Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

FIUG 3 IEXTS OF KING SOLOJIOX S TEMTLE . The following I consider to be a curiosity . I cut it from an American paper some two or three years old . " Sir Knight Thomas Orr , P . D . G . Master of the G . Enc-fc . of Ohio , informs us that he has , at considerahle trouble and expense , procured a piece of the Old Temple at- Jerusalem , through the exertions of Bro . J . P . Brown , Dragoman at Constantinoplewho is AA ' . M . of a lodge located there . Bro .

Little-, field , Superintendent of ICingsley's Express , has received it from Boston , and we had the pleasure of inspecting it . It is in the form of a double cube , being 15 x 15 x 30 inches . If ive recollect rightly , Mount Moriah is composed of a soft limestone , which this appears to be ; being easily scratched with a nail . AA e rather doubt it being a portion of the old temple , though it might have come from tho crypts or vaults that are

now ascertained to exist in the interior of the mountain . AVe do not believe King Solomon would have bnilfc the temple of so poor an article of stone -as this appears to bo , for Masonic tradition informs us the quarries of Zoradatha supplied the stone . However there is no doubt this stone came from Jerusalem , and that is sufficient to hallow it in the mind of the Masonic fraternity , and the offer of Sir Thomas Orr to give it

to the Craft in New York when they are united , stamps it as an act of one who in the sunset of life is willing to use his utmost energies to promote peace ancl harmony in the institution and carry out the divine principles of the Orcle :. " The statement that a stono was brought from Jerusalem I do not doubt , bnt , as a Christian ' . Knight , I caimofc understand hoiv it could be a portion of Solomon ' s

Temple , because that was entirely destroyed before the Babylonish captivity , and ive know , that the second Temple , was rased , " so that not one stone was left upon another , " by Titus at the destruction of Jerusalem . Have not our American fraters been a little imposed on in this matter ?—Ex . Ex .

INSTALLATION OS K .. AV . K . IN THE MARK DEGREE . Is there a peculiar ceremony for the installation of ' R . W . M . in the Hark degree?—J . 0 . —[ In legitimate Mark Masonry there is not . ] Ol'l'ICKRS OP GIUXD CONCLAVE . Who arc the statutable officers of Grand Conclave ? —f 4-t . —[ See report of Grand Conclave in a recent

number ] . A 3 LVS 0 XIC SEXTOIEXT . That honest old Yoi-kshireinan , Eoger Ascham , in the first book of his wise Schoohnanter , remarks —• " Though 1 lack authority to give counsel , yet I lack not goodwill to wish that the youth in England , specially gentlemen , and namely nobility , should be , by good bringing-up , so

grounded in judgment of learning , so founded iu love of honesty , as when they should bo called forth to tho cxecution ' of great affairs , in service of their prince and country , they mig ht be able to use and to order all experiences , were they good , were they bad , and that according to tho square , rule , and line of wisdom , learning , and virtue . " To ivhich every genuine Mason will respond , So mote it be!—G EOKGE M . VUKIIAM T \ VEM > EI , .

' 11110 . THE 11 EV . JOHN BREWSTER . Will the brother who , some time ago , kindly forwarded mo some information to this Magazine office respecting the late Bro . Brewster , be good enough to forward me his address , the communication having been unfortunately mislaid . Besides the works I mentioned before , I have now arranged for the immediate publication

of a work on The Bards and Authors of Cleveland and South ' Durham , in ivhich , of course , I ought to do justice to our late reverend ancl revered brother . — " GEOIIGE MAUKILUI T WED DELL , Stokesley . AVAKTED TO 11 O 1 U 101 V . I want to borrow , for a few weeks , ajcopy of Browne ' s , Master Key , —what Brother will oblige me by the loan

of it?—C . E . —[ 0 . E . should send his name and address , or how are ive to find him if any Brother can oblige with what he requires ? Perhaps he omitted it by . mistake ?]

Notes On Literature, Science, And Art..

NOTES ON LITERATURE , SCIENCE , AND ART ..

Capt . . Ramsay , of the 3 rd Bombay Native Infantry , has just published some translated selections from the poetry of the Afl ' ghans . AA'hat will the ladies say to the following description of their fair selves : — " All women-kind aro of intellect deficient ; Ancl the voluntary causes of all life ' s ills .

Thou mayst be straight ancl even with them ; But they aro crooked ancl wayward with thee .. Do them a thousand benefits and services ; Yet , at a single word , their hearts sulky grow . They become poison unto thee , and kill thee—They , whom thou deemest a healing balm .

They have no fidelity in their composition : They are , naturally , unto perficliousness prone . Created , indeed , in the figure of mankind ; But , in reality , with no humanity irfthem . They make thee out culpable , on a slight offence ; But they cannot be wrong , however great their sins .

The more crossness borne , the more petulant they : The more whims brooked , the more capricious they grow In all things , they are fickle , ancl changeable : Tame in tongue , but untainoable in heart . They aro beautiful in person , from head to foot ; But are like unto the wily serpent within . Say no more about them , 0 Kin . sin . TAl . ! It would bo better hacl they never existed I "

Mr . Spencer St . John ( St . John appears to be a regular writing name ) , in an interesting work Life in the Forest of the Far litest , thus describes his reception among the Kayans of Baram : — " Now came a ceremony new to me : a young pig was brought in by the pretty waiting-maid and handed over to one of the men present , who bound its legs , ancl carrying it out opposite to where the Pluto was anchored , placed it on the

ground . Mats were laid around , and a chair was provided for me . Tamawan now came forward and commenced an oration .. His voice was at first thick from the potency of his previous draughts ; but warming on his subject , he entered at large on the feelings ot friendship with which ho regarded the English ; spoke of the wonderful vessel that came with oars of fire ; seized my hand , and gesticulated excitedly with the other ; then pointing to the pighe entered on what appeared to be a prayer .

, , as he seemed appealing to something beyond him ; he took a knife , and cut the pig ' s throat ; the body was then opened , ancl the heart and liver taken out and placed on two leaves , ancl closely examined , to judge l ' rom their appearance whether ourvisit would be fortunate for the Kayan nation . Kvery chief present felt their different proportions , and Tamawan pointed out to me the various indications . Luckilfor our friendship

y , they found that every portion portended good fortune . With his bloody hand Tamawan grasped mine , and expressed bis delight at the happy augury . Throwing away the auricle of the heart , they cut up the rest to eat , aud placed the pieces over the fire , using a bambu as a cooking vessel . " Mr . Henry Taylor in his St . Clement ' s Fee , has this pretty

idea on the credulity of AVisdom : — Wisdom errs In nought more oft than putting easy trust In tales when things are dark . For man is loth In argument where grounded thought is none Ancl yet the theme solicitous , to fold The wings of thought and drop its lids and own That in a night of knowledge to roost ancl sleep

Is judgement ' s sole sagacity . Mr . Eabbage's Difference Engine is now in working order in the Philosophical Department of the Exhibition ; ancl not far from it is Mr . Peter ' s machine for Microscopic AA ' riting , combining Ibbctson's Geometric Chuck . With this machine an almost endless diversitv of beautiful ancl complex curves . , in-