Masonic Notes And Queries.

5 Edw . 2 , m . 17 . Rymer ' s Fcedera , vol . 3 , pp . 279 , 297 , and 456 . Tho . de Melton custos terrarium et tenementoruin Templariorum in Com . Cantabridgiensi . Anno 1311 ., Rymer , vol . 3 , p . 292 . De Vadiis Episcopo Eliensi pro Templariis liberandis : —Ilex dilecto sibi Johanni le Clerk de AVylberham , cnstodi terrarum et tenementorum Templariorum in comitatu Cantahrigiensi , in manu nostra . quibusdem certis de censis existentium , salutem . —W . COLE .

Notes On Literature Science And Art.

NOTES ON LITERATURE SCIENCE AND ART .

We mentioned some time ago , that Mr . William Mudd , a working gardener at Great Ayton , in Cleveland , had in the press A Manual of British Lichens . The book is noiv in course of delivery to subscribers , and is thus noticed by the Aihenaniin : — " This is an octavo volume of 309 pages , containing descriptions of all the speciesarranged upon a neiv plan by the author . We cannot but

, express our regret that so much labour should have been consumed to so little purpose . It is evident , indeed , that Mr . Mudd is thoroughly in earnest , that he has a very extensive knowledge of these little plants , and that Avhat ho has Avritten is the result of long and patient original observation . Had his poiver of generalizing but equalled his industry in observing , and if he had possesed the art of combining in as eminent a degree as that of separating , he ivould have produced a valuable scientific Avork . Unfortunately ,

such is not the case . From AA-ant of technical skill in managing his typographical arrangements , it is excessively difficult to understand AA'hat his classification is ; and OAving to the formidable scientific jargon adopted throughout the work , Avithout the smallest necessity , it is hopeless to expect any reader to master it , except . ¦ and adept . Nevertheless , in the midst of the thickest verbal fog which Ave ever endeavoured to penetrate , Ave are to grope for the ¦ distinctions of no feiver than 105 genera , Avhere Linmeus made one

suffice ; Acharius , the great Reformer of the order , 43 ; and even Tries could discover no more than 32 . Some may call this the -result of scientific exactitude , and adduce it as a proof of the advance made in the modern poAver of observation . We cannot

accept the explanation . Undoubtedly it arises out of a microscopical examination of the tissues of these plants , and a belief that structural peculiarities invisible to the naked eye are of more importance than those which are obvious to all men . But we cannot perceive any proof that mere microscopical characters possess the value assigned to them , and that a plant is better knoAvn by the micrometrical measure of its internal particles than by its general form and surface . To say nothing of the notorious

uncertainty of over-minute examination and the variable form of vegetable cells , we are at a loss to discover upon what principle the spores ( or microscopical seeds ) of a Nephroma are to be distinguished from thoss of a Peltigera , or a Synechoblastus , or Bocella ; or why they should be selected for distinguishing characters rather than the old Acharian marks derived from the thallus and its shield . We might as well endeavour to classify animals by differences in the form of the ultimate organized

elements of their fat , flesh , muscular fibre , or bones , instead of taking those manifest differences with Avhich zoologists have hitherto been satisfied . A good manual of British Lichens is wanted ; and if Mr . Mudd will discard his crabbed phraseology , introduce clearness ; into his arrangement—throw overboard all such spurious genera as Diploicia , Thalliodima , Toninia , and Lencothecium—offer differences to che consideration of the reader instead of descriptions , —in short , folloiv the example set by Bentham in his admirable Mandboolc of ihe British Flora ; if he will do all this , Ave have no doubt that he will produce a work which English science will gladly recognize . "

Messrs . Longman ancl Co . have in the press a neiv work , by Mr . A . Henry Ehind , F . S . A ., on Thebes , its Tombs and their Tenants , Ancient and Present , AA-MCII includes a record of excavations in the Necropolis and is to be illustrated AA'ith coloured plates and AA-oodcuts . The Rev . Thomas Gilbert , for many years a resident in the

vicinage of Sew Plymouth , Neiv Zealnd , until disturbed by the . melanchol y troubles ivhich are noiv visiting Avhat will one day be the finest country of the world , iu his New Zealand Settlers and Soldiers , thus describes an interview with the Maories : — "One , day , whilst cutting beans , one lad only being with me , a circumstance occurred which , thong triflingh in itself , was yet very significant . Seeing the sheep getting through a fence near to us ,

I sent the boy to drive them aAvay . I was thus left quite alone . I was stooping , cutting the beans , when after a feAV minutes I heard behind me a noise of some one Avalking among the bean stalks . Supposing it to be my son , I did not look up from my work for a feiv moments ; the noise ceased , and then , not seeing the boy resume his Avork , I looked behind me , and there I saw a tall Maori ivith his tattooed face , upon Avhich Avas depicted evident excitement and anxiety . He stood for another moment or tivo ,

and neither of us spoke . I put out my hand , he took it , pressing it Avarmly , but still said not a word .. I gave the usual native salutation , and after a feiv minutes more of silence , he said , - Como to the house . ' As Ave Avalked on toAvards the house , he inquired after my wife and family , said I had done wrong in sending them away—I need not have feared any evil ivould happen them . He would 'look out , ' or take care of my place , cattle , ancl all belonging tome ; said I AA'as riht in not being a soldier— -the soldiers AA-BI-O

g bad—the fighting AA-as bad , & c . The thought involuntarily entered my mind , IIOAV easily this native might have put me out of the world by a MOAA-, Avhile standing behind me ; and I must confess that I thought , if the natives were so savage and treacherous toAvards the white people as they are usually represented by their enemies , I must have escaped by the exercise of a more powerful motive than generally actuates them in a state of excitement . At the house there were other natives . We talked about the disputed

Waitara land , the evils likely to arise from fighting about it ; and I expressed a hope that the quarrel would be settled Avithout shedding blood . The natives took a piece of charcoal from the hearth , dreiv on the floor the rude outline representing Teira ' s land , ancl tbe land intersecting it claimed by other natives . I asked them if they intended to fight ? If the southern natives were likely to join AViremu King ? They all assured me , that unless Maori blood Avas shed by the white man first , they should not fight , neither would the southern natives leave the coast for the Waitara . "

A Parsee gentleman , UOAV resident in London , is said to be at present engaged in translating Essays and Reviews into Gujerattee , the language spoken in the large Indian province of Gujerat , where it is to be published for the use of the natives . In the diary kept by Bean Trench's" mother , about the close of last century and the beginning of the present one ( and which her

very reverend son has just had printedfor private circulation ) , we have no very flattering picture of Lady Hamiliton , Lord Nelson ' s fair enslaver -. — " She is bold , forward , coarse , assuming , ancl vain . Her figure is colossal , but—except her feet , Avhich are hideous— -well shaped . Her bones are large , and she is exceedingly embonpoint . She resembles the bust of Ariadne ; the shape of all her features is fine , as is the form of head , and particularly her ears ; her teeth are a

little irregular , but tolerably \\ 'hite ; her eyes light blue , with a bi-OAvn spot in one , which , though a defect , takes nothing aAvay from her beauty and expression . Her eyebi-OAvs and hair are dark , ancl her complexion coarse . Her expression is strongly marked , variable , and interesting ; her movements in common life ungraceful ; her voice loud , yet not disagreeable . Lord Nelson is a little man , without any dignity ; who I suppose must resemble what SuAvari-OAV was in his youth , as he is like all the pictures I have seen of that general . Lady Hamilton takes possession of him , and he is a Avilling captive—the most submissive and devoted I have seen . Sir William is old , infirm , all admiration of his Avife , and

never spoke to-day but to applaud her . Miss Cornelia Knight seems the decided flatterer of the tAvo , and never opens her mouth but to show forth their praise ; and Mrs . Cadogan , Lady Hamilton ' s mother , is ivhat one might expect . After dinner Ave had several songs in honour of Lord Nelson , Avritten by Miss Knight , and sung by Lady Hamilton . She pull ' s the incense full in his face ; but he receives it with pleasure , and snufts it up very cordially . The all ended in the sailor ' s Avaywith ' Hihihihurrah !'

songs , p , p , p , and a bumper , and the last drop on the nail—a ceremony I had never heard of or seen before . " And again : — "Lady Hamilton , who declared she was passionately fond of champagne , took such a portion of it as astonished me . Lord Nelson Avas not behind-hand ; called more vociferously than usual for songs in his oivn praise , and , after many bumpers , proposed ' The Queen of Naples / adding , ' She is my Queen ; she is Queen to tbe back-bone . ' Poor Mr . Elliot , Avho Avas

anxious the party should not expose themselves more than they had done already , and ivished to get over the last day as well as he had done the rest , endeavoured to stop the effusion of champagne , and effected it with some difficulty ; but not till the lord and ladyor , as he calls them , Antony and Moll Cleopatra—Avere pretty far sone . I was so tired , I returned home soon after dinner , "but not till Cleopatra had talked to me a great deal of her doubts whether the Queen would receive her , adding— ' I care litte about it ; I had much sooner she ivould settle half Sir William's pension on me