Notes On Literature Science And Art.

nephews and nieces , and other relatives , male and female , and several grandees of the Empire . The minister who had conducted us to the palace made a short speech to the Queen , after which we had to bow three times , and to repeat the words , ' Esaratsara tomhokoe , ' equivalent to ' We salute you cordially ; ' to which she repied , ' Esaratsara , ' which means ' Well—good ! ' Then we turned to the left to salute the tomb of King Radamaling a few

, y paces on one side , with three similar hows ; whereupon we returned to our former place in front of the balcony and made three more . Mr . Lambert , on this occasion , held up a gold piece of fifty francs value , and put it in the hands of the minister who accompanied us . This gift , which every stranger has to offer when he is presented for the . -first time at Court , is called 'Monosina . ' It is not necessary that it ' should consist of a fifty-franc piece ; the Queen contents herself

- with a Spanish dollar or a five-franc piece . Mr . Lambert had , however , already given fifty francs on the occasion of the ' Samhas-- sambas . ' After the delivery of the gold piece , the Queen asked Mr . Lambert if he wished to put any question to her , or if he stood in need of anything ; to which he answered' No . ' She was also condescending enough to turn to me , and ask if I was well , and if I had escaped the fever . After I had answered this question , we

stayed a iew minutes longer , looking at each other , then bowings and greetings began anew . We had to take leave of Radama's monument , and on retiring were again reminded not on any account to put the left foot first over the threshold . Such is the way in which the proud Queen of Madagascar grants audiences to strangers . She considers herself far too high and exalted to let them come near her at the first interview . Those who have the great good -fortune to win her especial favour , may afterwards be introduced into the palace itself ; but this is never achieved at a first audience . "

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed hij Correspondents . EREEMASONRY IN" AMERICA . TO THE EDITOB OP THE FEEEMASONS * MAGAZINE AND MASOXIC MIEROB . -.-: -DEAR SIB . AND BEOTHEE , —The following extract from a E letter which has just reached me , from an earnest and intelligentMason , will be read with interest by the members of

our widely-spread Craft , both in England and elsewhere . I have not given the name of my correspondent , because I am not aware whether our gifted brother would approve or not of my doing so ; suffice it to say , that he is a very able writer on Ereemasonry , and some of his productions , if I mistake not , have been quoted in your columns . I am , Dear Sir and Brother , yours , very Fraternally , GEOEGE MAEKHAH TWEDDELL .

"New York , September 22 nd , 1861 . "DEAE SIE AND BEOTHEE , —Permit one , who although personally unacquainted with you , still claims the privilege as a ' brother of the mystic tie , ' to address you a few lines , with the princpal object of thanking you for your reply to the communication of H . N . in the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE of August 2 'lth 1861 in which he asserts thafc 'Masonry in

, , America is at this time virtually defunct . ' So far from being ¦ '' defunct , ' I can , as a Mason of some twelve years' standing , aud one who has been a close , and ( as I believe ) impartial observer of the progress of our beloved institution in this and other lands , assure you that afc no previous time has Masonry been in so flourishing a condition in America as at present : nor were ever the sublime princiles which it

inp culcates more sincerely practised than afc this time , when our country is plunged into the midst of a civil war , and the "hands of brethren , North and South , wield the sword instead of the trowel . Not a day passes but some instance is brought to my notice where the remembrance of 'that hieroglyphic bright , which none but Craftsmen ever saw , ' has conduced to lighten the evils and horrors of war .

Although not belonging to the ' white-feather' or ' peace party , ' I fervently pray that peace and harmony may soon be restored to our now unhappy land . "Ifc is true , indeed , that there are many errors and follies which will still prevail in American Masonry , but which , thanks to a growing spirit of research and investigation , are destined , at no very * distant day , to vanish before ' the almighty force and power of Truth . ' In furtherance of this spirit of research , some two years ago , I induced the lodge of wliich I at that time was Master , to institute a Historical

Correspondence.

Society , the object of which is to discuss and investigate subjects of Masonic history , & c . ; to collect a library of Masonic works , medals , manuscripts , curiosities , & c . "We have met with a gratifying success ; a spirit of emulation has been engendered , which has shown its fruits in numerous essays and papers which have been extensively published and quoted in the Masonic papers and magazines of the

United States . The Pythagoras Lodge of Brooklyn , hailing under the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Hamburg , ( and for that reason not acknowledged by our Grand Lodge ) composed of our most respectable and intelligent citizens ( German ) , has a similar society attached , itself forming one of the union of the Historical Societies of Germany . This society is worthy of all praise , and has contributed much to

shed light upon the obscure portion of our history . They have a library of over three thousand Masonic works , and the third largest cabinet of Masonic medals in the world , numbering ( if I recollect right ) , some three hundred

specimens . "One of the greatest drawbacks we have here in Masonry is the preponderance of the so-called ' higher degrees , ' which are useless , and have a pernicious effect upon the course of true symbolic Masonry . Thus we have the chapter degrees , which differ much from yours , and which are full of anachronisms , contradictions , & c . Then the Encampment of Knights Templarwhich is quite a different system from

, yours , and has very little to recommend it . Then the ' Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite , " with its series of thirty-three degrees , the very hot-bed of schisms , disputes , and unfraternal quarrels ; and , last of all , the ridiculous modern invention of the ' Rite of Memphis , ' with its interminable ladder of ninefcy-five degrees 1 over which the aspirant goes with a hop , skip , and jump , and when he has reached the

top he finds that he has discovered the Grand Secret , aud thafc the' whole arrangement is ' vox et praeterea nihil . ' " The writer thinks that he can speak understandingly upon the subject , for he speaks from experience , having been so fortunate (?) as to have waded through the whole series ; and , having done so , he turns with renewed love to his ' alma-mater , ' the simple 'blue lodge , ' and is content to be known hereafter only as au humble Master Mason . "

Bro. Peter Of Never-Mind-Where.

BRO . PETER OF NEVER-MIND-WHERE .

TO THE EDITOB OF THE FEEEMASONS MAGAZINE AND MASONIC HIRBOE . DEAE SIE AND BEOTHEE , —Erom your last number I see that grand bore , Bro . Peter , of Never-Mind-Where , proposes ( Z > . V . ) to inflict on us , your subscribers , an endless amouat of dullness in the shape of letters about Masonic recruits . This communication shall be very brief , and not afc all resemble such prosy stuff as Bro . Peter ' s , but making a

practical suggestion , which I believe will be a boon to many other subscribers . I suggest , then , that as long as Bro . Peter is recruiting , & c , you have blue covers printed to enfold the MAGAZINE , and when he is done , return to the white ones , so that afc a glance we shall know whether to open the MAGAZINE or not . By this plan you will save us considerable annoyance and waste of time , helping us to

" rob Peter to pay Paul , " for some of the miseries endured by the latter through the cacoethes scribendi of the former . — PAUL TUB HERMIT , 90 ° . Everybody-hnows-wliera . TO THE EDITOB OF THE FEEEMASONS MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIEKOE . DEAE AND BEOTHEE—In consequence of delay in the

, delivery on the part of my bookseller , I have only to-day received the MAGAZINE . Now that Bro . Peter has unjustifiably published my name , and given a repetition of hard names against any one who dares to differ from him , aud a castigafcion to those who may express such difference , allow me to ask him to stick to his text , and as he has now undertaken to show how the waste in the

quality of Ereemasonry is to be recruited , which is rather begging his former proposition ; but about which there is much to be said and done ; let him try to say and do it for the good of the Craft , resting satisfied that the brethren will not care anything for his personalities , which only weaken his cause . Yours fraternally , SECRETARY NO . 162 .