Masonic Notes And Queries.

fished , and will be delivered to the subscribers separately , that the lodges and Brethren may , so much the sooner , possess the Laws and Regulations of the Society . The Eirst Part , containing the History of Masonry , from the earliest period to the end of the year 1815 , with Preface and copious Index to the whole workwill be printed with as little

, delay as possible . " The foregoing is signed "W . Williams , Belmont-House , December 12 , 1815 . "—Was the first part ever printed , or , if not , what has become of the manuscript ?—HlSTOEICUS .

LIGHT AND THE MTSTEEIES . The revelation of light in two species , natural and spiritual , and its conflict with the power of darkness , is the fundamental principle of all the mythologies . It is the Indra or Vishnu ofthe Hindoos , the Osiris of the Egyptians , the Zeus of the Greeks , the Odin of the Scandinaviansand the Yangor perfect

sub-, , stance , of the Chinese ; as the fiery darkness in like manner is represented hy the opposition of Ahrimanes , of Typhon , of Pluto , of Loki , and in the Chinese system by the principle Yu , designating imperfect matter . The analogy between the sun of this world and the rational light , on the one hand , and between

materiality and mortal darkness on the other , causes the connection between theology and cosmogony in all the ancient systems ; and it is this perpetual comprehension of two ideas in one symbol that has given rise to so much perplexity in the interpretation of the ancient fables . We see the confusion it causes in the following table , of the Heathen Trinity , taken from Cory's Philosophical Inquiry : —

It commences with the Orphic , — Metis . Phanes or Eros . Ericapuoua . Which are interpreted , — Will , or Light , or Life , or Counsel . Love . Life-giver . Erom Aeusilaus , — Metis . Eros . Ether .

Erom Hesiod , according to Damascius , — Earth . Eros . Tartarus . Erom Pherecydes Syrius , — Eire . Water . Spirit , or Air . Erom the Sidonians , — Cronus . Love . Cloudy darkness . Erom the Phoenicians , — Uloinus . Chusones . Tlie Egg . Erom the Chaldean and Persian Oracles of

Zoroaster , — Eire . Sun . Ether . Eire . Light . Ether . Erom the later Platonists , — Power . Intellect . Father . Power . Intellect . Soul , or Spirit . By ancient theologists , according to Macrobins , the

sun was invoked in the Mysteries , as , — Power ofthe World . Light ofthe World . Spirit of the "World . To which may , perhaps , be added , from Sauchoniatho , the three sons of Genus , — Eire . Light . Elaine . Thus it will be seen that the Gentile Trinity was founded , in a metaphysical aspect , on the physical corporeality of Light , and made the chief analogy between matter and spirit . Hence the prevalence of Light in all the early mysteries . —AMANUENSIS .

THE SECEET OF THE EOVE . Will some Cambridge brother kindly take the trouble to inform me whether the " Secret and Mys-

Masonic Notes And Queries.

tery of the Love" is a Masonic allegory or not ? for I find that in Caius College Library , No . 389 , is a miscellaneous volume the eleventh tractate being A briefe and profound or groundlie Treatise or Fxplication of the secreate or misterie of the Love . It is . comprised in folios 247 to 264 . Such an act would

be considered a favour by—MATTHEW COOKE . EANCT POETEAIT OE A EEEEMASON . ¦ What writer in the ei ghteenth century drew a fancy pen-and-ink sketch of a Ereemason , of which the four lines appended formed part ? "Eor lie , hy geometric scale ,

Can talce the size of pots of ale ; Resolve by sines ancl tangents strait , If bread and butter want in weight . " S . H .

THE SEMESTEAL WOED . Does the practice alluded to below still obtain under the Erench system , or has it been abolished ?—" In 1777 , the Grand Orient of Erance first issued the semestral word , or countersign , changed every six months , and disseminated all over Erance . " Hints ,

references , or experience , of this curious custom willbe useful to—STUDENS . DE . SETH WAED . To what lodge did Dr . Seth Ward , the author of Lives of the Grcsham Professors , belong ? He was ,, with Sir Christopher Wrenand othersone of the .

, , original Eellows of the Royal Society . —E . R . S . THE MASONIC CONGRESS OE PAEIS . Some years ago there was a Masonic Congress at Paris , at which it is presumed many and important questions of law , usage , and custom , were submitted

by brethren from various countries . Was any report of the matters brought forward ever printed , and if so , in what form , and where can it be obtained?—LEX MASONICA . DEMIT OE DIMIT . In the Old Constitutions a Mason who retired from

active participation in the duties of the Craft is said to " demit . " Should not this be dimit , from the verb dimittere—to dismiss , to leave , to discharge ?—ANTI-ANDEKSON .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . GRAND LODGE PAPERS . TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAE SIE AND BEOTHEE , —In reply to the inquiry of " AVA " in your " Notes and Queries" of

Saturday last , for a permission to refer to a set of Grand Lodge reports , I shall have much pleasure in leaving ' at your office in Salisbury-street my own set , which commences in April , 1844 , on the day the present M . W . G . M . was installed , and is complete to the

present time . The same volume contains also the Grand Chapter reports from 1849 to 1864 . Yours fraternally , R . J . SPIEES , P . G . S . B . Oxford , April 3 , 1865 .