Masonic Notes And Queries .

and also from the new moon * nearest the equinox . They were very strict in observing tliis rule in many of their ceremonies . f It was to commemorate the creation that the Druids lighted fires on the tops of hills , which received the name of BAALTIEN , or divine fires . As in patriarchal times , too , they erected round temples open at the top , with no covering save the cloudy canopy of heaven . Why these temples were round , instead of square , and other pertinent matters , we shall take occasion to

speak of under the appropriate head . AVe are of the Virgilian faith , that in these latter days , old things are destined to become new ; that the revolutions of ages will bring for us universal order ; that the Virgin TIJt—the Ceres and Isis of mythology , who holds in her hands the balance— £ __ , is returning to a renovated earth , inhabited by regenerated men , living in perfect love and amity , and rejoicing in the felicities of the golden age ! Brethren of the mystic tiedo you believedo you know

, , , do you realise , that it is no small part of your mission to aid in' ushering in this glorious era ? THE MUSIC OF THE SPHEEES , it is said , suggested human music , which is defined to consist in the faculties and the various passions and emotions of the soul . The introduction of music into our modern rites , and its cultivation in aid of our social and moral duties as Freemasons , and other kindred subjects , we must leave untouchedmaking only a passing allusion to the

, appropriateness — indeed , indispensahility— of introducing a volume devoted to this delightful art into our Freemasonic libraries for study and practice . A learned lexicographer defines celestial music , or the music of the spheres , as comprehending " the order and proportion in the magnitudes , distances , and -motions of the heavenly bodies , and the harmony of ihe sounds resulting from those motions . "

THE MUSES , according to the mythological accounts , were the inventors of music . They and the sciences were represented in curious pavements of mosaic work callled " musea . " It was their office to be present at all sacred festivals and banquets , and sing the praises of men famous for the virtuous deeds , to stimulate others to undertake them ; and particular departments of science and art were assigned to their tutelary care . They

were generally depicted with hands joined , dancing in a circle ; in the centre of which presides Apollo , their commander . Their dancing in chorus is assigned to intimate the connection exist ' ing between the arts and sciences . But what , exclaims a captious brother , have the Muses to do with Freemasonry ? And we will ask , in turn , why do Masons make a parade in their lectures about the " liberal arts and sciences ? " Our Russian brethren particularly answered the

question of such objectors when they founded their " Lodge of the Nine Muses , " during the last century ; and so did our English brethren by forming a similar lodge , as well as our Parisian brethren when they established their " Loge des neuf Sosurs , " of which tlie American philosopher and statesman , Benjamin Franklin , was a member . Eusebius thinks that the word muse is derived from / xuea to initiate and instructbecause the Muses teach hidden things

, above the vulgar comprehension . From the same root doubtless is derived the word music , as well as museum , a study or library . Plutarch informs us that Kuma , the founder of the Collegia Fabrorum ( about 708 years B . c ) , had frequent conversations with the Muses ; and he enjoined upon his subjects the veneration of one of them in particular , called "Tacita , " or the silent .

By Tacita was meant the eighth Muse named POLYHYMNIA , who presided over eloquence and initiation . She is portrayed with the fore-finger of her right hand on her mouth . Is she not the genius of Freemasonry ? It is a significant fact , too , of moment , to be placed on record here , that the court of the house in which one whom the Freemasons are so proud to rank among their distinguished ancient brethren , even Pythagoras—gave

instruction to his initiates , was hy universal consent called" The Temple of the Muses , " while the house itself was named " The Sanctuary of Truth . " On this occasion , we pay our special court only to Euterpe , Urania , and Terpischore . Amantes sceurs , an -revoii—till some other esoteric hour . The different tones in music have been regarded as expressing different colours ; which in their turn , as well as the sounds themselves , are expressive of tlie four different elements , one of

a series of symbols illustrated in the divine quarternary of Ineffable Masonry . * Fire and light , electricity and spirit , aerial agents employed by the Almighty in the creation and preservation of the universe , might be symbolised by the shrill and treble , counter , tenor , and base tones of music . Thus , according to the degree in which musical intonations and modulations of voice and instrument , differently combined and modified , he made to denote the different passions and emotions

can , sentiments and desires of tbe mind , is music a " UNIVEESAL LANGUAGE . TUB SEVEN BLANETS are symbolised by the seven pipes iu the hand of the god PAN , SO arranged that their music would make a most harmonious concert . The image of this god was understood to represent the rare correspondence of harmony that exists between tlie component parts of the universe .

" Agile and vig ' rous , venerable SUN , Fiery and bright , around the heavens you run , Foe to the wicked , but the good man's guide , O'er all his steps propitious you preside ; With various sounding golden lyre 'tis thine To fill the world with harmony divine . "f The three planets represented hy the signs 0 D © , constitute one of the Freemasonic triads . The Greek word for the

earth , K 02 MOS signifies literally , order—beauty—grace . The sun is esteemed by Freemasons , for reasons well . known to them , which it would be out of place here to name , as the symbol of STRENGTH or power , and the moon , of WISDOM or intelligence . Among the ancients , the sun and moon hieroglyphically represented eternity , because they supposed them to be without beginning or end . A sphere with the signs of the zodiac , and a

multitude of stars upon it , furnished the usual representation of the world . It was supported by a man on his knees , named Atlas , arrayed in a long garment , denoting that the world is sustained by the power of God , who is covered to the profane , " with divers emblems and dark shadows . " The venerable OliverJ remarks , that the Egyptians endeavoured to embody the whole of their bieroglyphieal system in one mystical diagram , which was esteemed a constellation Of

the secrets perpetuated in the mysteries . He gives the diagram but " leaves the explanation of it to your ingenuity and reresearch . " This diagram is naught else than the mystical figure of BAFUMED or KARUE ( Anglice calf ) , symbolising the secrets

of the nature of the world , or secret of secrets , fully explained in a curious Arabic work , entitled " THE SUN or SUNS AND MOON OI MOONS , " which we have had in our library a number of years , but we have not , until recently , attempted a translation of it . THE AEEIAL BOWERS , or active forces in nature , supposed to he fire , light , electricity , and spirit , or which we thus name for the want of better terms , employed by the ALLWISE OMNIPIC

in creating the universe , were deified by the Gentile nations of the earth . Mistakes in religion in the early ages of the world , as well as since , arose from taking literally what was meant figuratively or emblematically—an error the Jews fell into as well as the Gentiles . The names of the heathen gods were only these powers personified , of which a large number are to he found in tho Hebrew Scriptures , as well as iu the works of mytholographcrs . They mostly expressed radiationmoving to

, and fro , exultation , leaping , rotary , progressive , driving , rushing , and harmonious motion . AA e shall allude , very briefly , to two or three of the many names which bear closely on the subject we have now in hand . The aerial goddess of the Greeks is called by Homer AeuKoXeyos H / , a compound of light and spirit , component parts of the air . JJn or Jin signifies a circle or spherealso a lambprobably on account of its leaping or skiing

, pp motion . BETH HOGLA—a heathen temple , is compounded of 33 C 1 , to circumgy rate—or 31 H to move in a circle , and ^ T \ C . to exult , leap ; dance—to express the joy of the mind by outward gestures , as turning round or moving in a circle .