Hamilton Place, Piccadilly, London.

in Europe , and the last of the Georges , was in his o-rave . HOAV different the retiring thoughts of the Dowager Marchioness , in No . 5 , from those of the Dowager Duchess in No . 2 . No . 6 belonged to the Earl of Belmore , a LoAvry-Corry by birth , ancl an Earl in the Irish peerage .

The Earl of Belmore , of 1865 , lives in Eatonp lace . No . 7 Avas the residence of another Boyle ; Richard Boyle , Earl of Shannon , from whom it passed to Mr . Philip John Miles , of Leigh Court , near BristolAA'hose collection of pictures of the

, Italian school Avas ancl is widely and deservedly famous . This same No . 7 was afterwards inhabited by the late Mr . H . A . J . Mum-o , of Novar , and the rooms refitted with another fine collection of pictures . HereAvere to be seen the celebrated " Madonna dei Candelabri , " of Raffaelle , some noble

landscapes by Turner , and a View of Venice , by Bonnington—a masterpiece in every sense of the word . No one house , that I can call to mind , has held two private collections of pictures equally famous as Avere once to be seen in noisy , yet secluded , Hamilton-place , Piccadilly .

And have I not proved , I will ask , that this quiet little " place , " of seven houses , through Avhich it is now proposed to turn the traffic running to and from Tyburnia ancl Belgravia , is one very rich indeed in pleasant and " perhaps " undisturbed associations?—PETER CUNNINGHAM , in the Builder .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

CUE JEAVISH TEUMES . " What is known of Solomon's Temple , and were there two or three of tliem P—D . —[ The Temple of Solomon lias heen for ages a stumbling-block to antiquaries , critics , commentators , and divines . Unlike other buildings of greater or lesser antiquity , no

remains of its existence are to be found that may corroborate any hypothesis as to the style of its architecture , its materials , or its dimensions . The first Temple at . Jerusalem , built by Solomon , and emphatically called after him , Solomon's Temple , which , with the addition "in all its glory , " became a

standard of perfection for beauty , wealth , or splendour , was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar , on the ninth clay of Ab , nine hunched years after the rebellion of the Israelites , under Korab , Dathan , and Abiram , against Moses on the same clay of the before-mentioned month . Tiie palaces , public buildings , and the

Temple of Solomon were laid in dust aud ashes , and the walls of the city totally demolished , ou the fatal ninth of Ab , iu the year 588 , B . C ., or in the year A . K . 3338 . The second Temple , which was built upon the ruins of the first by Zerrubbabel and his associate

Joshua , with the assistance of Phoenician workmen , Avas commenced B . c . 5 * 34 , the work interrupted , because the Samaritans were not allowed to co-operate with the Jews ; stood still to B . C . 520 , and Avas completed B . c . 516 . During the wars B . C . 175 to 163 , it was pillaged ancl desecrated by Antiochus , and dedi-

Masonic Notes And Queries.

cated to Jupiter Olympus . Judas Maccaba ~ us restored the worship , and purified it B . C . 156 , and Herod the Great stormed , and took it , B . C . 37 . Herod rebuilt it , hence it was called Herod ' s , or the third , Temple about 21 years B . C ., and was finally destroyed iu the war under Titus , A . D . 70 , by a Roman soldier ,

who threw a firebrand into that portion of it which the Jews themselves had not consumed , and which Titus had himself endeavoured to extinguish . The Emperor Julian , A . D . 363 , undertook to rebuild the Temple , but was , after great preparation , compelled to desist from his attemptbflames of fire which

, y burst out of the foundations . There have heen many instances in which writers have confounded all three temples , and actually brought in their accounts of Ezekiel's visionary temple , writing of the three temples and the latter as if they Avere all one and the same structure . There are several Solomon ' s

Temples recorded as existing iu India , and whenever and Avherever a mystic origin has been desirable for any sect , party , or society , Solomon ' s Temple has been a favourite foundation from which to date their origin . We have no desire to be involved in a Temple controversy , and advise our correspondent to search out the matter indicated for himself . ]

THE NEAV LIGHT AT THE PTEAMIDS . I am keeping a sharp look-out on Mr . Piazzi Smith ' s doings at the Pyramids , and send a scrap of information thereon . A letter has been received from Professor C . P . Smyth , reporting the progress of the Egyptian Expedition . The Professor sayswriting

, from the East Tomb , Great Pyramid : — "The magnesium wire light is something astounding in its power of illuminating difficult places . With any number of wax candles which we have yet taken into either the King ' s chamber or the grand gallery , the impression left on the mind is merely seeing the

candles and whatever is very close to them , so that you have small idea whether you are in a palace or a cottage ; but burn a triple strand of magnesium wire , and in a moment you see the whole apartment , and appreciate the grandeur of its size ancl beauty of its proportions . This effectso admirabl letetoo

, y comp , , as it is , and perfect in its Avay , probably results from the extraordinary intensity of light , apart from its useful photographic property , for , side by side with the magnesium light , the wax candle flame looked not much brighter than the red granite of the walls of the room . . . . Whatever caa be reached by

hand is chipped and hammered and fractured to a frightful degree ; and this maltreatment by modern man , combined with the natural Avear and tear of some of the softer stones under so huge a pressure as they are exposed so , and for so long duration , has made the measuring of Avhat is excessively tedious and difficult , and the concluding what teas , in some cases , rather ambiguous . "—t 4-t

KNIGHTS TEHl'LAIt COSTUME . What is the correct costume of Knights Templar ? —ALBINE . —[ If you mean Masonic Knights Templar , a cloak , baldrick , sword , and star of the Order . That is the new saluteable dress . Some contend you may add to it whatever you please , as " permissive "

costume . Therefore , if their notion be correct , you are quite at liberty to do as you say— " go in the parti-colours of a medifeval fool , " either on Dr .