Proposed Removal Of The Boys' School.

a reprint of the report containing full particulars of the 1891 Festival proceedings and necessarily of bis lordship ' s speech , was subsequently sent lo all who served the office of Steward on that occasion . Similarly , a full report of the Quarterly General Court

of the Bovs' School held on the Sth April , 1893 , appeared tn the Freemason on the iGth of the same month , and in order that there ma }* be no mistake as to the resolution which was then moved bv the Chairman , Bro . RlCHARD EVE , Past G . Treasurer ,

and carried , we quote it as follows : " That in view of the favourable opinion that was expressed upon the suggestion of the desirability of changing the site of the Institution , made by the Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master , Bro . the Earl of

LATHOM , at the last Festival , this Quarterly Court authorises the Board of Management to entertain negotiations for thc realisation of thc estate of the Institution to the best advantage , and lo report thereon to the next or , if necessary , to

a Special Court . " In urging this motion , Bro . EVE is reported to have said , in the course of his speech , that " nothing would be done which would commit the Craft , no , contract would be entered into , nothing whatever would be

done unless it was lirst authorised by a Quarterly Court or Special Court , of which every brother would have due notice . All the motion proposed was to give power to the Board of Management to entertain negotiations for the realisation of the

estate of thc Institution . " Objection was taken by Bros . STANLEY J . ATTENHOROUGH and W . A . SCURRAH—who are both , by the way , London members of thc Board—but the resolution , as we have said , was carried , and the

result we have now before us in thc further resolution which was passed at the Quarterly Court in April last , and in reference to which Bro . EVE , who brought it forward , was careful to point out that nothing would be done until it had received

the sanction of the Court , that is to say , of the general body of Governors and Subscribers . Seeing , then , that all these matters have bcen fully reported in thc columns of the Freemason , and , of course , recorded at length in the minntes of the Institution ,

we are justified in saying that the North and East "Yorkshire Charities Association , had it cliosen , could have obtained the information we furnished a fortnight since , either directly from the Secretary , Bro . J . M . MCLEOD , or indirectly , from Bro . W . F .

SMITHSON , P . G . D ., who is a member of the Board of Management , ancl Avho , we believe we arc right in stating , is the representative not only of the Province of West Yorkshire , with which he is immediately connected , but likewise of that

of North and Kast Yorkshire . Under these circumstances , we consider we were correct in describing ( he latter Province as being , to use a familiar expression , somewhat " behind the age . " It was , or to put it in a

milder form , it appeared to lie in ignorance of thc fact that four years ago the Quarterly Court of Governors and Subscribers , which in this matter is the supreme authority , gave full powers to the Board of Management " to entertain

negotiations for the realisation of the estate of thc Institution to the best advantage . " Considering , indeed , that this fact is set forth in the preamble of the resolution which was passed at the recent April Court , we have some difficulty in realising how any

brother or body 01 brethren could have been in ignorance of it . Hence our criticism , which , though it may have been unpalatable , as such criticisms usually are , has this recommendation , at all events—that it is based on recorded facts .

There are other matters mentioned in thc letters of our correspondents lo which it seems desirable wc should offer some reply ; but no harm will come if we hold that reply over for a brief space of time .

Bro. Bains Masonic Library.

BRO . BAINS MASONIC LIBRARY .

Having had the pleasure lately of glancing through the Masonic library owned by my esteemed friend , Bro . George Washington Bain ( of Sunderland and East Bolden ) , it has occurred to me that a Ui \ v words thereon would be welcome to

readers of thc Freemason , for it is the first time it has fallen to my pleasure to visit " The Grange , " East Bolden , the only regret being that I could not spare more than two whole days in thaimost delightful occupation .

Bro. Bains Masonic Library.

Bro . Bain was with me the most of the time , and was certainly as much amused at my surprise , as he turned out his treasures , as he was gratified to hear my unstinted praise of his noble collection . What appeared to me the most extraordinary feature of the library was the number of copies of several

veryrare ancl valuable volumes . For instance , he made my " mouth water " by turning out a fine copy of the very scarce first edition of " Ashmole ' s Life " of 1717 , ancl a beautiful impression of the premier Book of Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of England , 172 ^ . Of course , I warmly expressed my pleasure at

seeinotwo such valuable books , the reply being— " Here is another of the Ashmole still better ( being on "largepaper" ) , nnd . two more of tbe 1723 Constitutions . " There are now four of this fine

quarto volume in Bro . Bain ' s library , the latest arrival being the best of all , and which apparently belonged to the " Tuscan " Lodge ( No . 14 ) , in 1728 , provided it met at " Holliwell , " London , in that year . Some of the series of English Books of Constitution are in ex .

ceptionally fine condition , and are of special value because of their eventful past , as well as their magnificent binding . The rare 174 6 has the still rarer Frontispiece , but that of 1738 lacks that dignity , and is a small paper edition , but as clean as when issued . I had in my hands three copies of the 1756 , and having

looked at them , put them down , and was handed another trio of the 1767—just as quietly and matter of fact , as if quite an ordinary occurrence , though the owner surely knew , as I did , it is not likely such a six , with the 177 6 appendix in another copy ,

making seven in all , can be equalled elsewhere—and 'then I placed these aside to examine one out of the 1784 representatives , which has not only the four pages , 6 7 , 68 [ 67 ] and [ 68 ] , that were substituted for the cancelled 6 7 and 68 , but has the latter also preserved , a combination new to me .

One of the 176 7 copies has the inscription This Book belongs lo tlie Builders' Lodge , White Lion , bhadivell , " which , according to Bro . John Lane's trusty " Masonic Records , 1717—1894 , " was formed in 17 68 , but ceased as such to meet some eight

years later . The set of Constitutions is complete from 1723 to 1 S 94 , and , moreover , includes the tieo issues of the octavo of 176 9 , i . e ., the English edition and the rarer one of Dublin , with all the curious plates !

The " Ahiman . Rczons , " England , are complete , SAW the one of 17 8 7 , which I naturally and most innocently asked for , but did not get . ' Those of Ireland , however , were well in hand , the early Constitutions of 1730 and 175 1 being exhibited with delight by the possessor ancl shared in by me .

Thc " Operative Constitutions" of Cole's are of great value and beauty , viz ., those of 1729 , 1731 , and 1751 ; the latter having a Frontispiece , but whether of 1731 or 1751 , my memory does

not serve me , and I was too eager to see all to take full notes , there being so little time . Alas , the 1762 is needed to make up thc quartette , but the beautiful first edition on large paper , is , indeed , a gem !

The " Pocket Companions are a most numerous and interesting family , of English , Irish , and Scottish origin . Indeed , so many were shown to me , that t am not quite clear as to the few missing to complete all thc sets for the three Countries , but I remember that thc small issue of 1764 was not represented .

Thc " Blue Blankets , " are quite a good family party , one of the relatives being then unknown to me , apart from tbis set . It is dated 1756 , though the declared 2 nd edition of the original of

1722 is of thc year 17 80 . This extremely scarce copy was " Printed by and for David Bower , Edinburgh , " and cost sixpence in 1756 . I fancy Bro . Bain would not take that sum for it now !

The Arms ( oval ) of the " Lodge of Antiquity Acting I **)' Immemorial Antiquity , 24 Feb ., 1819 , " H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex , W . M . ; caught my eye , ancl changed the talk from Books to Plates and Masonic Pictures generally . Portraits of Sayer ,

Desaguliers , Lord Blayney , and other worthies passed before me ; a line set of Lambert de Lintot plates , in the original wrappers i the pretty coloured plate of tlie " Freemasons' School , " 1803 ; Cagliostro ( 1786 ) , and others too numerous to mention jus

now . A document of a most unusual character was exhibited , being one of the "Freemasons' Tontine , " 19 th September , 177 6 , £ 50 , having five seals [ re Freemasons' Hall ) , and another was still more curious , viz ., the original warrant of the " Argyll * Lodge , " of Gth August . I ?* - * - ** ., signed bv Alex . Dougall , Grand

~ - ' C 3 ' t t-rt-ri c * J »* CJ L r _\ Secretary of Scotland , & c . Bro . Bain has the complete set o * jewels of this old lodge , and a number of the aprons , win- *"' are of a tremendous size . Another time we talked about the Royal Arch and other