Architecture Of Different Nations.

ceilings of the loAver story were ornamented with compartments enriched with sculpture on different coloxu-ed grounds ; in some there were arabesques ancl other ornaments , very like those ivhich the Eomans employed in their tombs , and which are to be seen in the interior of the pyramid of Caius Cestus , in some others situated near the temple of Minerva Mcdicaand especially in

, that of the family Aruntia . All these remarkable monuments , which still elevate themselves in the valley of Palmyra , and of which M . Cassas has been pleased to take drawings , and to measure all the parts and the varieties in the greatest detail , because they are not to be found in the works of English

travellers , are constructed of a brown calcareous stone , very like that at Tivoli , named peperino , and which these inhabitants of the desert use to bring into more brilliant relief , by opposing to its sombre colour the lustre ofthe white marble , or of stone so infinitely like it as to be mistaken for it ; ancl of which all the details of architecture ,

the ornaments of the doors , casements , and entire sarcophagi were composed . This mixture ; in fact , was highly successful , and threw a soft tone on all the details of decoration , ivhich , by means of this opposition , were distinguished at a very great distance . There are still to be seen in the quarries situated to the west of the city columns and other materials half-wrought , intended in ancient times to have been taken to Palmyra . In a group and- sarcophagus in a niche of the same

tomb is a beautiful woman , a mother of a family , surrounded by her children . She is reposing , and shows in her attitude and her noble demeanour the calmness of virtue . Another tomb , that of Glabelus , already alluded to , has all the warm and gilded tones which these ruins assume under a burning sun . There is obseri'ed

above the entrance door a long frieze , composed of busts placed alongside of each other . All these busts were placed there in a rough state at the same time , for the decoration of the monument , and then they were finished according as a member of the family died . Another tomb with niches is three stories highand

, its decoration is in a masculine and large style , corresponding to the proportion of the mass , ivhich is a little less elevated than the other tombs just described . On a destroyed tomb we find the father , the mother , and a young child , the offspring of their love , reposing on the same sarcophagus . They hold in their hands the seeds

of poppies , the symbols of eternal sleeji . Behind and standing up are parents or friends carrying a rolled manuscri pt , containing no doubt the history of their life and funeral eulogy . The mother of the wife , placed n the midst of them , seems jilunged in grief , and ready o cover herself with a long veil . The strength and the exploits of the head of the family are well characterised by a lion ' s skin , with which his shoulders are covered , and by the club which lies at his feet .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

TIES MASONIC CYPHER . WILL some one kindly tell me ivhere I can obtain a key to the Masonic Alphabet , written with characters composed of right lines , angles , and dots ?—PAUEOGKAPHIA . MASONIC TRESTLE-BOARD . In all the recent American works on Masonry , there is frequent allusion to the Masonic Trestle-Board . What is

it?—A . Gr . —[ The name of an American periodical , in one case . The Tracing board of the Craft , in others . ] GERMAN MASONIC SONGS . Allow me to add , to previous information in the FREEMASONS' MAGAZIJJE , the name of a volume of German Masonic

Songs . It is Vollstamliges Gesanghich fur Freimaurer , printed at Berlin , in octavo , 1810 , and has an allegorical frontispiece , besides the three globes , ivith ' a gavel , square , and compasses encircled by a serpent , on its title-page , alluding to the Lodge of the Three Gloles of Berlin . — MUSIEUS .

THE DUKE OF SUSSEX AND HIS BANK AS A MASONIC KNIGHT - TEMPLAR . It has been stated in your Magazine , that the Duke of Sussex had not been elected to preside over the Knight-Templars of England , but held his appointment of Grand Prior from the Emperor of Russia . I have just seen tivo circulars in the possession of St . Salem . Encampment , Stockport . One

of them calling a Grand Conclave for May Sth , 1812 , the business being the election of a Grand Master in place of Sir Knt . Rodwell Wright , resigned , who recommends as his successor the Duke of Sussex ; the second calling of a Grand Conclave of Emergency for the 6 th August , 1812 , for the purpose of installing the Duke as Grand Master of the order . —J . Y .

INITIATION OF I 1 . E . 1 I . THE DUKE OF KENT . Some trine since ive were told that our gracious Queen ' s father , the Duke of Kent , was initiated abroad . Can you add in what Lodge ?—A . A . [ In the " Loge de 1 'TJnion des Cceurs , " at Geneva . ]

MARTIN FOLKES' MEDAL . Our Bro . Martin Folkes , President of the Royal Society , and Deputy Grand Master in 1724 , had a medal struck in his honour by the Masons of Rome , in 1742 . Is there one of these medals to be seen in this country ?—EGO . FRENCH SUPREME COUNCIL OF 33 o . Who was the oriinator of the French Supreme Council

g of 33 ° . —I . G . MASONRY AND TIIE TOAVER OF BABEL . Has Masonry anything to do with the Tower of Babel P —G-. G . [ Consult Scam-ographia , Architectomca , Svo . Liepsig , 1744 .. ] MARSHALL MASSENA . "'

Was Marshall Massena a Mason?—E . T . [ He was an Officer of the Grand Orient de Paris , and a-member of the Supreme Council of the 33 ° in France . ] J . B . M . B . What is the allusion meant to-the names Jacobus , Burgundicus , Molay , and Bustus ?—GET . [ Why ask such a question ? You must be certain you could not receive ananswer , as your reading must have told you What it is intended for . ]

ROSE-CROIX . Is there any history of the Rose-Croix degree published ?' By the Rose-Croix I mean the 18 degree and not a history * of the Rosicrucians .- —CROIX-ROUGE . [ Yes . As you send a French signature see Chevalier du Pelican on de VAigle , ou Sou-verain Prince Rosa-Grove ; Discours historique dedie a Souverain Ghapitre de VAigle US Or , par M . Bergeyron Madier ,.

8 ° . Paris , 1809 . 57 p . p . ] NAME OF A PERSIAN BROTHER WANTED . The above query appeared at p . 485 of our last volume ; additional information ivas given at p . 7 of the present vol . ; and now , by the kindness of Bro . Hewlett , of the Grand Steivards Lodge , we are enabled to complete , most satisfactorilthe lwhich "T W . . . " of Newcastle

y , repy , , Staffs ., requires , showing boiv useful is this portion of our labour's in opening a little chink to admit much light . Bro . Hewlett informs us that at the initiation of H . R . H . Prince Ekbalooddowla he acted as J . D ., and H . R . H . entered into » conversation with him very freely , giving his reason , for his initiation and the status of his rank . He is still alive , and is a brother devoted to scientific attainments , and

in the course of his residence at Bagdad , he told Bro . Hewlett that he often met Europeans , who were men of science , and in ivhose company he was much pleased . Many of " these spoke of Freemasonry very warmly , and he determined upon becoming a Mason in order to welcome all suchcomers with a greater amount of interest and fraternal feeling . He also communicated to Bro . Hewlett that on the