Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

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

clung to belief in the antiquity of our Masonic system . I held the Masons who formerly constructed our ecclesiastical edifices , to have been simply artisans " free of a guild , " ignorant of aught beyond the rules which guided their operative skill . I was , nevertheless , puzzled by tho occurrence of the title " Freemason " on old building

OUR FREEMASONRY . To the Editor of THE F REEMASON ' S CHRONICLE .

10 Guilford Place , W . C . 24 th May 1875 . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I formerly held tho 1717 theory , like many others , and marvelled at the credulity of worthy brethren who

contracts , and saw reason to doubt its application to all stonemasons , or to ordinary masons . Since then , I have become familiarised with tho detail of our ceremonies and lectures , with divergent and discarded Rituals , and with works on the subject nob generally accessible .

I now believe our Freemasonry to be of " immemorial antiquity , and am not son-y to find your article of 15 th May ( upon Lord Carnarvon ' s Speech ) coincide , in the main , with my conclusions . Propounded of the 1717 theory make , as you say , no allowance

for the nature of a secret society , to which the tests of other history are inapplicable . Thoy require documentary records in continuous precession back from 1717 ; and this requirement , the nature of a secret society renders it impossible to satisfy and illogical to oxact .

Tho statoment that Dcsaguliers and his compeers manufactured our Freemasonry from old Pagan ideas with other things which did not pertain to tho system as they found it , is not capable of proof . The decadence of the operative fraternity may havo brought the secret system into a chaotic state which they may havo systematised ;

they may be responsible for the division of the three degrees ; they may also ( it is more likely ) have followed a traditionary practice . There existed ft master's part under tho operatives in England , at all events , and there is reason to believo that- the ceremony of cJioosing a mark intervened before tho apprentice was entrusted with the

secret of the master ' s part . The latter was not committed to writing , and cannot be proved to have differed essentially from what it was in 1740 , a MS . ritual of which date is in my possession . Your correspondent , Bro . Buchan , brings the records of Lodges in Scotland to show that our system was there unknown . Such evidence is negative

in a double sense . The esoteric system could not be committed to writing , but notwithstanding the decayed condition of the art , consequent upon civil broils , the enrolment of purely speculative members was very usual , as that able investigator Bro . Hughan has demonstrated . Could records of 200 years earlier dato bo

fonnd , plainer because cruder indications of the nobler speculative science would , I believe , be brought to light . Though tho old Masonic box mentioned by your correspondent may betray ignorance of our Freemasonry , there arc many antiquities which show acquaintance with it , though not necessarily with the exact sequence of the ceremonial of our three degrees .

I request permission to quote , for the benefit of your readers , from a preamble of tho Rev . A . F . A . Woodford in a cotomporary : " Our present Freemasonry is tho legitimate successor of the operative guild assemblies and sodalities of the mediaeval and earlier Freemasons . Wo have inherited tho legends and constitutions of those ancient and handiwork Craftsmen . That these sodalities existed

in this country until tho decadence in the 17 th century in full vigour , is susceptible of much and varied proof . That we can also trace them through many generations to tho Roman sodalities , thence to Jewish and Tyrian Masons , is not altogether incapable of substantiation . There is a great amount of circumstantialiovidenco and much more inferential evidence . "

Amongst rirciaastctntial evidence 1 regard the two columns as a peculiar evidence of the speculative system of the medlajval architect . Yours fraternally , WALTER SPENCER . P . S . —It may not be inopportune to quote here from another old Ritual in mv possession , which was printed from a copper plato at

some time during the first half of tho eighteenth century . It is called " The Mystery of Freemasons , taken from a MS . found among tho papers of a deceased Brother . " It is evidently a ralic of the operatives and bond , fid " , as the following will show : — " Q . Have you been in the kitchen ? N . B . Yon shall know an entered apprentice by this question . "

ft # *•' * *•- - i ? -r- v * : > 5 » " Note . —There is not ono Mason in a Hundred that will be at the expense to pas 3 tho Master ' s part , except it be for interest . " &* #### & % # # 4 $ " Q . How was the Master cloathed ?

" A . In a yellow jacket and a blue pair of breeches . " N . B . —The Master is not otherwise clothed than common , the qne 3 tion aud answer are only emblematical , the yellow jacket—the com passes , and tho blue breeches—the steel points . "

It is noteworthy that in thi 3 Ritual the Holy Bible has no place as a prominent symbol , only as a test for the obligation , but the two columns , the working tools , & c , are very particularly specified . W . S .

A Masonic Laureate.

A MASONIC LAUREATE .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —A laureate minstrel has at last appeared among the Craft . Tho new poet ' s advent and first utterances havo been duly chrouicled in your contemporary , the Freemason , but I regret to observe that , beyond the bare record , he has not a word to

say in recognition of this eventful epoch in tho history of our Order . Whether this reticence proceeds from indifference or from awe , I think it highly objectionable , and , with your permission , I propose to rescue onr new poet from unmerited oblivion . I admit that at tho outset of my enterprise I am confronted with a difficulty that would

deter most people from attempting it at all—ignorance of the poet a name . But , I reflect , nothing great , nothing worthy , was ever accomplished , if initial obstacles were allowed to stand in the way , and here , if I cannot immortalize a hero , I can at least crown his achievements . The place and the occasion were alike worthy of tho evenb

when this true son of Apollo descended among men . lb was in Fleet Street , at Andertou ' s Hotel , he waked his infant lyre , and the occasion was the health of tho Past Masters . Then , when brothers gazed at each other with sympathetic horror of those oft-repeated reminiscences of past struggles and past

workings , of which the orator s present efforts to speak furnish painful illustrations , there arose from among the P . M . ' s " One of them , " aud from that moment Fleeb Street knew it had a poet , Masonry owned its laureato , and Fancy recognised her legitimate child . Tho

Ode of "One of them" evinces , by its originality , its vivid picturing , and its occasional plaintiveness , that a naturally poetic mind has given vent in it to the feelings of the heart . The opening is marked by a joyous humour that shows the poet possesses a spirit lighb by nature . Tho ring of true humour is in the lines

" When we ' re now all assembled together , Without any thought of the rain or the weather . # * $ = * &•£ <

Sipping our wine in an affectionate way , Chattering over the affairs of the day . " But it is in affectionate badinage that our Laureate ' s humour appears to greatest advantage . His references to " Dear Billy Wren , " and the time ere yet " Billy" had ceased to be :

" Pleased , without much persuasion , To give us a treat on many occasion , And then in most generous manner , Out with his notes , and so stop our clamour . "

And his description of the domestic life of that honoured subject of his muse , who " AVhon not inclined for a roam Out-of-doors , ho sat quietly at homo Making a noise , "

" till ho made his throat smart , " are specimens of spontaneous humour tho world will not willingly let die . If they remind any ono of Mr . Close , it is because tho instruments of both aro pitched to the same note . I cannot boliovo thcro was any intention to imitate him . My admiration of the poet ' s humonr must not , however , Wind mo

to his higher qualities . J ho former is digression after all , and , like an unbroken colt , is somewhat ( itful in its capers . But when our Laureate has to deal with tho central subject of his verse—the Past-Masters—ho is inspired by tho greatness of the theme , and soars at his highest . No description of these " thoughts that burn" can couvey an idea of the poet ' s expression , therefore lot mo quote them .

I suppose I must return f haelc-t for not only myself , But for tho rest of tho lumber that ' s placed on the shelf , As the . chirping Cock Robin has thought proper to name Tho Masters , when their year is over and thoy are crowned by fame . This day we have another P . M . to add to our

nnmber—Brother Joe Morton , a noble specimen of very fine lumber , To assist the new Master who will near him sit under . We're all ready when wanted to be taken down aud dusted , And prove to the Brethren we arc not at all rusted By being laid up thus so quietly out of the way ,

But ready to help should tlie Master go a little astray ; For we ' re ever at hand , with our knowledge and aid , At all times when needful or application be made . I will now conclude the few words I have to say By wishing you all many happy returns of the day

Of thrse happy meetings , whore we ever desire To join you in tho toasts and the Victoria fire , For mauy years t » come , and have pleasure to find " > Your reception of us will be always as kind As it has hitherto been for many years past ,

And which I trust will continne so to tho last . The other Past Mnsters a few words have to say , To thank yon all for your good wishes to-day—Itobbins , Wi-cnn , Roberts , Morton , Latrielleand George Snow

Are first-rate Past Masters , as all of you know , And whom yon aro always debghted to see When at Lodge thoy make it convenient to be . For myself I will say no more than wish you good night , Hope you'll get home cariy , and not put your wives in a fright .

Here , Sir , ended a display of humour , pathos and poetic power , which places the gifted author among tho great of his time . Such a beginning excites the highest hopes of his future performances . " Ouo of them" possesses a piercing insight into the subtle springs of passion , and his verses , as I have endeavoured to point out , commence

a new era in the poetry of our language . I am not to be turned from a hero-worship of which I am proud by the sarcasms of a friend at my elbow . I do not believe that this Ode hus been inspired by a repast of pickled salmon , calves' liver , broiled mushrooms , lobster salad and mm punch , J do not believe it was written in a lunatic