Gothic Architecture And Operative Freemasonry.

At its west end Chartres has a large beautiful rose window and two spires , the northern one 371 ft . high " must be considered as on the whole the most beautiful spire on the continent of Europe —certainly far surpassing those ' at Strasburg ,

Vienna or Antwerp . " * Strasburg spire is 468 ft . high . Vienna 441 . As Mr . Ferguson , says of Strasburg spire , " The octagonal part is tall and weak in outline , the spire ungraceful in form , and covered with an

unmeaning and constructively useless system of tracery . " It suggests to me the idea of some giant having stolen the octagonal part from some other building and stuck it on here , then purloining the top of some gigantic Chinese pagoda he stuck it a

top the octagon , aud so formed the spire of Stras'burg . It has a great want of uniformity about it . The glory of French cathedrals is their rose windows , and when viewed internally their great height . They want however the picturesque

appearance and artistic beauty of the English cathedrals . Externally French cathedrals give the idea of a huge monster held up by props , whereas there is such a look of calm repose , solidity and beauty about many English cathedrals when viewed

externally as makes them unrivalled by any similar buildings in Europe . No doubt there are portions of the others which taken per se , are unsurpassed , but taking the buildings as a whole , England carries off the palm .

" They sit tho landscape like some gallant bark . " The French cathedrals are too high in proportion to their length , while the huge bulk of the body dwarfs the appearance of their spires , whereas in England the one seems to set off the other ,

producing thereby a uniform aud artistic whole . The view of Lichfield cathedral with its two western si ^ ires and higher central one forms a harnionius whole that is unrivalled anywhere , it is simply sublime : —

"A thing of beauty anil a joy for ever . " Salisbury being early is perhaps rather bare of ornament , yet there is a simplicity and majesty about it that may cause it to please some better even than if it had been more ornamental . I should like if the foregoing remarks would

tend to cause our brethren to study the history of our cathedral builders and their works more than they seem to have done hitherto , doing so would greatly extend the circle of their knowledge and

Gothic Architecture And Operative Freemasonry.

do them good . The old operative free masons though dead yet speak to us in those noble works which they have left behind them , which breathe a tone of deep and holy religious feeling , and of homage to the Great Architect of the

Universe . They were operative masons and their Augustan era has long past . We are Speculative Freemasons , and we trust our Augustan era has yet to come , to bring it on each must strive in his own

sphere to do sovtetliing , however little , towards that end ; were a more generous feeling of emulation to be stirred up amongst us , it would enable us to throw off that feeling of deadness that is so often felt . Let us all therefore unite in praying

the Great Architect of tlie Universe to send His blessing upon our Future . May He enable us to march onwards in our path of Progress ; doing all things to His glory , and the good of our fellowmen .

The Haughfoot Lodge And Speculative Masonry.

THE HAUGHFOOT LODGE AND SPECULATIVE MASONRY .

By R . S .

EXTRACTS _? KOM OLD RECORDS OI ? HAUGHUOOT LODGE . —contd . "Haughfoot , Dec . 27 th , 1718 . "The preceding list contained in last sedurent , with the addition of William Clark and Patrick

Sanderson , conform to the following report , " The said day Mr . Hugh Scott , of Gala , was chosen preses for the ensuing year , and George Kirkwood appointed to continue clerk for the sd . year .

"Report being made of the publick stock of the lodge by the committee , Andrew Thomson , late Boxmaster , is charged with the money in his hands , mentioned in sedurent 27 Dec , 1708 , and the other money payed in to him conform to the

particular sedurents till 28 th Dec , 1715 , inclusive , extending to £ 93 : 7 : 9 , and and he discharges himself by particulars of debursments , conform to warrants of the said sedurents extending to £ 70 : 01 : 6 , whereby there arises ane balance in

hands of £ 23 : 6 : 3 . " The meeting aproves of thesd acpts of charge and discharge , and all the articles yrof , and ordains Andrew Thompson to ' give in his bills to the present Treasurer for the ballance bearing a rent from the 27 th Deer ., till payed . " The said Andrew Thomson for instructing