Freemasonry And The Useful Arts.

brother , in speaking on this subject , has used the following lano'lino-p ¦ " To the disciples of Freemasonry our felloiv countrymen arc indebted for most of those splendid and majestic structures ivhich even at the present day point their aspiring domes toiA - ard the heaven of heavens , and beneath AA'hich man breathes his prayer of peace and gladness ; and to their predecessors in the Craft

mankind arc indebted for those stupendous monuments of human skill , the pyramids of Egypt , which , though many thousands of years have passed away , still exist—the temples of Memphis , Hcliopolis , and Thebes , whose colossal ruins are to this clay the wonder and admiration of the traveller—Perscpolis , with its splendid palatial edifices of cedar—Babylon and her hanging gardens , Nineveh with her mighty walls , Baalbec and Palmyra still

majestic , CA ' CII in their ruins—the labyrinths of Egypt , Crete aud Lennios , and thc marble glories of Greece' Avhose beauties a bright shadow cast , And shed a halo round the mighty past . '" In 183 G , the celebrated "Westmacott , in one of a scries of lectures on artistic and scientific subjects which he delivered before thc Eoyal Academy at Londonsaid : —

, " A taste for the fine arts ivas spread into almost all countries by the establishment ofthe fraternity of Freemasons , who had , it appears , under some peculiar form of brotherhood , existed for an immemorablc period in Syria and other parts of thc East , from whence some bands of them migrated to Europe , and after a time a great efflux of these ingenious men , Italians , Germans , French , Spanish , & c , had spread themselves in communities through all civilized

Europe ; and in all countries where they settled , we find the same stylo of architecture from that period , but differing in some points of treatment , as suited the climate , & c . " In our speculative capacity , AA ' cannot rear temples to tell to future ages the story of our grandeur , but AVC can stamp upon the page of history and in every living tradition the imperishable record that Freemasonry noivas in pastkeeps burning

, ages , on her altar the quenchless fire of virtue ; that she is still thc handmaid of progress ; that her course is onward , ever onward , and that she yet bears inscribed on her ample banner everlasting fidelity to the revealed laws of God . —American Freemason .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

I SF . XD you a short cutting from the current number of The Builder , believing it should find a place in your " Masonic Notes and Quei-jcs , " as it regards thc celebrated famil y of the Stones , one of whom was Grand Warden to Sir Christopher Wren when erecting St , Paul ' s , before tlie revival of Grand LOCIM in 1717 — DESIGNER . '' NOTABLES niJllIED IX THE OLD CIIURCU 01 ? STJfAUTlN IN THE

. ITEI . DS . ' ¦ Amongst the painters and . sculptors who wove buried in tho old ciiurch of Sfc . Martin in the Fields , may bo mentioned Nicholas Stone , He sculptor . There ivas a marble monument at tho Avert end of this church to this artist : — ** ' In his lifetime esteemed for his knowledge in sculpture and architetsurc , which ins ivorks in many parts do testify ; and though made fur oJiers will a monument of his fame this life tho

prove . Ho departed on ~ = tli August , 10-1 ,, aged sixty-one , and lyctli buried near tho pulpit o " this church . ' ' L '' This monument was adorned with his bust , finch' carved iu profile , AA-itli several tools used in sculpture , a square , compasses , & c . His son . also a sculptor , was buried iu the same grave , September 17 th , and his wile tho jolloivmg November the 10 th , 1 H-17 . " . Nicholas Stone ivas born at TVandbury , near Kxeter , in 1580 ,-id coming to Londonlived for time ivith '

, some Isaac James Hothen went to Holland , and married the daughter of Peter cle Kcvser tor whom lie ivorked at Ins profession as carver in stone . He returned to T ^ l '" , \ i J' ' '" ' ' 2 S ° d i ! 1 the building of the Banqueting House rVhiLcnall . No doubt the sculpture , scrolls , and other ornament * in stone were of ins work . Iu the rei gn of Charles I . he obtained the patent appointment of Master Mason and Architect of tiie Kino ' Works

s at Windsor Castle , & c ., for whicli , saith the document , ' wc do ° give him Jie wages and lee of tAvelve pence by tho day . ' Nicholas Stone had cln-ee sons , —Henry , Nicholas , and John . " Henry , tlie eldest son , erected the monument for his father , mother ' , and brother , and earned on , in conjunction Avith John , the business of starry after his lather ' s death ; though Henry addicted himself chiefly to painting ¦ aud was an excellent copyist of Vand

yck and the Italian masters Henry wrote a book , ' The Third "Part of the Art of Painting . ' J . ns m-ust continued to reside on the premises ivhich had been his ^ Uiers , vi--., a house , garden , and ivork-yard situate iu Long Acre . ... iic . 1 was rented li-om the crown afc XI ( I per anmun . ileiiiv Stone clreilin 16 ys arm ivas bmied near l , h < father , whe-. v . a monument ivas , ifn \ ' ™ J' 'V 'i 1 ll : -l > li ' ' iif ™ &> ¦ ¦ i " ' " ty hi .-r brother Join ) : _ to tl 10 Memory of Henry Stone , of Long Acre , Painter mid

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Statuary , AA'I IO , having passeel the greater part of thirty-seven years in Holland , France , and Italy , atehieved a fair renown for his excellence in arts aud languages , and departed this life on the 2-lth August , A . D . 1 C 00 , and lyeth buried near the pulpit of this church . ' " [ Here folloiv some complimentary verses . ] " ' John Stone , to perfect his fraternal affection , erected this monument . ' " " The last member of this family of artists was laid in the same church ; and , to perpetuate their memory , their near kinsman added to the monumental inscription in the quaint stylo of the time—¦ "' Juno

1699—" ' " Four rare Stones are gone , The father and three sons , " ¦ ' In memory of whom their near kinsman , Charles Stoakey , repaired this monument . '" J-OIIEIM ' . S -MASONIC SOXGS . In reference to tlie query on this subject in No . 11 of the Magazine , I beg to inform you , that in East Lancashire it is usual books of ten twelve

for Lodges to have Masonic songs ; some or copies in a Lodge . These arc handed round to the brethren during the singing ; the collection is a very good one , containing ( besides songs suited for especial occasions ) , a variety of glees , catches , and duets . No song , other than pertaining to Masonry , is permitted to be sung except as a favour granted by the "W . M . If a new edition of this book were published , I feel assured it AA-ould meet with a read ) ' sale , as its value would be appreciated . Tbe Secretaries of Lodges Nos . 50 , 150 , 22 G , and 833 , could give further information . —II . I . HIXXMAN , \ LD .

THE LODGE OF ST . CUTHKEIiGA , No . 905 . In reply to your inquiry of August 20 th , respecting our name , I have only to say that St . Cuthberga , from ivhom AVC hai-e named our Lodge , ivas a local celebrity , having founded here , and being the first abbess of a nunnery of considerable note ; and being , moreover , the sister of Ina , one of the most able and prosperous ofthe "West Saxon Icings from about A . r > . G 89 to 726 . I

presume our first AVorshipful Master , in selecting the name , preferred adopting the name of a real character to any allegorical designations such as Faith , Unity , Fortitude , Benevolence , & c , & c . In the article in ivhich you make the inquiry , VVareham AVUS misprinted "Wrexham . —HEXIIY IIKKHEUT , Sec . No . 005 .

Literature.

Literature .

REVIEWS . . 1 Fist of the Books of Reference in the Heading Room of the British Museum . Printed by ' order of the Trustees . 8 vo . 1859 . To every student it must be a self evident fact that thc assistance derived from catalogues in this Avholcsale publishing age , is of the utmost importance to him in the prosecution of Iris

labours . Next to knowing what work to consult for any information AVC arc in search of , is thc knowledge of where the book containing it is to be found . These two preliminaries being mastered , the saving of time and labour to the inquirer is immense . Tbe trustees have done good service to tbe frequenters of tlie refilling room in issuing tire volume at present under notice , and ifc is so indispensable that AVC arc inclined to believe every reader

will , in course of time , come to see thc utility of such ' a companion on his desk nt home . The first paper inserted is a copy of the " Directions respecting thc Reading Room of thc British Museum , " a paper to which every reader attaches his signature when he is first admitted . "We have next a folding "plan showing the arrangement ofthe library of reference in the reading room of the British Museum "

, Avhich is tinted of A'arious colours to show the classification of ivorks on Theology ; Laiv ; Philosophy ; Fine Arts ; Biography ; Belles Lettres ; Poets ; Bibliography ; Classics ; Geography , Voyages , and Travels ; Topography ; History ; Literary Journals and Libraries ; Encyclopaedias ; Dictionaries of Languages ; Peerages , Genealogies , Directories , and Calendars . These occupy the presses ranged round the external circle of the Museum reading

room , commencing with press 2 , 000 , and ending with No . 2 , 121 . Thc next circle , which is breast high , contains the New General Catalogue , and thc Supplementary Catalogue . The inner circle comprises the Catalogue of Music , King ' s , Grenvillc , and thc old Catalogues , as well as the Catalogue of Maps . On thc inside of this circle is the Catalogue of MSS . and Parliamentary Indexes , ike , c- ' cc , while on a raised platform is the feat for the superintendent of the rending room , his assistant clerk , ami three attendants , ivho receive the readers' ticket ' - - , and forward by other attendants the books required .