Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for tlie opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must hear the name anl aildrens of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

A MASONIC PANTOMIME .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —We have all read about burlesque Masonic processions and Masonic caricatures ; but I doubt very much whether any of your readers are aware that a Masonic pantomime was performed at Covent Garden Theatre in 1781 , just a hundred years ago . Bro . Parker , tho Superintendent of the Boston Masonio

Temple , however , called my attention to " Curwen ' s Journal and Letters , " printed here in 1842 , in which Mr . Curwen described such a pantomime . A few words must , however , be said about the author , Mr . Samuel Curwen , a native of Salem , Massachusetts , who was at one time a soldier , then a judge and merchant , and was a royalist when the American Eevolution broke out in 1775 . As Boston was

too hot a place for royalists , he went to Philadelphia ; but finding Philadelphia also too hot for him , he sailed for England , and remained there until 1784 , when he returned to America . During his sojourn in England he kept a diary . I find in it mentioned several visits to theatres ; but he evidently never saw a pantomime before 1781 . And now for his account thereof : —

" Jan . 9 . [ 1781 ] . Accompanied Mr . Daglish to Covent Garden Theatre , comedy , Busy-body , —entertainment , the tasty performance of Freemason ' s ¦ procession , —scenery pompous , former part , to my taste , nnpleasing—Harliquin in dumb show ; why he is said to be a freemason , I cannot divine , unless investing him with a square , one of their badges , suspended by ribbon and hung round his neck , so

constituted him . The skipping about of an antic dressed in a merry - andrew ' s coat , his face covered with black crape , and wooden sword by his side , put on for the purpose of showing how ready he is drawing it forth to slap his brother antic ' s face , shoulders , etc . ; displaying the wonders of his transforming power in converting trunks , dogs , and chests , into watch boxes , arbours , chimney-pieces ,

etc . ; his principal aim being to make grimaces and wry faces at his favorite columbine , who by the way , is a fine looking girl , and made to be deeply in love with a fantastic ape , without one probable reason for it . These species of pantomime seem at present greatly in vogue : to arraign the taste is perhaps conceited : but this remark will never come to light , if ever , till , I dare say , it will be as despised as it is

now relished , especially by the more enlightened class ; as to the lower , they ever were and ever will be too gross for any entertainment above the lowest humor ... I would fain call it vulgar , but too many box spectators seem to enjoy it , and join the galleries . I can ' t , however , but believe that all sensible persons do disapprove of these shows as unworthy , but dare not openly avow their opinion .

" The comedy was excellent , and well performed , and much exceeds in point of wit , plot , etc ., the to me flattish sentimental compositions of the present day , with few exceptions . " After the silly harliquin had skipped behind the scenes , a grand procession began , preceded by a standard of light red color , the ground of all following ones : the first contained a scroll , wherein was

painted in large golden letters ENOCH , the . first Grand Master , his representative following , accompanied by two attendants ; at a little interval appeared NIMROD , second Grand Master , with his representative and four attendants ; next was brought the front of the Temple of the Sun at Thebes ; afterwards , the great pyramid of Egypt and the sphynx ; then front of the Temple of Jerusalem ,

built by King Solomon . Pharaoh ' s two daughters next followed , attended by their Egyptian and Jewish female and male servants , the high priest properly habited , holding a pot of incense in his hand , breast plate and other insignia on , closing with a long stream of attendants and servants in the rear : next , front of the Pantheon at Rome , the founder or repairer , for it is uncertain which , M . Agrippa's

name in a list under the capital ; then , Temple of Jerusalem , built by Herod , destroyed by Vespatian , represented as in flames ; next , William the Conqueror , and behind him was carried a prospective view of the Tower of London , as if built by him ; then Edward the Third , accompanied by his son clad in black armor . . . giving liberty to , and taking the chains off the legs of two captive

kings , John of France and James II . of Scotland , at the instance of his son , followed by a train of attendants . The front of St . Peter ' s at Rome then succeeded . Julius II ., having in his hand a crosier , and on his head a triple crown ... He was attended by a train of ecclesiastic officers and servants , and had the keys hanging to his girdle , as lord chamberlain of the state-rooms of the upper

regions , and jailor iu the lower dungeons . . . "Next in order came Queen Elizabeth , dressed in royal robes , and attended by her servants , both state and domestic . Then followed King James , surrounded by court sycophants ; front of the banqueting house , as it now stands . . . . Next , Guy Fawkes , in dress of his day , holding a dark lantern , —alluding to the gun

powder plot ; next followed Inigo Jones , tho restorer of Greek and Roman architecture , preceded by an ensign , having his name in a scroll , with the Masonic letters D . G . W . [ more probable D . G . M ] . Then came Charles II . and attendants , f ' ollow'd by the front of St . Paul ' s . . . . founded in his reign [ why was Wren omitted ?] At length appeared William and Mary , the former holding a sheet .

of paper , with this inscription—Bill of Rights—words that I wish could be indelibl y impressed on the minds of kings , lords , commons ' , courtiers , and people of this island ; for , on tho practical remembrance of this short sentence depends the security of this unparalleled constitution , which verily I fear is near its dissolution . " Then followed the grand-master , seated in a magnificent alcove

Correspondence.

then , an arch , having an inscription Ancient Masonry ; then two pillars , ou the top of each a globe , —on ono tho celestial , tho other terrestrial , —and on a list , by which they wero kept steady , was inscribed Modern Masonry . The last in tho procession were Solomon and Pharoah ' s daughter , seated on a throne of state , and over it a rich canopy raised by six steps : on tho bottom steps , on each side

stood two lions guardant , between them two young Egyptian damsels , dressed in white , —and on each side of the throne , all tho principal personages of tho procession ranged , with standards displayed , made a grand and glittering appearance . A fine chorus was sung , and , when ended , a universal shout of applause rang through tho house , and the curtain dropped . "

I shall only here remark that the distinction made between Ancient Masonry and Modern Masonry is rather curious . The Arch properly belonged to tho Ancients , but whether tho globes aud pillars were confined to the Moderns ought to be ascertained . Cannot our London brethren find out something moro about this " Masonio Pan . tomime ? "

Fraternally and respectfully yours , JACOB NORTON . Boston , U . S ., 25 th Jan . 1881 .

The St. Ambrose Lodge, No. 1891.

THE ST . AMBROSE LODGE , No . 1891 .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — " AN OLD HUT JUST BROTHER " is a little hard on your contemporary for its notice about the consecration of the above Lodge . There was an inaccuracy as to date , and it is well known the Freemason is published on Friday for Saturday . But though the notice might have been worded somewhat differently ,

there was , I imagine , nothing in the paragraph it gave which had not already appeared in tho summons or notice paper issued to those immediately interested as founders or invited to take part as visitors in the consecration of the St . Ambrose Lodge . It was a trifle premature , but not more so than other announcements of a somewhat similar character I have seen in other journals . I am , faithfully yours , SCRIBE .

The Philadelphia Question.

THE PHILADELPHIA QUESTION .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I cannot , for the life of me , understand why Bro . Jacob Norton will persist in banging away at Philadelphian Masonry , or what good object ho imagines he will gain by so doing .

Is he , I will ask , in a position to deny the authenticity of the following , namely , that—( 1 . ) In 1730 , the Duke of Norfolk granted a deputation to Daniel Coxe , as Prov . Grand Master of New York , New Jersey , and Pennsylvania .

( 2 . ) Tho said Daniel Coxe was present the year following ( 1731 ) in Grand Lodge , London , and is described as Prov . Grand Master of North America . ( 3 . ) A Philadelphia journal , published in 1732 , distinctly mentions the fact of brethren meeting in that city on one or more occasions in that year .

It matters very little to me personally whether Philadelphia , Boston , New York , or any other city in the United States , is the Mother-City of American Freemasonry , but until Bro . Jacob Norton is in a position to prove that the above are , to use a favourite term , of his , all " humbug , " he should , in common fairness to history , if not

to Freemasonry , discontinue questioning the Philadelphia theory of Bros . Hughan , M'Calla , and others . There is , as you remarked last week , " no inherent or antecedent improbability" as to the " actuality " of the above circumstances , and it cannot possibly be of

service to attack everybody all round , because there exist no records of their meetings , such as are compiled by a Lodge Secretary in these days . Fraternally and respectfully yours , PHILADELPHOS .

Committee Meeting Of The Benevolent Institution.

COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

THE February meeting of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution was hold on Wednesday afternoon , at Freemasons' Hall . Thero were present Bros . Col . John Creaton Grand Treasurer ( in tho chair ) , J . H . Tattershall , Wm . Stephens , Sainl . Rawson , James Brott , Charles G . Hill , Jno . G . Stevens , Edgar Bowyer , Jno . H . Leggott , Thos . Cubitt , Louis Sfceau , Charles Atkins , Charles H . Webb , Jas . Willing Jan ., and Jas . Terry Secretary . The minutes of the last

meeting having been read and confirmed , the Secretary reported tho death of an approved candidate , who had for two years received half her late husband ' s annuity . The Warden ' s Report for the past month was read . Permission was given to one of the residents in the Institution to resign his apartments , he wishing to reside with some relatives . Cheques for payment of the annuities for the ensuing quarter , as also for various other purposes , were signed . The

rating of the Institution at Croydon having lately been materially increased , the Secretary was requested to appeal against the present rating . A statement of the receipts and disbursements for the past year having been submitted , the Committee decided to elect thirteen males from an approved list of thirty-seven candidates , aud seven widows from an approved list of sixty-one candidates , at the election on tho 20 th May next . A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings .