Visit To Stratford-On-Avon And Its Vicinage.

spectators ; neither hacl any complaint m that kind ever been preferred against them , or any of them ; " for several of the theatres had then entered fiercely into the celebrated Martin Marprelate controversy , and Lord Burleigh had ordered the Lord Mayov of London to inquire what companies had so offended , as well as appointed a commission for the same purpose . At that

time the dramatist ' s father and mother , his sister Jane , and his brothers Gilbert , Richard , ancl Edmund , all appear to have been living about Stratford ; and it is most probable that his sweet Anne Hathaway , then Mrs . William Shakspere , was residing either at Stratford or Shottery , with their three children , all of them then

living , as Susannah , their eldest daughter , is entered in the registers of this church as baptised on the 26 th of May , 1583 , and their son and daughter , Hamnet and Judith , AVIIO appear to have been tAA-ins , on tho 2 nd of February , 1584 . And ivhen , in the August of 159 G , poor Hamnet—the only son of his father—was prematurely cut off from earth , a lad of twelve years , in whom the

poet , with the "weakness of human nature , had hoped to found a family , ive find the record of the burial , not in Southwark , not about the nei ghbourhood of the metropolis , but here in the church of Stratford . It is my full conviction , that- though the wife and children of Shakspere ivould doubtless visit London occasionallytheir home was always about the

pleasant-, town of Stratford and its environs ; and that there was never a year passed without " gentle Will y" paying a visit to his beloA * ed uath- 'c place . But on this head there are none of all the number AA-IIO once kneiv him well , and who now lie around my feet , that will rise up to enlighten me .

Pass along , then , to the chancel , and let us stand by the grave of Shakspere , for I know of nothing which , to a sensitive mind , so strongly teaches the uncertaint y of this human life , and the certainty of death to all men , as to stand by the tombs of the rich , the poiverful , ancl the gifted of onr race . If a Shakspere could not escape

the penalty of nature , what chance is there , oh reader , for thou or me ? It is better , depend upon ifc , that there is none . ( To le Goniinwd . )

Architecture And Archæology.

ARCHITECTURE AND ARCH ? OLOGY .

GENERAL ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE . A commencement has boon made to improi'o the internal appearance of the parish church of Gainsborough , Lincolnshire . A portion of tlie old high square box-poivs has been removed , and substituted by caiwed oak benches ; other improA'cmcnts are to foiloiv .

In consequence of the old and dilapidated condition of the present Congregational chapel at SfcOAvmarkct , and ivant of accommodation for tho Sunday school , it ivas decided softie time since to erect a neiv chapel , with class aud schoolrooms . The neiv chapel is to bo built of Kentish rag-stone , with Caen dressings . Its site will be that of tho present one , the biiry ' uig-tvvou'icl being arched over . Three old houses ,

which hide tho present chapel from vieAv , arc to bo pulled down , and Ipswich-street will be improved in appearance . St . Mary . Elms Church , IpsAvich , has boon in the hands of the builder , and tho ivholc of the old square high poiving has been removed and UOAV open benches substituted . The altar-piece , altar-railing , and a pulpit , all of a bastard classical desi liave likewise been swept and a neiv

gn , away , railing , and a pulpit of ecclesiastical character and carved , provided in lieu of thorn . The oast wall , where the altarpiece stood , lias been hung from the floor to tho under side of the window , and also round tho north and south Avails , as far as the altar railing incloses , vrith green cloth , on which is a diaper of ; nnber-eolom'cd // e ( cr-ccx' -i / i ' s , the ivholc having an

Architecture And Archæology.

edging of moulded polished wood . The ii'hole of the benching , & c , is executed iu pine , slightly stained and varnished . The floor of the chancel is laid with encaustic red and black tiles , and the nave aud north aisle with terro metallic ware of the like colours . The tower , which has been for some years blocked up aud made a receptacle for rubbish , is noiv throum open . Iron pipes , heated with hot

water , are laid below the level of all the passages , and covered Avith open gratings . The additional accommodation secured by tho benching amounts to upwards 100 sittings , including the children ' s seats . The architect proposes ( funds permitting ) to case the outside of fche church with red and grey brickwork similar to the western toAver . The church has been re-opened .

Tho works of restoration have been continued at the church of Hadleigh , Suffolk . The fine old roof and other portions of the chancel ivere restored last year . A reredos has also been erected . A movement has been sot on foot to repair Sfc . Mildred ' s Church , Canterbury , and the estimated expense is £ 1000 . Towards this sum subscriptions , among- others , have been

received from the Archbishop of Canterbury , £ 10 ; the curate of the parish , £ ' 105 ; Archdeacon Harrison , £ 100 ; the Dean of Canterbury , £ 25 . Wo trust the public generally ivill co-operate in this praiseworthy undertaking , as the parish is a poor one , and that the contemplated repairs will not be delayed for ivanfc of liberal and generous support . Sfc . Luke ' s ChurchSouthamptonhas been re-opened

, , , after being enlarged . By the erection of a new aisle , ivhich has been completed the architectural design , 330 additional sittings have been provided , and , by continuing the north gallery across both aisles , 160 more ; thus making a total of 820 free seats , besides 520 for renting .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

DODGE OF HIEEDOII ( jTO . 91 ) . Is it true that the Lodge of Freedom at-Gravesend , No . 91 meets under a warrant of confirmation which has replaced the original , said to have been destroyed by fire ?—Tic . MASONIC JTOTHRAL ANTHEM . What is the Masonic Euneral Anthem ?—A . Moons . — [ It

commences—Almighty ( Joel ! our heav ' nly King ! Before whose sacred name we bend ; and may be found in almost every collection of Masonic songs , poetry , & c ] THE MASOSIC OHFEE 1 XG TO H . 1 UI . THE DUKE Ol ? SUSSEX . What has become ofthe Masonic offering presented to

the M . W . G . M . the Duke of Sussex , in 1838?—Ex . Ex . —{ It may bo seen at any Grand Eestival , it having- been placed afc tho disposal of Grand Lodge hy the Duchess of Inverness , the widow of our late respected Grand Master . ]

AKK MAKINEKS . When , and whore , clo tho brethren meet AA * 1 IO practice fche degree of Ark and Mark , or Ark Mariners ?—JOSEPH . AVAS DAVID GAUUICIC A 1 'llEEMASON ? Many of our present ancl past actors are , or have been , members of the Craffc . Can anyone toll me if David Garrick was a brother ?—A WALKING GEXTLEJIAK ?—[ He ivas . His Arch ivasin 1835

Eoyal apron , , in the possession of Bro . G . J . Bakhvin , Past Master of the Lodge of Eolief , No . 50 , meeting at Bury , in Lancashire . Where is ifc now ? These arc the kind of relics thafc should find them ivay into a Masonic Museum . ] . UKO . DU . AVOHT . Is Dr . Wolff , the great traveller in the East , a brother ? of his works

Mason In some ivhich I havo read I think I detect symptoms of his being one of us ?—THOS . TUKXER ? —[ Dr . 'Wolff is a brother . He ivas initiated in the Locl ge of Ih-otherly Love , No . 412 , held at Yeovil someivhero about the year 18-16 or 18-1-7 . ] KJIGIITS OE TIIE EION- AXD TIIE AI'E . ^ Wanted , particulars of a pseudo-Masonic society , called Knights of the Lion and the Ape , ivhich appeared in Germany in the last century?—THOS . TUIIXEK .