Hoaxes.

Having expressed a desire to visit the place where these wonders had been found , the boys conducted him to a locality where they had previously buried a number of specimens . At last , when he had formed an ample collection , he published a folio volume containing twenty-eight plates , with a Latin text explanatory to them , dedicating the volume to the Prince-Bishop of Wurzburg . The opinions expressed in this book , and the strange

manner in which they are defended , rendered it a curious evidence of the extravagant credulity and folly of its author , who meant to follow it up with other publications ; but being apprised by M . Deckard , a brother professor , of the hoax that had been practised , the deluded author became most anxious to recall his work . It is therefore very rare , being only met with in the libraries of the curious .

CHATTEBTON ' S FORGERIES . —Mr . W . H . D . Adams says of this unfortunate poet : — " When Thomas Chatterton was a pupil at the Bristol Charity School , known as Colson ' s or the Bluecoafc , he was accustomed to spend his holidays in the beautiful old church of St . Mary Redcliffe , and there he seems to have conceived the idea of a series of poems based on the early history of Bristol , to be written in the character of one Thomas Rowley , parish priest of St . John's . He was able to do this easily , as Chatterton ' s

father had removed from the Treasury House of the church a pile of mediaeval documents . In September 1768 a new bridge across the Avon was opened with great public rejoicings , and a few days afterwards appeared in the " Bristol Weekly Journal" what purported to be a contemporary description ( from an old manuscript ) of the opening of the old bridge , which naturally attracted a good deal of attention . Chatterton was strongly

pressed to state where he had obtained this precious manuscript , the genuineness of which no one seems to have suspected . After some hesitation he unfolded the fiction which loaded his memory with so much obloquy , and made his life so disastrous a failure , namely that ' he had received the paper in question , together with many other manuscripts , from his father , who had found them in a large chest in the upper room over the chapel , on the north side of Redclifie Church . ' "

He afterwards submitted some Rowley poems to Horace Walpole , who referred them to the poets Gray and Mason . The latter , however , immediately pronounced them to be forgeries . The closing scene of Chatterton's life is well known—that of a suicide by poison .

CEDEL HOAX . —According to the "European Magazine" ( 1817 ) , " a blind man of Paris , retiring in the dusk to his hovel , after having spent the day in begging , with little success , was accosted by a person who told him that if he would go home with him , he should be well repaid for his trouble . The blind man joyfully consented to be conducted to his new friend ' s house , and was thus addressed by him : " I am not rich , and yet wish to show charity to the poor , which I have no other possibility of doing , unless by

giving them a parcel of tales and novels , which I compose , to sell at a very moderate price for their own benefit . Here , my friend , is a good parcel of them , which you shall dispose of at the rate of twopence each , although they are intrinsically worth thrice the money . " The poor fellow , after loudly expressing his gratitude , groped his way home exultingly , and sallied out early the next morning to enjoy the profits of his benefactor's productions . He cried his pamphlets by the title of a new novel as he had been directed , and for some time had no custom , but one of the books having been

purchased and examined , the rest met with a most rapid sale , and the blind man returned homewards with his pockets well loaded . His pleasant ideas were , however , soon checked by his finding himself in the custody of a police officer , who told him that the book he had been selling was a most virulent and impudent satire against a person of rank . The poor blind man protested his innocence , and told his tale , which , luckily for him , was believed ; but he could give no information which could lead to the contriver of this ingenious and new way of spreading abroad scandal with impunity . "

THE EGG HOAX . —Charles Mackay , in his " Popular Delusions , " relates the following incident . " A panic terror of the end of the world seized the good people of Leeds and its neighbourhood in the year 1806 . It arose from the following circumstances . A hen in a village close by laid eggs on which were inscribed , in legible characters , the words ' Christ is coming . ' Great numbers visited the spot and examined these wonderful eggs , convinced that the day of judgment was near at hand . Like sailors in a storm , expecting every instant to go to the bottom , the believers suddenly became religious ,

prayed violently , and flattered themselves that they repented them of their evil courses . But a plain tale soon put them down , and quenched their religion entirely . Some gentlemen , hearing of tbe matter , went one fine morning and caught the poor hen in the act of laying one of her miraculous eggs . They soon ascertained beyond doubt that the egg had been inscribed with some corrosive ink , and cruelly forced back again into the bird ' s body . At this explanation those who had prayed now laughed , and the world wagged as merrily as of yore . " ( To be continued . ) " Book of Rarities , " by EDWARD ROBERTS P . M .

Lodge Meetings Next Week.

LODGE MEETINGS NEXT WEEK .

Monday . 1366 Highgate , Midland Grand H't'l . 1922 Earl of Lathom , Camberwell 2426 Wood Green , Wood Green 40 Derwent , Hastings 61 Probity , Halifax 68 Royal Clarence , Bristol

75 Love and Honour , J < almoutti 89 Unanimity , Dukinfield 105 Fortitude , Plymouth 106 Sun . Exmouth 151 Albany , Newport , I . of Wight 189 Sincerity , East Stonehouse 237 Indefatigable , Swansea 240 St . Hilda , South Shields

264 Nelson of the Nile , Batley 297 Whitham , Lincoln 302 Hope , Bradford 303 Benevolent , Teignmouth 307 Prince Frederick , HebdenBriilge 330 One and All , Bodmin 388 Prudence , Halesworth 408 Three Graces , Haworth

Lodge Meetings Next Week.

433 Hope , Brightlingsea 467 Tudor , Oldham 481 Sfc . Peter , Newcastle-on-Tyne 589 Druid Love & Lib ., Redruth 643 Royal , Filey 671 Prince of Wales , Llanelly 699 Roscawea , Chacewater

797 Hauley , Dartmouth 884 Derwent , Wirksworth 893 Meridan , Millbrook 1168 Benevolence , Sherbonrne 1221 Defence , Leeds 1271 F'dship & Unitv , Bradf'd-on-A'vn 1272 Tregenna , St . " lves 1286 Bayon , Market Rasen 1302 De Warren , Halifax

1408 Stamford & Warr ' gton , St ' yb ' ge 1436 Castle , Sandgate 1449 Royal Military , Canterbury 1486 Dnncombe , Krngsbridge 1496 Trafford , Moss Side 1542 Legiolum , Castleford 1600 Hamilton , Alford 1611 Eboracum , York

Lodge Meetings Next Week.

1618 Handyside , Saltburn-by-Sea 1691 Quadratic , Hampton Court 1792 Tudor , Harborne 1885 Torridge , Great Torrington 1948 Hardman , Rawtenstall 1952 High Peak , Chapel-en-le-Frith 1966 Fidelity & Sincerity , Wellington 1977 Blackwater , Maldon 2376 Carnarvon , Leyland 2422 Ebbisham , Epsom 2487 St . Michael , Stone 2584 Queen Victoria , Manchester

Tuesday . 167 St . John , Hampstead Heath 131 Fortitude , Truro 184 United Chatham , New Bro ' ptoa 241 Merchant , Liverpool 272 Harmony , Boston 319 New Forest , Lymington 366 St . David , Miiford 371 Perseverance , Maryport 473 Faithful . Birmingham 496 Peace * fc Harmony . St . Austell

603 Zetland , Cleckheaton 626 Lansdowne Unity , Chippenham 696 St . Bartholomew , Weanesbury 764 H'rbour of Refuge , W . H'tlep'l . 789 Dunheved , Launceston 814 Paxrett and Axe , Crewkern 829 Sydney , Sidcup 877 Boyal Alfred , Jersey 897 S . Helen of Loyalty , St . Helen ' s

967 Three Grand Principles , Penryn 979 Four Cardinal Virtues , Crewe 990 Neyland , Neyland 1021 Hartington , Barrow-in-Furness 1028 Royal Alfred , Alfreton 1073 Greta , Keswick 1214 Scarborough , Batley 1220 Solway , Aspatria 1250 Gilbert Greenall , Warrinsjton

1266 Honour & Friendship , Blandford 1267 Kenlis , Egremont 1314 Acacia , Bromley 1373 St . Hubert , Andover 1402 Jordan , Torquay 1476 Blackpool , Blackpool 1482 Isle of Axholme , Crowle 1528 Fort , Newquay

1545 Baildon , Baildon 1587 St . Giles , Cheadle 1713 Wilbraham , Walton-on-the-Hill 1823 Royal Clarence , Clare 1837 Lullingstone , Willmington 1847 Ebrington , Stonehouse 1902 St . Cuthbert , Bedlington 2099 Ethelbert , Heme Bay 2134 Wilberforce , Hull 2222 Frederick West , East Molesey 2492 Concordia , Wendover

Wednesday . Committee Royal Masonic Bene vo lent Institution , at 4 . 13 Union Waterloo , Plumstead 820 Lily Richmond , Inns of Ct . Ho . 1629 United , Freemasons ' -hall 1827 Alliance , Guildhall Tavern 1986 Honor Oak , Upper Norwood 2528 Lancastrian , Frascati 2581 Empress , Earl ' s Court

84 Doyle of Friendship , Guernsey 128 Prince Ldwin , Bury 187 Rl . Sussex Hospitality , Bristol 258 Amphibious , Htokmondwike 274 Tranquility , Newchurch 277 Friendship , Oldham 281 Fortitude , Lancaster 288 Harmony , Todmorden 290 Huddersfield , Huddersfield 320 Loyalty , Mottram

323 Concord , Stockport 368 Samaritan , Sandbach 372 Harmony , Budleigh Salberton 380 Integrity , Morley 387 Airedale , Shipley 498 Royal Standard , Dudley 504 Berkhampstead , Berkhampstead 533 Eaton , Congleton 555 Fidelity , Framlingham

580 Harmony , Ormskirk 654 Peveril of the Peak , New Mills 661 Fawcett , Seaham Harbour 666 Benevolence , Dartmoor 679 St . David . Aberdare 697 United , Colchester 708 Carnarvon , Hampton Court 730 Ellesmere , Chorley 731 Arboretum , Derby 755 St . Tudno . Llandudno 851 Worthing Friendship , Worthing 852 Zetland , Salford 906 Royal Albert Edward , Bath 910 St . Oswald , Pontefract

Lodge Meetings Next Week.

1018 Shakespeare , Bradford 1024 Sfc . Peter , Maldon 1091 Erme , Ivybridge 1094 Temple , Liverpool 1107 Cornwallis , Chiselhurst 1140 Ashton , Heaton Moor 1181 De la Pole , Seaton 1209 Lewises , Ramsgate 1248 Denison , Scarborough 1331 Aldershot Camp , Aldershot

1342 Walker , Newcastle-on-Tyne 1356 Toxteth , Liverpool 1398 Baldwin , Dalton-in-Furness 1400 Curven , Workington 1529 Duke of Cornwall , St . Columb 1544 Mount Edgcumbe , Camborne 1547 Liverpool , Liverpool 1576 Dee , Park-gate , Cheshire 1643 Perseverance , Hebburn-on-Tyne 1645 Colne Valley , Slaithwaite

1855 St . Maurice , Plympton 1879 Lord Warkworth , Amble 1932 Whitworth , Spennymoor 1958 St . George , Portsea 2156 Arthur Sullivan , Manchester 2294 Wavertree , Wavertree 2355 Chantrey , Dore 2389 Avondale , Middlewich 2423 St . Mark , Connah Quay 2450 Loxfield , Uckfield 2483 Hadrian , Westham 2504 Earl of Warwick , Buckh ' rst Hill 2583 St . Thomas , Tibshelf Thmwsriav

813 New Concord , Guildhall Tavern 1623 Wesfc Smithfield , Freemasons ' -h . 57 Humber , Hull 98 St . Martin , Burslem 203 Ancient Union , Liverpool 215 Commerce , Haslingden 230 Fidelity , Devonport 245 Mechanics , Jersey 267 Unity , Macclesfield 286 Samaritan , Bacup

Am Moira , Stalybndge 343 Concord , Preston 345 Perseverance , Blackburn 367 Probity & Freedom , Rochdale 450 Cornubian , Hayle 456 Foresters , Uttqxeter 469 Hundred of Elloe , Spalding 472 F ' ship & Sincerity , Shaftesbury 600 Harmony , Bradford 625 Devonshire , Glossop 659 Blagdon , Blyth 758 Ellesmere , Runcorn 802 Repose , Derby 940 Philanthropy . Stockton

971 Trafalgar , Batley 1011 Richmond , Manchester 1037 Portland , Portland 1042 Excelsior , Leeds 1184 Abbey , Battle 1247 St . John , Plymouth 1327 King Harold , Waltham Cross 1332 Unity , Crediton 1386 St . Hugh , Lincoln 1393 TTampr T . ivprnnnl m ~ mm

fm-, . . . . ... 1464 Erasmus Wilson , Gravesend 1514 Thornhill , Huddersfield 1562 Homfray , Risca 1594 Cedewain , Newtown , Mont . 1776 Landport , Landport 2189 Ashburton , Ashburton 2268 Hallamshire , Sheffield 2305 Stour , Ashford , Kent 2352 Universities , Durham 2374 Shurmur , Chingford 2390 Exmoor , Minehead 2430 Runnymede , Wraysbury 2523 Roll Call , Hounslow 2555 England Centre , Weedon

Friday . 255 Harmony , Richmond 401 Royal Forest , Slaidburn 460 Sut'land Unity , N ' castle-u-Lyme 652 Holme Valley , Holmfirth . 1034 Eccleshill , Eccleshill 1108 Royal Wharfedale , Otley 1311 Zetland , Leeds 2005 Brooke , Chingford 2078 St . Lawrence , Scunthorpe

Saturday . 1185 Lewis , Wood Green 1329 Sphinx , Camberwell 2308 "Viator , Anderton ' s 2041 West Kent "Volunteer , Plums'd . 149 Peace , Meltham 444 Union , Starcross 453 Chigwell , Chingford 811 Yarborough , Brighton 1326 Lebanon , Feltham 1556 Addiscombe , Crovdon