Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Scotland.
army was surprised by Platoff ' , who passed the Elbe at the head of his Cossacks , and took five hundred prisoners . In a foot note he mentions , on the authority of AVilson , that the French officer in command owed his life to the fortunate incident of his giving the Freemason ' s sign to an officer when seizing his hand , just as a lance was about to pierce his breast . " In reviewing Sir Robert AAllson ' s work , " he adds , " the Edinburgh Review this is an anecdote so incrediblethat no amount of
tessays , , timony could make them believe it ; but this only shows the critic ' s ignorance . The same fortunate presence of mind , in making use of the Freemason ' s sign , saved the life of a gallant officer , the author ' s fatherin-law , Lieutenant-Colonel Tytler , during the American war , who , by giving one of the enemy ' s officers the Freemason ' s grip , when he lay on the ground with a bayonet at his breast , succeeded in interesting the generous American in his behalf , ancl saving his life . "—p . 286 . The
allusion made to this incident by the Prov . Grand Master , when the health of Mrs . Alison was proposed by that zealous veteran , Bro . Deuchar , was peculiarly felicitous ; and the tender and affectionate terms in which he spoke of the grateful urgings of that amiable lady , on the prospect of his presidency on this masonic occasion , in the probable absence of the Duke of Athol , that , whatever his engagements might be , he must go with the Freemasons , brought the heart to the mouth , and the tear to the eye of almost every brother present . Our emotions , however , were not all of the heroic and the sentimental , and the similar
effects of opposite causes were curiously illustrated , as Bro . Cowell made the tears gush to the eyes in far more copious streams by the irresistible humour and genuine wit of his varied appeals . After an evening . spent in such a manner as must leave a Jong and favourable impression on the minds of all those who participated in its hearty and rational enjoyments , the lodge was closed about ten o ' clock , and the party broke up . Among the preparations recently made here for the welcome of her
most gracious Majesty , was a handsome triumphal arch , which sprung up as if under the wand of an enchanter , at the northern extremity of the Broomielar bridge , itself one of the finest bridges in Scotland . It has since been proposed to replace this arch by a permanent one constructed of granite ; but it has with considerable reason been objected that it would prove a serious obstruction to the increasing traffic along that important thoroughfare ; and although , on the other hand , the
piers , would furnish a convenient shelter and protection to the footpassenger , who is a good deal exposed to accident from the carriages , we fear the proposal will not be so favourably entertained as to issue in performance . It is , however , very likely that the royal visit will be commemorated by some appropriate permanent structure ; and should the foundation-stone be laid with masonic honours , as doubtless it will , it will certainly give rise to a display of enthusiastic loyalty scarcely
exceeded by the highly gratifying event , the memory of which it is designed to perpetuate . ARCHITEOTON . VOL . VII . T T
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Scotland.
army was surprised by Platoff ' , who passed the Elbe at the head of his Cossacks , and took five hundred prisoners . In a foot note he mentions , on the authority of AVilson , that the French officer in command owed his life to the fortunate incident of his giving the Freemason ' s sign to an officer when seizing his hand , just as a lance was about to pierce his breast . " In reviewing Sir Robert AAllson ' s work , " he adds , " the Edinburgh Review this is an anecdote so incrediblethat no amount of
tessays , , timony could make them believe it ; but this only shows the critic ' s ignorance . The same fortunate presence of mind , in making use of the Freemason ' s sign , saved the life of a gallant officer , the author ' s fatherin-law , Lieutenant-Colonel Tytler , during the American war , who , by giving one of the enemy ' s officers the Freemason ' s grip , when he lay on the ground with a bayonet at his breast , succeeded in interesting the generous American in his behalf , ancl saving his life . "—p . 286 . The
allusion made to this incident by the Prov . Grand Master , when the health of Mrs . Alison was proposed by that zealous veteran , Bro . Deuchar , was peculiarly felicitous ; and the tender and affectionate terms in which he spoke of the grateful urgings of that amiable lady , on the prospect of his presidency on this masonic occasion , in the probable absence of the Duke of Athol , that , whatever his engagements might be , he must go with the Freemasons , brought the heart to the mouth , and the tear to the eye of almost every brother present . Our emotions , however , were not all of the heroic and the sentimental , and the similar
effects of opposite causes were curiously illustrated , as Bro . Cowell made the tears gush to the eyes in far more copious streams by the irresistible humour and genuine wit of his varied appeals . After an evening . spent in such a manner as must leave a Jong and favourable impression on the minds of all those who participated in its hearty and rational enjoyments , the lodge was closed about ten o ' clock , and the party broke up . Among the preparations recently made here for the welcome of her
most gracious Majesty , was a handsome triumphal arch , which sprung up as if under the wand of an enchanter , at the northern extremity of the Broomielar bridge , itself one of the finest bridges in Scotland . It has since been proposed to replace this arch by a permanent one constructed of granite ; but it has with considerable reason been objected that it would prove a serious obstruction to the increasing traffic along that important thoroughfare ; and although , on the other hand , the
piers , would furnish a convenient shelter and protection to the footpassenger , who is a good deal exposed to accident from the carriages , we fear the proposal will not be so favourably entertained as to issue in performance . It is , however , very likely that the royal visit will be commemorated by some appropriate permanent structure ; and should the foundation-stone be laid with masonic honours , as doubtless it will , it will certainly give rise to a display of enthusiastic loyalty scarcely
exceeded by the highly gratifying event , the memory of which it is designed to perpetuate . ARCHITEOTON . VOL . VII . T T