Correspondence.

number of musical men met , some eig hty or more years ago , and established a society which ultimately became known , and celebrated , as the Glee Club . At first , having no local habitation , they used to meet , alternately , at each others residence , and Bro . Samuel Webbe , senr . —a great composer of the glee schoolone of the founders of the cluband a man of

educa-, tion , wrote the words aud composed the popular glee , "Glorious Apollo , " and like the authors of his day indulged in the classic vein , then so much in use , by invoking Apollo , as the mythological deity of music . The club having no home his allusion

" Wand ring to find a temple , i . e ., a jilace to meet in , vvill he readily understood . This glee was looked upon as the musical charter of the club aud Avas always performed the first of the evening ' s selection . From the club it gained popularity everywhere , and there is scarcely a singing

orgie held at any pothouse in the United Kingdom hut " Glorious Apollo " is almost sure to be shouted before the small hours have set iu . The association then is bacchanal and pagan totally unfitted to follow , even in the nondescript version used , any part of a prayer . To SIIOAV how close aud yet how absurdly it has been parodied the words of the orig inal are subjoined so that they may be compared with the above , — "AA'i'ifcten specially for the occasion !"

" Glorious Apollo from on high beheld us , Wand'ring to find a temple for his praise ; Sent Polyhymnia hither to shield us While we ourselves such a structure might raise . Thus then combining , Hands and hearts joining , Sing wo in Harmony Apollo's praise . " Here ev'ry gen'rous sentiment

awaking-, Music inspiring unity and joy ; Each social pleasure giving and partaking , Glee and good humour our hours employ . Thus then combining , Hands and hearts joining , Long may continue our unity and joy . "

These words have sense and an aim , and the music , though hackiiied , is excellent ; but it seems to haA'e been reserved for some daring hand of our own day to " meddle and muddle" the name of the eternal Creator with the bacchanalian Apollo , and to make Freemasons the sponsors for his rash impiety . To analyse the adaptation would be to indorse its

profanity . To point out its defects—totally superfluous . To SIIOAV IIOAV a good subject has been distorted into a nameless thing—in which neither sense , rhythm , or caisura , have a place—would be time aud space thrown aAvay . To ask who is responsible for such drivelling k-reverence Avill not mend the

mischief . Be he who he may he has done his worst by exposing the Craft to the contempt of every earnest man , Freemason or not . Was there not to be found any one in the whole wide world who could write two stanzas as an invocation to the Almig hty to bless the work ? But

instead of this His Holy Karae Avas associated in the burlesque of a drinking , pagan , ode . Can such a proceeding call doAvn a blessing or rather will it not entail a curse ? Had Ave no musicians who could have composed a strain that might , at least , have been devotional if not strictly ecclesiastical ? Why not have applied to Bros . Ouseley , Wallace , Turle , Henry Smart , or Coward , all men of mark in

Correspondence.

their profession ? Had the Shakespeare tercentenary turned the scribbler ' s head that he should try to teach his brethren " To sing psalms to hornpipes" ? Although expressed in homely rhyme yet the men of the seventeenth century could not but feel that

where Gon was addressed it was a fearful thing and one of them wrote" Sternholil and Hopkins had great qualms When they translated David ' s psulms , —" but our wretched professor of irreverence _ had none similitude be

when he associated , in men ' s minds , a - tween GOD and Apollo , and thrust his doggrel into the mouths of Freemasons to give forth as a hymn of praise , bringing doAvn ou the Craft the suspicion of being scoffers at all Avhich men hold dear . We have prejudices enough to contend with

without adding such a direct act of wanton irreligion toour charge , and may the brother wdio hath done us . this evil learn , for the future , that Freemasonry honours , reverences , and respects God our Bcnificent Creator , and repudiates lowering His All-PoAverful Majesty to the equal of a pagan sottish deity . I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours truly and fraternally , No PURITAN .

Poetry.

Poetry .

ENTHUSIASM . ( EXTRACT UEOM " THE STOSE MAX . " ) BY AA ^ ILIIAM BKADPIELD . * - How fair Enthusiasm seems , Buoy'd up to-day with golden dreams Of zeal , and energy , and youth JThe old is false , the new all truth , Autumnal Time can never

sere—, And yet Enthusiasm ' s here ; To-morrow comes and overwhelms to-day , To-day exalts , to-morrow sweeps away 1 And how unlike itself it seems , Eeviow'd to-morrow , not in dreams But what it really doth enact—In clear and lucid dayliht fact ;

g So false , and imbecile , and frail , That while it listens to the tale , To-morrow glances with a sneer of shame , And calls it madness with another name . And yet I cannot but believe , And even here , that both deceive—To-morrow and the fair To-day :

Enthusiasm leads the way When nothing else will move a jot , But rather sit and age , and rot ; And tho' for every inch t ' will take an ell , Tlie ill may be o ' erbalanced by the well . A useful passion , or a grand ; A courser to be held in

hand—, As rii-e , which for a master ' s bad , Yet never man a servant had ' ilhat stood in estimation higher : Enthusiasm—mental fire—Unchecked hceomes a meteoric wonder ! Enlightenment—if kept a little under .