Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

friend , Walpole , was presented by His Excellency , in due course , with a grant of SOO or 1000 acres of land ; whilst a few-men of his party—prisoners—received free or conditional pardons , as a reward for ridding the country of a pair of wretched low-caste savages , who were captured at the high premium , and mainly at the cost of the commissariat treasury , of somewhere about . 618 , 000 per head , £ 36 , 000 being the estimated expenditure incurred in this futile scheme . " Mr . Lloyd next explains how ,

what the whole colony with its governor at the head , could not effect , ivas successfully acomplished by a single individual : — '" About eight or nine months before the institution of the ¦ cordon , Mr . G . A . Robinson , a worthy colonist , an architect and builder at Hobart Town , was inspired with a most original idea , = a scheme , considering the fierce animosity of the aborigines towards the colonists , " that appeared even more impracticable

than that of the memorable line . Seeking an interview with the bewildered Governor , the bold artisan communicated the plan he had conceived for delivering into the hands of the authorities , single-handed , every native then at large in Tasmania , and at a trifling cost to the Government ; leaving the question of reward , in the event of a successful result , entirely at the disposal of His Excellency . Notwithstanding his very dubious in official he fulldetermined all

reception quarters , was y against ¦ obstacles to prosecute his unprecedented and dangerous mission . The Governor , not without a show of reluctance and scepticism , ¦ gave his sanction , and ordered the necessary supplies for the expedition . The intrepid adventurer soon embarked on his novel enterprise ; and in company with a few blacks who had been previously captured and half civilized , was landed on the southern shores of the island , Prom thence , strapping his rug

¦ and knapsack to his sturdy shoulders , and totally unarmed , he forthwith penetrated into the midst of the gloomy and inhospitable forests . Toiling and marching with heroic perseverance , meeting every discomfort and deprivation like a Stoic , this bold and patriotic man , confident of complete success , ever felt that he was led on by some good genius that told him , ' Persevere , and the bloodthirsty savages shall be delivered into your hand . ' At the end of a few weeks , bis sable companions imparted a thrill

of delight to his heart , by the discovery of naked footprints , denoting that some tribe had very recently passed the spot on whicli they were standing . Now came the exciting trial , for , in the next moment , the enterprising patriot and those whose dreaded presence he sought , stood face to face ! Stern menaces , and war whoops , uttered by serried ranks of warrior spearmen marked his first reception . But lo ! after a few magic signs and words were delivered by the sable interpretersthe serrated

, spears were cast aside , and those hands that had been too often red with the blood of helpless victims , were now most warmly proffered . The wondrous missionary was received with marks of genuine delight ; ancl thenceforth the olive branch was once more miraculously planted between the bitterly hostile and contending races . The surprise of the colonists may easil y he conceived on witnessing the almost incredible sight of a wild

and ferocious tribe of savages quietly , and with a confidential air , following in the train ol the worthy man who had charmed them so wisely , through miles of forests , roads , and sundry villages , into the very heart of the capital of their enemies . At the expiration of four or five years , Mr . Robinson had succeeded in inducing every tribe in Tasmania , one after another , to accompany him to the Governor ; promising not only that they should receive no ill-treatment at the instance of his country-• men , but that the Government would also provide them with abundance of food and warm clothing . On the faith of these promises , the blacks yielded . "

Mr . John Ericsson , the designer and builder of the Monitor , is hy birth a Swede . His name is well known to the engineers and mechanics of this country . As long ago as 1826 ho intro-¦ duced to the scientific men of London , his " flame engine" —a machine intended to work without steam , by simply condensingthe flame . The engine was found , however , not suited for

mineral fuel—our most important product , and the scheme fell to the ground . In 1829 a prize was offered by the Liverpool and Manchester Railway for the best locomotive . Ericsson competed for it , and the result was an engine from his hands that could travel with ease fifty or sixty miles an hour . The . railway system was then in its infancy , and the public were thunderstruck at the wonderful foreigner who could travel at

Notes On Literature, Science, And Art.

such a furious rate . ' But Ericsson ' s most famous invention was his " caloric engine , " which ho submitted to the scientific world of London in 1833 , and ivhich was subsequently made the motive power of a large ship of 2200 tons burthen . The ship named the TEricsson , after the inventor , performed a partially successful trial trip , but unfortunately foundered in a squall during her

return . Mrs . E . B . Mason has a volume in the press , entitled " Eighteen Tears amongst the Wild Men of the Burmese Mountains . "Lord Bacon's Bible Thoughts , " selected from his writings , with a preface by the Rev . Dr . Cairns , of Berwick , will be published shortly .

Mr . G . H . Lewes has a work in the press on Aristotle , being a chapter in the history of science , and an analysis of the philosopher's works .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor n not responsible for the opinions expressed hj Correspondents . THE HIGH GRADES . TO TirE EDITOK OP TI ___ _ . IiEE _ XASO _ fs' 3 _ AGA ____ fJ _ AND UASONXC 3 TIRRO--. DEAB , SIR AND BKOTKEK . —I thought in the fewpapers I had contributed to the FREEMASONS' MA & AZINEI had

, carefully abstained from anything that might lay me open to the charge of dogmatism , preferred against me by our esteemed Bro .- Woodford ; on the contrary , there is , I hope no Mason more open to conviction or more ready to acknowledge errors , when convinced of them , than myself . My first object in writing these letters was to show that the Christian Degrees were necessary to

complete the grand and entire scheme of Freemasonry , and I was gradually drawn into some speculative ideas of the channel through which the Masonic Mysteries had descended to us . I never intended to assert that

we owe Craft Masonry to the Temple Order , but I gave a few of the data accesible to any ordinary reader , that led me , with far more learned Masons , to such a conclusion ; but I am by no means wedded to that opinion , on the contrary nothing would gratify my anticpiarian predilictions more than to find the high antiquity ascribed to speculative Freemasonry , supported by genuine

historical documents , but not by mere Masonic tradition . I hope no passage in my letter will justify Brother Woodford ' s accusations , that I consider the admission of Jews and Hindoos to a participation in Masonic privileges , entails on Christian Masons the startling description of a body of men who do not believe in Christianitybut I assertedand still do assert that the

, , Masonic guilds who built the roman catholic cathedrals , were at least professing Christians , for no prince , prolate , or monk , would in those days have consorted with any body of Jewish workmen , however skilful they might have been in the knowledge of their Craft .

But though I indignantly deny that the spirit of Freemasonry is anti-christian , it is another thing to say that it teaches Christianity , though it lays great stress upon the practice of faith , hope and charity , it does not teach Jesus Christ and Him crucified . It is to do away with this reproach that I so strongly advocate the high grades . I would not close the Craft lodge , but I would

open wide the portals of the temple . I agree with Dr . Johnson that a man will always write better for understanding his subject , and I assure Bro . Woodford ;' that I have paid great attention for many years to Mason ' s marks , and I draw a very broad distinction between what are commonly so called , and which ai'e still in use in working Mason ' s lodges , and the regular and geometrical figures common to all