what the members already pay, five shillings have to be annually remitted by each member of Grand Lodge. We cannot afford to pay the rent of a place of meeting, in order to have the use of it, when we require it (mark the consistency)! but we are spending five pounds each for a silver-gilt medal, to be given to every honorary member of the Grand Lodge! There is surely room for improvement here. Again, look at the costume, which is tolerated in Grand Lodge. There is nothing regular either in the cut or colour of the coats; and here, as well as in private Lodges, there is no regularity as to badges or jewels. The taste and fancy of the wearer is the sole guide; and it is no uncommon event to see a pocket-handkerchief, not over clean, used as a badge side by side with the more aristocratic productions of a "ROBINSON," or an "EVANS!" Let the Grand Lodge show that she is in earnest, and anxious to redeem the character of Scotch Masonry. Let her do away with one paid officer, and let the person, who does the work, be properly remunerated. Let her rent a place, which she may at all times command, for meetings and other business. Let her exercise a kind and faithful control over the Lodges, and urge them affectionately to be more regular and orderly in conducting Masonic business, and, above all, strive to inculcate some sort of regularity into the degrees for the entering, passing, and raising of candidates. If this be done in a truly Masonic spirit, we are convinced that the Lodges and Brethren generally would support her, and would not grudge the additional five shillings which has been recently imposed upon them, even although it may be spent upon silver-gilt badges to decorate honorary Brethren, who, I am sure, if they knew the present "rotten state of Denmark," would decline to receive them.

In your retrospect of Masonic proceedings for the year 1851, you express a strong hope that improvement may take place in Scotland. In that wish I join most heartily and sincerely, and trust that it will not be long, ere some energetic and influential Brethren may be more thoroughly interested in the welfare of our ancient Order. As an earnest towards such improvement, there is a motion on the table of Grand Lodge at present to this effect: "That a Committee be appointed to consider the propriety of sending deputations to the Sister Grand Lodges." The long and the short of this is, that we in Edinburgh are hoping to visit you in London, and our Brethren across the Irish Channel. This, I have no doubt, will be at once agreed to, as deputations are now the order of the day. And if they can only be carried forward for truly Masonic purposes, and for the benefit of Masonry, they cannot but be productive of much good to the visitors; but there must be no mere reciprocity of idle compliment, or bandying high-flown eulogiums betwixt the Lodges; no!that will not do! If we go to London, headed by our Grand Master, let us say to your G. M. and G. Lodge, "We come that we may see your work, and how you conduct your Masonic proceedings." If this be done with the desire of obtaining information, and of applying it when anything commendable is found, then there will be a chance of improvement, and we may expect to see our venerable institution, within a reasonable period, restored to that respected character, which many, in their blindness, believe she still holds in the eyes of the Masonic world. But if the deputation, or

- no,

those who propose it, expect to be flattered and feasted in Great Queen Street, and return to continue the abuses, which so much stand in need of reform at home, we can only anticipate a still longer continuation of the gross evils which at present obtain.

I ain not without hope that the best results will flow from the visits of the Grand Lodge of Scotland to those of England and Ireland. If the first deputation visit London, it will surely draw a full house, and put all the English Brethren "on tiptoe expectation" to see the lions of the north; and from all the Craft, from the Earl of Zetland downwards, we are sure, they will secure a most fraternal reception. We should be sorry, if any false delicacy should restrain English Brethren from expressing their opinions to the deputation, in a truly Masonic and fraternal spirit, of what they have seen practised in Scotland. When the Grand Lodge of Scotland does visit the Grand Lodge of England, we also trust that the members may not think it beneath their dignity to visit as many of the private Lodges as they can. It is their duty to see what is doing and what has been done. Let them travel East in pursuit of knowledge and instruction, and they will obtain information; their reception will gratify, and the entertainment delight them. But when the Grand Lodge return, let us hope that its members will in good earnest set their house in order, scrub it up and repair it, so that they may expect-if they have heart to invite a deputation from the Grand Lodge of England to visit our venerable parent—that the results of their journey may be both evident and permanent. Much, very much, however, will have to be done in the meantime !

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND REVIEW.

SIR AND BROTHER,-Belzoni, in his narrative of his operations in Egypt and Nubia, on opening the second Pyramid, found in the principal chamber an Arabic inscription, the translation of which he gives as under. Your readers will perhaps remember, that this Pyramid had not been opened for some hundreds of years.

"The Master Mohammed Ahmed lapicide has opened them, and the Master Othman attended, and the King Alij Mohammed, at first to the closing up."

And in Vol. I., pp. 398 and 412, he says he got a clue to the entrance by certain marks on the outer stones of the Pyramid. Can any of your readers inform me what those marks were, and where any account is to be found of them? I apprehend they must have been some Masonic marks of the builders.-Yours,

SEGO.

MONSIEUR ET TRÈS CHER FRÈRE, Dans votre revue rétrospective du 31 Décembre dernier, vous rapportez un article de l'Univers Religieux contre la Maçonnerie, et vous imputez aux Jésuites les persécutions dont nous avons toujours été menacés. Il entre dans

la loyauté qui distingue le véritable Maçon de repousser tout ce qui peut porter atteinte à la réputation d'autrui, et je m'empresse de remplir ce rigoureux devoir.

L'article de l'Univers a été provoqué par l'imprudence du chef du Secrétariat du Grand Orient de France, qui, trop jeune Maçon pour apprécier suffisamment ce qui convient à notre situation, avait entamé une polémique avec ce journal. Il a été blâmé nécessairement, car l'essence de notre institution veut que nous évitions toute controverse politique et religieuse.

Quant aux Jésuites, dont on prononce souvent trop légèrement le nom, et auxquels on impute toutes les mauvaises actions, parce qu'on confond malheureusement le Jésuitisme religieux avec le Jésuitisme social, loin de chercher à persécuter la Maçonnerie, ils paraissent très disposés à la servir en l'affranchissant des entraves que les pontifs de Rome ont jusqu'à présent apportés à son exercise. Je sais de science certaine que les chefs de cet ordre ont demandé un Mémoire sur la Maçonnerie, afin de le mettre sous les yeux du Pape et de l'engager à révoquer les Bulles que ses prédécesseurs ont fulminées contre notre société inoffensive à toutes les religions. Ce mémoire a été fait par l'un des Maçons jugé le plus propre à l'œuvre ; il est entre les mains des Révérends Pères, et j'ai l'assurance qu'ils accompliront religieusement la mission humanitaire dont ils se sont chargés.

Veuillez, en insérant cette planche dans votre prochain numéro, me croire,

Votre tout dévoué F.

LEBLANC DE MARCONNAY,

Memb. du G. O. de France.

Le F. Lépée aura la complaisance de traduire cettę lettre. O. de Paris, le Février 1852, C. V.

[Translation.]

SIR AND DEAR BROTHER,-In your number of The Quarterly Magazine and Review for December 31st, 1851, you have given an article from l'Univers Religieux against Masonry, and you attribute the persecutions, of which we have always been threatened, to the Jesuits. It becomes the loyalty which distinguishes the true Mason to repel everything that prejudices the reputation of others, and I hasten to fulfil this rigorous duty.

The article of the Univers has been provoked through the imprudence of the chief of the secretary's office of the Grand Orient of France, who being too young a Mason to sufficiently appreciate what belongs to our situation, had commenced a polemical contest with that paper. Of course, he has been blamed; for the essence of our institution forbids us to enter into any kind of controversy, either political or religious.

As to the Jesuits, whose name is too often lightly mentioned, and to whom all kinds of evil actions are imputed, because people unfortunately confound religious Jesuitism with social Jesuitism, so far from their endeavouring to persecute Masonry, they appear much disposed to serve it, by freeing it from the shackles which the Pontiffs of Rome have hitherto imposed on its exercise.

I know it for certain, that the chiefs of that order have requested (to be furnished with) a memoir on Masonry, in order to place it under the eyes of the Pope, to engage him to repeal the Bulls which his predecessors have fulminated against our Society, which is inoffensive to every religion. This memoir has been drawn up by one of the Masons who are considered as the most competent for that task. It is in the hands of the Reverend Fathers,

and I am confident that they will religiously accomplish the mission of humanity, which they have undertaken.

Please to insert this letter in your next number, and believe me,
Your affectionate Brother,

LEBLANC DE MARCONNAY,

Memb. of the G. O. de France.

Bro. Lépée will have the kindness to translate this letter.

O. de Paris, February 1852.

[We cannot but admire the truly Masonic spirit exhibited by Bro. Marconnay, which exemplifies the truth-"love thinketh no ill to his neighbour;" nevertheless we take leave to doubt the sincerity of Jesuitism, or any honest intention of its "Reverend Fathers" to aid the Craft. We trust we may be mistaken.-ED. F. Q. M. & R.]

Obituary.

BRO. JAMES KENNY.

Died, on Sunday, the 29th ult., at his residence, Merrion-square, Dublin, Bro. James Kenny, 33rd Degree (France), highly esteemed and deservedly regretted by the entire Masonic body, of which he had long been a distinguished member, having attained its highest honours and degrees.

BRO. SIR CHARLES FORBES.

At his residence, Argyle-street, on the 22nd March, Bro. Sir Charles Forbes, K.C.H., in the seventy-fourth year of his age. This distinguished Brother was a member of the Prince of Wales Lodge, No. 324, as well as of the Prince of Wales Chapter, No. 324. He had also proceeded to the 30th Degree in the higher Masonic Orders. In his public capacity he held the appointment of Deputy Inspector of Military Hospitals; he was also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, a Knight Commander of the Guelphic Order, and a Knight of the Crescent. Sir Charles Forbes entered the medical service of the army in May, 1798, was appointed StaffSurgeon in 1808, and became Deputy Inspector in 1813. He accompanied the expedition to Ferrol in 1800, was in Egypt in 1801, was present at the capture of St. Lucia and Tobago in 1803, and served through the whole of the Peninsular campaigns.

74

MASONIC INTELLIGENCE.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER OF ROYAL ARCH MASONS OF ENGLAND.

QUARTERLY CONVOCATION, February 4, 1852.

Present.-M. E. the Earl of Zetland, as Z.; Rowland Alston, as H.; Thomas Henry Hall, as J.; W. H. White, as E.; W. F. Beadon, as N.; F. B. Alston, P. Soj.; R. Davis, Assist. Soj.; Thos. Tomblison, Assist. Soj.; H. J. Prescott, P. Assist. Soj.; C. Baumer, P. Assist. Śoj.; R. G. Alston, P. Assist. Soj.; F. Pattison, P. Assist. Soj.; A. Dobie, Registrar; Thos. R. White, Sword Bearer; H. B. Webb, P. Sword Bearer; B. Webster, Standard Bearer; E. G. Giles, P. Standard Bearer; John Havers, P. Standard Bearer; J. H. Goldsworthy, P. Standard Bearer; M. Costa, Organist; Geo. Biggs, Dir. of Cerem.; L. Chandler, P. Dir. of Cerem.; A. Leveau, P. Dir. of Cerem. ; and the Principals and Past Principals of several subordinate Chapters.

The G. Chapter was opened in ancient and solemn form; and the minutes of the last Quarterly Convocation were read and confirmed. The Report of the Committee of General Purposes, stating the amount of receipts and disbursements of the last quarter, was read and approved.

After the dispatch of the ordinary business, the Grand Chapter was closed.

UNITED GRAND LODGE.

QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION, March 3, 1852.

Present.-R. W. Rowland Alston, P. S. G. W., Prov. G. M. for Essex, in the Chair; A. Dobie, G. R., Prov. G. M. for Surrey, as D. G. M.; R. Davis, J. G. W., as S. G. W.; Hon. G. O'Callaghan, P. J. G. W., as J. G. W.; Chevalier B. Hebeler, P. S. G. W. and Rep. from the G. L. of Berlin; J. C. Morris, P. S. G. W.; R. G. Alston, P. J. G. W.; F. Pattison, P. J. G. W.;-Prescott, P. J. G. W.; Revs. J. E. Cox and E. Moore; G. Chaps ;—Hayes, P. G. C.; W. H. White, G. S.; H. L. Cröhn, G. Sec. for German Correspondence, and Rep. from the G. L. of Hamburgh; T. R. White, S. G. D.; G. W. K. Potter, P. J. G. D., as J. G. D.; J. H. Goldsworthy, P. S. G. D.; J. Havers, P. S. G. D.; J. Nelson, P. S. G. D.; B. Lawrence, P. J. G. D.; S. C. Norris, P. J. G. D.; C. Baumer, P. J. G. D.; L. Chandler, P. J. G. D.; J. Par