Modern Writers Upon Freemasonry.—Iv.

" The Boys School" ( p . 410 ) . " This institution was founded in 1798 , on a principle similar to that which we have just described ;" ( viz ., the Girls School , ) " except that it admits none hut boys . " Of course not ; who ever suspected it , of admitting any but boys' ? Docs the other charity admit any but girls ? We now come to the remarks on the Royal Arch degreeabout Avhich

, ive do not anticipate that we shall have to say much . Dr . Oliver informs us that "the degree , in its primitive form , certainly commenced before the Flood , (!) and included an account of circumstances which arc said to have occurred during the life of Enoch , " whoso "imaginative history , " Dr . Oliver simply tells us is so and so—he gives no proofs . Well thenso be itit is a very easy way of getting over

, , difficulties , and is , as Bishop Armstrong says , " a smooth and glassy road ; " so . imaginative history for ever ! But when we go even into imaginative history , it is awkward to have facts too plainly against us , and if our readers will look into an article which appeared in our pages on September 7 th , 1858 , on the Bacchic Mysteries , they will find Dr . Oliver convicted of a little confusion between two Enochsso

, that we ought to be sure which is meant here ; not by the bye that much is known about either of them , mens n'importe—and as for the time before the flood , why we don't know much about that either , metis riinqwrle , we suppose Dr . Oliver does . Some words of Our Lord are quoted at p . 433 , which wo will not

transcribe . We differ from Dr . Oliver on this point , and have a strong objection to seeing those and other sacred words lugged in any how , and made to apply to occasions which probably never really had existence at all , or if they had , were never contemplated by their Divine Author . Dr . Oliver moreover seems to forget that the subject of the degree is the second temple , and that that building was erected

at a deflate period , and not first at one time ancl then another , AVe must repeat our last objection with regard to p . 435 . AVe must object to tho ringing of changes on the name or names of the Most High at p . 4-41 . They are not names to be played ivith , or made the subject of " ingenious speculations . " Does Dr . Oliver really understand the nature of the true catenarian

arch ( p . 451 ) , or as it is now commonly called the inversion of the catenary curve ? Again , what an anti-climax in page 452 , from tlio three scriptural offices of the Saviour , to , a dissertation upon lamb-skin aprons ! For "\ alia sijungere" & c , ( p . 455 ) , read " si talia" & c . Wc need say little more . The author says in his preface , "It may

be fairly anticipated that the book will be of essential utility to the Craft , for it will undoubtedly be eagerly read , attentively marked , and inwardly digested . Every living Mason will , at one timo or another , feel himself under the necessity of consulting its pages . " We , on the whole , doubt its essential utility , for the reasons we have given in various parts of this notice ; and , as we have above remarked , there are portions of it to ivhich we most strongly and decidedly object . Among