Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

Mr . J . Coidy Jeaffreson , in his Pooh about Doctors , just published , relates the following anecdote of an English physician of the days of our Grand Master Sir Christopher Wren . — " Dr . Cadogan , of Charles the Second ' s time , Avas , like Sir John Eliot , a favourite Avith the ladies . His wont was to spend his days in shooting , and his evenings in flirtations . To the former of these tastes the folloAA'ing lines refer : —

' Doctor , all game you either ought to shun , Or sport no longer with the unsteady gun ; But , like physicians of undoubted skill , Gladly attempt what never fails to kill , Not lead's uncertain dross , but physic's deadly pill . ' Whether he was a good shot we cannot say ; but he was sufficiently adroit as a squire of dames , for he secured as his wife a Aveaithy

lady , over wliose property he had unfettered control . Against the money , however , there Avere two important points figuring under the head of ' set-off '—the bride Avas old and querulous . Of course such a woman Avas unfitted to live with an eminent physician , on whom bevies of court ladies smiled , whenever he went west of Charing Cross . After spending a feAV months in alternate fits of

jealous hate and jealous fondness , the poor creature conceived the terrible fancy that her husband was bent on destroying her with poison , and so ridding his life of her execrable temper . One day , when surrounded by her friends , aud in . the presence of hex lovdanu master , she fell on her back in a state of hysterical spasms , exclaiming .- — ' Ah ! he has killed me at last . I am poisoned

!'—' Poisoned I' cried the lady friends , turning up the whites of their eyes . ' Oh ! gracious goodness!—you have done it , Doctor ! '' AVhat do you accuse me of ? ' asked the doctor , Avith surprise . — ' I accuse you—of—killing me—ee / responded the wife , doing her best to imitate a death struggle . — 'Ladies ' , answered the Doctor , with admirable nonchalance , bowing to Mrs . Cadogan's bosom

associates , ' it is perfectly false . You are quite welcome to open her at once , and then you'll disco \ 'er the calumny / " Mr . Hobbs , whose fame as a locksmith is world-Avide , is about to return to the United States , and to retire into private life , —at least so far as business is concerned .

Among the notices of literary auctions we observe that the entire stock remaining on hand of Mr . Henry Mayhew's London Labour and the London Poor , as also of his Great World of London , will be sold next month . The Illustrated Horse Doctor , by Mr . Edward MayheAv , appears to have been a success . A French firm is in treaty with ? . lessrs .

Allen and Co ., the English publishers , to produce a translation in that language , while American publishers are negotiating for its production in the United States . Beport says that the interesting article in the new number of the Comliill Magazines , entitled " The Eival Liberators of Italy " —i . e ., Cavour and Garibaldi—is from the pen of Mr . Thomas

Trollope , brother of the prolific and clever writer who has eclipsed , for this generation , his mother ' s reputation as a novelist . Mr . Thomas Trollope is well read in Italian history , medieval as well as modern , and is known both by his books on subjects from that history , and as Florentine correspondent of one of our contemporaries . The announcement of the approaching publication of the Neio

Encyclopedia , undertaken by the Brothers Pereire , has created a great sensation in France . Guizot and Cousin , Alllcmam and Thiers , are to be associated in its composition , Proudhon and the Pere Enfantin , with Gerge Sand and Michelet I An Account of the Late Indian Rebellion has recently apnea v cd at Paris , from the pen of the well-known litterateur , J , f . Einile

Forgues , and few books published in France have home such hish testimony to the character of the English Government , army , and people . AA ' e have much pleasure in stating that Avhile Sir E . Prodie ' s health is excellent ,-his eyesight has improved to such a degree as to give his friends the strongest hope that he will shortly regain to a very great extent the use of his eves .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

[ T HE EDITOB does not hold himself responsible for any opinionentertained by Correspondents ^] MASONIC ARMS . TO TEE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND JTASONIC MIRROR . SIR , —I have been not a little intei'ested in the correspondence lately evoked in your columns by some remarks

upon the armorial insigna of the Oakley Lodge , Hants . The subject of the arms of private lodges has always appeared to me to be deserving of more attention than has hitherto been bestowed upon it by the Craft ; and I must enter my protest against the doctrine enunciated by one of your correspondents , that the insignia of private lodges are mere devices , and that disgrace to blazonry ( AA'hich looks as if it

had been stolen from an advertising undertaker ' s Avindow , or the banner of an odd-felloAvs' procession)—the arms of Grand Lodge—is the only authorised Masonic coat . But , though I cannot see anything in the letter or spirit of the Book of Constitutions to support this theory , yet I do not hesitate to express my conviction that the use of personal arms as insignia of lodges ( especially AA'hen , in the instance

referred to , the armorial bearings haA'e nothing of a Masonic character about them ) is , to say the least of it , undesirable , and that it Avould be hig hly beneficial to the Craft to make the office of Grand Pursuivant something more than a mere matter of form , by investing its holder Avith the supervision of the ornaments and especially the heraldy of each lodge . AVhile the Craft can boast such

names as those of our Bro . Albert AVoods and J . W . PapAvorth , there could be no want of ability to fulfil the duties of the office , and I may eveu say that nearly every province could furnish a brother fully competent to give effectual assistance in his OAAUI noighboui'hood . As a specimen of Avhat I consider a Masonic coat of arms , I append the description of one recently assumed by the

Howe Lodge ( No . 857 ) , Avhich your heraldic readers Avill observe combines the Avolves' heads of HoAve with the bend lozengy of Birmingham— thus : azure , on a bend argent cotised lozengy ; or , thi-ee wolves' heads coupled sable—on a coniton of the third a square and compasses of the first . I beg to remain fraternally yours , A PROV . G . OrncEii or WARWICKSHIRE .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Wiltshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WILTSHIRE .

TO THE EBITOR OE THE FREEMASONS MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I cannot allow your remarks on Bro . Oliver ' s speech at the late proA'incial grand meeting of AViltshire , and Avhich appeared in your last number , respecting the unbusinesslike manner in Avhich the scrutineers performed their duty Avith regard to the candidates for the Widows' Fund to pass unnoticed , as

you insert a paragraph at the foot stating , " That the Wiltshire brethren are notorious for never having supported that or cither of the other charities . Those always complain the most ivlw do Hie least . " Had you been able to refute thc charge as being an erroneous statement , it Avouldhave been more to the purposein removing the want of confidence thc country brethren

feel in the managers cf the charity , and would have , tended more to increase the funds from the provinces than such an observation applied to so Avortby a brother ' s remarks as the son of our justly-celebrated Masonic Avriter Dr . Oliver ,. AA'ho , the Wiltshire brethren feci satisfied , ivould not make such a statement unless Avarrantcd in so , doing . AA c ivill HOAV see how far the AViltshire brethren are

deserving your observations . In thc A"ol . for 1 S 57 of your MAGAZINE , page 751 , yon will find tho sum of £ 20 Avas voted at tho . Provincial Grand Lodge at Devizes toAvards the Masonic charities , being , I think , the first A'ote , as you must not forget that the Prov . G . L . Avas instituted , to thc best of my knowledge , in 1851 , On the 24 th of August , 1858 , at the Prov . G . L . held at TroAvbridge ( recorded in

page 422 ) , it Avas carried that £ 25 per annum be paid to the Provincial Charit y Committee in aid of the Masonic charities . Again , in page 154 , you have the report of the Prov . G . L . held at Chippenham , August 23 rd , 1859 , AA'hen it was resolved that the following plan be inserted in the bye-laws of thc different lodges in the jn'ovmcc to increase the fnnd