Masonic Notes And Queries.

kept a small druggist's shop in the suburbs of London ; that he was afterwards a professor of the art of curing diseases which Byron describes as " made by general subscription ofthe ladies , " at Albany in the State of New York ; and his rank of Afajor-General was derived from some small local or volunteer corps in that district . Explanations were demanded in Grand Lodge , and much discussion ensued which seemed likely to produce considerable

anger , when Lord Zetland , with his usual chivalrous feeling , took the whole blame ofthe appointment upon himself , as having been deceived , and exhibited the card thc impostor had presented"Alajor-General Cooke , U . S . A . " The appointment ivas cancelled . —AM OLD MASON .

IBISII MASOXIC SONG AVANTED . A \ e , in Skibbereen , are told that there is an old song about a former Lodge in this place , and as the "Alasonic Notes and Queries" gathers scraps of all kinds from every source , perhaps it may help us to what ive want . —IKLANDAISE , Skibbereen , Co . Cork . —[ In 1780 , the following was printed as " A New Song , composed for the Carberry Lodge , No . 504 , " which does not now appear to be on the register of the Grand Lodge of Ireland , according to this year ' s calendar . It was sung to the air of " Nancy Dawson" : ' —

' ' Thereis a Lodge in Skibbereen As truly good as e ' er was seen ; Composed of upright honest men , Men who are £ _ for Masons : No coxcombs pert shall ever join , Nor bloated swabs replete with wine , Our secrets truly are divine , We're the enlighteu'd Alasons .

' ¦ ' - Knights Templar all of worth immense , Of wit , of humour , and of sense , "Without a tinge of impudence , A health to all such Masons . The poor ne ' er feel from us neglect . But ahvays meet with due respect , The needy brother we protect , And prove ourselves good Masons .

" Our Tyler ' s good as any lord , If to oui' tenets he'll accord , And firmly mind the sacred word Unknown to all but Masons . Nor is there one amongst us all . "Who on a summons or a call , AVould not with resolution fall . Defending a Freemason .

' ¦ ' FromSthis , our Lodge , we'll never stray ; 'Tis here that Sol ' s diffusive ray Hasbeam'dfrom high perpetual day . On us true , constant Masons . A solemn tie to never part , Imprinted on each Templar ' s heart , Without equivocating art , But like staunch , honest Alasons .

" Our sweet High Priest * we will revere . And Governor , f who fills tho chair . Both ever gay and dcbons ' . ire , The men to rule o ' er Masons . Two thousand chosen men upright . Have been by them restored to sight , And usher'd into glorious light ; Let ' s toast Cymonic + Masons .

Literature.

Literature .

Narrative of the Earl of Elgin's Mission , to China and Japan . —By LATJKENOE OIXPJLAXT , Private Secretary to Lord Elgin . 2 vols . Illustrated . Messrs . Blackwood and Co . THE unfortunate loss of the Malabar , and the hair-breadth escape REVIEWS .

of the Earl of Elgin , our plenipotentiary to China , reminds us that we owe our readers an apology for having neglected to record our opinion on the Narrative of the noble lord ' s mission , at a somewhat earlier date ; yet we hope the old adage will he quoted on our side , and that it may be allowed in this case , to be " better late than never . " In our young reading days we well remember what a charm

the account of Lord Marcartney ' s visit to China afforded usand ,

, as we take up Sir . Olipbant ' s work we can scarcely he persuaded that it is not a second edition of the former—not that there is any plagiarism of incident , or style , but that among the Celestials exactly the same shifting policy has taken place , with regard to Lord El g in and his mission , as is to be found recorded in tbe experience of Lord Macartney three quarters of a centuryago .

By this our readers are not to understand that Mr . Oliphant ' s Narrative of the Earl of Elgin ' s Mission to China and Japan is wanting in interest , but ive seem to have a foreknowledge of everything that is to come . Say what ire will of fixed policy in conducting negotiations with such a people as the Chinese , they appear to be quite as unalterable as the laws of the Medes and Persians were in the manner in which they conduct their state

diplomacy . Mr . Oli phaut presents us with a pretty good insight into the character of the negotiations on each side . In one picture we have the polished and accomplished nobleman , who , in any European , or civilized state , ivould be sure to be treated with respect and attention , kept at the mouth of a river , or the outside of a port , waiting for a permission for his ships , presents , and posse ambassadorial

comitatus of secretaries , interpreters , and the whole staff ; while on the part of the Celestials every devise , in many instances the most trivial and annoying , are resorted to in order to retard , or entirely dissuade , the minister of another power from access to , or recognition by , the officials of the country to which he is accredited . However , when he has obtained an entrance , whether peaceablor bforce—which latterstrange to say , in no

y y , way appears to invalidate his claim to be considered as a friendly envoy—come the conferences . Each side professes to be civilized ; each country regards the other as the type of a polished barbarism . Mandarins , rejoicing in peacock ' s feathers and long tails , ancl officers in dress coats , stars , medals , and cocked- hats , laughing in their sleeves at the figure the opposite party cut-. Each seem bent on mystifying the other and trying all kinds of experiments to

outwit the other , in a maimer half rude and half playful . And when all these tricks have been played off , at last a treaty is concluded , and then comes a round of congratulations , visits , teas , and sweetmeats ; the treaty is sent home , and shortly after it is found the Chinese adopt a different reading of it , ivhich necessitates a ,

fresh expedition to insist on its fulfilment , and involves new concessions . It is the old story of Lords Marcartney and Amherst , only varied by the natural differences between the persons engaged in it and the change of the fashion of their clothing . Whilst Mr , Oliphaut tells with remarkable spirit and intelligence the ups and downs of the embassy , lie is very guarded in his remarks on his English forerunners in authority . But some

criticism on their acts seems unavoidable , and so we find that Sir John Bowring had put himself completely and entirely iu the wrong ; and although there ivas much political capital made out of the business in the British House of Commons , it does not require very deep powers to see that the original quarrel with the Chinese was for the . benefit of certain persons who had either active or passive interests in certain opium housesto save whicli

, we , as a nation , have been - put to expense of both money and blood . The following will give Mr . Oliphant's impression of the curious policy pursued b y Sir John Bowring : — " Such were the steps taken , and violent measures resorted to , in the vain attempt to induce the Imperial Commissioner to make tho amende , honorable . His power to resist even this trilling demand was now proved beyond a doubt . Our inability to enforce it had been no less

unmistakably Manifested ; nevevtUel"SS another letter to Yak was despatched on tho 27 th by the admiral , who thus alludes to it : — ' I concurred in opinion with Sir John Bowring , that this was a fitting opportunity for requiring the fulfilment of long evaded treaty obligations , and I therefore , in addition to tho original demands , instructed Mr . Parkes to make ( he following communication , ' These additional