Terra-Cotta And Luca Della Robbia Ware, Considered On The Principles Oe Decorative Art.

that he printed the letter and engraved the drawing for the first volume of his Leland ' s " Collectanea . " This brick is Flemish , of the seventeenth -century , and one of several that together gave the history of Samson , as may be seen in that curious large old brick fireplace from a house at Antwerp

, and noAv put up in the south-Avest corner of the south court in this Museum . Doubtless it formed an ornament to some house burnt down A . D . 1666 , during the great fire of London ; but such is its style of design that , at the present day , no one Avho knew anything of art or antiquities would

dream of its being old , much less of the Romano-British p eriod . ( To le continued . )

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

SIB KNT . COOKE ' S LECTURE . Is Sir Knt . Matthew Cooke ' s lecture to Kni ghts Templars in the press , or hoAV can our encampment get at it ?—MILETES . —[ It cannot be published . Templary , Hi gh Grades , and Craft secrets are spoken of in it , and no ingenuity could veil the allusions . Sir Knt . Cooke will give it at your encampment , if desired . ]

THE MASONIC SECRET BETRAYED . The Indian Freemasons' Friend has tbe following : — Brother Punch , Ave regret to observe , has , in his criticism of " This Year ' s Pictures , " violated his Masonic obligation to keep the Masonic secret closely tyled within his heart . Noticing a picture by the

famous Jolloper , Bro . Punch says : — " Jolloper has executed but one picture , hut it is A'ery fine ! It is called the "Masonic Lodge , " aud he has represented , with the utmost fidelity , all the costums , emblems , and signs of Masonry . The scene has dramatic interest . An intrusive waiter at the Freemasons '

Tavern has forced his Avay into the lodge just as a new brother is going to he made , aud has instantl y been cut down by the sword of the Tyler , Avhile the Grand Master , Avaving the redhot gridiron , denounces the profane miscreant . The terror of the novice can be seen through the Avhite nightcap draAvn over his face . We no more belieA'e in the existence of Jolloper

than Ave do in that of Sairey Gamp ' s " Airs . Harris !" We do not belieA'e that such a picture as the " Masonic Lodge" appeared in the last Exhibition ! It is Bro . Punch himself AVIIO must be held responsible for confirming , with the weight of his authority , the popular belief in the important disclosures made many

years ago in America by Morgan , that the Ereemasons use the redhot gridiron ! He has shown even less discretion than a peon formerly in the service of Lodge Humility Avith Eortitude , in Calcutta , whose son , by the Avay , is to this day employed by Chapter Hope . The anecdote Avas related in 1855 in the old

series of the Indian , Freemasons' Friend . When the meetings of the loclge used to be held in Port William , Paunchoo was kindling coals for toasting muffins ou the occasion of the ballot for a candidate . The latter being left alone in the outer hall , walked about nervously for a time , and then , going up to the peon , asked him softly , " Can you tell me , my good fellow ,

¦ wh y you are preparing that fire ? " Paunchoo , Avho kneAv the Masonic secret , and Avas afterwards discovered to be in the habit of making money by conferring Masonic degrees on his native fellow ' servants ancl friends and acquaintances generally , replied —• " I hear a sahib is to be made a Mason to-nihtand on

g , such occasions I am always ordered to heat a small bar of iron ; but for Avhat purpose the iron is required I cannot say . " "Whew ! they won't catch me , " thought the candidate , congratulating himself upon his sagacity . So , buttoning up his coat , his mare was soon in a trot homewards , Avhile his heart was no

doubt in a gallop . The ballot turned out to be favourable ; but great Avas the surprise of the brethren Avhen they found that the candidate had vanished—a result Avhich Paunchoo had never expected his joke Avould have produced . Explanations followed , and in a few days afterwards tho candidate was initiated , and " Brother Paunchoo" Avas suspended for one month .

DR . DESAGULIERS , GRAND MASTER . Thinking it may interest Bro . ShuttleAvorth , of Berne , as Avell as others , I beg to say I have seen the following papers by Bro . Dr . Desaguliers . Several of them have been printed in the proceedings of the Royal Society ; but as they are chieflif not wholl

y , y , in his own MS ., the catalogue may be of service . Draught of a time-keeper for Navigation , Avith Dr . D . ' s letter , 173 G . Concerning the planet Venus , according to Bianchi ' s discoveries , as it is represented in clock-work in a planetarium , 1739 .

Electrical Experiments . . . j 1737 . 8 . Some things concerning electricity , 1740-1 . Thought and Experiments concerning electricity , 1737 . Letters and Experiments in electricity , 1739-42 . New Machine to show the phenomena of the tides , 1737 .

Experiments on the motions of bodies , 1738 . Second dissertation ou the force of bodies in motion , 1739-40 . Thoughts concerning the cause of electricity—with a drawing—1739 . Electrical Experiments at the Prince of Wales ' s-

house , 1738 . Account of things performed by real , or pretended , strong men , Avith 2 continuations . Letter from J . II . Desaguliers , in French , dated Dieppe , 13 June , 1716 . Do . do . do ., 17 May , 1716 .

Two very short notes from Dr . Desaguliers , Avithout dates . One letter . . . dated Aug . 8 , 1728 . Do June , 172 ? Do Dec , 1729 .

Do . ( to Sir Hans Sloane ) Mar . 4 , 1782 . —MATTHEW COOKE , HIGH PRIESTHOOD . Is this a Roval Arch or Knight Templar degree?—PAST Z .

AXE OR SAVORD ? Which is the proper Aveapou to use in Mark Masonry , an axe or a SAVord ?—A . M . A .