The Nemesis: A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

would I be you , starry sky , Avith thousand eyes , that I might gaze on thee . " Yes ; for what after all is life but a breath , that is scarcely drawn ere it vanishes into the nothingness from whence it was conjured ; but with what a difference ? It comes

from the immortals pure and fragrant as the sweet scented flowers of spring ; it returns back to them tainted with crime , laden with , earthly impurities , black with sin , and with its original purity-and beauty hacked away and defaced . But you , pure

children of the sky , are the same ; fair and beautiful as you shone upon our fathers children . Yes , Plato , it was a glorious , a heaven-born desire to be a star , to look clown calm and unmoved upon the seething whirlpool of humanity , and to gaze

irpon the troubled waters of life , as black and deadly they crash and split upon the iron rocks of death . " Suddenly he addressed the youth who still knelt at his feet , deep in meditation upon things too grand for the mind of man to grasp the whole .

" Arouse thee , Adrian , he said , " arise , and beneath the silent sentinels of heaven , unfold thy longings . " Thus addressed , Adrian arose and stood beside the High Priest . Although his blood flowed

temperately , and his voice rang clear and full as the note of a silver clarion , his beaming eye told of a quickening influence at the heart . "I desire and pray for knowledge , for that knowledge of the gods and of man , Avhich is

eternal and immutable . This , 0 Lemo , is my soul ' s desire . " The High Priest gazed upon the impassioned features of the youth , Avhile a softened expression crept over his countenance , and the proud and

commanding caste , gave place to one of doubt and anxious affection , for the young man had Avound himself around the heart of the ancient

rnystagogue . " Thy wish is good , 0 Adrian , but wonder not if I pause to warn thee of the dangers which now threat the accomplishment of thy desires . As yet the various mysteries through which thou hast been led to the grand light of knowledge , have been

encompassed with trials of various kinds ; but the perils which surround this the croAvning mystery , are so terrible , and so easy to be brought doAvn upon the daring neophyte , that I shudder to contemplate them . Many a daring mind has attempted to penetrate the veil whom death has

The Nemesis: A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

overtaken . Ponder Avell upon thy desire , thou art not destined to the priesthood ; pause then , thy life is of consequence . " Lemo thou but deepenesfe my desire . Life would prove unsatisfactory were I in ignorance of this

last and croAvning mystery . " Will it satisfy thee ? Alas , my son , earth's wisdom is but finite , and the more thou hast , the more will thine ignorance of the infinite press upon thee . The blood HOAVS hotly in thy veins ; hast

thou the power to mitigate its heat , to withstand its temptations . " 'Tis in vain , 0 Lemo , I am resolved . " Hast thou forgotten , the claims of blood , the loA r e of him to Avhom thou oAvest thy very existence ?

" I love my father , the gods knoAV how well , but still this insatiable heart longs to drink of the purest fountains of knowledge . Press me no more , Lemo , I am resolved to tempt the adventure , although a thousand clangers , even death itself ,

barred the Avay . " Enough , I have warned thee Adrian . Look upon the heaven , perhaps it may be the last glimpse permitted thee on earth . Now folloAv me . " And the pair descended the tower steps to an apartment in the basement of the temple . ( To be Continued )

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

MIBABEATT AND F . EEEXtASON'Iir . The ensuing is the title of the " Memoire" of Mirabean , after which a brother inquires . " Memoire concernant une Association int-ime a etablir dans i'ordre des Francsmacons pour le ramener a . ses vrais principes , et le faire tendre veritablement au bien de l'humanite ; redi le Frere Mirabeaunomme

ge par , presentement Arcesilas , en 1776 . " The " Memoire " is , as well as I recollect , a very strange production" La correction du systeme present des gouvernements et des legislations "—this is enjoined as the great object of the Association . The title and these lines are all that was transferred to my Common-place

Book after my perusal of the document . —CHAELES PUB'JOJT COOPUB . TEE ENGLISH EBEEIIASON AND THE HINDOO PANTHEIST . In compliance with a brother's request , the

assertion , some time since made in words , is now renewed in writing . The English Freemason proscribes alike the Mystical Pantheism and the Atheistical Pantheism of the Hindoo . The English Freemason looks upon both Mysticism and Atheism as bars to man's improvement , religious , moral and social . —OKABIIES PTJRTON COOPHE .