Masonic Notes And Queries.

making so many worthy brethren in this place , and of forming the only Lodge that is in the Levant . " For ages past , a savage race , O ' er spread these Asian plains , All nature wore a gloomy face , And pensive moved the swains . " And now Britannia's gen ' rous sons

, A glorious lodge have raised , Near the fanie'd hanks where Meles runs . And Homer's cattle gra / . 'd . " The bri ' ry wilds to groves are changed With orange trees around , And fragrant lemons fairly rang'd O ' ershade the blissful ground .

" Approving Phcebus shines more bright , The flowers appear more gay ; New objects rise to please the sight With each revolving day . " While safe within the sacred walls , Where heavenly friendship reigns , The jovial Masons hear the calls

Of all the needy swains . " Their gen ' rous aid , with cheerful soul , They grant to those who sue ; And while the sparkling glasses roll , Their smiling joys renew . " EELICS OP BRO . WASHINGTON . ' The Masonic Democrat states that in the Masonic lodge at Alexandria , N . S ., is preserved the knife that the mother of Washington presented to him , to induce him to abandon his design of entering the British navy .

WISDOM , STRENGTH AND BEAUTY . Thomas Smith Webb was well known in America as one who took the basis of their present system of working ( that of the old York rite , or the ritual as generally used before the Hemming-Sussex hash ) from England . He was a noted instructor there , and of late years there has been considerable agitation to restore his systemwhich is founded on Preston , to its original

, purity . The following lines are from his pen and may be more widely extended through your columns , as I believe they are almost unknown in England . —Ex . Ex . " Which is the greatest , the strength of Wine , of the King , of Women , or of Truth ?"—Darius , King of lersia .

" WINE . * ' How strong is Wine ! it causeth all to err , Who to calm temperance excess prefer ; Under its influence the mind ' s undone , The poor men and the rich become as one , Their thoughts are turn'd to jollity and mirth , Sorrow and debt despise , and pride of birth ; The miserable man forgets his woes

, Neglects his kindred , mingles with his foes ; The virtuous heart a vicious course defends , And draws its sword against its truest friends , How strong is Wine , that foreeth to these things ? Is it not greater than the power of Kings ?

" IB 33 KING . " The great Creator , when he form'd our race , To all his creatures , each , assign'd a place , And man ordain'd the master of the whole , To rule and govern them without control , But men themselves by man must be restrain'd , And Kings and Princes this great power attain'd ; Now those who rule all sublunary things No earthly power controls , and such are Kings .

" WOMEN . " The strength of Wine is not to be deny'd It lightens poverty , and humbles pride ; Neither is that of Kings , whate'er its source , Which binds so many men by will and force ; But yet the frown of women far excels The force of Wine and Kings ; with magic spells She captivates her Aotary hy her charms , And he's content to die within her arms .

" TKTTin . " Though Wine hy Strength should rule , by Wisdom Kings , Though Women's Beauiy partial durance brings , Yet all their powers shall fail and fade like youth , And Wisdom , Strength , and Beauty dwell with Truth , For neither Beauty , mighty Kings , nor Wine Hath pow'r and majestyfair Truth ! like thine ;

, The judgments just , thy precepts ever pure , In all vicissitudes shall still endure . Thy fruits are not the pleasures of an hour , And ages yet unborn shall own thy pow ' r , For neither Beauty , mighty Kings , nor Wine Hath power and majesty , fair Truth ' . like thine ; All else is evanescent , false , and frail ,

All else deceives , but thou shalt never fail ; At thy approach hypocrisy shall flee , For Wisdom , Strength , and Beauty dwell with thee ; Thou still shalt blossom in immortal youth , For ever blessed be the God of Truth ! For neither Beauty , mighty Kings , nor Wine , Hath power and majesty , fair Truth ! like thine . TUOMAS SMITH WEBB .

GRSEN AND YELLOW RIBBON . To what degree does a watered ribbon , longitudinally divided in half , one side green the other vellow ,. belong?—M . P . MYSTERIOUS LETTERS . A brother , R . Sneden , adds nearly the whole alphabet

to his name , thus—R . Sneden , S . C . M . S . C . ; W . CM . S . C :. M . S . C . ; what do they mean ?—PLAIN M . M . BROTHER HUQUIER . Who was brother Huqnier who , set to music Comp . Stanfield ' s Royal-Arch song , with a grand chorus ,. „ entitled " When Orient Wisdom" Was the name that of a real brother , or some musical brother ' s nom de plume ?

Hu-quier looks like the latter to—M . G . BRO . EDWARD OAKLEY ' S SPEECH . Has any brother a copy of Pro . Edward Oakley ' s speech , printed in tho following work ?—SWANSEA . " The Antient Constitutions of the Free and- Accepted Masons , naatlg engraved on copper-plates , with a speech delivered at the Grand Lodge at York ; also , a speech of Fdward OaMeg ,

Architect , M . M ., late Senior Grand Warden in Carmarthen ,, South Wales . Lilceivise a Prologue , spoken by Mr . Mills , and an Epilogue spoken by a Mason's wife , at the Theater ' Royal , in Drury Lane , on Friday , the - 27 th day of December , 172 S , when teas acted the second part of King Henry IV . To ¦ which is added a . curious collection of the most celebrated songs in honour of Masonry , as they are sung at all ilia regular lodges of the Antient and Honourable Fraternity of Free and

Accepted Masons hi Great Britain and Principality of Wales , _\ c . The second edition . London : Printed for B . Creatce , at the Bed Bible in Ave-Mary Lane , Ludgate-street , near St-Paul ' s ; and B . C , Engraver , the corner of King's Head , Court , near Poller Lane , Holboum . MVCCXXXL

LETTERS OP KING SOLOMON AKD KING 11 IIIAM . Amongst some of the older writers on Freemasonry , it was usual to state that two letters passed between those monarchs . What is the evidence that there were such and where are the originals of them to be found ? They are given below : — SOLOMON TO HIRAM THE KING . — "Know thou , that my father having a will to build a temple to God , hath been

withdrawn from the performance thereof by tlie continual wars and troubles he hath had , for he never took rest before he either defeated his enemies , or made them tributaries unto him ; for mine own part I thank God for the peace which I possess , and for that by the means thereof I have opportunity ( according to mine own desire ) ., to build a temple unto God ; for he it is that foretold my father that his house should be builded during my reign , for which cause I pray you send some one of your

skillfulest men with my servants , to the wood Libanus , to hew down trees in that place , for the Macedonians are more skillful in hewing and preparing timber than our people are , and I will pay the cleavers of wood according to your direction . " HIBAM TO KING SOLOMON . — " Thou hast cause to thank God in that he has delivered thy father's kingdom into thy hands ; to thee , I say , who is a man wise and full of virtue ; for which