We could have wished to have seen the next Lecture advertised, viz. "Freemasonry in relation to the Arts and Sciences, and the Architecture in different countries, by Bro. L. Hornblower," but we understand it has been postponed from our Brother's indisposition. The discursive preliminary Lectures ought to be followed by minuter details, exhibiting the prominent and distinguishing features of practical Freemasonry, which we know our Brother, "the Superintendent of Works for Cheshire," is eminently quali fied to illustrate.

A Dictionary of Symbolical Masonry. By the Rev. GEO. OLIVER, D.D. London, R. Spencer.

We have been favoured with a sight of the proof-sheets of this Work, which will be issued in a few days, and will deserve the patronage of the Craft. No encomiums on our part can serve to place Dr. Oliver in a higher position than he already holds with respect to his Masonic learning and information; but highly as all his former works testify to the reputation which he has so universally attained, not one will more incontestably prove his full acquaintance with the Mysteries of the Order than this Dictionary, which is about to appear under his immediate superintendence. It will, when completed, supply a vacuum, which no one could by any possibility have more thoroughly filled, than the learned author of "The Historical Landmarks," and other valuable Masonic treatises.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

THE EDITOR requests that all original articles for approval, and for which remuneration is expected, may be sent to him at 74, 75, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's Inn-fields, by the first weeks in the months of FEBRUARY, MAY, AUGUST, and NOVEMBER; all Correspondence and Masonic Intelligence must be transmitted by the tenth day of MARCH, JUNE, SEPTEMBER, and DECEMBER, at latest, to insure its insertion. The attention of Contributors is earnestly requested to these directions, who are also desired to retain copies of their MSS., as the Editor does not pledge himself to return those which are not approved.

.-Many thanks for the paper, of which use may be made in a future number.

A CONSTANT READER.-Old King's Arms Lodge, No. 35.-In answer to your inquiry we are enabled to state, that a communication was made to an old member of the Lodge from the Grand Secretary's Office, in the preceding week, to the effect that the Lodge had neglected to make its return of a Grand Steward.

DEVON.-P. J.-The matter is not yet put at rest. It is high time, however, that it should be speedily settled, and that an unseemly dispute should no longer perplex the Craft of this Province.

FORWARDS. The letter of our Correspondent is in type, but we have been compelled to omit it on account of the accumulation of more important matter.

MANCHESTER.-Private Lodges of Instruction, &c.-Our Correspondent will find his article under the head of "Provincial Masonic Intelligence." The immense pressure upon our pages would have compelled the entire omission of the article, had not this course been adopted. The subject, though of general interest, has a particular reference, and thus its position may not be considered out of place.

INDIA.-BENGAL.-A report of the last meeting of the Bengal Grand Lodge is in type, but at the last moment it was found impossible to give it, for the reasons stated in several other instances.

FELLOW CRAFT.-Our Correspondent's communication, not containing any Scottish intelligence of immediate moment, but chiefly referring to the M. W. the Duke of Atholl's visit to London, and advising him to visit the G. L. of England, and other Lodges, to observe "the working," is omitted on account of want of room. The M. W. the G. M. of Scotland, it will be seen, attended the last Quarterly Communication, and has, we understand, been present at several meetings of private Lodges. We trust that his Grace's visit may be of advantage to Scotch Masonry.

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE.-J. W.-The fault surely rests with the presiding Officer, who ought to take care that one or two P. M.'s do not constitute the Board, and decide upon every case, as if the whole matter rested in their hands.

BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES.-P. M.-We can give no reason for the decided " set" against the worthy Brother, and are at a loss to conceive what he could have done to incur the displeasure of many Brethren who, but a short time since, were amongst his most active supporters.

GIRLS' SCHOOL.-A COUNTRY MASON.-The day fixed, we believe, for the dedication is the 31st of July. We are totally unacquainted with the arrangements, which are, we believe, exclusively in the hands of the House and Building Committees; neither do we know anything of the ceremony.

LIMERICK.-Bro. M. F.-We beg to apologise for the omissions he will perceive as to Irish Masonic Intelligence in the present number, which been unavoidable. Our June number is one of the heaviest in Reports of Metropolitan proceedings, which cannot be either curtailed or excluded.

GRAND FESTIVAL.-"NULLI SECUNDUS."-Our opinion will be found given "freely and at length" in our leading article. We thoroughly agree with our Correspondent that the disgust must be immense amongst all good and true Masons.

GRAND CHAPTER.-P. Z.-It is usual for those Brethren, who are appointed the Officers of G. L. for the year to hold the appointments here referred to in G. C. Indeed they do so by right of such appointment.

TEMPLAR MASONRY.-Sir Kt. B.-The Grand Conclave meets but once a year, unless specially summoned on urgent business by the M. E. the G. S. C. The meeting is generally held about Easter-tide.

W.

33RD DEGREE.. -The number is restricted to NINE. We cannot say, not being one of the εKλýrot, whether the illustrious member habitually absents himself from all Convocations. If he does so, we should not think it difficult to fill up his place by one more alive to the interests of the "high Degrees."

ROSE CROIX. PELICAN. The degree is given four times a year, and is always most efficiently performed.

66

We beg to acknowledge the receipt of "The Temple," "The Freemasonss' Monthly Magazine," Masonic Herald," "Freemasons' Herald" (America), "La Vraie Lumière" (France), &c. &c.

THE

FREEMASONS'

QUARTERLY MAGAZINE

AND REVIEW.

SEPTEMBER 30, 1852.

DEDICATION OF THE NEW SCHOOL-HOUSE OF THE ROYAL FREEMASONS' CHARITY FOR FEMALE CHILDREN.

It will be remembered, that at this time last year we felt it necessary to comment upon the strange proceedings of the General Court and Sub-Committee of the Freemasons' Girls' School, for having determined to proceed with the building of a new school-house at Wandsworth Common, without having taken the necessary steps for the first stone being laid Masonically. Our comments provoked many remarks, as might have been anticipated. They were denounced as scurrilous; they were branded with all kinds of opprobrious epithets; they were twisted into an intention of personality to individuals, and vilified in terms anything but in accordance with those of brotherly love. It was quite useless—indeed, it was a work of supererogation-for us to assure those who were so angry with us, that if we had "anything extenuated," or, if it could be proved, that "we had set down aught in malice," we were ready to make the amende honorable, and that nothing should prevent the contradiction of our statements as positively as 20

VOL. III.

we had been induced to make them, provided it could be shown that we had been in the smallest particular mistaken. We intimated-and again repeat the intimation— that information had been communicated to us, which we could have no reason whatever either for doubting or disbelieving; and that consequently, anxious as we were to remove every occasion of offence, until that information was officially contradicted, and it could be satisfactorily proved to be erroneous, we could not be, with any appearance of justice, blamed for the maintenance of the position we had taken up. To assert that our statements were false,-and assertion went as far as this-unmasonic as such conduct was-is a very different thing from proving them to be so; and that has not yet been done.

But, it may be asked, why refer to this matter at all? Why not let it be for ever buried in oblivion? Why stir up an old grievance? We have a full answer to give to such questions :-Because the end has been as faulty as the beginning; because an opportunity for largely benefitting the Craft, and showing Masonry to be something better than a fiction, has been lost by mismanagement, and the most absurd blundering. As the matter commenced, so it has terminated. It was a mistake at the commencement ;-it was something worse in the conclusion!

For the first time, we imagine, since Freemasonry has been in existence, a building exclusively for Masonic purposes, has been built and completed without the laying of the cornerstone! We stated last year, that the following Resolution, relative to this matter, had been recorded on the minutes of the proceedings of the Committee:

"That there not being time, (!) the laying of the first stone should be postponed TILL NEXT YEAR, the WORKS IN THE MEANWHILE TO PROCEED VIGOROUSLY !"

The absurdity of such a resolution was self-evident; we believe that such a resolution was passed, and shall continue to do so, until it is contradicted in such a manner as to show to the Craft and ourselves, that the information upon which we

That

communicated the intelligence was utterly worthless. contradiction not having yet been given, we have ground for assuming that the Committee must have seen the absurdity of “laying a first stone," when the works had "proceeded vigorously," or at the completion of the building. Whether it was so or not, we cannot positively say, inasmuch as we have not taken the trouble to inquire, and no information from any quarter has reached us. We premise that it was so, because a first stone was not laid when the new schoolhouse was dedicated, on Monday, August 2nd.

As it is customary at the erection of all noble and stately edifices to place a first stone at a certain corner, from which the whole building is to take its rise, and as every E. A. will understand what reference is drawn from that custom at his initiation, it is clear that English Freemasons of the nineteenth century have departed from "a landmark of the Order!" If Masonry is worth anything at all, it is worth keeping up by the strict observance of every time-honoured custom, which has invariably been held sacred for ages past; and no Mason is worthy to wear his badge, or to call himself a Craftsman, unless he seeks by every means in his power to preserve" the landmarks of the Order," which he is under the most solemn obligation to maintain and uphold. If a single individual in the Craft can be found who thinks such an obligation to be of no import,-if such an individual imagines that Masonry can still be Masonry, whilst its most important observances are neglected and contemned, he ought at once to retire from the Order, which he can only injure, however great may be his zeal in maintaining its benevolent institutions; for by so doing he would no longer be a let and hindrance to the fulfilment of the solemn duties which such an event, as we are commenting upon, clearly shows he has neither the mind to comprehend, nor the intelligence to appreciate.

The first stone of the Girls' New School-house not having been laid, either regularly, in order, or in form, the building having, nevertheless, been completed,—the object for which it