The Pythagorean Lodge of Instruction , and the Pythagorean Chapter of Instruction , No . 79 , are about to remove from the Prince of Orange Tavern , Greenwich-road , to the Portland Hotel ,

Londonstreet , Greenwich . The ceremonies of consecration and installation ( Craft ) will be there rehearsed on the ioth o ' October , at 8 o'clock in the evening , by Bro . James Terry Prov . G . D . C . Herts . The Lodge of Instruction meet , every Wednesday evening , at 8 o ' clock , and theChapte *

of Instruction every Friday evening at the same hour Bro . James Shaw . I . P . M . 79 , and Bro . H . Roberts , P . M 79 , are the Preceptor and Hon . Secretary respectively o the lodge ; and Comp . George K . Lemann , and Comp . James Griffin , Preceptor and S . E . respectively of the chapter .

Bro . A . W . Hume , M . A .., of Allison Tower , Dulwich Common , S . E ., late Second Senior Assistant Master and School Secretary of Dulwich College , now receives pupils , whom he instructs , with the aid of a competent staff , in all the branches of a liberal education .

The Lord Mayor acknowledges the receipt of . £ 100 from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cheshire , for the Indian Famine Relief Fund . The natives of Bombay have made all preparations for the reception of the statue of the Prince of

Wales , in commemoration of the visit of H . R . H . Herr Boehm , who is the artist , represents the Prince as a fieldmarshal , on his Arab , " Aleph , " raising his right hand , and holding the bridle with his left . The figure was designed from life , and has secured her Majesty ' s approval . It is being cast at Pimlico .

T he ceremony of installation will be worked on Tuesday evening , the 2 nd October next , in the Prosperity Lodged Instruction , No . 6 5 , at 119 , Leadenhallstreet , K . C . Bro . L . A . Leins , P . M . 6 5 and 1471 , will be the Installing Master . Lodge will open at 7 o'clock precisely , when it is to be hoped there will be a good muster of the brethren there .

The half-yearly meeting of the shareholders of the Crystal Palace District Gas Company was held at the Albion'Tavern , Aldersgate-street , on Thursday week , the chair being taken by Bro . Erasmus Wilson , supported by Dr . Hetley , Messrs . H . P . Stephenson , F . L . Linging , G . Livcsey , C . L . Wilson , and Bros . J . Glaisher , M . Ohren ( sec ) , Sec . The report for the half-year ending the 30 th June showed that the general working of the company bad been satisfactory .

The list of brethren present at the Consecration of the All Saints Lodge , No . 1716 , had not reached the Office at the time of going to press , Thursday , 10 p . m . READING . —Kane Lodge , New York City , now possesses a Masonic library of over eight hundred bound volumes , procured at a cost of thirty-five hundred

dollars . They are adding to it , and increasing their literary wealth every day . A noble example to the fraternity ; " for . " says Lord Bacon , " reading makes the full man . " A man must always be a dvvatf who is not a reading man . When the impervious qualities of vulcanised india-rubber were first utilised as a protection against rain ,

ail whe > bad business or occupation of any kind in the open air , eagerly availed themselves of the discovery , in the hope that at last it would be possible to laugh to scorn the caprices of our uncertain climate . Soon , however , the wearers of the new material were sharply reminded by Dame Nature that her laws were not to be rashl y interfere !! with . India . iubber , it is true , kept rain out , but

it also prevented the evaporation of perspiration , and thus caused cobls , coughs , inflammation of the lungs , and diseases innumerable of a worse character than those they guarded against . Conseqjeiitly , the ingenuity of manufacturers and designers was devoted to the discovery of some methods of ventilation which should obviate the evil . Many plans were tried , but with all there was some drawback . while

the garments produced had , without excepiion , the one grand characteristic of ugliness , until in 186 9 , Messrs , Cooper , Box , and Co ., now of Queen Victoria-street , patented their design of the "Talethes , " the only waterproof coat which combines perfect ventilation in all its parts with the appearance of an ordinary frock or great coat , which might be turned out by a first-rate West

Und tailor . 'The " 'Talethes" coat at once became popular , and has remained so . H . R . H . thc Prince of Wales was one of its earliest patrons , and for the last seven or eight years has rarely been seen on a race-course , at the meet , at a shooting party , or any similar out-door gathering in cloubiful weather , without the protection of a "Talethes . " At the present time this coat is more extensively

made than ever bclore , and as the price is very moderate , it will probably continue to be even more generally worn especially as , owing 10 the rubber being concealed between the outer cloth and inner lining , it presents more the appearance of an ordinary waterproof coat , while , as already said , the ventilation is simply perfect , much better in fact than that of a garment of plain cloth .

An Indian chief lately died in Greenville , Maine ; he was known as a faithful Mason . The Masons have erected a memorial tablet over his grave . Mr . Holman Hunt ' s well-known picture , "The Light of the World , " is to be placed in thc library of Keble College , Oxford .

The Excavations at Nineveh have at length been authorised by the Sultan , who has given the necessary firman to Mr . Layard .