Spurious Masonry.

rity of the Grand Lodgo of Scotland , been engaged making "Freemasons" (?) for a few shillings—a mere tithe of the regular fees of the recognised lodges — and that a goodly number , especially of working men of this city , have been imposed upon in this way . The matter has but recently come to the knowledge of the Masonic lodges of Glasgow and Renfrewshire West , as well as the fact that several of the so-called Masons have been visiting these lodges under the belief that

they had been properly qualified . The Provincial Grand Lodges of the two districts named , as well as the lodges under their superintendence , have taken this spurious Masonry into their consideration , with the view to put a stop to it , and several of the Masters have had occasion to request their members to beware of these soi-disant brethren , and see that they do not find their way into any of the lodges . It may be

well , in order to put all intending Masons on their guard , to state that the lodges in the Glasgow province , holding of the Grand Lodge of Scotland are , P . G . Lodge , 213 , Buchananstreet ; 3 i , St . John , 213 , Buchanan-street ; 4 , Kilwinning , 170 , Buchanan-street ; 27 , St . Mungo , 213 , Buchanan-street ; 73 , Thistle and Rose , 170 , Buchanan-street ; 87 , Thistle , 19 , Croyplace ; 102 , St . Mark , 213 , Buchanan-street ; 103 , Union and

Crown , 19 , Croy-place ; 117 , St . Mary , M . H ., Partick ; 12 S , St . John , Kirkhonse , Shettlestone ; 17 S , Scotia , 170 , Buchananstreet ; 219 , Star , 19 , Croy-place ; 275 , Shamrock and Thistle , 15 , Main-street , Bridgeton ; 332 , Union , 170 , Buchanan-street ,-333 , St . George , 213 , Buchanan-street ; 354 , Caledonian Railway , 213 , Buchanan-street ; 300 , Commercial , 19 , Croy-place ; 362 , St . Clair , 19 , Crov-place ; 408 , Clyde , 170 , Buchanan-street ; "

413 , Athole , 213 , Buchanan-street ; 419 , Neptune , 46 , Clydeplace ; 437 , Govandale , 207 , Govan-road ; 440 , Robert Burns , Thorn's Inn , Baillieston ; 441 , Glasgow , 11 , Stockwell-street ; and 465 , St . Andrew , J . Rae's , Castle-street . These lodges only in this province are recognised by the Grand Lodges of England , Ireland , the Grand Orient de France , the lodges in Germanyand throughout the world . Several of them are

, centuries old ; and their funds are principally devoted to purposes of charity . It is , therefore , not only a serious matter , but one of the gravest offences against Masonry , for any individual , upon his own account , to set up and carry on lodges in the manner complained of by the brethren in Glasgow and the adjoining province of Renfrewshire West .

THE UxrvEESAL EXHIBITION " . —We have already alluded to the " Paris Guide" of the Librairie Internationale- This work is announced for the month of March , and whilst realising a grand conception it will meet a want which will inevitably be felt by all those who visit Paris this year . Paris described and illustrated—a gallery of sights , aud , at tho same time , a practical guide—every subject treated by a distinguished writer , savantor artist—all these characteristics combine to form a

, publication of unrivalled interest . Among tho 120 contributors to this Encyclopedia we notice the following well-known names : —VictGr Hugo , who writes the preface ; Pellitan , who traces the successive transformations of the city ; La Blanc , who describes Paris of old ; Kenan , who writes about the "Institut . " We have further M . Sainte Beuve , on the " Academic Franchise "; M . Littre , on the " Academic de Medecine " ; M . Michelet , on

the "College de France "; Theophile Gautier and Paul de Saint Victor lead us through the Lcu . reand the Luxembourg ; E . Quinet accompanies us through the Pantheon ; Viollet-L-educ shows us through the churches ; Alex . Dumas and Taino gives us a sketch of tho " Eoole des beaux arts" ; and E . Augier takes the " Theatre Franeais" as his theme . Under the head of the "Bar and the Courts" we find tho names of Berryer and Jules

Favre . Jules Simon initiates us into the mysteries of the prisons ; E ; de Girardiu and Laboulaye explain all concerning the press ; Jules Fanin tells us about tho collectors of valuable books ; Didot describes the printing trade ; George Sand dilates on the beauties of nature , as seen in tho parks and gardens of Paris : A . Karrwrites about the flower-market ; Nelaton takes for his theme the organisation of the hospitals ; financial matters

are treated of by Forcade and Adam , & c . For securing from each contributor an article or an illustration on the special subject with which each is most conversant , tho editor ' s aim at producing a work of high literary merit . We shall find in it a philosophical-and statistical treatment of the heights and the depths of the great city . SFDDE : S DEATH . —The following instance of the liberality

Spurious Masonry.

of Colonel Tynte , who was , until last year , R . W . Prov . G . 3 I . for the Eastern Division of South Wales , is worthy of being recorded , and we recommend all our M isonic brethren to go and do likewise . An old man of eighty years of age , a parishioner of St . Mellons , by name William Jones , died suddenly on Tuesday morning in this place . It appears that the deceased retired to rest in his usual health on the night previous , intending to rise earlin the morning for the purpose of sowing

y beans iu his garden , but death intervened , and frustrated his purpose , for he was found early in the morning stretched across his bed , tho vital spark having fled . An inquest was held on the body by W . Brewer , Esq ., of Newport , when the above facts were elieitod , and a verdict of "Died by the visitation of God " was returned . The deceased for sonic years was in the service of Colonel Tynte , of Cet ' n Mably , but his strength failing , the

Colonel generously allowed him ys . per week for the remainder of his days , and we are happy to say this is not a solitary instance of that gentleman ' s sympathy for infirmity and old age , for there are many recipients of his bounty in this and the adjoining parishes . THE GKEAT HEEEICAXE AT THEK ' ISLANDS , BAHAMAS . — Since the terrific hurricane which devastated Cockburn Town

, Turk's Islands , Bahamas , on the 30 th of September last , the extent of the calamity has become more fully known , and something like an estimate-has been formed of its ravages . In many instances the dwelling-houses and outhouses were totallydestroyed , many of the occupants being in humble circumstances and thus rendered entirely destitute . In about one hundred cases the value of the property destroyed ranges from £ 1 , 500 ,

£ 250 , £ 100 , and smaller amounts , and in the wreck that ensued many lives were unfortunately lost , whilst others who escaped were seriously injured . It is stated that an appeal will be made by the Turk ' s Islands , Turk Lodge , to the Grand Lodge of England for sympathy and assistance at its next meeting ; and it is to be hoped that it will be responded to with that liberality which the lamentable circumstances of the case require . NEWSPAPEE STATISTICS . — From the Neiospaper Press

Directory for 1867 we extract the following on the present position of the Newspaper Press : — "There are now published iu the United Kingdom 1 , 294 Newspapers , distributed as follows : —England—London , 2-11 ; Provincial , 724—965 ,- Wales , 49 ; Scotland , 138 ; Ireland , 128 ; British Isles , 14 . Of these there are—55 daily papers published in England ; 1 in Wales ; 14 in Scotland ; 13 in Ireland ; 1 in British Isles . On reference

to the edition of this useful Directory for 1 S 57 we find the following interesting facts—viz ., that in that year there were published in the United Kingdom 819 journals ; of these 37 papers were issued daily—viz ., 26 in England , 6 in Scotland , and 5 iu Ireland ; but in 1867 there arc now established and circulated 1 , 294 papers , of which no less than S 4 are issued dailyshowing that the press of the country has very greatly

, extended during tho last 10 years , and more especially so in daily papers ; ths daily issues standing 8-1 against 37 in 1857 . The magazines now in course of publication , including the quarterly reviews , number 5 S 8 , of which 198 are of a decidely religious character , representing the Church of England , Wesleyans , Methodists , Baptists , Independents , and other Christian Communities . "

Notes On Literature , Science, Music, Drama , And The Fine Arts.

NOTES ON LITERATURE , SCIENCE , MUSIC , DRAMA , AND THE FINE ARTS .

Mr . Dion JJortcicault is at present in Paris , making arrangements for the production of two new play ;; , which lie lias been commissioned to write by French managers . iler Alajesty has sio-nifiod her intention to conrer the honour of knighthood on Mr . George

Harvey ' , President of the Eoyal Scottish Academy , and on Mr . J . Noel Paton , E-S . A . Tho Meteorological Office has now been placed under the direction , of a committee of the lloyal Society . The new director is Mr . Eobert IP . Scott , for several years lion , secretary of the Koyal Geological Society of Ireland .