Masonic Notes And Queries.

venient practice , bufc according to the dictum laid down by the Grand Secretary above , I have my doubts as to who is right , the Grand Secretary or the Secretaries of private lodges ?—A SECRETARY OF A P RIVATE LODGE . NAPOLEON THE FIRST . A very zeolous brotherresident in his native City of

, Chambery , for some reason which he has not thought fit to disclose , requests me to communicate the ensuing to the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE . Ib is , he informs me , the concluding passage of a Biscoars prononce dans la Lodge 81 . Louis de Martinique le 22 Janvier , 1806 , " by a member of the Craft named Vallefceau de Ohambrefyy- who was sixty years since , well known in the capital of the

ancient Courts of Savoy : — " Enfin la maeonnerie en bufc a plusieurs sieeles de persecutions , repose sous les ausp ices d ' un Prince ( S . M . 1 'Empereur Napoleon I . ) , puissant , qui sesfc declare le profcecteur de l ' ordre Maconnique en France , apres avoir lin-meme participe ii nos travaux connu la piorete de nos principes et la sagesse de no , mysteres . "—CHARLES PURTEN COOPER , Chateau Frampas March 8 , 1862 .

THE LATOMIA SOCIETY OF NEW YORK . The following notice of this Masonic Society ( connected with the Atlantic Lodge , So . 178 ) appeared in fche " Notes on Literature , Science , aud Art , in the Bury Times ( Lancashire paper ) of Saturday last : —¦ " G . W . Steinbrenner , Esq ., of New York , has published , for the first time , his annual report as President of the Latomia

Society , dated Dec . 10 th , 1861 . We have read this report ( for a copy of which we have to thank Mr . Steinbrenner ) with much interest , and all lovers of truth will wish the Latomia Society success in its important mission , which is stated in the document before us -. — ' Our aim is to encourage the at t of criticism , through 'historical investigation within the bounds of Masonry , to purge truth of every fiction , to test and analyse the material on hand , and thus to become the life-giving princilethe source of liht

p , g for our Masonic lodges . In the light of information thus gathered and spread , the thoughtful Mason will acquire a certainty of action and love of labour , which will result in real progress in the great masonic work , * self-improvement . ' A list of papers read , and many of which have been published in American and European prints , is annexed to the report ; and we are sure that all historical students will wish every success to the Latomia Societyfor the genuine history of the ancient

, ' Craft' is almost as important to ' the outer world' as to the initiated themselves . The Latomia Society was instituted on the 24 th Sept ., 1 S 58 , and has already begun to attract the attention of truth-seekers in Europe ; and we trust that the publication of an annual report for the future will be regularly kept up . "

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

A Handy Booh to the Post-office Savings' Banks . Second edition . By H . EISEBOROUGII SHARMAN , F . S . S . London : Stevenson , Paternoster Eow , The value of Post-office Savings Banks having become alread y fully acknowledged as offering the only real security to the public for small savings , we do not think we

can do better than recommend this admirable manual of Bro . Sharman to general notice , as in ifc will be found everything fchat can be wished to be known for opening , transferring , and closing accounts , in addition to fche Act of Parliament establishing the banks , and all the official regulations under which they are governed . To lodges

wifch but limited funds , and lodges of Instruction , the Post-office Savings Banks offer a ready means of investment ; and making something on their money ( if only a little ) instead of letting it be idle in a Treasurer ' s hands .

One Hundred Lectures on the Ancient and Modern Brama , and Dramatic Poets , down to the 19 tli Century , commencing with Tliespis , ilia founder of the Bramatic Art , 6 th Century "before Christ . By B . 0 . JONES . Nos . 1 to 6 . Laoy , Strand . Bro . Jones , who is well known as a Shaksperian

lecturer , has set himself a somewhat difficult task , but one which he evidently understands . One hundred lectures upon the history of an art running over twentyfive centuries cannot be otherwise than a work of great labour , but Bro . Jones evidently possesses the perseverence and industry to enable him to carry oufc his

plan successfully . In tho numbers before us ( we have nofc received part 3 by tho bye ) , he has arrived afc his seventh lecture , on the Medea of Euripides , which promises fco be highly interesting , as is that on iBdipas of Sophocles , the treatment of which proves the close and through acquaintance Bro . Jones has with the Greek drama . Should he prove

equally happy with the more modern drama as he is with the ancient this collection of lectures will prove one ofthe most valuable works of reference on dramatic literature extant .

Beaton ' s Dictionary of "Universal Information in Science , Art , and Literature . Part 4 . Beefcon , Strand . There is nothing more wanted in literature than an encyclopaadia of moderate size withiu the reach of the million , in which everything shall be concisely and yefc plainly described . This desideratum will be supplied

by the work before us , which is amply illustrated with engravings ; but they are as nothing in value when compared with the text .

Home Pets . Parts 12 , 13 , 14 and 15 . Beeton , Strand . The numbers we have previously noticed of this excellent little work have been mostly devoted to song birds . Here we have two parts on pigeons , and two on domestic poultry , tho management of which , wifch their various distinctive peculiarities , are admirably explained . The

coloured engravings alone , irrespective of the woodcuts and the literary matter , are more than worth the price of the work .

Englishwoman ' s Domestic Magaxine for April . Beeton , Strand . The illustrations and the literary contents of this number are equal to any which have preceded ifc . "What more can we say ? "We have also received from Mr . Beeton ' s

establishment , the eighth part of the Illuminated Family Bible , bringing us to the 10 th Chapter of Judges ; the Boys ' Own Library , No . 12 , the history of "Phaulcon , or the Ship Boy who became a Prime Minister , " increasing in interest as it proceeds ; and The Boys' Own Magazine , No . 4 , vol . viii ., as full of matter useful and instructive to the

rising generations as it can well be . The number of volumes ifc has attained alone bears testimony to tho popularity of the work .