The British Musrum Slander And Bro. John Payne Collier.*

the benefit of securing to an obscure adventurer a questionable notoriety . To our brethren of the Craft Ave would offer a few additional remarks on this vexatious subject . It may , possibly , be objected to us that Ave have espoused the cause of Bro . Collier with unwonted warmth . We do not deny it ; and they must anticipate our reasons for so doing . We ivould

further urge , then , that if the authorities of the MS . department of the British M ' . useum persist in this rancorous attack upon one of the most distinguished members of out- body , Ave are not so Avholly powerless as they imagine . The princijial trustee of the British Museum— -the Archbishop of Canterbury , is a brother of our Order , and we feel assured his Grace

has not so far forgotten his obligation as to see a brother wickedly assailed , by those public servants ovenvhoin he has control , without giving an intimation that such a course is not only contrary to the first princip les of Masonic rectitude , but also to the interests of the national library . Should his Grace ; , lioweverso far forget his dutylet usas good

Eree-, , , masoiis , prove to the AA'orlcl that , amongst our brethren Ave have yet many senators in both Houses of Parliament Avho will show themselves ever ready ancl willing to defend a brother , and " boldly repel the slanderer of his good name . "

The Girls School.

THE GIRLS SCHOOL .

WE have been requested to insert the following letter as explanatory of the principles upon which the school is founded : — 8 , Ingram Court , Fenchurch Street , London . B . C . 17 th March , 1800 . MY DEAR Sin AXD BUOTIIEK , —I am sorry to learn that there is some misconception prevailing in province as to the objects

your of the Girls School , ancl I cannot help thinking the letter you allude to from Bro . Crew has been misinterpreted . As a member of the Committee of Management of many years' standing , I can say positively that the children of mechanics , as such , are not excluded by either the rule or the practice of the charity . In the first of the " Eules and Regulations" ( made at General Courts of the Subscribers , ancl which neither the Secretary nor the Committee

have power to alter or depart from ) the object of the institution is defined to be : — - " To board , clnthe , and educate the female children or orphans of decayed Freemasons , who from an alteration in circumstances are unable to bear that expense , so that such children may be rendered useful and well informed members of society . " Therefore , the children of all brethren , cither deceased , or reduced in circumstances since they became Masonsare eliible for

, g election to the school . I presume no one can object to this test of altered circumstances as a condition of eligibility . The school is a charity , ancl brethren ivho are in no worse position than thev were at the time of their initiation are not proper objects cif

Masonic charity . Io admit any other principle would be attended with dangerous consequences . Men might be tempted to enter Masonry with a view to derive benefit from the charities of the Order , —a temptation possibly too strong to lie resisted , notwithstanding the declaration they are called upon to make—that they are " uninfluenced by mercenary or other unworthy motive . " I will go further , and will say that that brother is not a true

Mason , who , being in no worse circumstances than when he . joined the Craft , should seek to cast upon his brother Masons the cost of educating , clothing , ancl maintaining his children . But the case is widely different if a brother be overtaken b y misfortune . It is for the children of such brethren that the institution is especially intended ; and if , therefore , a mechanic who may be a Mason should break a limblie attacked bparalysisor become

, y , otherwise incapable of gaining as much as he had formerl y earned , his child would undoubtedly be as eligible to become a candidate as the child of a tradesman , merchant , or professional man , and the committee would have no power to reject his petition . You can make any use of this letter you please , and I trust the explanation I have given will remove all doubts which brethren of province have entertained as to whether the prin

your may - ciples on which the charity is conducted are consistent with Masonic equality . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours very truly and fraternall y , Jonx SYMONDS . Bro . the Eev . A . F . A . Woodford , M . A ., P , Prov , S . G . W ., West Yorkshire .

Archæology.

ARCH ? OLOGY .

BEITTSU AECILEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION . AT the recent meeting of this learned body the chair ivas taken by T . J . Pettigrew , Esq ., one of the vice presidents . Iu the course ofthe evening , A . B . Trevenen , Esq ., the Eev . . ! . J . Moss , II . Gray , Esq ., and T . Page , Esq ., were elected associates . Dr . Keuclrick sent for exhibition , from the AVarrington Museum , an hthe traveller

Egyptian Papyrus MS ., presented by Col . Leg , . Itwas in the Hieratic character , and bail been found in a mummy case at the Mcmnoniuni at Thebes . Mr . Pettigrew read the name onl-hf-u-khoiis , and exhibited other specimens of cases and papyri ii-oni his own collection . Mr . T . Wright exhibited an iron box found at AVroxefer . ft had been sawn through , and ivas found to be in four divisionsall filled with wood . Mr . Porman exhibited

, a fine steel plaque , which bad formed a panel of a German coffin ofthe sixteen tli century , it presented an unusual representation of a bear hunt . Boar hunts arc common . Mr . H . Syer Cuming exhibited a fine specimen of needlework , representing the Virgin and four attendant cherubs . It was of tbe early part of the seventeenth century . Mr . Gunsten exhibited a curious and very diminutive object in bronze—a human headwith slender ram ' s horns .

, It was found in boring for a well at Carshalton , in Surrey . Mr . Mark Phillips exhibited the impression of a massive gold ring , found in the Thames , near Brentford . It is a merchant's mark , and belongs to Sir AA . Clay , Bart . Air . A ' ere Irving and Mr . A . Sim exhibited further antiquities from Lanarkshire , partly Eoman ancl partly medhcval . They were ordered to be recorded and figuredAirSercl communicated a curious iving an

. . paper , g account of the entertainments ancl shows provided by the corporation of AVells for the amusement of Queen Anne in 1 G 13 . It will be printed with other orig inal documents . The chairman announced that the congress at Shrewsbury would be held from the Gth of August to the 11 th , inclusive .

Masonry At Smyrna.

MASONRY AT SMYRNA .

Wi : have been requested to insert the following : — " On behalf of the Masons of Smyrna , I desire to express their sincere obligations to the M . W . G . M ., the Grand Lodge , and Bro . Havers , the President of tiie Board of General Purposes , for the just ancl fraternal spirit in which they have devoted themselves to the Masonic affairs of Smyrna . It remains to apply ourselves to tho task of satisfactorily establishing constitutional Masonry in

Smyrna : and under the peculiar circumstances which have occurred there , I am compelled to solicit assistance by the way of loan to enable the new Lodge to proceed with its labours . Several innocent and worthy members of the late irregular Loclges having by their own means paid the chief part of the liabilities , have placed at the disposal of the new Lodge the valuable furniture , and regalia for the Lod leaving to the new Lodge to reimburse

ge , the cost as their funds may allow . There are , liowever , other liabilities , which , for the credit of Masonry must be provided for ; and , on account of the bitter feeling against Masonry , a house must be taken for the celebration of the rites , as no room can be obtained for temporary occupation . The first members of the new Lodge Avill be those who have already largely contributed to these objects ; and I beg the friends of Masonry and my

personal friends to assist by way of loan for those purposes . With the progress of the Lodge these advances can be repaid , or as the contributors may direct , may be applied to the Masonic charitable institutions . " Bro . Havers has munificently paid ten guineas towards this object , and I have paid ten pounds . Contributions will be received by Bro . Charles llutton Gregory , 1 , Delahay Street , AVestminster , who in Bro . Hyde Clarke ' s absence in the east , will receive them and remit them to him . " IIVOF , CI . AI . KK , AV . M ., Homer Lodge , Smyrna , "

Masonic Loyalty.

MASONIC LOYALTY .

THE " Ancient Charges , " ivhich form the basis of the Masonic Constitutions , say , " A Mason is a peaceable subject to the civil powers , wherever he resides or works ; and is never to be concerned in plots and conspiracies against the peace ancl welfare of the nation , nor to behave himself unilntifully to inferior magistrates . " 'hie same principles apply to the Masonic relations of a Mason as to the civil .

The ancient charges also say , " a Lodge is a place where Masons assemble and work : hence that assembly or duly organized society of Masons is called a Lodge , and every brothe r ought to belong to one , and to be subject to its by-laws and th