Masonic Notes And Quekies.

prince strenuously objected , on general and personal grounds . To these objections the committee have at length yielded , and the memorial having taken , under Air . Durham ' s hands , a form of which his royal highness heartily approves , he has now felt himself free to subscribe to it . A subscription was got up some since for a memorial to Stothard , to be executed by Mr . Edgar Papivorth , and to be placed over his grave in Bunhill Fields' Cemetery—where there is not at present even a common

stone bearing his name , we believe . No more than a sum of . t'SO was raised , therefore the idea of a statue has been abandoned , and a bust proposed instead . This will be erected in the course of the summer . The Society of Arts are proposing to do honour to the memory of the late Sir AVilliam lloss , R . A ., by getting together , in their rooms in the Adelphi , a collection of his works , for exhibition to the public during the months of April and Alay . Sir AVilliam Ross in his early days

received several medals from the society . Possessors of his works will do well to lend them to the society for this exhibition , and should at once communicate with the secretary . It is understood that Her Alajesty the Queen and H . R . H . the Prince Consort will contribute from the royal collection . About £ 2 , 000 have been already obtained towards the Brunei Memorial . The committee , who consider the matter sufficiently advanced

lor some decision to be taken as to the form of the memorial , were to have held a meeting yesterday , the 30 th instant , for that purpose , at the King ' s Anns , AVestminster . At the annual meeting of tho Liverpool Society of Fine Arts , ivhich was held on Saturday week , the council reported that they had assumed office when there was a debt to the amount of £ S 55 , for expenses incurred in establishing the society , and adapting the Queen ' s Hall for au exhibition

gallery ; and that during their year of office this debt was reduced to £ 420 , more than one-half having been liquidated . In addition to this , a commencement had been made of the Permanent Gallery of Modern Art , by the purchase of Mr . Pyne ' s picture of "Angoria , with the port of Arena , Lake Maggioro . " The sales of the late season realized au unusually large amount , £ 4 , 858 , of ivhich i . 1 , 6 ' 00 were spent iu the works of Continental artists , and the remainder in works of the British school

—the latter , £ 3 , 200 , being supposed to be ivithout precedent out of London . Arrangements are in progress for an exhibition of the works of ancient aud modern masters , proof engravings and photographs , to be opened oil the 2 nd of April , and supplying a desideratum iu Liverpool , where there is usually no spring exhibition of works of art . The council state that they have received very satisfactory offers of contributions , notwithstanding the numerous applications to which the owners of valuable works are subjected .

IHB MASTER . —It is not every one who is chosen Alaster of a Lodge who is qualified to discharge the duties of that high and responsible position . If the members of Loclges ivere generally well booked up iu regard to Freemasonry , as they ought to be , they never would elect a Alaster who was not competent to discharge every duty , and qualified to instruct ; , properly , those who need Masonic light and information . A Alaster is expected to be a teacher , and those who assume the position of teacher ht to be learned in the laws historyand tradi

oug , usages , , - tions of the Order , and be competent to impart Alasonic information to the noviciates , and those advancing through the several degrees , aud capable of instructing less informed brethren . A ivell informed Master who attends to his duties in his own proper person , will always command a good attendance of the members , a deeper interest will be felt for the prosperity of the Lodge , mid a higher regard for the Alasonic institution . The lukewarmiiess and indifference to evinced h

Masonry y many members of the fraternity , and their ignorance oi : its principles and hi gh moral aims , are mainly to be attributed to incompetent brethren elected to the east . If the novitiate in his progress through the several decrees is not instructed properly—if he is not imbued with high and lofty sentiments—if higher and holier feelings are not awakened in his bosom to live a better life , to have increased charity for his fellow men , it is vain to suppose that he will afterwards devote his time and attention to search for

pearls of precious value , when his instructor gave him no reason to believe that any existed , and of ivhich he himself was totall y 'g'lorant . The Alaster ought to be an expert workman , and all the 'Katerial passing through his hands ought to be properly polished by the t' -iiie the finishing touch is given to it , and the candidate is raised to the suulhne degree of Alaster Alason . If the members of a Lodge have » ot a proper appreciation of the institution , they will be indifferent to of

™ o competency the brother they make choice of for Alaster . An incompetent officer presiding in the east is a sure indication that the members of the Lodge are deficient in a knowledge of the principles and requirements of Freemasonry . If the members are intelligent they will never give their consent to be governed by one who is deficient in Alasonic knowled ge , and incapable of giving Alasonic instruction to those who are ¦ juouttcd withiu the precincts of the Temple .-- ;! mcricaii Mirror and keystone .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

[ T HE EDITOR does not hold himself responsible for any opinions entertained by Correspondents . ' ] AMERICAN v . IRISH FREEMASONRY . TO THK EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MlltltOli . DEAR SIR AXD BROTHER , —I should like to confirm the view expressed bour brother" J . AV . P . " who lias visited several

Amey , , rican Loclges , and having myself visited and examined several brethren in different States in America , I feel bound to state , in my opinion , that Bro . Jonathan does send forth better Avorking Masons than ourselves ; although the phraseology iu the two countries is very different , the essentials are precisely the same ; in some cases I should hardl y think an English Mason ivould gain admission to an American Lodge .

I have read the letter of "P . Z . " several times , and cannot help thinking that our brethren of Cork Lodge , No . 71 , have admitted a cowan in the shape of this Kentucky P . M . I am as certain that be he really a P . M . or a G . M ., lie ivould never have obtained admission into a Lodge in the States , unless the brother recommending him had seen him initiated , passed , and raised . It would scarcely be possible , for au American P . M . to become so

thoroughly rusty , for any AV . Master ancl Past Master that I have met there have generally been very bright ; and , ivere he so rusty , he ivould hardl y jiresent himself for admission to a just and regularly constituted Lodge , and that too ivithout his certificate — Avhich our brother , " J . AV . P ., 11 is doubtless aware of , as well as the reception and rejection which he would first receive and then be subjected to ; after which he would not be again likely to trespass . Apologizing for troubling you , 1 am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , THE BUILDER .

Bro. Percy Wells.

BRO . PERCY WELLS .

TO THE EDITOIl 01 ' THE I'ltEEMASOMS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC ) M 1 RKOH . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have no desire to interfere between "An Old AVellsian" and Bro . Ridgway ; but as the latter has alluded , in his reply , to a confidential communication which he received in reference to Bro . Percy AVells some time before that person embarked for the colony in which he is now living , I beg to observe that I addressed a letter of that nature to Bro .

Ridgway , and if it be the particular letter of which he speaks , I may have a word or two to say on the subject . The correspondence between " An Old AVellsian" and Bro . Ridgway seems likely to open up an inquiry , the result of ivhich may induce Bro . AVells to exclaim , " Save me from my friends , " especially Bro . Ridgway . I am , clear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , R . E . PEACH , P . M ., No . iS ; P . Prov . S . G . AV ., Somerset . Beth , March ' 27 th , 1860 .

TO THE EDITOR 01 ' THE MtEEMASOXS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIHROK . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — The reply of Bro . Ridgway , which appears in your Magazine of to-day in answer to my inquiry of the loth , indicates the character and to some extent the mind of the person to whom the best interests of Mark Masonry have for some time been entrusted . Neverthelessthis promptitude of Bro . Ridgwayivhilst it

de-, , serves my thanks , may afford some encouragement to the Craft to hope that he may exercise this quality a little more frequently in connection AA'ith the functions of his office , by ivhich the welfare of the Craft would not fail to be advanced ; which I have reason to bclieA'e would be much appreciated by the members thereof . If the subject to which I referred in my letter were simply to

be discussed in your columns—if the question now raised as to the propriety of the appointment of AVells to au office of trust in Mark Masonry were susceptible of a final settlement between Bro . Ridgway and myself—I should have dispensed with even my temporary disguise . I know the duties I owe to my distant as ivell as my nearer brethren better than Bro . Ridgway is capable of teaching meeven though lie exhaust tho whole vocabulary of

, Masonic p latitudes in their enforcement ; and in the performance of not the least of those duties I sought to ascertain whether a certain alleged appointment had been made , Avith a view to consider , if it were so , to what extent the interests of the Order might be affected or endangered thereby . The subject is evidently a sore one to Bro . Ridgway . Not