The True History Of Freemasonry In England.

documents he alludes to Avith scrupulous fideEty , and always to have had evidence of some kind for the statements he makes . But Mr . Hallam has said that the History of Freemasonry has been Avritten hitherto either by panegyrists or calumniators , each equally mendacious . Whether that is just or no of others I AVEI not stop now to inquire , but I venture to hope that my Brethren present will acquit me of such a charge in either sense , and will accept in good faith and fraternal sympathy this humble effort of

a Masonic student to illustrate the annals and to uphold the true claims to antiquity on historical evidence of our useful and beneficent' Craft . And if in this most imperfect sketch I shall have excited the interest of Masonic students in the subject to which my Lecture has related , or helped them to an appreciation of the deep reality of our Masonic History , Avhich I trust I shall have convinced them is most important in itselfI feel that these few stray thoughts and humble researches will not have been

sub-, mitted to your fraternal consideration altogether uselessly or in vain , while I shall be more than repaid , for any time or labour I may have spent in the collection of evidence and in the preparation of the Lecture I have had the honour and privilege to deliver to you to-night .

Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

NOTES ON LITERATURE , SCIENCE , AND ART .

BY BEO . GEORGE MARKHAM TWEDDELL . Autfwr of " Shakspere , his Times and Contemporaries , " " The Bards and Authors of Cleveland and South Durham , " " The People ' s History of Cleveland and its Vicinage , " " The Visitor ' s Handbook to Redcar , Coatham , and Saltbum by the Sea , " " Tlie History of the Stockton and Darlington Railway , " cfc , 6 ,-c . an Elustration of the progress of textEe manufacturesMr . BrasseyM . P . recentl

AS , , , y stated , that in 1874 there were 39 , 000 , 000 spindles in . England , 5 , 000 , 000 in France , the same number in Germany , 2 , 900 , 800 in SAvitzeriand , and 1 , 500 , 000 in Austria . There are a class of " / eeZosophers , " as Cobbett would have called them , who have pictured savage life as the golden age of happiness from which mankind have fallen . Mr . Anthony Trollope , who has been contributing to the Northern Echo ' s , series of

interesting letters on South Africa , says of the Kaffirs : — "An ordinary man of the tribe , Avhen dying , is taken away to die alone in a ditch ; and , when dead , is put away under the ground Avithout a Avord . But the funeral of a Chief is attended with many ceremonies . His arms and ornaments are buried Avith him , and friends are appointed to Avatch his grave , for a longer or shorter period , according to his rank . If he have been a very great Chief , the period is sometimes a year , during Avhich the Avatchers may do

nothing but Avatch . The grave of the Chiefbecom . es a sanctuary , at which aE offenders may take refuge . The neighbouring CMefs , Avhen told of the death , are compelled to shave their heads . " The authoress of Scenes in our Parish asks , " What matter if the traveEer ' s scrip be empty , Avhen the sunset shines on him , as he ends his toilsome journey , and enter ' s his OAvn Father ' s house ? " Ancl although Ave may be able honestl y to exclaim with Thomas Hood , —

" Would I were laid Under the shade Of the cold tomb and the long grass for ever !" Yet who would not prefer dying at home , on his own couch , surrounded by ministering friends , to the " primitive simplicity " of savage neglect . I may be too effeminate , but , for my own part , give me a good feather bed to a ditch ! Like Falstaff , " I would fain die a dry death . " My literary and antiquarian friend , Mr . J . Tom Burgess , F . S . A ., in his genial book on Historic Warwickshire , remarks : — " The course of the Avon marks the great natural division of the county . The southern open country is termed the Feldon or champagne