Masonic Notes And Queries.

a fabulous antiquity rather than sacrifice common sense . Let us trace or . u * principles to Adam , or , with reverence be it spoken , even to God Himself ; but let us not excite the pity of the wise by calling Adam a Freemason . This will not lessen the dignity or importance of the institution , but rather add to its celebrity by giving it a reasonable origin .

Mr . Clinch supposes Freemasonry was introduced into Europe hy means of the gipsies . Although this is a A'ery ridiculous supposition , ifc is highly probable that the leaders of the first emigrants of this tribe from Egypt had been iniatiated into the lesser mysteries ; and , perhapscopied in part from them the

, form of the oath which they administer to their initiates . " Every person who was not guilty of some public crime could obtain admission to the lesser mysteries . Those vagabonds called Egyptian priests , in Greece and Italy , required considerable sums for initiations , and the gipsies practice similar

mummeries to obtain money . "—( De Puaw ' s Egypt , ii . 42 ) . The customs of the gipsies , and the oath which they impose on each other have been preserved by Bailey , who says : — " The gipsies derive their origin and name from the Egyptians , a people heretofore very famous for astronomy , natural magic , the arfc of

divination , & c , and , therefore , are great pretenders to fortune-telling . It is the custom of these vagrants to swear all that are admitted into their fraternity by a form , and articles annexed to it , administered hy the principle Maunder , or roguish stroller , and which they generally observe inviolably . The manner of admitting a new member , together with the said oath , and articles , is as follows : —Tlie name of the person

is first demanded , and a nick-name is then given him , in its stead , by which he is ever after called , and , in time , his own name is quite forgotten . Then standing up in the middle of the fraternity , and directing his face to the Dimber-Damber , or prince of the gang , he swears in this manner , dictated to him by one of the most experienced : —

" ' I , Crank-Cuffin , do swear to be a true brother , and will , in all things , obey the commands of the great Tawney Prince , and keep his council and nofc divulge the secrets of my brethren . '" I will never leave nor forsake this company , but observe and keep all the times of appointments

, either by day or by night , in any place whatsoever . "' I will not teach any one to cant , nor will I disclose ought of our mysteries to them , although they flog me to death . '" I will take my Prince ' s , part against all that shall oppose himor any of usaccording to the

ut-, , most of my ability ; nor will I suffer him , or any belonging to tis , to be abused by any strange Abrams , Burners , Hookers , & c , but will defend him , or them , as much as I can against all other outlyers whatever . "' I Avill not conceal aught I win out of Libkins , or from Ituffinans ; but will presei * A e it for the use

of the company . ' " The canters have , ifc seems , a tradition that from the first three articles of this oath , the first founders of a certain boastful , worshipful fraternity , Avho pretend to derive their origin from tlie earliest times borrowed of them , both the hint and form of their establishment , and that their pretended derivation from the first Adam is a forgery , it being only from the first Adam-Tiler .

" The same author has given the meaning of the cant terms before used , as , Abrams—shabby beggars ; Rufflers—notorious rogues ; Hookers—petty thieves ; Libkin—a house to lie in ; Euffmans—the wood , or hushes ; Adam-Tiler—the comrade of a pick-pocket who receives the stolen goods and scours off with them . "

After reading the above I drew breath , and mentally said , " Well , what next , I wonder ? Freemasons are accused of being murderers ( Morgan , to wit ); cannibals ( broiled baby for supper ) ; seditionists ( Professor Eobison aud Barruel , the accusers ); godless heretics ( Clement XII . ) ; perpetrators of horribles crimes and indecencies ( the veil liaised ) ; conjurors

, necromancers , and charlatans ( Carlyle ) ; and I don't know what beside . Could nofc some brother make out a list of all the pleasant occupations writers have assigned to the Freemasons ? I think I have done my share 'in the days when we Avent gipsying a long time ago . "—f * f .

SOTJTnEKK MASONIC FEMALE COLLEGE . We have been much interested iu reading the Catalogue and Iteport of this institution for the year ending July last . There Avere at that time 176 pupils , divideainto classes as follows-. —Senior class 20 ; Juniorclass 40 ; Sophomore class 33 ; Freshman class 35 ; Irregulars 2 ; Preparatory departmentAdvanced class

, , 25 ; First class 21 ; total 176 . The studies are arranged on a liberal scale , and practical p lan . Commencing with spelling , we have in succession reading , writing , arithmetic , geography , vocal music , grammar , English composition , natural philosophy , botany , philosophy , history , natural history , mythology , algebra , rhetoric ,

ancient and modern languages ( these are optional ) , logic , geometry , anatomy , p hysiology and hygiene , biblical history , trigonometry and mensuration ,, astronomy , moral philosophy , evidences of Christianity , geology , music , drawing and painting . The tuition fees vary from 20 dollars to 185 dollars

per annum . Board 12 dollars per month . The collegiate year commences on the third Thursday in September , and closes on the 4 th of June . Lectures are delivered every Aveek on astronomy , geology , natural p hilosophy , and chemistry . Not had this for a . nation struggling for independence . —Ex . Ex .

IMPROVEirEKT EST EEEEMAS 0 SB 1 . There are some men Avho never try to learn anything that is useful or good . They pass from boyhood to old age with idle , listless , and vacant minds . Of such a man it is impossible to make a Freemason . Any person of good mother witordinary memory ,

, and active habits , by conversing with well-informed Masons at leisure time , may learn the working of the blue degrees in three months , without any interference with his ordinary avocation ; and with proper apjrlieation he may learn the beautiful lectures upon all three of the degrees in twelve months , and this

regardless of his early education . Masonry educates a man . Some of the brightest Masons are men Avho received but little or no early education . Masonry found them in the field and in the workshop , took them by the hand , led them into her temple , unfolded to them her sublime mysteries , imparted to them a new language , and clothed their tongues Avith an eloquence that is not to be found in books , or learned