Reviews Of New Books.

REVIEWS OF NEW BOOKS .

The BritixhEmpire in India , by . E . II . > . OI . AX . Ph . D . London . Tames S . Virtue , Ivy Lane . Tins work has now reached its twenty-ninth number , and Bro . Nolan has lost none of his vigour in treating his subject , Avhilst he is rapidly approaching that period of Indian history within our own recollection . He has now arrived at the era of Warren Hastings and Junius- —ending the third quarter of the last centun * .

From that period England has played a still more important part in " annexation" in India—not , ive fear , ahvays Avisely on the part of John Company , but of sufficient importance to establish the fame of an } ' country as to military successes—successes followed by a monster rebellion , met ivith a power and determination ivhich feiv believed even this great country to be capable of , and resulting in the closer union of India with England under the

government of Queen Victoria — and the destruction of the Company ivhich though great in commerce , ancl great in its power of conquest and annexation , proved itself altogether wanting in foresight , even though ivarncd for many years by its own officers of the volcano on the brink of Avhich it AVUS standing . The typography and engravings arc as excellent as at the commencement of the Avork , and as they are in every work AvhichiUr . Virtue undertakes to publish .

. / lie Book of lhe Chapter : or Monitorial Instructions in the . . Degrees of Marl ; Past , and Most Excellent . Master , and the Ilo / g Royal Anlt . By Ai . iiKirr G . MAOKKY , M . P ., & c . & c . Jsew York : Robert Macoy , Bcekman-strect . SOUK among our American brethren seem determined that , as Far as writing and printing books may be carried to the extreme verge of disclosure of Masonic secrets , there shall be no lack

on their part of means Avhcrcby the outer Avorld may study to its heart ' s content the forms and ceremonies of the Craft . To the notions of some English Masons ( and ive arc free to confess ourselves among the number ) this sort of thing has been carried a great deal too far , and AVC cannot honestly say that wc dcrii'e any pleasure from seeing that on paper—open to the gaze of any stranger ivho may chance to meet with the hooks in

questionwhich in our humble opinion ought to be confined to the ariutva ofthe Loclge or Chapter , and ivhich should only be discussed among brethren , ancl brethren of experience into the bargain . True , Ave are told that none of the essentials of Masonic secrets are disclosed ; but this is a matter of opinion—ive have read in modern treatises upon Masonic subjects sufficient to make clear to the view of uninitiated observer ( possessed of a small degree

any of intelligence above the average ) many things ivhich no faithful brother could conscientiously publish . But granting that no " secrets" are laid open to the vulgar gaze , is it advisable to afford the means of supplying subjects for stupid jests and adA'crse criticism ' ? What object can possibly be gained by the perusal of ' these works by the genuine brother ? If lie wishes for information on

the meaning or origin of our ceremonies , he has the opportunity of attending Lodges and Chapters of Instruction ; and in every large toivn there are to be found many skilled Craftsmen who take pride ancl pleasure in imparting their knowledge to the aspirant , ancl in throwing light upon Avhat is obscure or mysterious in our ritual . Knowledge gained in this way , Avill be infinitel y more treasured , more easy of attainment , and of greater value to

the recipient , than anything he can learn from " the bulk of the recent specimens of Masonic book-making . The singular argument is advanced by the defenders of these treatises , that nothing is published in them ivhich has not been sanctioned hy former writers ; that is to say , that modern lapses from the strict Masonic laiv arc venial , because in the last century there ivere also found imprudent ancl careless brethren ivho forgot

their charge to " be silent , " as Avell as to "hear" and to " see . " Preston and Webb , Ave are told , produced useful Avorks , but imperfect , because they did not go far enough . To us it seems possible that even Preston and Webb , devotees as they Avere of the Order , might possibly haA'e incurred censure from some of the sages at ivhose feet they studied , ivho little thought that the knoivledge Avhich they imparted to the ivorking student ivas to be rudel

y exposed to the open glare of day and to the criticisms of the ignorant and the profane . Is it a worthy office in the dutiful child of Masonry to rend still further the veil Avhich shields his parent , or would it not better become him to use his utmost efforts To repair the injuries inflicted by previous too daring hands ? We have saicl that to some English Masons these books upon Masonry have appeared unseemly innovations ; as far as our means of information extend , they are not regarded in the same

light by our Transatlantic brethren ; on tbe contrary , they enjoy a certain popularity , the best- evidence of ivhich is their increase of late years . Whether this is to be attributed to a desire for information on the part of the reading portion of the Masonic public , or Avhether the ambition of successful lecturers prompts them to enlarge upon the subjects ivhich they have so often handled in the Lodge with the applause of tbe brethren—AVC

cannot say—certain it is that these volumes , year by year in the Cubed States , continue to be printed , published , and " , Ave suppose , to he read . Of the authors of this speciality , the most distinguished in a literary point of view , is doubtless the worthy brother Avhose name stands at the head of this article , Dr . Mackey , tlie author of the " Principles of Masonic Law , " and who is also well known in the United States as the compiler

ofthe "Lexicon of Freemasonry , " and as the editor of some periodicals of a high class . The " Book of the Chapter , " as our readers will perceive from the title , does not confine itself to the mere degree of the Boyal Arch , as it obtains iu England and in those countries which aro ruled by the English constitutions , In the United States there are three intermediate steps to this degree after

attainsupreme ing the rank of Master Mason . These arc the Mark J faster , Past Master , nndMost Excellent Master ; and these gradcsnreunivcrsally recognized in the ivorking ofthe Scottish and Irish Craft , as ivell as in many French and other continental chapters . Though perhaps not of sufficient importance to be regarded as distinct degrees , there arc doubtless to be found in them some points of A'alue

which Avould not be ill placed in our own ritual , and this opinion ivith regard to the Mark , in particular , appears to be daily gaining ground . The volume before us commences AA'ith a dissertation upon the Mark , Avhich is styled the fourth degree ; and after a sketcli ofthe symbolical design , and a historical summary , proceeds to give certain portions of the opening of the Loclge . These arc followed by the lecture in two sections , in the course of

which Bro . Mackey introduces various illustrations and speculations ; ancl in this as well as the other chapters of the book , gives the charges and prayers ofthe degree in full , 'flic same particulars are gii'en in the next parts of the Avork as to the "Past Master" and "Most Excellent Master" degrees , including a description ofthe Avorking tools and paraphernalia . The latter half of the volume is occupied ivith the consideration

ofthe Boyal Arch degree itself , ivhich is certainly gone into ivith sufficient minuteness . In his description of the symbolical design , and other particulars , Bro . Mackey freely alludes to the design and signification of the ceremonies , and proceeds to give the historical summary , which , Ave take leave to say , ought to be given for the benefit of the Boyal Arch Masons only . After the description ofthe clothing and emblems , come the charges , and then

the lecture , comprising as it docs much of the ceremony , Avith the peculiar attributes and furniture , and the various prayers at . opening ancl closing . We find considerable variation in the American ivorking from our own , though of course the grand principles arc the same ; tbe officers ofthe Chapter arc differently costumed , and bear titles very dissimilar to those in use among us . The duties of the ceremony arc also not apportioned precisely in tbe same manner .

" Boyal Arch History" is considered by our author m three lectures , the subject of the first being "The Destruction of the Temple "; the second , "The Captivity at Babylon "; and the third , " The Return to Jerusalem . " 'These contain nothing very IICAV or striking , being a recapitulation of these CA'cnts as described in the Bible , Avith due attention paid to . their chronological

arrangement . The conferring of the rank of First Principal , or as it is styled in the American Chapters , the "High Priesthood , " is ranked " by Bro . Mackey as a separate degree and called by him the eighth in succession . He gii * es the description of the " Convention" by ivhich this rank is conferred , ivith the prayers , charges , and scriptures proper for the occasion . h almost in

The cercmonvof consecrating a new chapter is g * cn externa , with those ofthe installation of officers , grand visitations , processions , installations of Grand Chapters , and on other occasions ; and the volume concludes ivith a useful section devoted to the constitutional rules drawn up from the antient landmarks aud usages of Boyal Arch Masonry . The style ofthe work is leasingand this will certainlbe

conp , y sidered a very favourable specimen of the "Monitorial" class of Avorks , by those Avho conceive that any necessity exists for such books . It has , however , some very striking defects , Avhich another edition will probably sec remedied ; Ave may for instance mention that , though the book is elegantly printed upon good paper , it i » .