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m England , aud because England was not the original seat of this association . Still , however , there is reason to believe that some of these men were in England and assisted in the erection of the Old Cathedral Church of Canterbury , about A . D , GOO—the Cathedral of Rochester , about G 02 , St . Paul ' s , Old London , 00 . 1 ;

"Westminster , 605 . Several palaces and castles AYCTO also built during the same century , and the institution increased rapidly in England . Soon after this , we find the same body of men in England described as Masons , ancl in later times as

Ereemasons . It would seem also , that about the middle of the seventh century , or perhaps a little earlier , some of the doctrines and practices of Pythagoras were introduced into the Masonic lodges , and hence arose the appearance of study which has so long pervaded the books on Freemasonry . Masonry

seems to have flourished to a great extent in the time of Alexander the Great , in Avhose reign numerous churches , and more than fifty castles were built . From the days of Alfred to the present time , a pretty complete list of the Grand Masters of Masons in England has teen preserved . Erom the time of

Alfred to the reign of Henry VIII ., no less than seven bishops , three archbishops , one cardinal , and six kings were among the number of Grand Masters . We cannot pursue this inquiry , and we can only remark that Masonry in its present , or nearly in its

present form , dates from A . D . 926 , when a Grand Lodge Avas summoned to meet at York , England , when all the ancient writings on the subject AA'hich could be procured were collected together , and the present constitutions and customs of the Tort . Masons compiled therefrom .

To what extent Masonry existed on the continent of Europe I am unable to learn . It appears , however , that a bull was issued by the Pope of Borne , in the reign of Henry VI ., authorising ancl directing certain Italian Masons to travel throughout Europe , and to

erect churches and chapels . They seem also to have superintended the building of the Cathedral of Cologne , from 950 to 1211 ; that of Meisen about the same time ; that of Strasburg from 1015 to 1-139 the Convent of Bathalha , in Portugal , about 1100 ,

and vast numbers of the public buildings on the continent of Europe . But these associations , though approved aud patronised by the best of men , and though they have been instrumental in rearing most of those magnificent buildings which now adorn the countries of

Europe , have frequently met Avith a most determined opposition . The opposition was first made to the Secret Disci pline by the Pagans , Avho proved themselves exceedingly expert in the propagation of stories concerning its professors . A portion of the answer made hy Tertullian , a presbyter of the church , who

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wrote about A . D . 178 , is so well worthy cf attention that I AA'ill quote it in this place . "If we clo all iu secret , IIOAV came you to know what is done ? Hot from one of ourselves ; fey- none are admitted to the religious mysteries Avifciiouc a promise of secrecy . "

A . similar course has always been pursued by its enemies , aud generally with tho same result . Hut among all the opponents of Ei-eemasonry , tho Eoman Catholic Church has proved itself the most- constant * , ancl uudeviating . "Wo have already remarked thafc this society hacl its origin in the church—that it has

been patronised by laymen , priests , bishops , aucl popes . But as the custom of private confession to the priest became more general , the subject became involved in difficulties . At first auricular confession was

recommended as a good and pious custom , tending to produce humility and sincere repentance . 1 'heu " auricular confession , " from being simply recommended as a good thing , was preached up as a duty —as the only mode of obtaining forgiveness ; but by the decree of the Council of Trent , about A . D . 1530 ,

it was made obligatory upon all the people . By this all the members of that church are obliged to confess every sin of their lives . It Avas under the influence of this feeling and principle that some priests undertook to obtain the secrets

of Masonry at the confessional , and , failing in their efforts , they visited their victims with the full weight of their indignation . But in England , where this church had never obtained as strong a foothold as on

"the Continent , Ereemasomy continued without much opposition until 1425 . At that time the rivalry of the Operative Masons , seconded by the opposition of the Eoman Catholic Church , procured a statute prohibiting the meeting of lodges . This law produced little effect , and very soon went into oblivion , until

the repeal of the statute on Avhich . this was founded , in 15 G 2 . That it produced very little , if any , effect , is evident from the fact that the Archbishop of Canterbury was G . M . at tho very time of its enactment —that he Avas succeeded by King Henry YI . tAventyone years after , 1416—to whom succeeded the Bishop

of "Winchester the next year—to him the Bishop of Sarum , 1171—then King Henry VII ., 1500—who was followed by Cardinal "Wolsey , 1509 , ancl by other prominent men both in Church and State .

The London Theatres Thirty

THE LONDON THEATRES THIRTY

YEARS AGO . The following able resume of the condition of " things theatrical" in August 1836 , appears in the last number of our contemporary The JEra : —« The changes iu the theatrical licensing * system ,