An Oration.

Its fundamental principles aro those grand bulwarks of society , universal benevolence and brotherly love . It holds out , in its precepts , those captivating pictures of virtue which stimulate the brethren to deeds of greatness , aud offers to its professors , dignity aud respect ; it expands the ideas , enlarges the benevolent feelings of the heart , and renders man the friend of his species , it

teaches us those great and awful truths on which futurity s founded , and points to those happy means by which we may obtain tho rewards of virtue , " It also instructs us in the duty we owe to our neighbour , and teaches us not to injure him in any of his connections , and , in all our dealings with him , to act with justice and impartiality : it discourages defamation , it bids us not to circulate any whisper of infamy , improve aii 3 hint of suspicion , or publish any failure of conduct . It orders us to be faithful to our trusts—not to deceive him who volieth

upon us , to be above the meanness of dissimulation , to let the words of our mouths express the thoughts of our hearts , and whatsoever we promise , religiously to perform . " When tho rude blast of was assails an unhapy country with its ravages , and embattled legions of kindred men are opposed dire conflict , when all around perish by the

victors sword , and humanity stands appalled at tho sight—the Masons extended arms preserves him from the destruction , be meets with friendships and protection from his enemy , and , instead of receiving the fatal weapon in his bosom , is heart is gladdened by hearing the endearing appellation of brother . When tho Corsairs of Algiers , with unprincipled fury , attacted the

defenceless vessels of unoffending nations , and loaded their unhappy crows with the bonds of servitude , to drag a miserable existence under the lash of tyranny—the Masons , well known sign preserved him from chains , and the kindly offices of a brother were evfcended to him . Such being the principles and the advantages of Masonry , it ceases to be a matter of surprise that in

every counrty , the act has been professed , ancl encouraged , by tho most enlightened and virtuous of their inhabitants . The rulers of mighty Empires , and the chieftains of great nations have , oftentimes , joined our Fraternal Society , and immortalized their names by practising the virtuous principles of the order . The manner , in which the mysteries of the Craft aro

revealed to us , none but Masons can ever know . The ceremonies used , on those occaiions arc calculated to impress , upon the mind of the candidate , religious awe , and a high veneration for the cause of virtue . Notwithstanding the depravity of mankind , aud the many vicious eharactars who have inforfcunatly , been received into the Society , yet the mysteries of the order have never boon disclosed to tho world .

Tho virgin oi Masonry may be dated from the creation of the world . The symmetry and harmony displayed by the Divine Architect iu the form of the planetary system , gave rise to many of our mysteries . " — ' Let there lie light , ' proclaimed the Almi ghty Lord ; Astonished chaos heard the potent word , Through all his realms the kindling ether

runs , And the moss starts into a million suns ; Earths round each sun , with quick explosions burst , And second planets issue from the first , Bend as the journey with projectile force , In brighter ellipses their reluctant course ; Orbs wheel in orbs , round centres , centres roll , And from self balanced one revolving whole ;

Onward they move amid their bright abode , Space without bounds the bosom of their God . " In the earliest age of man , when the human mind was untainted by the vices and prejudices of later times , unshackled b y the terrors and anathemas of contending sectaries and the machinations of bigoted priests , the god of nature received the homage of the world , aud the worship of his adorable name " constituted the prin-

An Oration.

cipal employment of him , to whom tho mysteries of nature wero first revealed . After tho deluge , the worship of the Most High was obscured by clouds of imagery and defiled by idolatry . Mankind were conscious of some great and incomprehensible cause of the uniformity and wonderful progression of the works of nature , and , bewildered in conjecture ,

they represented the great unknown cause by such objects as appeared to produce the most powerful effects on tho face of the world , from whence the sun and moon became tho symbols of tho Deity . As the manners of the people became more depraved , their knowledge of truth was lost in their apostacy , and their ignorance and superstition increased with their debasement , they , at

length , forgot the emblematical allusion , and adored the symbols instead of the Divinity . I am afraid that tho same charge may be made against the Masons of the present daj' , and that many are satisfied with the outward trappings of the Order , and neglect to study those grand principles of which the decorations are but emblematical significations . The splendid parade

on a Masonic festival , the gorgeous apparel to attract attention , and make the vulgar stare , are , I am afraid , objects of more real concern to many , than the execrcise of those acts of benevolence which are strongly inculcated by the Order . ( To be continued . )

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

Beeton s Illuminated Family Bible : Beeton s Dictionary of Universal Information in Science , Art , and Literature : Beeton ' s Home Bets ,- Boys' own Library ,- Fnglishicomen ' s Domestic Magazine ,- Beeton ' s Penny Dictionary , All published by S . 0 . Beeton , Strand . The National Magazine . Twecdic , Strand .

Part 10 of Beeton ' s Illuminated Family Bible , is before us . The same beauty of typography , happy selection of designs illustrating the sacred text , and valuable series of notes , like its predecessors , continue in this part . Certainly one of its best features is the elucidation of particular portions of scripture culled from the works of all writers who have mado the Bible their study .

Dictionaries and Guides to separate branches of information are common enough , but a good comprehensive work , which will show an enquirer what he wants , whether the subject bo Bread , the Calends , Cambridge University , or the Ca ira , is a great desideratum . Wo have suchin Beeton ' s Dictionary of Universal Information , part 4-3 of which wo have just received . We have all had homo pets at some time or other of

our lives , but how few of us know their qualities , uses , kinds , or natures ? Parts 18 and 19 of Beeton ' s Home Bets are devoted to dogs , and capitally arc they described and ponrtraj-ed . If we wished to inculcate a love of natural history amongst our acquaintance , either young or old , wo could not do bettor than give them these books . In tho Boys' Otcn Library , Mr . William Daltoiihas

furnished a story entitled " Phaulcon , or the Ship-boy who became a Prime Minister . " All who know this gentleman ' s excellent writings for the youth of both sexes , need not be told that " Phaulcon" is " just the sort of book to put into a boy ' s hand . In the Englishwoman ' s Domestic , Magazine , an old favourite with the ladies , tho mysteries of the fashions and

ladies' needlework are , as neatly as ever , presented in plates to its fair subscribers , on which subjects , interesting and useful as they are , wc must decline to pronounce what really would be our very imperfect decision . The talcs , essays , and notes of the month are , as usual , agreeable and diversified . The Dictionary of Universal Information , noticed above , is also being issued under the title of Beeton ' s Penny