Masonic Notes And Queries.

the poor box . Very few Lodges collect alms UOAV , though it is a good plan and should never be allowed to fall through . ] MASONIC APROX . [ We beg to thank the individual AVIIO has taken such great pains as to paint a lot of hieroglyln ' cs on paper and send it to us , asking what degree it belonged to ? We have much pleasure in assuring him that the apron he sent can only be worn in the hoaxing blockhead ' s rite , of whicli our correspondent appears to be an eminent member . ]

CHAPTER OF OI . KMIOXT . [ " 0 . W . " will find his query anticipated if he refers to thc number of this Magazine for Nov . 12 th of last year . The page is S 72 . ] MAS 0 XTC PORTRAITS . An inquiry ivas made in a number , some time back , as to what Lodges were in possession of Masonic portraits . The Peace and

Harmony Lodge here presented one to our esteemed Bro . J . Rankin Stebbing , ivhich be kindly consented to allow to remain as an ornament to the Hall . The proceedings will he found recorded at page 75 of vol . i . of the new series ofthe Freemasons ' Magazine and Masonic Mirror . —A . F ., Southampton , July 9 th . 1860 . . . J .

51 AS 0 XIC DIRECTORY . Is there such a thing as a Masonic Directory , like thc Post Office Directory , published ?—E . G-. L . —[ No . The scheme was tried in 1777 by the old Freemasons' Magazine and failed . ] THE XUJIBEE NINE . What is meant by the Pythagorean poiver of number nine ?—Cms . —[ That philosopher , and his disciples , considered it of the

greatest importance , as it is composed of three times three . They also discovered that it has the power of reproducing itself by multiplication , and they designated it an emblem of matter which , though continually changing its form , is never annihilated . It has its hearings on Freemasonry , as is well known to every Mason , and need not be repeated here . Thc Pythagorean poiver may be thus exemplified : — 2 X 9 = is , l + S = . 9 .

; i X 9 = 27 , 2 + 7 = 9 . 4 x 9 - = 3 G , ' ! + 6 = 9 . 5 X 9 = 15 , i + 5 = 9 . ( i x 9 = 54 , 5 + 4 = 9 . 7 X 9 = 63 , ( , ' + :-5 == 9 .

8 X 9 = 72 , 7 + 2 = 9 . 9 jx 9 = 81 , 8 + 1 = 9 . ] DOUBI . IXG TIIE CUBE . This has always been looked upon as thc crowning geometrical problem , and took its rise from the oracle at Dclpbos , ' ivho , when the inhabitants of that island went to inquire what was to be done in order to stay a pestilence then raging at . Athens , returned for that their

answer , on doubling the altar of Apollo , which was a perfect cube , the plague should cease . I would ask if the problem has ever heen solved satisfactoril y ?—Ax 1 " . VI , , : XI-: D Sor-ini-: * . THE COCK . AS AX E . 1 IJ ! LE * U . On a Masonic sword in my possession is the figure of a cock ¦ what does it allude to ?—G . —[ The Knight Templar degree . It is evident you do not belong to that order , so we decline to state more fully in print but convince us , if you can , to thc contrary , and ive shall be happy to give you the information privately . ] "

CATCH QUES'lTOXS . Presenting myself at the door of a Lodge , where I . was a stranger , some one came out to prove me , and inquired " How old was my mother ? " and in " WJrat coloured coat I ivas made ?" Being unable to answer these questions to my querist ' s satisfaction I had to go home , although I had my certificate with me . I have inquiredand since learnt ivhat was intendedivhich I think such

, , utter trifling , that I send you thc above as being worthy to make a note of , so that others may not share a like fate . —A . A . —[ It is a " very common joke , hut wc do not think you should have been debarred your visit , for not taking it properly . We thank you for the answers to both these catch questions , but knew them years ago ; indeed wc doubt if there are one hundred Masons ignorant of them to be found . ]

THE CHARirr JEWEL . Is not the Charity jewel presented b y G . Lodge to all brethren who Have served the office of Steward to tbe various Charities 'K . h ,. —[ JSo . Ion must purchase it . In Oxford , however , it is presented byjhe Proy . Grand Lodge . ]

Notes On Literature, Science And Art.

NOTES ON LITERATURE , SCIENCE AND ART .

SOME attention has been excited during the last few years by the appearance in the Edinburgh and Quarterly Reviews of a series of interesting aud instructive papers on such subjects as the ' ¦ ' London Commissariat , " "Food and its Adulterations , '' "Tire Zoological Gardens , " " Woolwich Arsenal , " "The Electric Telegraph , '' & c , & c , evidently from tho same careful pen . They are now avowed as the compositions of Dr . Andrew Wynter .

A new quarterly is being added to the long list of such publications which we already enjoy . With the present month appears No . 1 of Thc Photographic Quarterly Review , edited by Mr . Thomas Sutton , B . A . The far-travelled Mr . Lawrence Oliphaut , explorer of Eastern Nepaul anel Western Minnesota , describer of the Shores of the Black Sea , and historiographer of the Elgin Mission to China , is about to appear ns the author of a work with a taking title , " Patriots and Filibusters ; or ,

Incidents of Political aud Exploratory Travel . " Count Platen ' s "Diary" has just appeared ( Stuttgarel : Cotta ) , and promises to be a gift of value to the many admirers and friends of tlie late poet . Platen was one of those poets ivho did not enjoy the full acknowledgment of his genius during his lifetime . The editress of The Englishwoman ' s Journal announces that on and after September 1 st , that periodical , established to promote the industrial pursuits of * women , will be printed by women at the Victoria Printing Press , Great Covatn-stveet , Bvuusivick-squave . Thc Victoria Press

employs female compositors only , and is under the management of si lady philanthropist , Miss Emily Faithful ! . Messrs . Day and Son have in preparation a contribution to what may be called Ecclesiastical Botany , The Church ' s Floral Kalendar . The compiler is Miss Emily Cuyler , and the llov . F . Cuyler supplies the preface . Another proof of the interest taken in South Eastern Africa is afforded

by the issue of a second edition of Dr . Livingstone ' s " Cambridge Lectures , ivith a Prefatory Letter by Professor Sedgwick . " Mr . Joseph Lilly , the famous old bookseller of Bedford-street , is just issuing a more than usually interesting catalogue of his collection ( with annotations and extracts ) , chiefly of books in early English literature , aucl containing , among other items , copies of the first four editions of Shakespeare .

George Eliot ' s "Adam Bode " lias reached a seventh thousand . An Inland llei-eime return , just issued , states that the paper duty collected in the year ending tho 31 st March , 1800 , amounted to £ 1 , 451 , 251 . The scattered Metrical Efiiisions of tho late lamented Mr . B . B . Brough are , it is said , to be . collected for publication by his friend , Mr , John Holliiigshend .

Mr . Samuel French , New York , is publishing in monthly parts , two of which have been issued , a Avork entitled " Fifty Years of a Playgoer ' s Journal , comprising the Dramatic Annals of New York , from the building of the Park Theatre , A . D . l / flS . to its destruction , A . D . ISIS . l \ v

II . K 1 V Mr . Cogswell , Superintendent of the Aster Library , New York , war to embark for Europe on the last clay of June or early in July , principally on account of imperfect health , but also in the interest of the library . 'The friends of Mrs . Gore ivill regret to learn that the recent operation for tlie restoration of her sight lias not been successful . On Friday , tlie 20 th ult ., tlie distribution of prizes to the students in

the department of general literature and applied sciences at King ' s - College , took place in the hall of the college . The Archbishop of Canterbury presided . The thirtieth meeting of the British Association for tlie Advancement of Science has been held at Oxford , and passeel off in a , perfeetly satisfactory manner . The proceedings were not so extensive as those at Aberdeen ; but the additions to the stock of human knowledge have

been important ; aucl to all who took the opportunity of paying a visit to grand old Oxford—architecturall y the model city of England—the occasion cannot fail to beget many pleasant memories . The Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries of Copenhagen held its annual meeting at the Palace of Christiansborg , on tho 13 th of May , His Majesty King Frederick tlie Seventh of Denmark in tho chair ' . The . Builder tells us it is proposed to do honour to the memory of

Pugin , ns one of the founder's of the Gothic revival , and of true knowledge of mecliasv-U art . The intention is to raise a fund to be called , " The Pugin Travelling Fund , " out of which architectural students are to be awarded travelling scholarships as it were : a sum of money to be expended in a year ' s travel throughout the United Kingdom , devoted to .