Correspondence.

whom individually I have the highest respect ) or annoying them any manner ; neither do I make these remarks in a party spirit , because I neither belong to an } ' part }' , nor intend to do so , as I much prefer being an independent Mason , and unshackled by any party fetters , if I may use such an expression . I will take the brethren in the order adopted by yourself in your last number , and commence

with—Bro . Lord de Table }' , S . G-. W . Now wdiat possible "Masonic services " can this brother have rendered—or what " claim " can he hare to entitle him to almost the highest office the M . W . Grand Master has it in his power to bestow ? This brother was initiated in the Apollo Lodge , No . 4 G 0 , Oxford , on the 27 th October , 1830—no record is extant of his having taken office in it ; he then virtually retires from Masonry until a very recent period , when he joins the Lodge No . 403 , at Crewe , where he is about to take the J . W . ' s

chair , so that , in point of fact , he jumps at one bound from the position of a MM . to the chair of the S . G . W ., without even filling any subordinate office in a private Lodge , or being tit all known to the Craft , over which he is placed as one of its rulers ! How absurd this is in the eyes of all independent members of the Craft ; and what a farce it is in the i ' ace of the Book of Constitutions , which tells us that " all preferment is to be according to meritand not on account of rank or position . " Whsireven in the

pro-, y , , vinces no brother can he appointed to either of the Wardens' chairs in Pro- ' vincial Grand Lodge , without having first filled the Master ' s chair in a private Lodge ; then how much more essential is this qualification in the Grand Lodge of England ? Depend upon it , these appointments g ive more justification to the reports which have been circulated , that the M . W . Grand Master , or his advisers , arc not actuated by those purely Masonic motives in the appointments to office in Grand Lodge which ought to

characterize him as Grand Master of the Craft , and do more injury to the Craft in general than cither he or his advisers can imagine . Sir Thomas George llcsketh , Bart ., J . G . W . The appointment of this brother has certainly something more to recommend it , because he has already filled the office of D . Prov . Graud Master , but surely there are very many brethren much more entitled to so hi gh an office than our Bro . Sir Thomas Hesketh , who is so little known to the Craft out of his own

province . The Rev . W . H . W . Atkyns Bowycr , M . A ., Grand Chaplain . This appointment I think does the Grand Master credit , and is bestowed upon a brother who appears well qualified to perforin his duties . Bro . John Savage , S . G . l ) . This appointment is almost the only purely "Masonic" one in the list , and is bestowed upon a very worthy brother , who really has "Masonic services" and "claims" to recommend him .

( hit even iu this case the appointment comes ungraciously—because it ought to have been bestowed long since . However , the old proverb says , " Better lute than never ; " so I suppose we must hold our tongues and be wise in this instance . But I should very much like to know , why all reall y distinguished Masons , such us Bros . J . Hervey , J . Savage , Havers , S . . 15 . Wilson , & c , & c , should never get any higher appointments than Grand Deacons , when brethren who have never been heard of before , get into

the highest offices in Grand Lodge without trouble ? Perhaps some brother will explain this mystery . Bro . Frederick Slight , J . G . D . The appointment of Bro . Slight to Grand office is not quite unobjectionable , as he seems well up to his work ; but still how very many Masons , much better qualified than he can be , have been passed over by this appointment ! I strongly suspect , that unless Bro . Slight had possessed very good influence with the riding powers , he