Chips Of Foreign Ashlar.

2 nd . Chair or Past Master ; 3 rd , Excellent Master ; 4 th . Kni ghts of the East and West ; 5 th . Royal Ark Mariner ; 6 th . Royal Arch .

The degree of Knight of the East and West is by no means to be confounded with the degree of the same name under the Ancient and Accepted Rite . The Rite of Misrain was formerly worked , in Edinburgh and Glasgow , and we have seen some

of its insignia displayed "b y members , but there are very few of its brethren left . We understand the Grand Orient de France has recently withdrawn its toleration of this rite , and it may therefore be considered as gone to the tombs of the Capulets .

In Scotland , as in Ireland , there is a great divergence from English Masonry in the giving of the Royal Arch Degree ; but we confess to liking the English system best . To us the latter is the most solemn and impressive .

The Knights Templar of Scotland profess to be the most legitimate in the world , and in many respects they are doubtless right . The full

costume of a Scottish knight embraces , in addition to the ordinary cloak aud accoutrements , boots of ancient and warlike shape , as well as a cap of crimson velvet , made after the old Templar pattern of hood dress . It is said that the English and

Scottish Templars are to be assimilated ere long , but we have not heard what is to bethefuture dress . In America the Templars have shown their native originality of mind by devising a costume which , whatever else it may be , has certainly no

resemblance to the ancient equipments of the Order of the Temple . The Knights Companions of the Royal Order of Scotland appear in two sashes of different colours crossed from either shoulder , ancl in full

dress are supposed to wear the court dress of the period . Hence the members of this degree have reason to rejoice at the recent excellent alterations in court dress which have been sanctioned by her Majesty . The ritual of the Royal Order is wholly

in vhyme , in which it differs from all other systems . Each Scottish lodge is at liberty to choose its own style of apron , and some—especially those made of velvet of the Stuart tartan—are

exceedingly rich and beautiful . Still our English prejudices incline us to prefer our own plain but effective blue apron . In many Scottish lodges there ^ is no regular subscription , and hence perhaps the door is opened to persons who would not find

admission to English lodges . Instead of an entrance fee ranging , as with us , from five guineas upwards , the charge of thirty shillings would appear to be about the average of Scotland . Out of the metropolis the brethren do not seem

to care very much about the high grades . For instance , our respected Bro . Buchan is not , we believe , even a Royal Arch Mason , and there are a great many brethren who hold that only the first three degrees are legitimate . We believe , however , that Bro . Buchan considers lodges authorised to confer both the Mark and Past Master's

Degree . The latter is not as with us a prerequisite to the fulfilment of the Master's chair . Strangely enough , we have noticed both in Ireland and Scotland a custom which has no footing in England—the wearing of French jewels in lieu of

those authorised for the sister countries . This especially , prevails among Royal Arch Masons . In some of the Scottish lodges the change of a lodge of one degree into that of another is a very simple matter . Tho W . M . addressing the S-W .

says , " Brother , will you be off or from ? " To which the S . W . replies , " From , " and the W . M . inquires , " From what ? " The response being " From a Fellow Craft to an Entered Apprentice lodge . " The W . M . then , by virtue of his office , declares the lodge to be an E . A . lodge . We cannot say we admire this summary method of conducting

business . The custom of having the lodges " closely tiled " during dinner , which is practised in Scottish lodges appears to us a very unnecessary one , as is also the compulsory wearing of regalia on such occasions . The old nursery rhyme

says---" Work when you work , And play when you play , " and hungry brethren seeking to overcome the vacuum which nature abhors , are rather embarrassed by the appendages of labour . We are also at a loss to know what an uninitiated waiter

would be likely to discover of our secrets from seeing a lot of harmless individuals at dinner . Probably the system which we dislike has given rise to the popular idea of a mysterious connection between Freemasonry and good dinners .

A continental brother used to long intervals between the degrees , would be astounded at seeing in Scotland a profane put through the three degrees and turned into a full fledged Master Mason on one evening . But this is the ordinary plan , and then as soon as may be the new brother can