Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

DOUBLING THE CUBE . In reply to a former query on this subject , a correspondent sends us the following : — ¦ ' Tho Duplication of the Cube was a celebrated problem much discussed by ancient geometricians . It is tho finding of a side of a cube that shall be double in solidity to a given cube . It was first proposed by the Oracle of Apollo , at Delphoswhich declared that the jilague then raging at

, Athens should cease when Apollo ' s altar—a cube—was doubled . Upon this mathematicians applied themselves seriously to seek tho duplication of the cube , and hence it was called the Delphian problem . It cannot , however , be effected geometrically , as it requires tho solution of a cubic equation , but has been solved mechanically by Archimedes and other philosophers . " —T . R . C .

MASONIC PAINTING . In the Methuen Lodge , at Swindon , is an old painting bearing date 1742 , and having several Masonic allusions depicted thereon . A print of it was frequently sold some few years ago , and I have seen it over the door within the parlour behind the shop , at Bro . Spenccrs ' s in Great Queen Street . Can 3 'ou afford a description of it?—R . E . X . —[ AA e do not know itbut perhaps Bro . Spencer will furnish the

, particulars , and if so we will print them . ] LODGE PILLARS . In the Eoyal Sussex Lodge , at Swindon , arc two pillars , that some of our Masonic furnishers might do well to take pattern by , but when used they are improperly placed . Instead of being at the porchwaj-, they flank the S . W ' s platform on the right and left of that Officer . —R . E . X .

TRACING OT A JEWEL . [ Bro . R . E . X . must allow us a little time to see if we can identify the jewel of which he has enclosed a tracing , after which his query shall appear . ] THE LECTURES IX RHYME . I send you a scrap of the lectures in rhyme which I found engraved on an old Masonic plate . The poetry (?) may make some of our younger brethren smilebut I have heard

, similar quoted , by Masons venerable in years . "Why does the sun his glories Beams display Anthiii a Mason ' s lodge , or Moon reflect her ray ? Why doth the star and circling G appear , AAliy J . and B . two pillars ever rear ? AAlvy does the T r constant bear the sword And our true W n demand the p s word ?

Quick answer make and you 11 be justly lree . Entitled to our further seercsy . " PHILIP GRENSIDE . OLD LODGE INFORMATION WANTED . What lodge was it that used to meet at the Boar ' s Head in Eastcheap?—E . A . C . THE FOURTH DEGREE . From what did tho term of the fourth degree , as applied

to the banquet table , takes its rise , and what is the first instance of its use?—ETVMOLOGICUS . MASONIC TESTS . Are any of the forms of Masonic tests taught in a lodge of Instruction ?—J . SNOW . [ Certainly . ] SWEDENBORG ' RITE . In what work of Swedenborg ' s shall I find any of his

Masonic peculiarities?—Ex . Ex . —[ In the mystical section of his entire works , published by the Swedenborg Society . ] BRO . R . SMITH . Who , aud what , was Bro . 11 . Smith , the author of the Fcecmasons' Pocket Companion , printed some sixty or eighty years since?—ANOTHER SMTH . PASTILES AT A CONSECRATION .

Being present the other day at the consecration of a lodge , when the censer was used , various pastiles were li ghted about the room , should not incense be burned?—J " . B . —[ It should—as Warburton says : — "Prom the Censer curling rise Grateful incense to the skies . " Incense is sold in little rings to fit into the censer , and is to

be procured , at any Catholic depository . ] THE BEST APPOINTED LODGE . AVhich is the best appointed lodge in London , with respect to its furniture?—Ex . Ex .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

THE TRENCH PRESTON . Is there any work iu French that is at all like our Preston ' s Illustrations?—A . AV . M . —[ Several . The earliest is Dietionnaire Hisloriqiie ties Logos Nationcdes ct Efrangeres consfi ' tuees era re-constitutes par le Grand Orient de France do 1721 a 174-2 . Paris . 1742 . ] COLLAR FOR A DEGREE . Amongst some old Masonic clothing which was latel

y turned out of a chest , where it had lain for some years , was a white collar edged with gold lace , with plenty of embroidery , consisting of flower sprays down to the peak in front , and at that point a black crucifix , It was lined with pink silk . What degree does it belong to ?—COSTUMIER .

LODGE PLATE . As Colleges , Corporations , and many other bodies , have very frequently handsome cups , covers , salvers , & c , does any lodge 23 ossess a collection of such articles?—S . T . R . EMBLEMS ON APRONS . I was recently in a lodge where one of the Past Masters had embroidered on his apron a square and compass . Is such a decoration frequent?—A . AVILSON .

DESIGN FOR A P . M / S JEWEL . What is tho best design for a P . M . ' s Jewel?—JUNIOR AVARDEN . —[ Apply to a Masonic Jeweller if you mean the decoration only for the person ; but the best memento a P . M . can have of having done his duty in a lodge , is to make him a Life Governor of all or one , of the Charities , with ( as tho lawyers say ) " remainder to the lodge" after he has " shuffled , oft' this mortal coil . " ]

ANTI-TOBACCO LODGE . Whore can I find a lodge in which the members are not allowed to smoke after business ? I have no desire to limit tho enjoyment of any brother , but I detest the weed in all shapes . —II . A . [ Very few of the dinner lodges allow smoking . ] REPRESENTATIVES IN GRAND LODGE . ^ A hat arc the jieculiar duties supposed to be performed b y

the representatives of foreign Masonic jurisdictions in our Grand Lodge ?—IGNORAMUS . ELIAS ASIIMOLE . Was Eli as Ashmole ever Master of a lodge and , if so , where ?—E . KENT . —[ Not that wo know of , Ashmole ' s Diary is all that tells us ho was a Mason , and so scanty is the information therein given that itisprudont toconfess ignorance of our brother ' s question . ]

Literature.

Literature .

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY . There is in the press , almost read y for publication , an important and interesting work , which will shortly appear at Leipzig , The History of Freemasonry , from its origin to the present day , drawn from the best sources and the newest investigation , by Bro . T . G . Findel , ( editor of the Masonic JournalDie BavMittemember of the lod Elusis

, , ge , Bayreuth , honorary member of several other lodges ) , 2 vols . The work will be dedicated by permission , to some Gorman lodges , and to Bro . H . G . AVarren , editor of THE FREEMASONS ' MAGAZINE , London ; Ullbach and Favro , editors of tho Monde Maconnicpte , Paris ; E , Rohr , editor of The Triangle , AVilliamsburgh ; U . F . Anderiessen , editor of The Magazine WcekMadUtrechtand Dr . Reed SoydelLeipzi The

, , , g . history of a brotherhood , which , like the Order of Frcmasonry , has contributed so essentially to the ennobling of social life and morals , and which , from its very origin has occupied so many learned and able men , is calculated to interest not alone craftsmen , but every enlightened citizen of the world , every man of cultivated mind , whatever may be his rank or condition in life . In the present day when

tho human mind seems to be directed with peculiar care to whatever belongs to the civilisation of mankind , the history of a brotherhood , which not only has extended itself over all the civilized parts of the world , the effect of which on society has beonjMid is still most salutary , and about which friends and foes W jL \ contended with equal eagerness , cannot fail of exciting || he greatest interest . The history of Frfeemasom-y , involved in mysterious dark-