Reviews.

which M . Caubet adduces will have suggested themselves to our readers . We may note , however , that Anderson's Constitutions form tho basis of tho defence . As for any war against religion being ever dreamt of by Freemasons , it is made clear that , on the contrary , Freemasonry has shown its respect for religion by assisting , on occasions , in religious offices , and that Catholic priests of

various grades havo at different times belonged to the Order . Another argument to show how valueless is the statement of the Bishop , that Freemasonry is the irreconcilable enemy of the Church , lies in the fact that it has always been the Freemasons who havo been the victims , while it is the Church that has played the part of persecutor . In England , where Protestantism is in tho ascendancy , there is never

any conflict between religion and the Order , but in Koman Catholic countries Masonry has frequently been the object of the bitterest persecutions , and in these countries it is that the most grotesque misrepresentations of tho Order havo been invented by its opponents , in order , no doubt , to create an ill-feeling against it . Towards tho end of his letter M . Caubet very justly assumes that he has proved " that the

Masonry invented by our enemy , and which yon have accepted throughout as real Masonry has nothing in common Avith the true one ; that it has never existed in tho form imagined ; indeed that it was impossible it could exist . The true Blasoury is a society progressive and peaceful , founded on the principles of tho purest morality , to which , Monseigneur , whatever you may say to the contrary , not only

can serious men and men of good sense belong , but also it would attract to itself all men of good feeling , all who take a real interest in the progress aud happiness of mankind . " In writing this reply to the Bishop of Orleans M . Caubet has done a good work , and done it well . The pamphlet of the Bishop has made a great sensation . The Pope has publicly thanked Mgr . Dupanloup

tor having published it , and other ecclesiastics , both in this couutry and abroad , have also come forward and had their fling of mud at us , Here we can afford to treat these attacks Avith supremo indifference . We are utterly careless as to Avhat the Pope may trouble himself to think or say about Masonry . Even those among us who justly regard Pins IX . with reverence , as the head of that section of the Catholic

Church they belong to , experience a feeling of pity , rather than of indignation against His Holiness . It is known well enough that ibis not the Eomau Catholic Church which is attacking Freemasonry , but the Ultramontane section of it , a section represented by all that is most bigoted and least respectable in that branch of the Christian Church . Tho Saturday Review of last week , in notieiug the translation of a

German work , The Secret Warfare of Freemasonry against Church and Stale , writes , "No impartial person can deny that the Eomau Catholics aro justified in their hostility to Freemasonry , and that Avheu , for instance , Lord Eipon retired from tho Society , it wassimpl y a logical sequence of his change of faith . The existence of a secret society , which repudiates the authority of tho confessional , and is

beyond the control of the Church , is clearly opposed to the fundamental principles of tho Eomau Catholic system . It does not matter how innocent may bo the objects of tho society ; it is enough that it withdraws itself from the supervision of tho Church . " Wc attach no value whatever to the opinions of tho Saturday Review on Freemasonry or any other subject . Wo maintain , and we feel that wo are not

guilty of partisanship in maintaining , that the Eomau Catholic Church is not justified in first misrepresenting the aims and objects of Freemasonry and then condemning it . Were Freemasonry a political body , antagonism between it and the Eoinan Catholic Church , viewed as a political body , might perhaps—we do not say it would—be justifiable , but Freemasonry is not a political body , nor is Eoman

Catholicism . Again , Masonry accords equally to all its members perfect freedom of conscience in religious matters . Does not Eomau Catholicism urge lliis very same doctrine iu those countries where other forms of Christianity prevail ? In the United Kingdom , for instance , the Eomish Church has for years aud years been battling , and not unsuccessfully , to bo placed on an equal footing with , aud to enjoy

the same privileges as other Christian bodies . How can it logically refuse to grant in Eoman Catholic countries , or to those in its own fold who believe in freedom of conscience , the very privileges it asks for elsewhere ? There is no logic iu seeking to repress in France what she may bo in seeking to obtain in England or the United States . Again , in our opinion , it is a matter of the greatest importance that the

objects of a society should be innocent . 1 'hc more innocent it is , tho less worthy of attack , the less justifiable , the less logical is the attack upon its privileges . However , our purpose now is not to argue with the Saturday Review , but to thank our brother , M . Caubet , for his spirited defence of Masonry . His letter is very worthy of the director of Le Monde Maconnique , and we commend it unreservedl y to the notice of our readers .

THE PLEASURE OF YACHTING . —Should a quiet amusement bo sought this monih , it may easily be found in a trip on a yacht . Few thiuys , for instance , me more pleasurable than lying becalmed in the long ine'low evenings of this month oil ' , say , Spurn Head ( or any other headland will do as well ) , and watching the habits of the seafowl . They arc unsuspicious , and approach man , as yet , with

fearlessness , not having realised that their term of legal protection ended on August 1 st . So the cormorants fly swiftly by , in a , line , over the oily surface to their fishing grounds , further out at sea ; a greater black-backed gull , that chartered robber , hovers round , sure that something will turn up for his omnivorons maw ; tho guillemots dive , near our craft , after the young whiting , and cau be traced in their

subaqueous course , so calm is it , by the ripples above ; the terns haivk around , veritable sea-swallows , dive and bring up , by its middle , n ; -v : ngw ] iJ ! i--, p , g 7 i ! .: ev ; i 1 r'liT ; uabnrol ' r - ' . !! vcr . This they throw up in ihe air in order to catch it head-foremost , then drop themselves , and if they miss , fling it np again until they succeed and swallow the

dainty morsel . Meanwhile ¦ - . he porpoises roll in wheel-like gambols up tho estuary ; grateful whi . Ts of country air and faint echoes of rural life float seawards , as the song and blithe laughter of the forecastle breaks upon a dream of home . —From "Cassell ' s Family Magazine" for August .

Reviews.

The Grand Lodge of Benevolence met on Wednesday , 18 th August , afc Freemasons' Hail , Great Qneen Street , Bro . J . Clabon , Y . P . The Report of the Board of Scrutineers was read . It was decided that a notice be sent to Provincial Secretaries that , excepting the jewel sanctioned

by the Board of General Purposes , in honour of the Installation of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales as M . W . G . M ., no others be allowed to be worn in Lodges . Previous grants , to the amount of £ 145 , were confirmed , aud 16 new cases were relieved , to the amount of £ 463 . The Grand Lodge

of Benevolence was then closed . There were present—Bros . J . Nunn P . G . S . B ., J . Brett P . G . P ., J . Hervey G . S ., 0 . A . Cottebrune P . G . P ., F . Binckes P . G . S ., T . Cubitt G . P ., Scott , Keys , Lee , Smith , James Willing jun ., Bingemann , & , c .

A crowded and fashionable audience was present at the Aquarium afc Brighton , on Saturday morning and evening . Two opera recitals , Lucia di Lammermoor in the morning , and Sonnambula in the evening ; Madame Petfcit ( soprano ) , Bro . Geo . Perren , and Geo . Fox ( basso ) . The band was

under the direction of Mr . L . Reyloff . The solos and duets were encored . On Sunday the Aquarium was opened to the public , and a selection of sacred music was played .

Bro . Geo . Reeves Smith , the manager and secretary , may be congratulated on the success attending the general arrangements . Bro . Maclagan gave his inimitable entertainment during the week .

The Hei'vey Lodge of Instruction , No . 12 G 0 , holds ita meetings at the Clifton Arms , 152 Fulham Road ( close to Thistle Grove ) , every Thursday evening , at eight o ' clock ,

to work the ceremonies and lectures . Bro . G . King jun ., P . M . and P . Z . 1260 , Secretary and Preceptor . The Clifton Arms is within ten minutes walk of the South Kensington Station , and the Fulham Omnibuses pass the door .

Promenade Concerts.

PROMENADE CONCERTS .

THE second of tho Wednesday classical evenings brought forth a programme drawn exclusively from the works of Mendelssohn —a fitting compliment to the illustrious musician who , both as a man aud a composer , so long ago won the hearts and sympathies of the English public . The selections embraced the Buy Bias overture , the Notturno , Scherzo , and " Wedding March , " from the music to a A Midsummer Niglit ' s Bream ; tho Scotch Symphony ( No . 3 , in A

minor ) , and three vocal pieces . Tho overture and symphony were well contrasted , insomuch that the former—splendid , bright aud highly-wrought overture as it is—did not bake Mendelssohn a week to write ; it was clone upon tho spur of the moment , quite as much from tho wish to show what he could in tho face of difficulties as from any interest iu the task per sc . Indeed the story of Ruy Bias was

utterly repugnant to Mendelssohn . On the other hand , tho Scotch Symphony is a record of tho impressions made upon the mind of tho composer during his visit to Scotland in 1829 , matured and put into perfect form thirteen years later , the first performance of the symphony in England having been given by the Philharmonic Society in June 1842 . The manner in which these productions of Mendelssohn ' s

genius were rendered by Signer Arditi ' s baud leaves but the slightest ground for adverse comment . The balance of tone was admirable , bhe lighb and shade effecbively coutrasbed , and bhe nuances delicabely given . The beautiful slow movement of the symphony went remarkably well , and the scherzo was hailed with the applause which inevitably follows its performance . The final allegro guorriero was

rendered with all possible spirit and energy , and brought to an able termination a performance of high artistic merit . Tho Midsummer Night ' s Dream selection was productive of two encores , awarded respectively to tho fairy-like scherzo and the pompous aud imposing " Wedding March . " The scherzo was taken too slowly i he firsb time , but the repeat was in correct tempo . Mr .

Pearson sang the song , "Eetrospecuon" ( from Mondclsshou ' s early opera , The Wedding of Camacho ) , only moderately well ; Mdlle . Cristino gave the " Journey Song " ( Eeisclied ) , with fair effect ; and Mdlle . Bianchi obtained a deserved encore for her tasteful delivery of " Anf flugeln des Gcsanges " ( " On Wings of Song " ) . M . D . Swerb

played a romance tor violoucella . The second part included the new popular selection from Lohengrin , and songs , contributed by Mr . Colli , Zvlr . Pearson , and Middle , Cristino . Of these the new vocal waltz , by Signer Arditi , " L'tucontro , " sang by Mdilo . Cristino , waa perhaps the most attractive feature .

HOM . OWAV ' S PILLS aro the proper medicine for people whoso facu'tics are jaded , and wljo . se energies are exhausted by excessive heat , too much work , or over indulgence . A lew doses of these Pills always prove a simple , safe , and cooling treatment for all stomach and liver complaints , a longer course will set riyhfc every organ -whose action is impaired , strengthen every structure whoso tone is diminished , and renovate t , hat blood whos » purity is tainted . Giddiness , headache , nausea , flatulency , and all other dyspeptic symptoms , yield with surprising certainly and celerity to these corrective Pills , which lay siege to the seat of these distressing sensations , and carry off , without any pain or other disagreeable drawback , those peccant mutters which are disordering tha entire human lnaiiiine ,