Masonic Notes And Queries.

BOUND NAILS . In the " Book of Fate , " so much consulted by a certain class of individuals , Ave find the important testimony that "Round Nails show a choleric person , yet soon reconciled , honest , and a lover of secret sciences . '" Look to your nails , brother Masons How would it serve to direct committees on examination to inquire into tho state of the applicants' nails ? Guess Bros . . and . and . must have

remarkable gifts in the Avay of nails , for they belong to all the secret societies , matrimony included!—Ex . Ex : INEXPENSIVE BANQUETS . In an old minute-book of a loclge , dated 1799 , there are seven meetings recorded , tlie expenses on these

occasions , being entered as £ 8 ISs . 6 d ., £ 5 7 s . St ? ., £ 2 2 s . 5 d ., £ 2 lis ., £ 1 4 s . Gd ., £ 3 2 s . Id ., and £ S 12 s . The money given in charity on each of these meetings , that of the fourth in the series only being the one in which no such disbursement is entered , was 15 s ., £ 2 2 s . Gd ., 4 s ., 5 s ., Is ., and 12 s . 10 c / . Rather a contrast to our reckless profusion , and the annual guinea voted , by some lodges , to one of the charities . —A SECRETARY .

IIESSING ' S PUBLICATION ON EREEUiASONRT . " Omega" is correct in supposing that , in one of my many communications to the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE , there is mention of a publication upon Freemasonry by Lessing . See vol . 8 , page 409 , May 23 rd , 1863 . By some inadvertence the communication has not

been inserted in the index , which is probably the cause of " Omega's" unsuccessful search . The " Ernst nnd Falk , Gespriiche fur Freymiiurer , " in Bro . Robert Spencer's " Catalogue of a Valuable Collection of Books on Freemasonry , " is the Avork noticed by me under the title " Dialogues pour les

Francmacons . " With Lessing ' s " Erziehung des Menscheugeschleehts , " to AA'hich attention has been drawn in the theological controversy occasioned by "Essays and Reviews , " I am unacquainted . It is said to be the germ of Herder's work " Ideen zur Philosophic der Geschichte der Menscheit . " It hasI believeno

, , relation ivhatever to Freemasonry . Of course , the door of the lodge would not be closed , because Lessing was a deist . It is , however , suggested that he was a pantheist ; but e \ -en then the door of tlie lodge would not be closed unless his pantheism was of the atheistical kind . —CHARLES PURTON COOPER .

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TALENT AND CLEVERNESS . —Genius rushes like a whirlwind ; talent marches like a cavalcade of heavy men and heavy horses ; cleverness skims like a swallow in . the summer evening , with a sharp , shrill note and a sudden turning . Tho man of genius dwells with men and nature ; the man of talent in his study ; hut the clever man dances here , there , and everywhere , like a butterfly in a hurricane , striking everything and enjoying

nothing , but too light to he dashed to pieces . The man of talent will attack theories , the clever man- will assail the individual , and slander private character . The man of genius despises both ; he needs none , he fears none , he lives in himself , shrouded in the consciousness of his own strength ; I he interferes with none , and walks forth an example that eagles fly alone . It is true , that should a poisonous worm cross his path he may tread it under his foot ; should a cur snarl at him he may chastise him ; but he will not , cannot attack the privacy of another .

The Masonic Mirror.

THE MASONIC MIRROR .

MASONIC MEMS . We have much gratitication in announcing that Bro . 11 . Spencer , the Masonic publisher , has made arrangements with the Rev . Doctor Oliver for revising a new edition of the Boohof the Lodge . It is expected to be ready early in June . The Provincial Grand Lodge of Berks and Bucks will he

held in the Town-hall , Abingdon , on the 19 th inst ., under the presidency of Bro . iHneas J . M'Intyre , Grand Iteg ., Acting Provincial G . Master .

THE GIRLS' SCHOOL . The seventy-sixth amiivci'sniy festival of the Eoyal ' Freemasons' School for Female Children was held on AVednesday evening in the Hal ] , Great Queen-street . There was a long list of Stewards , about " 70 in number , of winch Bro . Stephen Barton AVilson , P . G . D . and P . M . No . 615 , Avas President . There was

an unusual interest taken amongst the Craft as to this festival , on account of tho great expense incurred in building a new wing to tho institution , at an outlay of something above £ 1 , 500 , to accommodate an extra number of children , which was calculated to cost about £ 600 annually in excess of the present expenditure . Therefore , every exertion was used to make this

festival more productive than any one which had preceded it ; and no disappointment could be experienced on that account , for we believe the subscription was the largest ever received on any similar occasion . The chair was taken by Bro . Col . E . A . Shafto Adair , Aide-dc-Camp to the Queen , imd Prov . G . M . fox- Suffolk , and amongst

those at the chief table we observed Bros . Dr . Porter , D . Prov . G . M . for Huntingdonshire and Northamptonshire ; Spiers , D . Prov . G . M . for Oxfordshire ; Symonds , P . Assist . Dir . of Cers . ; John Udall , P . G . D . ; Heecl , P . G . D . ; Gray Clarke , G . See . ; Farnfield , Assist . G . Sec . ; Hopwood , P . G . D . ; Binckes , Secretary to the Boy's School , and several others . The dinner embraced everything in season , and reflected on

Bros . AV . Elkington and Shrewsbury the highest credit for the excellence of the fare , and the bountiful manner in which it was supplied . The cloth having been drawn , grace was sung by the professional singers , the words of it being newly arranged from the Chevalier Neukomm , by Bro . Donald King .

The CHAIRMAN , iu giving " Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen , " said—The toast which it is now ray privilege to give is one which occupies the first p lace in all assemblies of men who bear tho British name , not merely as an act of duty which attends the rank of the illustrious lady who is the object of the toastbut on account of Hie virtues which adorn the throne ,

, and which place her first and foremost in the hearts of her people . Her illustrious name is endeared amongst our Order , and especially for that noble quality which is most prominent in her—the quality of charity , and also for her support of the charity which Ave have this day assembled to honour . Wherever distress is made known there her gracious presence

haspenetrated like a glorious sunbeam—whether it is at the dying heel of the soldier , to hearths made desolate , or to the honest and industrious man whose means of life haye failed—to give them succour and consolation ; hut , above all , for that sympathy of tbe Crown which has descended to the most needy , at all times and in all places . I give you ' The Health of her Majesty the Queen . "