Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

Rumour speaks of the arrangements being completed for the speedy establishment of a new daily penny paper in the metropolis . With this speculation report connects the name of a gentleman who some time ago inaugurated a similar enterprise , which , however , through legal difficulties arising out of the title selected , was soon suspended , hut , it would seem , not finally abandoned . It is

also stated that a Scotch Company are organising a similar speculation—bringing their staff to London with them . AVe recently noticed the publication of the Earl of Dundonald ' s Autobiography of a Seaman ; we have now to record the death of the author , which took place at Kensington , on Wednesday morning , the 31 st ult ., in the 85 th year of his age . Thomas

Cochrane , tenth Earl of Dundonald , was born in December , 1775 , and will be best known as Lord Cochrane , under which title the principal events of his naval and political career took place . He was the eldest son of Archibald , ninth Earl of Dundonald , well known for his devotion to chemistry when that science was but in its infancy . In 1793 , Lord Cochrane entered the British Navy ,

under his uncle , Captain , afterwards Sir Alexander Cochrane , —a brave officer , who received the thanks of the House of Commons in 1809 , for the conquest of Martinique . Lord Cochrane had not been long at sea before he gave umnistakeable proof of his extraordinary courage ; and , in 1801 , he was made post captain for boarding and capturing a Spanish frigate off Barcelona . In 1802 ,

his vessel , the Speedy , sloop of war , was captured by a French srpiadron , and he became for a time prisoner of war . The following year , being exchanged , we find him commanding the Arab frigate at the blockade of Toulon . He commanded the Pallas frigate from 1801 to 1806 , and the Imperieuse frigate from the latter year to

1809 , both vessels being employed in cruising along the coast of France and Spain , as the enemy well knew to their cost . In 1809 , he was chosen by the Admiralty to burn the French fleet in the Basque Roads , which difficult and dangerous task he accomplished on the night of the 11 th of April , for which he was made Knight of the Bath . So far the career of Lord Cochrane was one of glory in the eyes of all his countrymen . But he had , unfortunately for his

peace , become a member of parliament , and his strong feelings as a radical reformer soon brought him into collision with the government , especially after the accession of the Liverpool-Castlereagh administration . The pages of THE FKEEAIASOJJS MAGAZINE are not the proper place to discuss the merits of that great quarrel . Hi ' s life is indeed a proof of the adage , that " Truth is stranger than Fiction . "

In 1814 we find him tried on a charge of circulating a false report of the abdication of Napoleon , for interested motives , thereby causing a rise in thefimds . His sentence was to stand in the pillory , pay a fine of £ 1 , 000 , and suffer a year ' s imprisonment . At the same time he was expelled the House of Commons , struck off the list of captains , and the Order of the Bath taken from him . Government , however ,

remitted him the punishment of the pillory , and the people paid his fine , and re-elected him as member for AVestminster . At the expiration of his imprisonment , he resumed his seat in parliament ; and , in 1818 , he accepted the command of the fleet of the Chilians then struggling for their independence . Having given fresh proofs of his bravery during his four years in the Chilian service , he entered , in 1 S 22 , the service of Brazil , and in the following year

was made Marquis of Maranas by the Emperor Don Pedro . He returned to England ; but , in 1827 and 1828 , we find him again occupied in naval warfare in support of the independence of Greece . On the death of his father , July 31 st , 1831 , he succeeded to the Earldom of Dundonald , having the year before , on proof of his innocence of the Stock Exchange fraud , been restored to his

command in the British navy and made rear-admiral . In 1811 he was made Alce-Admiral of the Blue ; in 18-17 the Order of the Bath was restored to him ; in 1 S 4 S he received the command-in-ehief of the fleet on the AVest Indian and North American stations ; in 1 S 51 he was made Vice-Admiral of the White ; and , in 1851 , Admiral of the United Kingdom . In 18-1-7 his lordship published his Observations on Naval Affairs ; and the second and concluding volume ofhis

Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

Autobiography of a Seaman is yet amongst our newest hooks . We are not aware that his lordship was ever invested with the badge which is more ancient and honourable than the one he was deprived of ; but , as Englishmen , we may claim him as " one of the ocean warriors , worthy of the island which gave birth to a Blake and a Nelson , and , as an author , whose writings are at the least

interesting . The first of the Christinas books has appeared . It is Moore ' s Lalla RoohJi , prettily adorned for the Messrs . Longman , made to look as bright in printing and binding , as the poetry is in fancy and conceit . A majority of the designs are from the pencil of Mr . Tenniel ; with a few of exquisite Persian patterns , by Mr . Sulman ,

jun . Can we say more than that the illustrations are as Oriental as the text ? Messrs . De la Rue & Co ., have put out a choice of compact and elegant pocket-books and calendars—of a tiny size for ladies , and of a more handy form for gentlemen . The Red Letter Calendar , though slight , contains nearly all the memoranda that an ordinary

person ever seeks in a portable almanac . The interesting autobiography , letters , and literary remains of Mrs . Fiozssi , which we formerly announced as among the forthcoming publications of the Messrs . Longman , is to be edited by Mr . A . Hayward , Q . C . The task could scarcely have fallen into better hands than those of the biographer of Chesterfield and Selwyn .

Another is about to be added to the many Manuals of the Civil Service , which have for their object to explain to youthful aspirants for Government employment the nature of the examinations to which they will be subjected . The new publication will form one of the Messrs . Cassell ' s chean series of handbooks .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

[ T HE EDITOB does not hold himself responsible for any opinion entertained by Correspondents . ' ] FREEMASCVKRY IN THE COLONIES . 10 THE ED 1 T 0 K OE TIIE EKEE 1 IAS 0 KS MAGAZINE AXD irASOXlC 5 Iir . llOi ! . DEAR SIS AND BB - OTIIEK , —Surely you must , by mistake , or in hastehave consulted an old edition of the Booh of

Con-, stitutions when writing the foot note to my letter in your number of the 13 th October . If you will refer to the edition of 1858 , which , is the one now in force , yon will Unci at page 83 , art . 7 , " nor shall a higher degree bo conferred on any brother at a less interval then four weeks from his receiving a previous degree , cvecepi as provided at p . 55 . " Turning to page 55 art . 1 you . will road : —''" The AT . AV .

, , Grand Master may confer on Provincial Grand Masters in the colonies and foreign parts , a power of dispensation , in case of emergency , for a brother to be advanced to a higher degree at an interval of one week , instead of four -weeks . " This power of dispensation has been granted to most Prov . Grand Masters in the colonies , and has been very extensively used , for reasons which must be obvious to those acquainted

with the circumstances of colonial life , viz : — 1 st . In the large colonial possessions , colonists arc much scattered , communication is difficult , and . a journey to one of the large towns , where lodges are established , can only bo taken at long intervals , and the stay is seldom prolonged , beyond a few weeks . 2 nd . Officers of H . M . Naval and Military Forces are ,

when on duty in the colonies , constantly liable to be moved at the very shortest notice , and ninny would have to wait years for a hi gher degree , were no dispensation possible . 3 rd . The Scotch and Irish Lodges , do not require a month between the degrees , and consequently all to whom time is an object would be led to apply for admission to them in preference to those holding under tlie Grand Lodge of England .

AVith regard to this latter subject , it certainly is a great pity that some regular understanding has not been arrived at between the several Grand Lodges to ensure uniformity of rule . It seems a great anomaly that , in colonics where there is a Provincial Grand Lodge , under warrant from the Grand Lodge of England , private lodges should exist holding under the Irish and Scotch constitution .: " , corresponding direct