Original Correspondence.

have said , " out of the total number of brethren in the province , 600 , we have raised something like £ 1200 , ( in fact we have raised more than £ 1200 ) for the benefit of your Institution . That is due mainly to our Deputy Grand Master , Bro . Brook Smith , and our energetic Secretary , Bro . Trinder , but it is due also to the Masonic charity of the brethren of the province . " Now the facts are that

the P . G . M . did not refer to , nor did he mention the name of either the D . P . G . M . or the P . G . Sec , and that he did refer to and mention the name of the Charity Secretary , Bro . Vassar-Smith as being- the brother to whom the success is mainly due , and this is strictly correct , for it is impossible to over-rate the trouble and energy which Bro . Vassar-Smith devoted to the task .

I was not present at the banquet , but I can vouch for the accuracy of this statement , which 1 had from the lips of Sir Michael Beach himself , to whom you are at liberty to send this letter , if you think fit , for corroboration . I hope you will correct the error'in your next number , and send me a copy of the number containing the correction . — I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally ,

W . H . GWINNETT , Prov . G . T ., Past . P . S . G . W ., P . M . 82 , P . Z . Chap . S 2 . Cheltenham , 7 th March . [ The matter had already been brought to our notice , and a correction made of the nature indicated by our correspondent , so that " Honour to whom honour is due " will be paid in the reprint in pamphlet form of our Report of the Festival and the Analysis of its returns . Ed . F . M . I

THE LATE BRO . STEPHENS . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " bear Sir and Brother , Enclosed is a copy of a letter I received this morning from our lamented Bro . William Stephens , G . P . He was at the time of his death our Treasurer , and had been

an active member of the lodge from its foundation . Knowing the numerous circle of friends our brother had , 1 think the enclosed will be read with great interest . — Yours fraternally , STEPHEN A . COOPER , P . M . and Sec . 1637 . 4 , Maddox-street , Regent-street , March nth .

" Auckland Club , New Zealand , " 31 st January , 1 SS 5 . " Dear Bro . Cooper , " No doubt you received a paper of my safe arrival on the 26 th of December , after a passage of 91 days from London , at times very rough , but not altogether unpleasant . I had a fine old ship , a jolly captain , and

some very pleasant companions . I am glad to say I am much stronger , but my cough is still troublesome . I hope to be home by our June meeting . 1 am returning from Napier , lower down the Island , the first week in March , by the same ship . I should not have stoped so long , but wishing to go home in the same ship . I am informed of the death of a Mr . Linscott : I hope it is not our W . M . I also

hear poor Levander is gone , also Col . Creaton . I had a very warm reception from the Craft out here , not only the English , but the Irish and Scotch Constitutions as well . In visiting their lodges I find the working in every respect similar to our own , but rather more lengthy . Remember me very kindly to all the brethren of the Unity Lodge , and , with best wishes , * ' Believe me , yours fraternally , " WM . STEPHENS . "

Reviews

REVIEWS

NOTES ON LAURENCE DERMOTT AND HIS WORK . By Bro . W . M . BYWATER , P . M ., Lodge No . 19 . Privately Printed . London , 1 SS 4 . We have received a copy of this little work , and welcome it as an evidence of that happy movement now in progress to throw light on the records of the past , and make clearer and clearer the doubts and difficulties of Masonic history .

The best thanks of all students are due to Bro . Bywater for this interesting monograph , and this lifelike sketch of the career of a very remarkable man and Freemason . We agree with Bro . Bywater in thinking that scant justice has been , on the whole , meted out to Bro . Laurence Dermott , and that the exaggerations and " high falutin " into which he was occasionally betrayed in the progress of his

somewhat stormy Masonic career , may be attributed to the peculiar position often in which he found himself . As a fact , Masonic writers of all classes and positions were not then strictly accurate either in their assertions orjreferences , and , like others we could name , deemed all statements fair which enhanced the honour and dignity , as they fancied , of their particular body , forgetting that historic truth can

neither be bought nor sold , nor tampered with , nor deviated from deliberately without an eventual and assured Nemesis of discredited authority and unaccepted statements . We make every allowance for Dermott or for Anderson , when each and both seek to amplify the antiquity or enlarge the honours of Freemasonry , and we pay little attention now to those often used words of very doubtful value , " time

immemorial , " and " undoubted antiquity . " Dermott was engaged in a hand to hand warfare with the Moderns , and thought everything fair , as others have often done , though erroneously , alike in the abstract and concrete , ' * in love and war ! " Bro . Bywater , who gives us for the first time Dermott ' s will , cannot find his burial place . We would ask , was not Dermott a Roman Catholic really , and

may he not have been buried in a Roman Catholic burying ground ? It is a point worthy of consideration ! Bro . Bywater , we think , exaggerates unconsciously the date of the Ancient body . We doubt very much whether there is any trace of such a formation so early as 173 S . The very words which Dermott uses proves , to our minds , that he for his own purposes enhanced the early date of the origin

of the Schism . There is no trace of a Grand Lodge in 1752 , only a Grand Committee ; the Grand Lodge is of later date avowedly , and whatever may have been the case as regards any individual lodge or two , there is , we submit , no evidence of a ruling Grand Body before 1752 . We do not say a schism may not have existed j but that it was not organized , and was thoroughly insignificant , purely of London growth . The growth and developeraent of the

Reviews

Antient Body , is entirely attributable to Dermott , and to him alone , a fact which proves his ability and energy . Bro . Bywater has made a slight mistake as to Preston . Preston nowhere claimed for the Lodge of Antiquity a descent from the Grand Lodge of York , for that would have destroyed his own argument . He claims for it superior antiquity to the Grand Lodge Itself as one of the constituting lodges ,

and , as is well known , the Lodge of Antiquity has no charter . When the dispute grew embittered , the Grand Lodge of York chartered the Lodge of Antiquity as Grand Lodge of England South of the Trent . A meeting took place , the Grand Master and Grand Officers were appointed , and one or two lodges were chartered . But soon after a reconciliation was , happily , effected , and Antiquity became again No . 1 , —its proper place . It only became No . 2 after

the Union , owing to the " fortune de la guerre " in drawing lots with the Antients for the first number , and a " modern " lodge of the Antients drawing No . 1 , Antiquity became , and still is , No . 2 , though admittedly of date 1717 , and probably much earlier . We commend Bro . Bywater's very lucid and interesting sketch to the notice of all Masonic stndents at home and abroad . It is a very valuable contribution to the Masonic history of the past , and we are only sorry that it is " privately printed . "

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

531 ] MASONIC SYLLABUS ( No . 526 ) . Bro . Speth will notice that I particularly mentioned elementary reading . What I want , in the first place , is such a course as might fairly be recommended to every neophyte who has any wish to know something about the Order he has joined ; such a course as would be sufficient to redeem a brother who has not time or opportunity or

means to be a Masonic student from being altogether an ignoramus . French or German books in the original would be little use to me , but might be to others . I was thinking only of English when I wrote , though translations would , of course , be included . If Bro . Speth can imagine himself

for a moment to know nothing of Masonry beyond his ceremonies , and will then look at his list , he will perhaps understand better what to recommend . Perhaps it might simplify matters if he could divide his list into two parts—elementary and secondary . Different theories should , I take it , be represented in the latter , at any rate . S . R . B .

532 ] PRESTON'S "ILLUSTRATIONS . " I am sorry to note an error or two respecting Preston ' s " Illustrations of Masonry , " and I give the various editions over again . The 1 st and 2 nd editions are clearly fixed , and so all from I 792 , which is the Sth . The only two issues between 1775 and 1792 are 17 S 1 and 17 SS , entitled "New Editions , " and it is quite evident that foreign

reproductions of this famous work must be included to make up seventeen editions in all , which is the number ascribed to the last English issue of 1 S 61 . Editions 1772 , 1775 ( 2 nd ) , 17 S 1 , 17 SS , 1792 ( Sth ) , 1796 ( 9 th ) , 1801 ( 10 th ) , 1804 ( nth ) , 1 S 12 ( 12 th ) , 1 S 21 ( 13 th , edited by Stephen Jones ) , 1829 ( 14 th , by Dr . Oliver ) , 1 S 40 ( 15 th ) , 1846 ( 16 th ) , and 1 S 61 ( 17 th ) . W . J . HUGHAN .

533 ] GRAND LODGE ANGLAISE-FRANCAISE . By an accident during this discussion certain MS . lists of lodges and officers of the Grand Lodge Francaise have fallen into my hands . They were bound up with " Sicard ' s Histoire , " Sic , ( a large paper copy , interleaved ) , and profess to set out the list of the Vcnerables of lodges , & c , in Paris and the provinces in 1765 , a list of lodges ,

constituted and not constituted , in 1774 , a list of lodges in France at different epochs , all lodges constituted or not constituted by the Grand Orient up to 1774 , military lodges , and a list of lodges extinct by the death of their Venerables in 1777 . The MSS . are beautifully written , and are evidently taken from official sources though of late transcription . Kloss gives us a list of French Masons , members

of the Grand Lodge of France , and of the Chapter of Tschoudy , at Metz , and says they are all members of the Grand Lodge of France . I have only , however , identified three , Moct , Zambault , and Lcdin . But Kloss ' s very extract seems to show how extern to the Grand Lodge

of France was this high Order . Moet was Secretary-General in 1765 , Zambault Secretary-General in 1766 , Ledin was Master of a lodge . Rebold's contention that the Grand Lodge Anglaise was called the Grand Lodge Provincial in 1736 , and that then it adopted Ecossisme , is , in my opinion , utterly absurd .

534 ] THE LODGE DE LA CHAMBRE DU ROI . This seems to have been a military lodge , not at Verseilles , but Paris , and constituted in 1 744 or 1745 . It was apparently originally a purely military lodge , but afterwards introduced other professions . Sicard seems to know nothing of the laws quoted by Kloss as existing in Germany or somewhere in 1745 . Sicard declares that the

"Chapitre Metropolitain " was ' . the first Parisian reunion , and that it was founded in 1721 , but whether Craft or High Grade he does not say . By the use of the word Chapitre he would seem to imply High Grade . He refers to a MS . list or history in the possession of the Grand Orient of

1765 . He also states that from 1733 the " Primitive Code of French Masonry " dates , though where that is now he does not say . The work of Sicard's , of which I knew nothing previous , dates from 1841 apparently . _ This Lodge De la Chambre , & c , does not seem to be in existence , according to thejists above , in 1774 .

535 J LES CHEVALIERS DE L'ORIENT . Sicard says that in 1 743 the Grand Lodge Anglaise was formed . He asserts that the Chapitre de Clermont was established ) in 1754 , and in 175 G the Grand Lodge Anglaise took the name of the Grand Lodge Francaise , and that the

Uonseil du Iimpereurs was formed in 1758 , and the Conseil des Chevaliers was founded in 17 66 , as a schism from the Rit Ecossais . He evidently knows nothing of the Statuts of 1758 signed De Valois . I should

Masonic Notes And Queries.

therefore like to see much these laws of 1758 to which Kloss refers , but he does not tell us where they are . Kloss undoubtedly fixes 1756 as the date of these laws , but has he any right to do so ? Had he seen them ? and if not could he safely in 1 S 52 , declare certain alleged laws of

1755 to be bona fide ? How does he know they were then written ? I cannot , therefore , accept his date of 1756 for the Chevaliers , but prefer the French explanation , the more so as Kloss admit Pirlet did something " as regards the Chevaliers" about that time , namely , from 1761 to 1765-6 .

536 J DE VALOIS . _ There is no trace of "Dc Valois " in any of the French list of authorities—as Kloss himself admits . There is the College de Valois as an emanation from the Conseil des Empereurs about [ 1763-4 apparently . He is not in the MS . List of 1765 . Kloss treats De Valois as a person , though no French writer mentions him , and the Handbuch knows him not , but argues on the faith of these 175 S laws , which look to me very apocryphal !

537 ] THE STATUTS OF 1745-1755-Bro . Findel tells me he believes these Statuts as I understand him , still exist at Franl-. fort A . M ., but he does not speak quite so clearly about the Statuts ] of 1 745 as of 1755 . He still adheres to Kloss ' s theory of the adoption of the Rit Ecccosais by the Grand Lodge of France , which I venture to deem a great mistake . Kloss , however ,

modifies his own theory , for he admits that the Conseil des Empereurs may have been a Grand Lodge , and that S . Morin's patent came from it . It is here I venture to differ . Like Daruty , " pace" so great tan authority , I believe from present available evidences that in 1761 Morin

received his patent from a pure Eccossais Body , and feel sure that the Grand Lodge of France qua the Grand Lodge of France , never had anything to do with the Rit Ecossais . Have we not however , written enough upon the subject ? Daruty is a very careful writer , though his work wants re-arrangement , and , admitting Kloss's great excellences , Kloss is not , like any one else , infallible .. A . F . A . W .

523 continued '] THE COUNTRY STEWARDS' LODGE . Whereupon a Motion was made aud duly seconded , " That the Prayerof thesaid Memorialists be complied with , which , after due deliberation , on the Question being put , passed in the affirmative . " I can find no further mention of the Country Stewards' Lodge in the Grand Lodge proceedings , but at the Quarterly Communication on the 6 th .

February , 1799 , the sum of £ 2 4 s . was paid to the Liquidation Fund , from No . 449 , Country Stewards' Lodge , and the lodge was represented at the following meeting on the 10 th April . This was their last payment and also their last appearance in the Grand Lodge Records as the Country Stewards' Lodge . How long the lodge continued to meet in London after 1799 I have no means of ascertaining ,

but as the last name in the list was registered , in 1793 , I presume the lodge died out in about 1 S 01 or 1802 . It was certainly never erased , and in my opinion its dissolution may fairly be ascribed to premature decay consequent upon blighted hopes and overweening ambition , 'lhe warrant was transferred to Berkeley in 1 S 02 , to an entirely new set of people , who made their first payment to Grand Lodge in 1803 , under the title of the

Lodge of Faith and Friendship . It would be interesting to know whether any of the records of the Country Stewards ' Lodge ate now in possession of No . 270 , and whether theic minute books go back to 1 S 03 . Having by the aid of the records of the Grand Lodge been enabled to throw some little light on the origin and history of the Country Stewards' Lodge , I will now introduce a few extracts from another source , which will probabl y enable us to form an opinion on the character and functions of its members .

Free Masons' Magazine , 5 th July , 1796 . " This day the Grand Lodge met at Brother Sutton ' s , Canonbury House , Islington , to celebrate the Anniversary of the Deputy Grand Master ' s Feast , on which occasion there appeared a very numerous and respectable assemblage of brethren , among whom were Brothers Atkinson , Marsh , Tutt , Galloway , Tyler , and Tegart , Past Grand

Wardens ; Brother White , Grand Secretary ; and Brother Chev . Ruspini , Grand Sword Bearer . Brother Atkinson , as the Senior Past Grand Warden present , represented the Grand Master ; Brothers Tutt and Galloway , the Grand Wardens ; and Brother Marsh the Past Grand Master . An excellent dinner was provided by Brother Sutton , under the inspection of the Stewards , whose attention to the Grand Officers and Brethren most deservedly merited

the thanks they received from the Grand Master in the chair . After dinner , the Grand Lodge was , as usual , opened in due form ; and the afternoon was passed in social and brotherly mirth , and rational and orderly conviviality ; nor was Charity , that adamantine pillar of Masonry , forgotten on this occasion ; the wants of that infant Charity , the Cumberland School , were ably depicted by the Master of the Country Stewards' Lodge , and several new annual subscribers made . "

Ibid , sth July , 1797 . " This day the Society of Free and Accepted Masons , under the Constitution of England ( His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales being Grand Master ) held their Annual Feast , at Canonbury House , under the direction of the Lodge of Country Stewards . The Lodge was opened in the ante-chamberwhence the procession in all due

, Masonic form , with splendid regalia , passed into the large room , where a most numerous and respectable assembly of Brethren was collected . The chair was taken by Alderman Newnham , supported on the right by tne Worshipful Brother Counsellor Downing , Provincial Grand Master of the County of Essex , and on the left by Brother Three

E . Dowling , Senior Master of the Lodge of the Grand Principles . Brother Wingfield , Master of the Lodge of Country Stewards , and Brother John Dowling , I ast Master of the same Lodge , officiated as Wardens . 1 "' exertions of the Stewards were not confined to the pre sent gratification of their numerous friends then assembled , they opened an additional source of pleasure by the production of several subscriptions to tjie Female Charity School , under the protection of Her Royal Highness tne