Freemasonry And Its Members.

mockery ! it is not a pretence ! it is not a meangingless ceremony , nor a childish pretension to mystery 1 lor a true Mason is ( if such be his faith ) a good Christian , a good subject , and a good man ! Surely these are ' * * consummations devoutly to be wished for !" I am , brethren , with all humility , and a sincere wish for the prosperity of the Craft . A MASTER MASON .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

MASONRY AMONGST THE DEUSES . Where is to be found the best account of the Masonic tenets of the Druses and their neighbours ?—C . A . — [ In Colonel Churchill's Mount Lebanon ; De Sacey ' s Ilcligion of the Druses ; The Hon . Mr . Walpole ' s Aasayrii , mid the Further Fast ; Lyde ' s Asian Mystery , and the Earl of Carnarvon ' s Recollections of the Druses . ]

THE CUBIC STONE . Where can I get a cast of the cubic stone ? none of . the dealers in Masonic wares seem to have such an article . —X . X . LODGE PLATE . What lodges have silver banqueting plate ?—0 . SUGGESTIONS I'OK THE " MAGAZINE" INDEX .

Brethren very frequently want to know what was done at a lodge when they wero aware certain brethren were present . Could not the MAGAZINE give with its index a reference to all the names of the brethren mentioned in it ?—INQJJIBEE . —[ Many thanks to Inquirer for his ingenious suggestion ! Does he think the editor has nothing else to do but " to chronicle small beer ? " Let

onr correspondent take one number and extract all the names—then arrange them alphabetically—and we are quite certain he will soon be disgusted with his task , the labour being too much for him , and certainly too much for our editor , who has quite enough on his hands at present . ]

MASONIC DOOK-KNOCKEK . Where can I get a design for a Masonic knocker for ¦ my street door ?—Quiz . — , Anywhere . All you have to do is to copy the Reading Masonic Hall , where a gavel is suspended for the purpose . Your signature leads us to auspect yon are trying to quiz us , but this time it is not a happy experiment , for , as before stated , the thing

has been done . Indeed we don't know what has not been ¦ done in the manufacture of supposed Masonic articles of use , & c . We remember Masonic bed-quilts , studs , floorcloths , waistcoats , watch keys , charms , neck-ties , glasses , cups , and should not be at all surprised by some enterprising brother tailor announcing a Masoniccoat cut upon '' the square" or a brother florist setting forth that he would

, undertake to keep our gardens " on the level . " What a pity it is that some one don't open an establishment ¦ where the facial angle might be trained , and in due time we should have a batch of the most approved Masonic noses . ]

TIIEEE TDIES HIREE . Notes and Queries , pray tell me , Who wrote the song of " Three times Three " ?—J . [ Bro . J . E . Carpenter , Poet and Lecturer . ] CKYPTIC MASONEY . What are the degrees of Royal and Select Master ?—C . E . —[ Cryptic Masonry . Modern and essentiallan

y American humbug . ] THE FIFTEEN SECTIONS . Wh y are the Fifteen Sections called lectures when they are reall y catechetical ?—PERRY .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

IKE TOSITION 01 * LODGE WARDENS . In all old plates representing the interior of lodges , the S . and J . Wardens' chairs are always shown as standing together in the West . When was this discontinued and the present positions introduced ?—A PMNTER .

Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

NOTES ON LITERATURE , SCIENCE , AND ART .

This is certainly not the age when a successful author is treated shabbily by the publisher . We read , for example , that Victor Hugo is to have £ 1000 per volume for his new work published at Brussels , Les Miserables ; ancl as the work will extend to six volumes , here are £ 6000 for the illustrious exile and the author of Notre Lame de Paris . —A convict , liberated

after nineteen years spent in the bagnio at Toulon , is introduced as the miserable . Tired and wayworn , he arrives at dark in a little town in the south of France , and immediately proceeds to the mairie to get his passport vise . The rumour immediately spreads that a dangerous character has arrived , ancl before he leaves the police office lie is a marked man . He goes to i n inn ,

and asks for bed and supper . The landlord eyes him suspiciously , sends to make inquiries , and then in a subdued whisper tells the wretched wanderer— " I know who you are—I don't wish to be uncivil—go . " The miserable bends his head submissively , takes up his knapsack , and marches forth into the night . Every door he tries is closed against him . At one place he is told—¦ " You

are the man ; " afc another he is cast forth like a clog . He wanders forth into the country ; espies a snug little cottage , with light gleaming through the window . He draws near , ancl looks upon a sunny picture of domestic happiness . A young , healthy , vigorous peasant , seated by his young wife , a child prattling on their knees . He knocks . " Come in . " " I want food and shelter . I am able ancl willing to pay . " " Why don't you go to an inn ? " " They are all full . " The peasant grows

suspicious . " Surely you are not the man . " The convict droops his head , and begs in mercy a crust of broad and a glass of water— -he has walked thirty miles . The peasant takes down his gun , ancl the convict again wanders forth , with rage and bitterness afc his heart . In this mood he goes back into the town . Without going into farther particulars , it will suffice to say that he , greatly to his surprise , finds a refuge in the house

of the bishop—an exemplary priest , who treats him as an honoured guest . The character of the bishop is beautifully drawn ; and the savage , headstrong nature of the brutal galley slave , surprised and awed at first , but gradually softening under the treatment he receives , is described in a manner worthy of Victor Hugo .

Weldon's Register remarks : — " It is stated by the Literarg Budget thab Mr . Coventry Patmore has been paid by Messrs M acmillan ancl Co . £ 2000 for his ' Victories of Love , ' contributed to Macmillan's Magazine . This must be at the rate of about a guinea - per line—a price never before paid to anyone but Mr . Tennyson , and to him only for two very short pieces ,

one in the magazine just mentioned and the other in the Cornhill . " On this the Critic says : — " It is truly amusing to see Weldon seriously debating such an absurd canard . £ 200 Is more like the figure than £ 2000 ¦ and even £ 200 is extravagant pay for verses which convinced evrybody that even Tapper could be outdone .

A testimonial fund has been commenced in acknowledgment of Mr . Isaac Taylor ' s eminent services to literature . Mr . Taylor lias at no time received from his works any adecpiate remunera-