Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

All Letters must bear the name ani address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of owr Cor . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

HOLIDAY TIME .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —At a time when the sun is broiling us all in London , and rendering life almost unbearable to us who are " chained to the desk" it is pleasant to think of so many of our brethren who are away on tho wings of holiday-making , and who will return to their duties full of renewed health and vigour , when

the recess is over . I hear , too , that the summer banquets which have taken place in connection with many of the metropolitan Lodges have turned out an unqualified success , and that one or two others are on the point of drawing together goodly parties of brethren and their lady friends during the next few weeks . I only regret that your columns are not thrown open more freely to a description of

these happy riunions , for independently of the pleasure snob accounts would give to the unfortunate , but unselfish , ones who have to stay at home , the records of trips and enjoyable excursions by road , river , or rail , always possess some features of interest which may be read with pleasure during our hours of relaxation . I have just received a missive from an old friend of mine , who is now enjoying a flying visit

to the land o' cakes and it is positively charming to hear his recital of the benefit and pleasure he is deriving from the change . Our brother , before crossing tbe Tweed , wrote and asked , which was the most convenient hotel in the locality for which he was bound ? and received what must have been to him a very welcome hint . "My house would be as good an hotel as any I know of , and so you had better

come here . " It is not often an invitation comes so frank and hospitably , and I should have wondered had Brother 0 needed a repetition of it . So away he speeds on a 350 miles journey , whioh he says , gleefully , was got over in eight hours and twenty minutes ; and , he adds , " we did rattle away over some parts of the journey !" There is a tantalising chuckle about that style of reminder which

makes one almost rush in desperation and pack up one ' s portmanteau instanter ! He goes on further to tickle the fancy by saying , " This is a beautiful place . The house is situated in a large park of over a thousand acres , with a splendid trout stream running through it , and surrounded by very high hills , the scenery of whioh is splendid . I long to be at the top of them , which I shall be in a few days . " My

correspondent , —let me whisper in parenthesis , —always seems to hold " Excelsior ! " as his motto , whether in Lodge or in his business and pleasure ; and that is one reason , perhaps , of his having attained the enviable means of scudding off every now and then on a 350 miles journey ! " Tho air is singularly pure and bracing , and it is considered one of the most healthy places in Scotland . " Even in the

midst of all this delicious revelry , with mountain-chmbing and trout , fishing on the brain , he does not , however , forget home , for he hopes some kind brother was found the other night to " scratch down " the minutes of the Lodge of which he is Secretary , and if the substitute is too indolent to make them into " fair copy " for the next meeting , he asks me to "keep them in the rough till he comes home . " Of

course , the worthy old fellow need not make himself anxious at all on that score , nor allow the thought of it to interfere for a moment with the rural felicity he is now enjoying . In the postscript are the words , " We are off for a drive directly after dinner . Remember me to the brethren all , and say , I am enjoying myself and forgetting all about Masonry , so I shall have to rehearse to myself while fishing . "

Lucky dog ! the only harm we wish you is , that we could join you on the banks of yonr lovely stream , and hear your merry prattle , as the trout rise to the fly , to enhale yonr mountain breezes , and to " rehearse Masonry " ( P ) instead of spending the next few sultry weeks on a high stool amongst the bricks and mortar of this eternally

hardworked city . Cannot you get a few more of our brethren who are floating about in charming holiday ease to send us a few little bits of such gossip . It would enable them to give vent to their joyous feelings , and do a little to make us at home forget the worries of an involuntary imprisonment in the durance vile of our offices .

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Fraternally yours , GRUMBLRR . Cheapside , 9 th August 1882 .

JEWS IN ENGLAND .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —All English historians agree that Jews settled in England during Cromwell ' s time ; E . H . Liu do , in his " Jewish Calendar , "page 127 , says , that in 1656 , "The first Portuguese synagogue , Duke's Place , " was opened , also their burial ground , in Mile End , and their hospital , where it now stands . I was ,

therefore , surprised to find in " The England of Shakespeare , " by Edwin Goadley , published by Cassell , Petter , Galpin and Co ., chapter ix . page 138 , an intimation that Jews lived iu England during Shakespeare ' s time . The said chapter is devoted to an imaginary ramble , by the author

through various parts of London . On page 138 he says , " Our route is by Cornbill , then anything but a corn place , full of old clothes shops , and familiar Jewish physiognomies . If you have been robbe . il of a hat , a cloak , or a rapier , in a brawl over-night , it is here you may iiud it haugiug uwet morning , with a good price oil it in English

Correspondence.

money . " On the next pages he says , " To the rigbt is the Jewerie , the abode of the persecuted , but useful tribe . " Now , if there is any truth about the old clothiers in the days of Elizabeth or James I . in Cornbill having bought stolen goods , these

eld clothiers could not have been Jews . I hope you will call the publisher ' s attention to the blonder of Mr . Goadly , so that it may be corrected in the next edition of that otherwise very interesting little book .

Respectfully and fraternally yours , JACOB NORTON . Boston , U . S ., 21 st July 1882 .

SUBDIVISION OF THE LONDON LODGES .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — The letter of your correspondent "DELTA" gives me great encouragement . I have not lost sight of my proposal , and , as a proof of intention to promote it , I may , perhaps , be allowed , through your pages , to inform him and the

brethren generally , that I have forwarded to the proper quarter another notice of motion , which I trust will not be affected by any teebni . cality rendering it unacceptable to the Board of Masters , to whom it , as well as all other notices of motion for discussion in Grand Lodge , must in accordance with our rules and constitutions , be submitted My motion now is as follows : —

"That , having regard to the great inorease , during the past twenty-five years , in the number of ' Lodges within the London District , ' ( see Book of Constitutions , page 72 ) , this Grand Lodge desires to respectfully represent to His Royal Highness the Most Worshipful Grand Master the desirability of subdividing the said London Dis-; trict into Subordinate Grand Lodges , to be constituted in like manner to Provincial Grand Lodges . "

There is not the least doubt tbat the question I desire to have dis . cussed is one in which a majority of the members of the Metropolitan Lodges take great interest ; and I conscientiously believe that , if the suggestion I make cau be carried out without interference with any prerogative whatsoever , their votes will be given in its favour . I have no personal desire to give the slightest occasion for interference

with duly constituted authority ; but , on the contrary , am loyally disposed to submit thereto in all matters consistent with firm prin . ciple and freedom of discussion . Being , therefore , undesirous of promoting any debate which cannot be to the interests of Free , masonry , I have sought advice and information as to whether any , and , if any , what reasons can be advanoed against this notice of

motion as a fair question for the decision of the Grand Lodge , which body " alone as the inherent power of enacting laws and regulations for the government of the Craft . " But it has been intimated to me that it is no part of tbe duty of others , notwithstanding official position , " to advise private members of Lodges either as to the form or substance of resolutions they may desire to bring forward in Grand

Lodge . " Consequently the action I have taken is on my sole responsibility , and I must stand or fall accordingly as the members of tbe " Lodges within the London district" may afford or withold their support . Tbe " championship of free discussion , " to which your correspondent alludes , although a very taking and complimentary expression , does

not carry with it that freedom from anxiety which is essential to comfort , unless there be a corresponding effort on the part of those who agree with tbe principle . If that assistance be given , Dot only by perfect agreement out of Grand Lodge , as it is , but by opeu endorsements within its portals , tho task of securing a " fair hearing " for an importrnt question will be made easy , and the result gire

satisfaction . On the merits of the question to which my notice of motion refers , I will not now enlarge . There will be proper time and place for full explanation of my views . They may not accord with the general sentiments of the brethren ; on tbe other hand , they may . I am

content to take their opinion in either case ; but as to any interference with the ordinary course of procedure in respect of " uotices of motion " tbe " question of privilege" still remains as a " dernier ressort , " unless indeed the " cloture" should become a standing ordor of Grand Lodge procedure .

Yours fraternally , JAMES STEVENS P . M . P . Z . Clapham , 7 th August 1882 .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —NO one admires Bro . James Stevens more than I do , and no one would more gladly see his efforts at any reasonable reform crowned with success . I do not doubt , as your correspondent of last week " DELTA " iB pleased to remark , that Bro . Stevens ' s proposal for " the subdivision of the London Lodges into

Metropolitan Grand Lodges , " already " ha 3 the agreement of a large body of Metropolitan Masons in its favour , " and , such being the case , it does not surprise me in the least to hear tbat they " desire that Bro . Stevens should not let the matter drop becanse of his having been misinterpreted on the last occasion . " I think it was quite beneath the dignity of the Board of Masters , even thoug h they

were fortified in what they did by the opinion of so learned an antuority as our respected G . Registrar , to employ a mere quibble in order to defeat Bro . Stevens's motion , and Bro . Stevens was perfectly 3 UStified in bringing the matter under the notice of Grand Lodge aB a qnestion of privilege . I will go further and say , that in my bumble opinion , Bro . Stevens's plain aud uuadorued explanation showed fldvautaL'eously by the aide of that offered by Graud Registrar , and j