Masonic Notes And Queries.

banquetting and effeminacy , to avoid occasionally becoming a traitor to virtue ; ancl , secondly , to counteract the reigning luxury of the age , and to show his friends that the contentment of wise men does not entirely depend upon the palate and stomach , —that their fellow creatures might live happily on a cheaper scale , ancl that by the censureless exchange of thought in the narrow circle of intimacy , pleasures may be enjoyed , for the sake of ivhich one would willingly relinquish high living . For this reason he did not permit his

disciples to partake of wines , meat , or warm food during the clay ; and at the evening meal the elder brethren always presided . Eor this reason he removed from their tables all luxuries of food ; not even fish did he allow , probably because , as Montesquieu remarks , it increases the animal enjoyments ; perhaps , also , because it could not be used for offerings , and it was a matter of great import to him that he and his followers should be considered holy and ardent

ivorshipers of the gods . At certain times they had most splendid repasts prepared , their tables were covered with the most assorted delicacies ; but this was merely that they might look upon them , after ivhich they ivere carried by the slaves , and enjoyed by th em . Thus , by depriving them of all inflammable luxuries , he forced them to remain within the bounds of instinct ivhich nature had set f jr them . ' ¦ ' The founder of this union had nothing so much at heart after frugality , as to accustom his friends to bear with equanimity both Xivospei-ity and adversity . He believed that the virtuous , in order

• unswervingly to persevere in their resolutions , should acquire a certain firmness of mind , and elevate themselves above being affected by outward circumstances . The brethren of his order , therefore , never broke out into the wild shouting in their pleasures , nor imprecations in their anger . Tears , whimpering , cringing , flattery , threats , & c , vrere unknown among them . If it happened that a novice had not yet bacome perfect master of himself in this respect , he had to withdraw , that the others might not be contaminated ;

and he dare not proceed with any undertaking until the inward storm had subsided . These endeavours to control their countenances and gestures ivere not all intended to stifle their sensibilities and sympathy , or to force upon them a formal gravity of manners , but ^ merely to give quiet and composure to their outward appearance , ancl to their minds not only fearlessness and firmness , but also a certain mildness and gentleness

which made of them obliging companions , zealous friends , and forgiving enemies . This , Pythagoras called the harmony of the soul , and considered it to be the mother of modesty , bashfulness , and universal philanthropy ; roughness of manners , on the contrary , he thought were the source of insolence and hardheartedness towards one's fellow-creatures . Eor this reason he forbade his pupils hurting or killing harmless animals , and particularly

useful ones ; for he knew too well that he ivho can witness ivith indifference the last convulsions of au animal , will soon become blind to the tears of the suffering , and deaf to the rattles of the dying . !

Literature.

Literature .

REVIEWS . The Flower Shushan on the Pillars of Solomon ' s Temple . Erom the German of Dr .. KUECHENIIEISTEH . London : Eichard Spencer .

The construction , ornaments , ancl utensils of the Temple of King Solomon have ahvays had a charm for the antiquary and linguist . Each have tried , after their own impressions , to solve the problem of shape , plan , and utility of its various component parts . From the days of Dr . liightfoot , the Temple of Solomon has been a study of interest , and to the Freemason presents not only a vast field of enquiry , but is a

theme for much speculation . A very talented brother , has , with the view of enlig htening us on a disputed point , translated from the German , an essay on The Flower Shushan on the Pillars of Solomon ' s Temple . His views will be best understood by quoting the preface to this interesting book . He states"The following short treatisealthough written for and published

, in an occasional scientific ( non-masonic ) work ( Gelegenheits-sclirift ) . has so intimate a bearing upon the symbols and observances of Ereemasonry , and is so unlikely to come within the reach of any members of the Craft in England , the the translator felt it almost to be a duty to present it in an English garb .

"Xot only will the English Master Mason be enabled to trace the origin and cause of certain differences that exist between Masonry , as practised in Germany and as worked in England , but he will also be led to confess that the foreign Avorking is in those cases the more consonant with the Hebrew origin of many Masonie observances , and that , whatever errors exist , they have probably been introduced or confirmed at the Union of the two Grand Lodges in

1 S 13 . ' ' There is another consideration which cannot fail to strike the candid reader , and that is the impossibility of maintaining ( as so many attempt ) the literal accuracy—in other words , the literal inspiration—of any one particular version ofthe Old Testament . "The translator is not sufficiently at home in the Hebrew language to venture to point out the grammatical or etymological

errors , which undoubtedly often occur in the spelling or writing of various Hebrew words , not only in the original text of this treatise , but in most Masonic w-orks in ivhich the Hebrew words are given in Hebrew characters ; he lias , however , to express his thanks to his friend Dr . Weil for hai'ing drawn his attention to one case , which enabled him to trace the same and similar errors in other works—errors which are but too often a fruitful source of misconception in the various attempts that are made to arrive at

the true meaning of those ivords . " Finally , the translator , although perfectly conversant with the German language , must request the indulgence ofhis readers for any inaccuracy or inelegancy of diction , as he has been more accustomed to tranlate from English into German , than the converse . " Berne , 12 th June , 1861 . " " K . J . S . " In this spirit the work is laid before us and it might be

supposed that Ave should offer some comments of onr oAvnon the subject . This , however , would hardly be fair to the Author and Translator because any isolated passage ire could quote would do an injustice to the whole course of reasoning , which is gradually wrought up to a certain point , determining what the fknver " Shushan " really was . There is also another reason why we cannot enter into a consideration of

the subject here , the price is so trifling that every brother interested can buy the book , which is brimful of learning , argument , and information . Indeed if Ave wished to present a brother ivith a curious and interesting subject for thought , nothing better than this work could be selected .

County Education . A letter addressed to the Eight Hon . the Earl of Devon , by the Eev . J . L . BKEKETOX . London : Eidgway . The above pamphlet is from an ardent friend to the cause of ii'hat he terms " the secondary" education of the country , ancl its gist may be seen from the folioAving extractwhere

, its reverend author says : — "I wish to vindicate the County Education Movement from an imputation it has incurred , in some quarters , of being an interference with other educational interests . Ton are aware that I have personally been relieved by your noble kinsmen , the late and the present Earl Eortescue , from the charge of having , uncalled forpushed into prominence my own views and lans . To them

, p , and not to me , is due the honour , or the blame , of making public those plans and recommending them for trial . I will only say further of myself that any views I have entertained were formed while I was a stranger to Devonshire , and were , therefore , entirely independent of any existing or contemplated institutions in this county . To my ivise ancl earnest master , Dr . Arnold , I owe , among many thoughts and purposes , the impression that much

good ivas to be dons in improving what he called ' the secondary ' education of the country ; and to my own father 1 am indebted for the firm persuasion that this improvement , with many other civil blessings , might find its best source and stay in the restored life of our local and ancestral institutions , in the parishes and counties of England . "As to the practical experiment by which these views have been tested in this placenot onlis its success owing to the rare fortune

, y of having been supported by a man of such sterling character and great influence as the late Lord Lieutenant of Devon , but the experiment itself would never have been attempted or even alluded to in public , bat for his and his son's encouragement . I mention this in order to disengage , by a simple statement of facts , the object in view from the means and manner in ivhich it has been carried out .

" Is then the proposal to establish a County System of Education , consisting of public proprietary schools , a college , and examinations , to be looked upon as an interference with other interests ? Those interests may be assumed to be ( 1 ) The Endowed Grammar