Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ Wc do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinions expressed bv our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]

THE PROVINCES AND THE CHARITIES . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — As promised last week , I now send the results as regards the Boys' School , and would repeat by way of explanation that tbe number following tbe name of the province shows the position held last year , and that fractions of -j arc estimated as ,.

7 2 -ss n ° i-g n r & ] £ $ i ejp 1 . Dorset ( 2 ) 13 ' 539 4 'i 2 . West Yorkshire ( 1 ) ... 00 2535 38 ^ 3 . Gloucestershire ( 4 ) ... 14 47 S 34 J 4 . Warwickshire ( 3 ) ... 30 9 S 5 33 5 . Worcestershire ( 25 ) ... 10 242 24 J

0 . Kent ( 0 ) 44 1063 23 ' , ' 7 . Hants and I . of VV . ( y ) 32 747 23 i S . Somerset ( S ) 22 511 23 V <> Surrey ( 3 ) 19 424 22 . V 10 . South Wales , Eastern ( 7 ) . 15 323 2 ir , 11 . Staffordshire ( 13 ) ... 23 491 2 ij-12 . Oxfordshire ( 10 ) ... 9 lS 7 21

13 . Lancashire , East ( 12 ) < ji 1 S 59 20 . V 14 . Wilts ( 15 ) 10 204 20 ! 15 . Leicester & Rutland ( 19 ) 10 197 19 J 16 . Durham ( 22 ) 25 490 igi ' 17 . Sussex ( 11 ) 24 436 1 S ! IS . Northumberland ( id ) ... iS 323 iS 19 . Lincolnshire ( iS ) ... 20 351 17 V

20 . Berks and Bucks ( 17 ) iS 30 O 17 20 . Bristol ( 20 ) S 136 " 17 22 . Norths and Hunts ( 14 ) y 143 id 23 . Essex ( 21 ) ly 271 14 ! 24 . Middlesex ( 30 ) ... ... 30 412 iy , 25 . Yorkshire , N . and E . ( 26 ) 2 fi 324 I 2 i 2 ( i . Cumberland and

Westmorland ( 24 ) ... 19 234 12 . V 2 ( 1 . Derbyshire ( 27 ) ... 19 234 I 2 i 2 S . South Wales , Western ( 23 ) y 104 1 i-J 2 y . Suffolk ( 32 ) ... ... 20 2 iy 11 30 . Cheshire ( 31 ) 37 404 11 31 . Monmouthshire ( 33 ) ... S 73 < jj-32 . Notts ( 2 S ) 11 100 9 !

33 . N . Wales and Salop ( 34 ) 25 21 G S'f 34 . Herts ( 29 ) 11 93 Si 35 . Devon ( 36 ) 47 371 S 3 O . Norfolk ( 35 ) lb 122 7 : ; 37 . Herefordshire ( 3 S ) ... 4 30 7 A

38 . Bedfordshire ( 41 ) ... 5 29 0 3 y . Lancashire , VV . ( 40 ) ... Si 447 5 " 40 . Cornwall ( 39 ) ... 2 S 133 5 J 41 . Cambridgeshire ( 37 ) ... 4 21 5 ! 42 . Channel islands ( 42 ) ... 11 49 4 ! 43 . Isle of Man ( 43 ) ... 3 o o

Totals . 9 6 3 iC . Sjf , 17 J Thc following shews the result of the two previous tables combined , which gives a fairer average , as some provinces support one Charity almost to the exclusion of the other : ¦ S . in zi ^ IB S a & « 33 . i ' - o « jT— z g' - |'

1 . West Vorkslurc ( 1 ) ... Mi 4074 dlj 2 . Gloucestershire ( 5 ) ... 14 721 ) 52 J 3 . Dorset ( 4 ) ij 6 4 49 ' , ' 4 . Warwickshire ( 2 ) ... 30 145 4 s , 5 . Kent ( 6 ) 44 ldi 41 C . Oxfordshire ( y ) ... y 333 37 7 . Sussex ( 3 ) 24 8 ( 12 . 3 O

S . Somerset ( 10 ) 22 7 S 9 3 6 y . Surrey ( 7 ) ly O 72 35 i io . Staffordshire ( i 3 ) ... 23 SoS 35 V 11 . South Wales , Eastern ( S ) 15 523 -55 12 . Wilts ( 12 ) 10 , ) . ) i " ,. | j 13 . Hants and 1 . of VV . ( 11 J 32 10 S 3 34 14 . Worcestershire ( 27 ) ... 10 1-. 2 - > , ;'

15 . Durham ( iS ) 25 753 30 . ' , id . Lincolnshire ( id ) ... 20 ( 102 30 ' , 17 . Berks and Bucks ( 15 ) iS 315 2 S , ' iS . Bristol ( 19 ) S 227 2 SJ 19 . Leicester & Rutland ( 21 ) 10 271 27 , 20 . Lancashire , East ( 17 ) yi 240 5 27 I 21 . Norths & Hunts ( 14 ) .. < j 225 25 22 . Essex ( 20 ) ... ... 19 425 22 ) ,

23 . Northumberland ( 23 ) ... is 4 00 22 ' , 24 . Herts ( 24 ) 11 239 213 ' 25 . Middlesex ( 2 S ) 30 C 151 21 'i 2 d . Monmouthshire ( 25 ) ... S 170 21 ' , 27 . South Wale ; , Western ( 22 ) 9 179 20 2 S . Suffolk ( 2 d ) 20 370 iS . l 29 . Cheshire ( 32 ) 37 O 6 9 iS ] 30 . Yorkshire , N . & E . ( 30 ) 2 d 45 s i ;* 31 . Cumberland and

Westmorland ( 29 ) ... ic ) 324 17 , ' i 32 . Herefordshire ( 3 d ) ... 4 6 3 1 y ; 33 . Notts ( 31 ) 11 1 ^ 7 ll | i 34 . Derbyshire ( 3 . 5 ) ... 19 200 14 35 . N . Wales and Salop ( 34 ) 23 339 1 V , ' 3 6 . Norfolk ( 33 ) id 210 I-,. ' .

37 . Devon ( 37 ) 17 $ ., 3 12 , 3 . S . Cornwall ( 40 ) 2 S 2 S 7 nij 39 . Lancashire , West ( 39 ) Si S 11 HI ] 40 . Bedfordshire ( 41 ) ... 5 43 Si 41 . Cambridgeshire ( 3 S ) ... 4 ; j s 42 . Channel Islands ( 42 ) ... 11 72 cV ] . )•; I'l' - of -Man ( 43 ) ... 3 o o 9 O 3 20273 27 J There are several point * of intercut which ( will be noted ,

Original Correspondence.

but I prefer to give thc results without comment , except to remark that Worcestershire appears to be advancing mes rapidly . I am again unable to give the result 'for the Benevolent Institution , the inconvenient plan of putting all subscribers

in one list being still retained . I take this opportunity of correcting a clerical error in last week ' s table . The average votes per lodge in Derbyshire for the Girls' School should be i . V , not 2 J as printed . Yours truly , A " PAST MASTER .

MASONIC REGALIA . " I am , Sir Oracle , And , when I ope my lips , let no dog baric . " To the Editor of thc " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I would not again trespass on your space , but thc curious and rather dyspeptic lctterof "P . M ., P . Z ., " very

unfairly misquotes my letter of the 17 th ult . I did not state "levels" simply , but , "J . levels ;" which plainly distinguished thc emblems in question from the ordinary level of the S . W . In " operative Masonry " there are two " working tools " formed by " perpendicular lines on horizontal lines . " That of which the perpendicular arm is the longer is called a t-sqnnre ; and that of which the

horizontal is the longer a t-level . At least I have always beard them called by these technical names . By prefixing a diagram of the emblem to thc work "level , " it seemed impossible for any careful reader to mistake the meaning . But , Sir , the " argument " is the curious part of " P . M ., P . Z . ' s" letter . Because Bro . A . has been " over thirty years" in the Craft , therefore Bro . li . knows nothing

about it ! Because Bro . A . is puzzled , cannot explain thc emblems , and . lias a letter of lira , llughnn ' s in his pocket , therefore Bros . B ., C , D ., and so on to / .. and P . / .., must of necessity be in the same predicament , barring of course Bro . Hughan's letter ! Bro . "P . M ., P . Z ., " has kindly offered me good , and no

doubt well-meant advice ; and , as " one good turn deserves another , " be will allow me tbe " retort courteous . " To quote his own words " I should strongly advise Bro . ' P . M ., P . Z ., ' before attempting to set other brethren right , to thoroughly inform himself on the subject " of logic . Yours truly and fraternally , May 3 rd . E . T . BUDDEN .

To the Editor of the v ¦ ecmason . Dear Sir and Brother , — In the Freemason of the 24 th ult ., Bro . VV . | . Ilughan gives a list of medals worn in England " according to the Constitutions . " In that list I see no mention of a medal worn in my mother lodge , No . S 5 , Faithful , Province of Norfolk , and yet the members wear a very elegant

silver medal , in the form of a Maltese cross , of which they think much of , and which the lodge tradition asserts to be a very old one , though some members say that it was granted some time since as a centenary jewel . I am able to trace it back for a quarter of a century , when No . S 5 ( then 100 ) migrated to Harlcston , and the medal was worn by its members at that time . There must have been some

authority for its use , or the late Bro . VV . Leeds Fox , D . P . G . M . Norfolk , a well-known authorit } ' on Masonic subjects , and a stickler for everything being proper or correct , who was a member of this lodge until the day of his death , would not himself have worn it , or permitted it to be worn . Besides Bro . Leeds Fox , who was undoubtedly the reviver and regenerator of Masonry in Norfolk , this lodge numbered the late Bro . Bond Calibell , and many other distinguished

Masons , among its members , and , therefore , 1 cannot but think that the medal is worn " according to Constitutions . " No . 85 was constituted November loth , 1753 , under warrant from the Grand Lodge of York , its then number being 232 . If Bro . VV . ) . Ilughan would like to see one of these medals I will be most happy to show him mine if be will call upon me any day but Saturday . Yours fraternally , CHARLES D . HILL DRl'RY , 3 , Biicklcrsbury , ICC . M . D ., J . W . No . S >

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS . N INETY-SECOXl ) ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — 1 send ynu herewith the additions to the Festival announcement up to date for insertion in the Freemason . I am , dear Sir and Brother , vours faithfully and fraternally , F . R . W . ' HEDGES , Secretary , P . P . W . G . VV .

Amount announced in Freemason , April 24 £ 13 , ( 126 iS d Lists since received—Province of Monmouth , Bro . VV . Pickford £ iy ) 15 o Amount announced . . ... 57 15 o 42 o o Lodge 70 S , Bro . A . G . H . Gibbs 15 15 o Various small additions to lists ... ... O 3 19 o E . Div . of Lancashire , G . Ferguson ... 10 10 o Total £ 13 . 7 . 19 - f >

RED CROSS OF ROME AND CONSTANTIXE . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — In reply to " P . S . No . 3 6 , " ! am at a loss to know what authority he has for applying for certificates ; his Recorder is fully aware where to write to , or at any rate did in November last , which was the last communication received

from his conclave , on the 14 th of which month one certificate was sent by me to Sir Knight Lewtliwaite , Recorder of 3 d . 1 am glad they are anxious to pay their dues , and if they will send tluin ! n the Grand Recorder , VV . k . Woodman , M . D ., Ford House , Exeter , he will no doubt be glad to receive them . I should like In know to whom audio what

address the communications lie speaks of have been sent , and should like to see as a curiosity any of those returned to him , as , although I have resigned [ the- position of acting Grand Recorder , I shall still feel a lively interest in the Order . Yours in faith and fraternity , ] OHN MASON .

Reviews.

Reviews .

VOICE OF MASONRY , Illustrated . J . VV . Brown , Chicago , U . S . No . 4 , Vol . XX 1 IL , April . This is really a wonderful Masonic serial , eighty pages full of interesting matter , Masonic and otherwise , month by month . Whether as regards size , quantity , or quality it is unique in Masonic magazine literature just now . In its last number it contains fifty-two articles , longer or shorter . Wc recommend our readers to "order" it , and peruse if for I'liemsplvf-s .

THE MASONIC REVIEW . Cincinnati , Ohio , U . S . Wrightson & Co . This is another very interesting American Masonic magazine , to which , as the editor says we have unwittingly "taken away its character , '' we beg to offer an amende honorable . It seems that in a recent review we talked

currente calamo of its " thirty-second volume , " whereas it is really in its fifty-second . As wc say before , we at once withdraw tbe " soft impeachment" of too much "youth . " Wc confess that we "lie" under a serious mistake , and we make our " salaam " reverently to this Nestor of Ma _ - sonic seriah ' sm .

THE MASONIC AGE . ^ Bro . BEN CHASE , Editor . Louisville , Kentucky , U . S . We have reviewed this excellent representative of Kentucky Freemasonry before with pleasure , and wc repeat the process to-day with equal satisfaction . It is a very good magazine , and deserves sympathy and support .

THE MASONIC HERALD for April . Calcutta : | . C . Bose and Co . A very interesting little Masonic periodical , which hails from Hindustan . We always read it with interest , and wish there was more of it . It is "short and sweet . " TIME . Edited by Bro . Enjiuxn YATES , and illustrated by Al . l-REi ) THOMPSON , I , York-street , Covent Garden ,

VV . C . This is a very well edited magazine by Edmund Yateswe believe we may term him Bro . Yates . 'I'he articles arc all good cm rent reading , and will interest many . "Over tbe Alps in Winter , " "Hotel Life at Cannes , " "Tricked

and Tracked , strike us as above the average of mere magazine articles . " Wc confess that we do not like thc " tone oi'tcmpcr" of thc " Meditations of Michael Tergovitch , " and think the lines a mistake altogether . But then , as we all know , opinions vary , and will vary , in this contumacious world of ours .

EL TALIER . Seville . Can any brother learned in Spanish Masonry tell us what the " Masonic Confederation of thc Congress at Seville " was , of which this magazine , ( two numbers have reached us ) , professes to be the periodica official , the official periodical ? We confess our lamentable ignorance tbere-ancnt . Perhaps the able writer who lately favoured us with "A

History of Spanish Freemasonry" will enlighten us and our readers on the subject . Is this an orthodox or unorthodox movement ? T here are one or two points which we would like to impress upon our Spanish brethren and other foreign jurisdictions ; the one is the adoption of absurd "pseudonyms " at initiation , the other is the use of " arms " as an institution of the lodge . By both of these practices those who adopt them are playing into the hands of

Ultramontane enemies and arbitrary authorities . We admit they took their rise from dark days and evil tongues ; but Freemasonry is a peaceful society , and knows nothing of the paraphernalia of a secret society , or angry conspirators . In the present periodical a use is made of a " pseudonym , " most profane in itself , most painful to every reverent mind , and most pivjudical to true , pure Masonry , which is tolerant but not destructive , reverential but not irreligious , free but not revolutionary .

PROCEEDINGS OF THE GRAND LODGE OF MASSACHL'SSETTS FOR MARCH , 1 SS 0 . This is a most interesting record , admirably printed and strikingly illustrated .

TRANSACTIONS OF THE GRAND LODGE OF MICHIGAN . This is a full and remarkable record of a very inlliienti . il body . We wish we could think that the financial position of some of the American Grand Lodges was as good as it ought to be . But we are reminded by a worthy friend and brother in America , for whom we have deep regard , despite

" dividing waters , " that when anything is mentioned about "the Budget , " "Mums the word , ' ( Merry Wives of Windsor ) , as our remarks about expenses has been found fault with by some dear good friends of ours on the other side of the "little mill pond . " Well , as Praed sung of agreat political party in 1 S 30 , we have nevertheless "good intentions . "

THE BAR , SOLICITORS , AND THE PUBLIC . By Bro . ] . P . GODFREY . Evison and Bridge , Chancery-lane . Bro . Godfrey , who writes very clearly and forcibly , deals with some questions affecting the entire legal community , which are " moot points" under all circumstances , about which much difference of opinion exists in a most distinguished profession , and concerning which we do not , to say

thc truth , see our way at all to express an opinion in the neutral columns of the Freemason . Whether barristers and solicitors are In continue distinct branches of jurisprudential arrangements or are to be amalgamated , we must leave to "time" In demonstrate , which makes so many changes and removes so many old anil cherished landmarks . That some solicitors are very good speakers is undoubtedly true .

but , as pure laymen , speaking most deferentially , our idea of a solicitor is bound up with a highly respectable adviser , who seems pari of the books , boxes , and papers all around him . But Urn . Godfrey deals with this and oilier questions in a very clear and decided manner , and if we have any readers ,

as we probably have , who have " souls " intent on " legal reforms , " and are interested in such grave social problems , let them by all means invest sixpence in the purchase of this little " brochure , " and read and judge for themselves . We have one or two good legal brethren who probably have a strong opinion on the matter .