Masonic Notes And Queries.

lodge at Charlotteriburg , in which he initiated several eminent persons . In regard to his supposed connection with the Scotch rite , all well-informed persons are aware that during the last fifteen years of his life Frederic , neither directly , nor indirectly , occupied himself with Masonry . It is far more likely that be always was a declared enemy of the high degrees , because he , like many other respectable brethren of Germany , had learnt to regard them as the root of all corruption in the Masonic

fraternity , and as the seed from which sprang the schisms between odges and systems , "Tbe genuineness of the constitutions of 17 S 6 was first attacked in a discourse delivered before the Sovereign Scotch Chapter Pere du Famille , at Angers , in February , 1 S 12 , and published in the Hermes vol . 1 p . 296- ' The author states that before the 1 st May , 17 S 6 , Frederick had had an attack of apoplectic asphyxia ; that his sickness lasted eleven months without

intermission or improvement , and he died in 17 S 6 . For this he refers to L'Histoire Secrete de la Cov . r de Berlin , 1789 , vol . 1 . p . 215 . ' " Chemin Dupontes , in his Memoire sur I'Ecossisme says , ' Frederic the Great protected Masonry , but neither he nor his Council amused themselves with making degrees , and if they had done so , we should recognize their work . Besides , Frederick died 17 th of August 1786 after a painfull ilness of eleven

, , months . He could not , therefore , on the 1 st of May , of the same year , have made or approved any Masonic regulations . ' " Clavel , in his Histoire pittoresque , says ' that from the year 1744 until his death , Frederic in no wise concerned himself about masonry , that on the 1 st of May , 1786 , he was dying , and absolutely incapable of attending to any business whatever , that he was the declared enemy of the high degrees which he considered an injury to masonry , and that there never was a

Council of the 33 rd degreem Prussia , where previous to 17 S 6 the rite of Perfection had been for the most part abandoned . ' " Scblosser , in his History of the Eighteenth Century , says , ' Frederic II ., himself , continued to belong to this Order till after the Silesian War . He ceased to be a member shortly before the commencement of the seven years' war at the very time when these orders began to be abused for every species of deception ; and he also commanded such of his Ministers of

State as belonged to the order to desist from visiting their lodges . ' " Mitchell , in his History of Masonry , p . 116 , gives a letter from the National Grand Lodge of the Three Globes , which says , " All that is rumoured among you about the prescriptions and ordinances of Frederick the Great and of a superior Senate stands on no ground whatever . " " Albert Pikein his address to the Grand Lodge of

Louisiana , in Feb ., 1858 , says , that "he does not believe Frederick the Great had anything to do with these degrees . " " From all which the critical mind is directed to the following irresistible deductions : " 1 st . That Frederick II . was not the founder , nor did the 33 d degree exist during his time . " 2 nd . That to the present generation should all credit ( if any ) attach { for the creation of this ( so-called ) highest grade of

Masonry . " 3 rd . That the highest (?) officer in this work is mistaken in his data , and hence as a corollary , erroneous in his conclusions . " We commend these suggestions to all the SS . GG . II . GG ., adding the simple remark of Confucius , that " it is in thy power to break the bands which join thee to thy offence , amd to subdue the obstacles which hinder thee from wallcing in the paths of virtue . "

Such is a very curious attack on the high-grades and it is still being carried on . Should this extract cause any brethren to wish for further examples I have more , among my notes , which are at your service . —Ex . Ex .

Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

NOTES ON LITERATURE , SCIENCE , AND ART .

The Literary Gazette suys—In the wilds of Canada a gentleman has just produced a little volume of considerable interest . It is no other than a collection of the poems published by Tennyson in 1830 and 1 S 32 , which have been suppressed by him in later editions . Only a limited number of copies have been

privately printed ; indeed , the volume could not very well have been published , owing to the provisional enactments of the present copyright law , and a few , we understand , are on their way to this country for distribution amongst " genuine admirers ( we quote our Canadian friend ' s precise words ) of the poet . " These extra poems have all been collated , and the different readings ' also of those merely altered are given , so that the

little book forms a supplement to the present edition . It has been stated that Tennyson is very much adverse to the republication of these earlier poems , although competent critics aver that he has no reason whatever to be ashamed of them .

We learn from the Athenaum , that the French Minister of Public Instruction , M . Rouland , having proclaimed , as a new discovery , that the renowned fortress , mentioned by Julius Ciesar as the last refuge of the Aduatici , was situated on the elevated plains of Falice , near Huy , on the Meuse , a Belgian officer , M . Bocquet , states that the same assertion was made with the greatest decision in 1858 , by an aide-de-camp of the

Grand Duke of Baden , M . de Goler , in a work on Julius Ctesar . M . Bocquet has surveyed the locality strictly according to the hints of Ciesar , and agrees most decidedly with the hints of M . de Goler . On the plain , which measures about 175 hectares , the whole nation of the Aduatici found plenty of room . Mr . J . Russell Smith is about to issue a reprint of the book

published in 1745 , containing the names of the Roman Catholics , Non-jurors , and others who refused to take the oaths to King George I ., together with their titles and places of abode , the parishes and townships where their lands lay , the names of the then tenants , and the annual value of them as returned by themselves ; collected by Mr . Cosin , the Secretary to the Commissioners of the Forfeited Estates .

Life and Adventures in the South Pacific , by a Roving Printer . Published by Harper , Brothers , New York , is founded on the adventures of the Author in the whale fisheries in the South Pacific . It is in common with most sea-novels , somewhat profuse in long yarns , but some scenes in the great waters are well depicted . The following scetch on board a whaler , on first sighting sperm whales , is one of the best : —

"The morning of the twenty-second commences with light breezes from the north-east ; pleasant weather . Suddenly , about 9 a . m ., the monotony is broken by the welcome cry from masthead . ' T-h-e-r-e she b-1-o-w-s ! T-h-e-r-e she b-1-o-w-s !' ' Where away ? ' ' Four points off the lee bow , sir . ' ' How far off ? ' 'About two miles , sir . ' 'What does it look like ?' ' Sperm whales , sir . ' ' Ay , Ay : sing out every time you holler . ' By this time the captain was aloftandon taking a view with

, , his spy-glass at the' spouts , ' sings out , ' Sperm whales ! Call all hands ; bear a hand there , and get your boats ready . ' ' Ay , ay , sir , ' is the reply . All hands are called , and the different creivs stand by their respective "boats , ' all eager for the fray , ' and expressing their determination to capture a whale before returning

to the ship , taking for their motto , ' A dead whale or a stove boat . ' ' Lower away the boats ! ' shouts the captain , as he descends to the deck . They are instantly lowered , followed by the crews , and now comes the tug of war . Each boat sets her sail , and the men pull iugood earnest . Whale they are skimming the waves the whale is still spouting , and all are anxious to reach him before his' spoutings are out . ' It frequently happens , when in pursuit , that , just at the moment the boat-steerer

' stands up'to strike the whale , he suddenly descends ; but experienced whalemen can generally tell the direction they take while down , by the position of the 'flukes' when going down . The boats are then pulled in the direction the whale is supposed to have taken . They also judge of the distance the whale will go under water by the velocity of the animal when last seen . After the boats have pulled what is judged to be the proper distance , they ' heave up ' or cease pulling . A large whale

when not' gallied , ' or frightened , generally spouts from sixty to seventy times before going down , and remains down from fifty to seventy minutes . The boats have now got close on . Those left on board the ship are watching with breathless anxiety