Masonic Notes And Queries.

" Be all prepared , each motion squared , And at the nod with one accord , In strictest rotation we'll pass round the word—Drink , drink to the Mother of Masons . Have a care rig ht and leit , and make ready—Be all in your exercise steady , And fill to the dame from whence we all came—The Mother of Masons , the lady .

Chorus . GEN . M ' CLELLAN A MASON . Some one furnished a note to the effect that General M'Clellan is a Freemason . The name is not honourably associated with the Craft , for arising out of the Morgan excitement in tbe ( then ) United Statesone

, Joseph M'Clellan , a repudiating Mason , having been summoned before the Senate of Pennsylvania , in 1 S 36 , was paid for" 5 days'attendance 1 50 400 m . circular 10 40 0 " —Ex . Ex .

QUOTATIONS WANTING IDENTIFICATION . "Who is the author of , and what is the context of , the lines below ? "Their actions still by virtue blest , And to their precepts ever true , Th' admiring world soon made request

To learn , ancl their bright paths pursue . " The same inquiry also holds good with regard to" Chip the wood and hew the stone . Till , by degrees , the finished fabric rose . " —P . W . P .

REVENUE OE THE KNTS . HOSPITALLERS . In the Standard of Dec . 15 th , 1864 , it is stated—A Florence letter gives the subjoined as the annual revenue of the eleven principal religious establishments in that city : — "The barefooted Carmelite nuns of St . Theresa , 397 , 000 fr . ; the brotherhood of the Holy Annunciation 618000 fr . the barefooted

, , ; Carmelite nuns of St . Mary M agdalen , 661 , 000 fr . ; the Dominicans of the Angiolini , 695 , 000 fr . ; the Augustins of the Holy Spirit , 478 , 000 fr . ; the Brotherhood of the Holy Cross , 402 , 000 fr . ; the Salopians of St . John the Less , 580 , 000 fr . ; the Longmantled Sisters of St . Mary 624000 frthe

Montal-, , . ; vians of Roponi , 850 , 000 fr . ; the Dominicans of the new Order of St . Mary , 431 , 000 fr . ; the Order of Malta , now the Hospitallers of St . John , l ; 200 , 000 fr . ; or in all 6 , 93 6 , 000 fr . —ANON . PAST MASTERS AND BIRCH BROOMS .

If they will make a pilgrimage to the "West , they may discover stonecutters employing small bundles of birch , or other twigs , to remove dust and chips from the blocks on which they are operating . As to the frying-pan , if they desire information , let them send me an exact copy of the article—for Avhich

purpose I enclose my address — and I will assist them in their researches . —JUNIOR "WARDEN . THE GRAY HEAD . Our well-knoAvn brother , Rob Morris , writes : — "We enjoyed the pleasurerecentl—as Ave have rarel

, y y done before—of presiding at the initiation into Freemasonry of an old man . He Avas one Avho had borne an active and an honourable part in the political , social , and religious business of' life ; had reared his

family according to principles of truth and honour ; aud now that his day's work of life Avas well-nigh closed , Avas enjoying the re'vards of a well-spent life . Finding himself , for the first time in his life , contiguous and convenient to a Masonic lodge , he declared that lie had long entertained a favourable

opinion of the Institution , based upon the perusal of a few of its publications , and , still more , upon the good conduct of the majority of its members , and had long desired initiation , but expressed certain doubts AA'hether , at his advanced period of life , he could , with propriety , pursue his wishes . Being

notified upon this head , his petition was offered and promptly accepted . It was a treat to join in such work as that . The large majority of those who ask , seek , and knock , are young men , untried in the affairs of life , whose character for morality is undecidedand whose future is

, necessarily a matter of anxiety and doubt . But the venerable applicant , of whom we are speaking , had done his part , had Avritten his history , and there Avas nothing to expect of him . Freemasonry , to him , was but a repetition of Avhat his long and busy life had already taught him . His " trust in God" had already

been proved in hours of adversity , as in hours of prosperity ; and all the steps symbolised upon our carpet , or illustrated in our ceremonies , he had already taken . —Ex . Ex .

DESCENDANT OE DR . PERFECT . In respect to the inquiries in your paper of the 17 th December , signed " Invicta , " I beg to mention there is a great-grandchild , descendant of the late Dr . Perfect , Prov . G . M ., residing at Town Mailing , near Maidstone . —JANE PERFECT .

THE " GAT SCIENCE . You are extremely severe in your remarks on my letter on the subject of Chaucer and Patient Grisell . This I must submit to with the best grace I can , and I clo submit accordingly- —to be snubbed ! But do tell me what you mean by the " Gay Science ? " Here

we have mystery upon mystery , and at this rate Freemasonry will soon be put in the background . I say again "Expound . " It may be London slang , which has not yet travelled far enough northivard to have reached me ; at any rate , I shall be glad to be enlightened . —G . B . of D . —[ The Gay Science is a mystery

, , and , what is more , is a Masonic mystery . The Gay Science is the art of love . The poets of the middle ages , particularly the troubadours , were all disciples of the science . It is an allegorical celebration of Freemasonry , under the veil of love , where women in name are written of as men—where signs and

symbols are made known , and where Freemasonry Avrought out its glorious share in the Reformation . Freemasonry will never be put in the background by us , ancl this is the first time we have been rewardedand Ave hope it may be the last—by having our remarks termed " London slang . " We endeavour to

impart knoAvledge , and Avhere we find it inconsistent Avith our duty to do it in plain Avords Ave adopt the principle of the professors of the Gay Science ; for au elucidation of which " G . B ., of D . " is referred to Wharton , Millot , Legeir , McCrie , and the early Avriters who were Lollards and Freemasons , such as Wickliff , Huss , Luther , and Melancthon . l