Masonic Curiosities, No. 1.

Usefulness in a nearer Perspective , we shall find it magnify upon us prodigiously , and requires a Pencil more delicate than mine to di'aw it in perfection ; I shall confine myself therefore to a few Slight Touches , which even from my Hand may

perhaps give some Idea of the Beauty of the Whole . ; Tis a Maxim indisputably true , that we ought to read men as well as Books . What an unsociable Animal is a Learned Pedant who has shut

Mmself up all his Life with Plato and Aristotle ? For till the Dust and Cobwebs of his Study are brushed off him by Conversation , he is utterly unfit for Human Society . A Good Genius can only be cultivated this

way , but lies like a Rich Diamond whose Beauty is indiscernable till polished . Good Manners , the chief Characteristic of a True Gentleman is only attainable this Way . For we learn by seeing how odious a brute is to shun Brutality .

Good Sense , which indeed is a Genius , yet can no way be so readily improv'd , as by frequent observing in good Company Nonsense and Ribaldry exploded . In fine , neither Health nor Wealth would

suffer by it , but be both of them increas'd and amended , did the pernicious custom of drinking too deep , which we of our Nation too much indulge , invest the Order and ( Economy of all Society . There is no Conversation to be kept up in the

World without good Nature , or something which must bear its appearrnce , and Supply its Place . For this Reason Mankind have been forc'd to invent an artificial kind of Humanity , which , as a Great Author has defni'd , is call'd Good Breeding .

But when both these have their Foundation sapp'd by an Inundation of Liquor , Ruin and Desolation will undermine and lay waste that Glorious Seat of Reason which the Divine Architect has , above all others , honour'd the Human constitution with .

The most ingenious Author , that ever liv'd has made a pretty Observation on the different Humours that Drink produces in an English Society . He says , they proceed from the different Mixtures of Forei gn Blood that circulates

in us . We sit down , he says indeed , all Friends , Acquaintances and Neighbours ; but after two Bottles you see a Dane Start up , and Swear the Kingdom is his own . A Saxon drinks at the whole Quart and swears he will dispute that with

Masonic Curiosities, No. 1.

him . A Norman tells them both , He will assert his Liberty ; and a Welshman cries , They are all Foreigners and intruders of Yesterday , and beats them all out of the Room ., Such Accidents , adds our Author , frequently happen amongst

Neighbours , Children and Cozen Germans . I wish I could not say that I have frequently observ'd it in our most amicable Brotherhood of Free-Masons . But so many better heads and Peers have been employ'd on this subject , that it would be too

presuming in me to take more of your Time about it . I shall proceed therefore to speak of this © Ut -fSiost STntxcitt anlj fHoat pjcmcrataule Satletg in

Particular . And here , my Brethren , So Vast and Spacious a Foundation is Mark'd out for one of the Noblest Superstructures that Wit can invent and Rhetoric adorn : that were the designs drawn and

executed by a Masterly Genius , with all the necessary Oratorical Decorations proper for so sublime a subject , we might safely say with the poet , —

— Quod nee Jovis ira , nee Ignis , Sec poterit ferrum , nea edax abolere vetustas . But as I am verily persuaded , that you neither expect to hear a Cicero a Demosthenes , a evena Henly in me ; So may I hope your Candour and

Humanity will pardon my Temerity where the Loftiness of the Text must inevitably shew the Insufficiency of the Preacher . { To be continued . )

Notes On American Freemasonry.

NOTES ON AMERICAN FREEMASONRY .

{ Continued from page 464 . )

MISSISSIPPI . The Grand Master delivered the annual adaress , from which we make the following extract , which shows so much right feeling , that we commend it to the Craft .

" It is a distinguised mark of the Divine favour that permits us to come together at this time : Into the twelve months that have passed away , since we last met in Grand Annual Comm unicatiou , there has crowded so much of bitter

disappointment aud sorrow , suspense and anxiety , as has filled the measure of any other period of equal extent in the annals of this Grand Lodge . Our people have been chastened ; and but for the promise made specially to them , the lengthened shadows of coming events , now falling around