Masonic Celebrities: No. Vi.—The Duke Of Wharton, G.M. 1722-23*.

"' London , this 17 th Day of January , 172-jj-. ' At the Quarterly Communication , This Book , which was undertaken at the Command of Hrs GRACE the DuKE OF MONTAGU , our late GRAND MASTER , having been regularly approved in Manuscript by the GRAND LODGE , was this Day

produced here in Print , and approved by the SOCIETY . Where fore we do hereby Order the same to be Published , and recom mend it for the Use of the Lodges . ' P HILIP DUKE OF WHARTON , ffivnnb fHastcv . ' I . T . Desaguliers , DEPUTY ffihnnti ftfnstn ' . ' "

Bro . GOULD after remarking that " every presumption is in favour of the first Book of Constitutions having been presented in its existing printed form on January 17 th , 1723 , " and adding that it was publicly advertised for sale , & c , in the Postboy , No . 5243 , from February 26 th to February 28 th in the same year ,

and it is possible at a still earlier date , goes on to suggest very justly that " the Figures on the Frontispiece wcre almost certainly engraved in 1722 " ; that " no one will suppose for a moment that the Dedication was written by Dr . DESAGULIERS

on the evening of his appointment as 'Deputy '"; and that "the statement that the Constitutions were not quite ready for the press during the Mastership of the Duke of MONTAGU , clearly

imp lies that he went out of office m 1722 , though the Rev . Dr . ANDERSON assures us in his later work that the self-same peer acted as Grand Master 'by summoning the Grand Lodge to meet' on the 17 th of January , 1723 . "

The climax of Bro . GOULD S argument is reached in the

paragraph in which he remarks " Lastly , as thc entire book was in print on January 17 th , 1723 , the original Manuscript must have had an earlier existence . Otherwise , indeed , the signature

of William Hawkins to the ' Approbation ' ( p . 74 ) , would have given place to that of Dr . J AMES ANDERSON , by whom he was , in a sense , superseded as Junior Grand Warden , on the above date . "

We repeat , the position thus taken up by Bro . GOULD strikes us as being impregnable , and that the Duke of WHARTON was regularly installed G . M ., on the Festival of St . John thc Baptist , 1 7 , and—Dr . ANDERSON , with PRESTON and FlNDEL who follow in his wake notwithstanding—was Grand Master , with

DESAGULIERS as his Deputy , when the meeting of the 17 th January , 1723 , at which the Book of Constitutions in its printed form was approved and ordered to be published , was summoned . Of the subsequent acts of the Duke as a Mason , his presence at the election of the Earl of DALKEITH as his successor in the

Grand Mastership on the 24 th June , 1723 , his attempt to prevent DESAGULIERS from being chosen Deputy , and his abrupt retirement from Grand Lodge in consequence of his failing to do so ; as well as of his having been chiefly instrumental in founding the

lodge in Madrid in 1738 , there is no need to speak ; but of the Gormogons and his Grace ' s connection with that Society as described by Bro . GOULD , we shall have occasion to write at some length in a second article .

Supreme Grand Chapter Of England.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER OF ENGLAND .

The Quarterly Convocation of Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Kngland was holden on Wednesday evening in the Temple , freemasons' Hall , London . Comps . W . W . B . Beach , G . J ., presided as M . E . G . Z . ; John Thornhill Morland , Grand Supt . Berks , as G . H . ; and Rear-Admiral Albert Hastings Markham , G . Supt . Malta , as G . J . There were also

present—Comps . E . Letchworth , S . E . ; Peter de L . Long , as S . N . ; Robert Grey , President Committee of Gen . Purps . ; W . M . Stiles , G . Treas . ; Baron de Ferriers as P . G . S . ; W . Lake , A . G . S . E . ; W . G . Dundas , G . S . B . ; Howard H . Room ' ¦ st G . Std . Br . ; Walter Hughes , and G . Std . Br . ; Frank Richardson , P . G . S . G . D . C ; W . H . Rylands , Dep . G . D . C . ; John Newton , A . G . D . C ; H . ' Ti pper ^ A . G . D . C ; E . Cutler , Q . C , P . G . Org ., as Organist ; Major George Lambert '

P -G . D . C ; Rudolph G . Glover ; C . F . Matier , P . Dep . G . D . C . ; Charles H . Dr 'ver , P . G . S . B . ; Lennox Browne , P . G . S . B . ; Herbert J . Adams , P . D . G . D . C . C -A . Cottebrune , P . A . G . D . C ; Henry Maudslay , P . G . S . B . ; Sir Bruce Max . ! We » Seton , P . G . P . S . ; Eugene Monteuuis , P . Dep . G . D . C . j Sir George P avid Harris , P . Asst . G . Soj . ; Reginald St . A . Roumieu , P . G . S . B

Leopold George Gordon Robbins , P . D . G . Reg . ; J . E . Le Feuvr ' e , P . G S B . James Edmeston , P . G . S . B . ; R . Clowes , P . G . Std . Br . ; Alfred Spencer P G «< l . Br . . ThoSi Uan Wilkinson , P . D . G . R . ; Alfred C . Spaull , P . D GD C ?¦ V . Abraham , P . A . G . D . C . ; Major-Gen . J . C . Hay , P . A . G . S . Rev F ' w ffacdonald , M . A ., P . G . P . S . ; G . H . Hopkinson , P . D . G . D . C ; W . M . Bvw ' ater ' 1 'U Std . Br . ; Clement Godson , M . D ., P . G . S . B . ; Edgar Goble , P . G . Std Br '

Supreme Grand Chapter Of England.

J . Lewis Thomas , P . G . S . B . ; T . C . Parkinson , P . G . S . B . ; Fred . West . P . A . G . S . ; Thomas Fenn , P . P . C . G . P . ; Ralph Goodimr , M . D ., P . A . G . S . ; E . \ V . Sainton P . G . Std . Br . ; R . C . Sudlow , P . D . G . aC ; Arthur j . R . Trendoll , C . M . G , P . G . Std . Br . ; Henry J . P . Dumas , P . G . S . B . ; E . Cutler , f . 2060 ; W . A . Scurrah , P . Z . 2271 ; John Lane , P . Z . 32 S ; Wm . Ridcliffe , P . Z . " , ; F . Egirton Bennett , H . 7 ; J . A . Collier , M . E . Z . 1437 ; H . Massey , P . Z . 1028 ; C *

Coleman , M . E . Z . 753 ; Neville Green , P . Z . 1524 ; Ernest Van Putten , IT . 1601 ; George A . Pickering , J . 1601 ; A . J . Berry , P . Z . 1524 ; Chares Kempton , I ' . / . 2021 ; Robert A . Gowan , P . Z . 2029 ; G . j . Taylor , J . 53 S ; James Black , J . 73 ; W . Belchamber , H . 73 ; and Henry Sadler , Grand Janitor . Grand Chapter having been formally opened ,

The minutes of the Quarterly Convocation of August 7 th were read by the GRAND SCRIBE E ., and confirmed . Comp . John Lane was then invested as A . G . D . C , arid was conducted < o his seat in Grand Chapter .

Comp . ROHERT GREY then proposed and Comp , GORDON RORISI . VS seconded , that the report of the Committee of General Purposes as printed in The Freemason last week , be taken as read , with the addition that the petition for a charter " From Comp . R . Luck , M . A ., as / .. ; Comp . William Charles Barron , as H . ; Comp . Benjamin Sweeten Beckwith as

J . ; and seven others for a chapter to be attached to the Barnard Lodge , No . 1230 , Barnard Castle , Durham , to be called the Baliol Chapter , and to meet at the Masonic Hall , Barnard Castle , in the county of Durrani , " be granted . The motion was carried .

Comp . ROBKRT GREY next said that the case of Priory Chapter , No . 1863 , Tynemouth , had previously come before Grand Chapter . The Priory Chapter had ceased working , and therefore notice was given to it . It h id been ordered that a summons should be sent to the Comps . to show c ; m ¦• why the Chapter should not be erased . That summons was sent , . 1 ul r . o reply whatever had been received . He , therefore , now moved that Lin-Priory Chapter , No . 1863 , Tynemouth , be erased . Comp . 1 < RANK RICHARDSON seconded , and the motion was carried . Grand Chapter was then closed .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Northumberland.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF NORTHUMBERLAND .

The annual meeting of the above Provincial Grand Lodge was held on Wednesday , the 30 th ult ., at the Grand Assembl y Rooms , Barrass Bridge , Newcastle-on-Tyne , when there was an exceptionally large attendance . The Prov . Grand Master , Bro . the Right Hon . Sir Matthew White Ridley , Bart ., M . P ., presided , and was supported b y Bros . R . H . Holmes , J . P ., Deputy P . G . M . ; J . Mason , P . P . G . D . Middx . ; and the following officers , Present and Past :

Bros . John Coull , P . S . G . W . ; Wm . T . Hindmarsh , P . J . G . W . ; Rev . John Henry Haywood , M . A ., P . G . Chap . ; Rev . M . Greeve , P . P . G . C ; Ralph Cirr , P . G . T . ; Thos . Purvis , P . G . Reg . ; F . H . Corder , B . A ., P . G . Sec ; T . E . Bamfather , P . S . G . D . ; Wm . Outhwaite , P . J . G . D . ; Moses Lotinga , P . G . S . W . ; JohnStraker Wilson , as P . G . D . C . ; Jacob Daglish , P . A . G . D . C ; Thomas R . Jobson , P . G . S . B . ; Jacob R . Barker , P . G . Std . Br . ; William W . Heron , P . G .

Std . Br . ; Wm . Charlton , P . A . G . Sec ; Jas . Liddell , P . G . O . ; John Crow P . G . P . ; John Gray , P . A . G . P . ; Joshua Curry , P . G . Tyler ; John Bolam , P . l ' S . G . W . ; John Page , P . P . J . G . W . ; Jos . Cooke , P . P . S . G . W . ; T . Blenkinsop P . P . J . G . W . ; Wm . Cooper , P . P . J . G . D . ; G . C . Coates , P . P . J . G . W . ; W . C Bell , P . P . J . G . W . ; G . F . Charlton , P . P . J . G . W . ; Jphn , Spearman , P . P . J . G . W . I . D . Gillespie , P . P . G . S . B . ; B . J . Thompson , P . P . S . G . W ., P . P . G . Sec ; T

Gillespie , P . P . G . R . ; J . M . Winter , P . P . G . R . ; J . W . Gibson , P . P . S . G . D . ; G Spain , P . P . S . G . W . ; Rev . Herbert Bott , P . P . G . C ; Rev . W . M . O'Brady Jones P . P . G . C ; Rev . W . C . Harris , { P . P . P . C . ; J . C Moor , P . J . G . W . ; John Joel P . A . G . S . ; W . C . Anderson , P . S . G . D . ; J . G . Smith , P . P . S . G . D . Durham ; J Deans , P . M . 2039 ; Rev . P . H . Moore , P . P . G . C ; Thomas Lewens , P . P . S . G . D . J . Gibson Youll , P . P . J . G . W . ; C . B . Ford , P . P . G . D . ; K . Turnbull , P . M .

J . W . Lambton , H . S . Bird , P . P . G . R . ; F . F . Schnitger , and others . The attendance of brethren from various parts of the county was sn large that the gallery at the end of the hall was utilised for the accommoJ 1-tion of members of the Craft . The whole of the lodges , it will thus b .-seen , were exceedingly well represented , and probably one great cause of

attraction was the desire to welcome their Provincial Grand . Mister on th : ; high distinction conferred upon him in the councils of the nation , and the other , the fact of the consecration of three new lodges ; the belief being expressed that never before were no many new lodges made at an annu . d meeting of Prov . Grand Lodge .

Prov . Grand Lodge having been duly opened by the Piov . Gr . r . ci Master , the minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed . The reports of the Fund Committee , the Charities' Committee , th-: Treasurer ' s statement , and the Registrar ' s and Auditors' reports were rea I and adopted .

From the reports presented , the various lodges were sho . yn to be progressing satisfactorily , and wera in a good financial position ; and also that great pecuniary aid had been accorded io the Royal Masonic Institutions for Boys and Girls during last year . The new lodges consecrated wen : named Temperance , Delaval , and Holmes . The order of ceremony was

compiled and arranged by the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Aid . R . H . Holmes , and was of a very impressive character . Thc Prov . Gr . ind Master , Bro . Sir M . W . Ridley , installed Bro . John Walker Gibson as Worship ful Master of Temperance Lodge , Bro . George Wilson for Delaval Lodge , and Bro . Thos . S . Hudson for Holmes Lodge .

' the respective numbers of the lodges are 2357 , 256 S , and 2371 , and in addition to the officers named above , the chef ollicers appointed and invested by the respective W . Ms , were :

Temperance Lodge—Bro . John Armstrong , S . W . ; Louis Forsyth Allan , JAY . ; Womphiey , J . D . ygi , Secretary ; Guy Hayler , S . D . ; & c . Of Delaval Lodge—Bros . Hy . Rochester , S . W . ; J . A . S . Scott , J . W . ; , \ x . Of Holmes Lodge—Bros . K . VV . Sykes , S . W . ; Arthur Scott , J . W . ; . vc . The musical portion ol the ceremony , as well as the parts of the Consecrating Officers and the prayers and portions of Scripture rend by the Chaplains , Bros . Rev . W . GREEN , Rectorof Hlaydon . and Rev . J . HAVWOOD , Curate of Jesmond Church , Newcastle , were most effectively rendered .