The Quarterly Communications.

Payne was tbe legislator of tbe infant institution . To him we are as much indebted for its laws as we are to Anderson for its history or to Desaguliers for its ritual . In settling the early history of Speculative Freemasonry in England , I deem this question of tbe true epoch of tbe Quarterl y Communications important enough to command attention and discussion .

The Astrology Of Shakespeare.

THE ASTROLOGY OF SHAKESPEARE .

0 mighty poet ! thy works are not as those of other men , simply and merely great Avorks of art ; but are also like tho phenomena of nature—like the sun and the sea , the stars ancl the flowers . —De Qu-inccy . Shakespeare was the man who of all modern and perhaps ancient poets had the largest and most comprehensive soul . — Dryden .

TT ^ EW , perhaps , of our readers are aware of tbe existence of Urania * a monthly JL journal of astrology . We beg to introduce tbem to it in this well-written article from its pages . Bro . Shakespeare we claim to be a Freemason , this article makes bini out to be an astrologist . SOME controversy lias existed as to the day of birth of William Shakespeare , but the date most generally received is April 25 th 1564 . Of his history

, but few facts have been recorded , ancl only the barest outline of his life has descended to ns . We know that he Avas born at Stratford-on-Avon , that his father Avas a wool-comber , that he married early , and that , through a youthful escapade , be was obliged to quit his native place ancl remove to London . There , as a dramatic poet , actor , and theatrical manager , be gained a competency , ancl returned to Stratford-on-AA'on to enjoy bis fortune , where he died at the

early age of fifty-three , on the anniversary of bis birth , and in the meridian of bis intellectual powers . We know further that his body reposes in the church of his native place , guarded by an epitaph composed by himself . The horoscope . of Shakespeare has been published , but cannot be considered as thoroughly reliable , unless the time of his birth could be fixed with absolute certainty . This is matter of regret , for tbe aspect of the heavens at the nativity of so remarkable a genius must haA'e been highly interesting ancl instructive .

It Avas fabled that at tbe christening of a certain royal prince , all tbe fairies were present , each to bestow her OAVII peculiar gift ; so at the birth of Shakespeare The senate-house of planets all did sit To knit in him their best perfections . He has tbe keenness of wit and flow of language of Mercury , the grace and lively fancy of Venustbe precision and acuteness of Marsthe condensedness

, , of thought and contemplation of Saturn , and the nobleness and largeness of soul of Jupiter . Mercury , the ruler of intellect , must necessarily in this nativit y have attained bis highest exaltation of dignity . As be is by nature convertible , tbe character of tbe mind is formed according to the aspects of the planets whose impress be receives .

The star of the poet and of the theatrical profession is Venus , and this planet seems to haA'e shed its brightest beam on Shakespeare ' s birth . It has been suggested that possibly as a boy Shakespeare was present at Kenilwortb