Terra-Cotta And Luca Della Robbia Ware, Considered On The Principles Of Decorative Art.

literature ) , " and have set themselves , with their white and delicate hands , to mechanical , or , speaking more exactly , to manual labours ; forcing from the rigidity of marble , and from the sharp asperity of iron , that fame Avhich was the desire of their hearts , and succeeding in the

attainment of its highest eminence , as did our Properzia de Rossi of Bologna , a maiden of rich gifts , AA ho Avas equally excellent with others in the disposition of all household matters , while she gained a point of distinction in many sciences well calculated to awaken the envy , not of Avomen only , but of men also ( Lives , ii ., 238 ) . Within

our own remembrance , there have been many distinguished lady artists . Princess Mary of Orleans gave to the world that beautiful statue of the famous but unfortunate maiden warrior , Joan of Arc , which she not only modelled , but chiselled , too , with her own hands in marble . Miss Hosmer ,

the pupil of our Gibson , lately charmed us all with the exhibition of her fine statue of Zenobia . Among our aristocracy there are high-born dames who , I know , can model exquisitely . Lady artists , you belong to an ancient , an illustrious , a noble sisterhood ; for you it is , in these our days , to

lengthen this brilliant succession , and add , by your artistic talents , new glory and fresh honours to your honourably ancl highly honoured pedigree ; and , ladies and gentlemen , as I say farewell , let me bid God speed to the great , the glorious , the national work before you .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

DOCTRINES OE THE ASCIENT MTSTEBIES . Philo Judasus , Avho was an initiate into tlie ancient mysteries , aud well versed iu the speculative system which those mysteries taught , thus speaks of the doctrines they inculcated , ancl of the tolerance of their opinions : —

" The contemplative soul , unequally guided , sometimes towards abundance and sometimes toward barrenness , though ever advancing , is illuminated by the primitive ideas—the rays that emanate from the Divine Intelligence , whenever it ascends towards the Sublime Treasures . When , on the contrary , it

descends , and is barren , it falls Avithin the domain of those Intelligences that are termed Angels . . . . For , when the 'soul is deprived of the light of God , Avhich leads it to the knowledge of things , it no longer enjoys more than a feeble and secondary light , Avhich gives it , not the understanding of things , but that of

words only , as in this baser world . . . . " ... Let the narrow-souled withdraw , having their ears sealed up ! We communicate the divine mysteries to those only who have received the sacred initiation , to those who practice true piety , and are not enslaved by the empt of wordsor the

y pomp , doctrines of the pagans . . . . " . . . 0 , ye initiates , ye whose ears are purified , receive this in your souls , as a mystery never to he lost ! Reveal it to no profane ! Keep and contain it within yourselves , as an incorruptible treasure , not

like gold or silver , but more precious than everything beside ; for it is the knowledge of the Great Cause , of Nature , and of that which is born of both . And if you meet an initiate , besiege him with your prayers ,, that he conceal from you no new mysteries that he may know , and rest not until you have obtained them !

For me , although I was initiated in the Great Mysteries by Moses , the Friend of God , yet , having seen Jeremiah , I recognised him not only as an iuitiate , but as a Hierophant ; aud I followed his school . " And a distinguished brother , commenting on thispassagethus shows us how Masonry is equally wise

, and equally tolerant in their teachings : — " We , like Philo , recognise all initiates as our brothers . We belong to no one creed or school . In all religions there is a basis of truth ; in all there is pure morality . All that teach the cardinal tenets of Masonry we respect ; all teachers , and reformers of

mankind we admire and revere . " Masonry has , too , her mission to perform . With her traditions reaching to the earliest times , and her symbols dating further back than even the monumental history of Egypt extends , she invites all men of all religions to enlist under her banners , and towar against evil , ignorance , and Avrong . "—LL . D .

STIIil MOEE ABOUT MOEGAIT . " Morgan , William , captain , a victim of Freemasonry , died September 19 , 1826 . He was born in Culpepper county , Va ., about 1775 . He fought in the battle of New Orleans , January 8 , 1815 . In October , 1819 , he married Lucinda Pendleton , of RichmondVa . In 1821 he removed to YorkUpper

, , Canada , where he commenced the business of a brewer ; but his buildings being destroyed by fire , he removed to Rochester , aud then to Batavia , in the in the State of New York . His trade was that of a mason . Having resolved to publish a book , disclosing the ridiculous secrets of Freemasonry and his

intentions being known , the Ereemasons resolved to suppress his book , and to jranish him for his anti-Masonic conduct . He was first thrown into prison at Canandaigna , for an alleged debt ; a Freemason paid the debt , and taking him out of prison , placed him in a carriage at the door , September 11 , 1826 ; and thus attended and guarded by a sufficient number of Ereemasons , he was conveyed eighty or ninety miles to

Fort Niagara , commanded by Col . Kmg , a Freemason .. After being confined a few clays , he was removed from from the fort , and has never been seen since that time . The evidence elicited has put it beyond a doubt that he was murdered by Freemasons in the night ,, and his body was probably sunk in the Niagara river . This murder was the consequence of the Masonic

oaths , and the result ofthe principles of Freemasonry ; . and many Masons iu various places have justified the deed In the execution of these ( Masonic ) penalties , Morgan Avas , doubtless , murdered by Freemasons . " To show up the errors and mis-statements here ,

would be tedious , and to every reading Mason superfluous . We Avould say , however : — " 1 . There is not a particle of evidence of Morgan ' s haA'ing been with the army at New Orleans , or even a soldier at any time . " 2 . The secrets of Masonry are not ridiculous . William L . Marcy , who was not a Mason , declared even of the garbled expositions of Masonry published