A United And Universal Congress.

A UNITED AND UNIVERSAL CONGRESS .

TUESDAY , tbe 11 th instant , will be memorable in tbe annals of Scottish Freemasonry , as regards tbe high grades at least . Moreover , it will furnish one of the most splendid illustrations we ever beard of of the appositeness of the well-known line of Horace— Parturiunt monies , naseetur ridicuhis mm . It will be in the recollection of our

readers that , some time since , a Grand Congress of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Eite was held at Lausanne . About one hundred members attended , and the meeting transacted its business , not only with great solemnity , but , likewise , with a fair measure of success . Scotland , however ,

was not quite satisfied with the position it held there . The idea of a convention of delegates of a Masonic Rite of presumed Scottish origin being held in a Swiss town appears to have sorely afflicted the minds of our worth y brethren north of the Tweed . Accordingly , invitations

were issued to all the members of all the Supreme Grand Councils in the "World , to assemble early this month at Edinburgh , for the purpose of strengthening , and , if possible , improving the status of this famous Rite . Tuesday , the eventful day , which is to be productive of such

momentous consequences , at length arrived . The Grand United and Universal Congress of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite met together , under the auspices of the Supreme Grand Council of Scotland , 33 ° ; and when all were assembled , and the fate of unnumbered generations

of Scottish Rite folk was about to be discussed , it was found there were exactly POUR members present . It is almost needless to say that a ghastly sense of surprise was the principal business transacted at this magnificent gathering from all the four corners of the wide , wide

world . A " United and Universal Congress " of POUR , and under the auspices , too , of the " Supreme Grand Council of Scotland , 33 ° ! " We have not heard if the Congress were dissolved in tears , and , in such case , if any of the tears in question were caught up and bottled in " speerits , "

in order that ^ they might be preserved and handed down from generation to generation as mementoes of this matchless assembly . We do know this much , however , that when the arduous labours of the day were ended , and it became necessary to refresh what is commonly known

as the " inner man , " the magic number of POUR quadrupled itself . Every one , from 33 ° down to Rose Croix 18 ° , was invited , and whereas it required only POUR to discuss and settle the Rites of the World , it took SIXTEEN to discuss the banquet provided for the occasion . To those who are

arithmetically inclined , it will , no doubt , be interesting to hear that the square root of an Edinburgh banquet in the year of grace 1877 is equal to " the United and Universal Congress of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite " assembled in the modern Athens under the auspices of " the

Supreme Grand Council of Scotland , 33 ° . " 0 ye immortal Tailors of Tooley-street , hitherto unrivalled in yonr powers of representation ! it behoves you to look well to your

laurels . " We , the people of England , " now have a rival north of the Tweed in " We , the A . and A . Scottish Rite of the whole world " in United and Universal Congress assembled ! °

" 0 fortunati nimium , sua si bona norint , Quatuor insignes representatives A efc A Ritas ! We trust the failure of our Latinity at this critical juncture in our story will be excused . We are so oppressed with awe at the majesty of the glory of this grand assembly that we are quite unequal to the task of accurate transla-

A United And Universal Congress.

tion . Moreover , we are nervously awaiting tho issue of an event which must necessarily exercise a commanding influence over the future destinies of the nations . A " United and Universal Congress " of FOUR ! A United and Universal Congressional banquet of SIXTEEN ! It is simply unsurpassable .

Masonic Portraits. (No. 50.)

MASONIC PORTRAITS . ( No . 50 . )

"A VETERAN . " If right I read , yon pleasure all require : Then hear how best may be obtained this fee , How best enjoyed this nature ' s wide desire .

Toil and be glad ! Let Industry inspire Into your quickened limbs her buoyant breath ! Who does not act is dead ; absorpt entire In miry sloth , no pride , no joy he hath . "

A T this season of the year , when most people who have - LJL been engaged unceasingly in business during the previous eight or ten months are enjoying that rest to which they are so justly entitled , we who are occupied in supplying our readers weekly with the usual quantum of news

find some difficulty m snatching even a few hours' respite from labour , in order to renovate ourselves for the heavier duties of the coming winter and spring . Others may betake themselves to some favourite inland or seaside

resort ; or they may seek a refuge from tho dust and tumult of the metropolis on the Rhine , in Switzerland , or in the South of Prance but we have no such luck in store for us , or we have it but seldom ; and then , perhaps , it comes inopportunely , when , by reason of the weather , a

holiday is spent most pleasantly within doors . Still , if we cannot be absent from our post for very long together , if we cannot often pay , albeit only a flying visit to the country , we can roam , in imagination , to our heart ' s content , ancl there is no limit to the distance we can accomplish , even in

the shortest period of time that can be measured . Last week , for instance , we were in the vicinity of Reading , and we enjoyed our fancied visit amazingly . We chanced on a worthy Craftsman , who stands deservedly high in the estimation of his fellows , for he has achieved many brilliant

successes in his career as a Mason . He has , as an American might say , " locomoted " a good deal in his time , and has seen more of the Royal Art and in more widely scattered districts than is the lot of most of us . This week we are journeying still further north , to a midland county ,

which is known for its hunting and its agriculture , and which has also many old historical associations connected with it . Its principal town will be our head quarters , and occupy , as such , our chief attention , though it is possible we may find time to spare for visiting other places in its vicinity .

As our object in venturing on this trip is similar to that which induced us to take our Beading fly last week , our readers will doubtless excuse ns if we omit all descri ption

of the hunting feats which have occurred in these parts ; all particulars of the " long-wools " for which the county is so famous ; all records of the famous jousts at Ashby , or of the field of Bosworth and tho death of Richard . All

this , indeed , they will find elsewhere , and , moreover , fighting , hunting , and the breeding of long-wools are without the scope of Masonic study . So pass we at once to sketch one who is well known by repute to the majority of our readers , and whom we will figuratively regard as our guide ,

philosopher , and friend for the time being . He is one who