Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ad00605
GRAND LODGE OF MARK MASTER MASONS OF ENGLAND AND WALES , AND THE COLONIES AND DEPENDENCIES OF THE BRITISH CROWN . THE RIGHT HON . LORD HENNIKER , M . W . Grand Master . THE RIGHT HON . THE EARL OF KINTORE , R . W . Deputy Grand Master . A MOVEABLE GRAND LODGE Will be held under the auspices of the Britannia Lodge , No . 53 , at the FREEMASONS' HALL , SURREY ST ., SHEFFIELD , On THURSDAY , 22 nd inst . Grand Lodge will be opened at 2 . 30 o ' clock precisely . BUSINESS . Installation of V . W . Bro . J . W . Woodall as R . W . Provincial Grand Master of North and East Yorkshire ; and Installation of Bro . S . H . Gatty , Worshipful Master Elect of the Britannia Lodge , By the M . W . Grand Master , assisted by his Grand Officers The Banquet will take place at Five o ' clock . Tickets , 12 s . 6 d . each , inclusive of Wine , applications for which must be made to Bro . H . A . Styring , Freemasons' Hall , Surrey Street , Sheffield , on or before Monday , 12 th inst . By command of the M . W . Grand Master . FREDERICK BINCKES ( P . G . J . W . ) , Secretary . Office—Sa , Red Lion Square , London , W . C , ist September , 1 SS 1 .
Ad00606
£ 0 ffiorrcsuonocnts . BOOKS , & c , RECEIVED . "The Broad Arrow , " "The Citizen , " "Allen ' s Indian Mail , " " Voice of Masonry , " " The Freemason , " " The Craftsman , " " European Mail , " " Frcimaurer-Zcitung , " "The Chronology of the Bible , " "The Hull Packet , " " La Tolerance , " "The Masonic Eclectic , " " Der Long Islaender , " "The North China Herald , " "Masonic Advocate , " " New York Dispatch , " " Hebrew Leader , " "Bulletin du Grand Orient De FYance , " "The South Western Gazette , " " The Canadian . "
Ar00607
THE FREEMASON . S ATURDAY , S EPTEMBER 17 , 1 SS 1 .
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinions expressed by onr correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]
MASONIC BOOKS . To the Editor of thc " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I beg to call the attention of your readers to Mr . Bernard Ouaritch ' s Catalogue No . 5 S 0 , which contains some very curious Hermetic works , and some Masonic books from the library of our lamented Grand Secretary ,
Bro . John Hervey , of whom some of our brethren may like a " souvenir . " Mr . Quaritch has two fine copies of Dr . Plott ' s " Staffordshire , " in which allusion is made to the Freemasons , 10 SG . Both are in folio , large paper ; one is to be obtained for £ 10 , the other for £ 10 ios . Among other books I notice " Shakes peare a Freemason , " privately printed , by Bro . J . C . Parkinson , 7 s . Gd . I am , yours fraternally , BOOK WORM .
A QUERY . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Will you kindly inform me if it would be possible to form a lodge in Paris , under the auspices of the British Grand Lodge , specially intended for British residents here ,
and , if so , what formalities would be required to enable some very desirous brethren to attain this object . If not , why not ? as Englishmen residing here find it very difficult to perform their Masonic duties . Further , an Englishman—not a Mason— wishes to enter the Craft : he is introduced here [ to the authorities ;
the usual routine is performed ; he becomes initiated according to the French Masonic customs ; he thinks he is a Mason . He crosses " the ditch , " and , proud of his new honour , he presents himself at an English lodge . Either he is tiled at the first question asked him , or , if he should answer them in a manner sufficiently satisfactory to warrant his admission , he is told that the French Masons arc
excommunicated , and he is refused admission because his oath was not taken in the name of T . G . A . O . T . U . It is to obviate this I would wish to see an English lodge established hcic , for the neophyte does not know previous to the initiation of those questions which divide Mason against Mason . He thinks he has done his duty , and is regular ; and , when too late , he finds out that , even in Masonry , we are not exempt from internal dissensions .
Original Correspondence.
I shall be pleased to hear of a solution to the above ques tions , and am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , JOSEPH LAMBERT . 76 , Rue du Faubourg , Poissonniere , Paris , 13 th September , 1 SS 1 .
KING KALAKAUA . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Is anything going to be done by our esteemed authorities to give King Kalakaua a fraternal reception ? I think it is a pity that something has not already been done , and am only sorry that a more influential brother has
not " ventilated the subject in the Freemason . I understand that the King is a " working Mason " himself , and surely he deserves some friendly acknowledgment as such by our English Grand Lodge and brethren . And when he is received 1 hope the orator of the night , or the G . D . C ., will quote those famous lines of the pseudo prize poem descriptive of the land over which he reigns" When to his view
Slices of bread and meat spontaneous grew , The gallant Cook in ardent rapture smiles , And aptly named that spot the " Sandwich Isles . " I am , yours fraternally , ABORIGINAL . P . S . —Since I wrote the above I see that the King has started across the little millpond , so my letter is out of date . AB .
Reviews.
Reviews .
LES PLUS SECRETS MYSTERES , & c . Dcvoiles and Co ., a Jerusalem . MDCCLXVII . We were looking over some old books the other day , and we lighted upon this foreign work , not of itself of any real ' . value , but the counterpart and prototype of many similar worthless compilations . And then the thought came over 11 s ( and that is thc reason why we fill this
column to-day with the notice of a book published 111 years ago ) , how useless and how meaningless have all these " unfoldings , " and "revcalings , " and " exposures" of Freemasonry been . Freemasonry still endures , despite the attacks of the invidious , the incriminations of the unjust . Innumerable pretended " disclosures " and simulated " discoveries " come up before the Masonic Dryasdust
today , and in none is anything disclosed , in none is anything discovered . 1 hey have neither affected Freemasonry , nor influenced literature ; they are as if they had never been written , and though they may perhaps fill thc book-shelves of the Masonic collector , they are neither useful nor ornamental—they neither help the student nor benefit thc archaeologist . If , indeed , they could be trusted they might be taken for what they are
worth , as proving the existence of certain grades . But even for this they arc unreliable , and the stamp of treachery , falsehood , baseness being upon them , " ab initio , " as always happens , after all , in this world of ours , they are treated as works without reality , evidences without value , the "outcome" of hurtful venality , the production of an open or anonymous "deserter , " from the honest ranks and loyal banner of Freemasonry .
THE HISTORY , ART , AND PAL / EOGRAPHY OF THE MS . STYLED THE UTRECHT PSALTER . By W . De GRAY BIRCH , British Museum . Bagstcr and Sons , 15 , Paternoster-row , 1 S 76 . Palaeography has made great strides since this interesting " monogram " was composed and published . Those of us who have dabbled in the subject as " amateurs , " indeed
not " experts , " know how fascinating the subject is , and how full of interest and delight to the humble and persevering student . Some of us may recall pleasant hoursyes , very pleasant—spent with " Mabillon , " " Montfancon , " and with "Silvestre . " Some of us may have pored admiringly and untiredly over Schilter , Carpentier , the " Novcau I ' raite de Diplomatique , " & c , and the
" Dictionnaire Raisonne de Diplomatique , " & c , by Des Vaines . Not a few of us have been pleased when privileged to study the erudite Marini , or the industrious Kopp . The labours of Henry Shaw , of Heinrich Jaeck , the Grammatographieof Jeraud Cliampu )) ioii ' s"Chartes Latines , " Langlois and , Bastard ' s works in French , and last , not least . Professor Westwood ' s charming publications . The contributions of
Letronne , Pcrtz , the Hon . R . Curzon , Noel Humphry , Paul Pietsch , and Kircbhoff , and many others which might be named , have all tended to facilitate the pathway of students , to open out long-forgotten treasures of archaeology and chirograph }' , alike for the verification of truth , the certainty of history , thc illumination of art , and the confutation of scepticism . Who , for instance , can collate
the three oldest New Testament MSS . —the Alexandrine , Vatican , andSinaitic—without discovering how much of importance , happiness , verity , certainty for untold generations , is , so to say , wrapped up in the ardouus and often unrequited labours of humble palaeographers and patient collationists . Even at this hour , owing to the ingenious comparisons and researches of palaeography , we shall
probably owe the eventual clearer decipherment of the "Runes , " which have been such a " crux" to some , such a puzzle to more . How wonderful to-day are the triumphs of pakeology . VVe have lived to see the collation and explanation of the Rosetta Stone , of the Behistun trilingual inscriptions , of the Runic Monoliths , and now , again , we are on the eve of remarkable results from the
careful study of those old MSS . of the past , whose scribes are dead and gone and forgotten , but which still endure silent witnesses , but most emphatic , of the artistic skill , the faithful sacrifices , the undimiiied piety of our forefathers , telling on now dim parchment , or dirty papyrus of truths and realities invaluable to seeker and searcher , student and sage . But for all these pursuits there is no " royal road "
of learning or experience . It is well that amateurs should write and non-experts should seek , but it must be left for the expert to speak positively and decide dogmatically . A great deal may turn on the thickness and the colour of the parchment , the size , the turn of the letters ; and , once for all , we beg to repeat that palaeography , like all other sciences , requires humble , patient , watchful , faithful students ; it
Reviews.
cannot do with mere " words , " and , above all , it repudiates those sciolists of the hour who , affecting to judge from internal evidence or contemporary circumstances , partly pre-supposcd and self-assumed , give loud utterances when the real expert is silent or hesitating , because to him , like to the Indian on the trail , there " are indiciae patent , which none but he can discover ; the " empirics" doubts and assurance , are to him , on the contrary , accurate certainty , or indisputable negation .
CATALOGUE OF BOOKS . Bernard Quaritch , 15 , Piccadilly . VVe call attention to a most interesting catalogue—No . 3 . 39—because it not only contains a most interesting collection of Hermetic works , but also many works from the Masonic collection of our late lamented friend and brother , John Hervey , G . S . VVe hope one or two , at any rate , may be secured for the Grand Lodge library ; and , talking of that
library , surely something should be done to enable brethren to use it as well as to extend it . We must always bear in mind that there are those who understand books , those who don't , and those who think they do , but unfortunately have yet to master the rudiments of thc science of " bibliography . " It is a pure question for " experts , " and " experts " alone . No library can be conducted properly on " non-scientific '' principles .
EUCLIDIS ELEMENTORUM . LIBRI XV . GR / ECE ET LATINE . Paris , 159 S . A Greek and Latin Euclid ! VVe hear some of our young friends say— " Why an English Euclid is hard enough to understand , and the ' Pons Ansinorum ' difficult enough in English in all conscience , will be impassable in Greek or Latin . " Perhaps there is some truth in the remarks of
our sapient youth to-day , " utterly utter , " as they like to talk in fashionable " patois . " VVe were in an old house in the country , and we took up this old parchment-covered book , once belonging , moreover , to a diligent reader and student . The work itself , in its " ideas " and " memories" — we say nothing of its " contents "—for we might ourselves , if examined , to use the elegant metaphor of the hour ,
be ourselves ' spun , "—carries us back through many years to old teachers and vanished masters . Not that even in our davs we "did" Euclid in Latin , but that we find reproduced in Greek and Latin the very same words which puzzled and plagued us of yore . To some of us Euclid is a mine of treasure even now , fresh charming and endearing . To others it is theundeniabilityof "botheration , "
the absolute certainty of "despair . " To some of us its abstruse problems are a delight and a marvel easy to explain , and , above all , understand . To others they present unsuperable difficulties , and are only remembered as bound up with painful hours of hopeless mental toil . Still here we are to-day , after this lapse of centuries , studying the great - mathematican and problemist , our Brother Euclid to boot ,
mentioned in all our legends more or less , and still "old Euclid '' forms part of the "curriculum" of schools and universities , delights first classmen , and inspires wranglers , and is , as some would contend , the foundation of all connected thought and all logical conclusions . If any of our younger readers are frightened by our words , let
them take heart . If we go on as we are going , educationally , givingupall our fathers valued and approved , dispensing with this , and deprecating that , we shall have the pleasure of witnessing a still more ignorant and unlearned , generation , though in some respects they will have a hard race to run to beat , in this respect , that which now precedes them .
Masonic Notes And Queries.
Masonic Notes and Queries .
As it is always interesting to students to obtain the name of old Master Masons , 1 said one , who is called Magistro Johanni Linnomicensi , that is to say , Master John of Limoges , France , though whether he be the " Maistrc Mason" or " Mastre Enameller" does not appear . Limoges was formerly famous for enamel work , so far
hack , too , as 1197 . In a tomb erected , Walter de Mcrton , Bishop of Rochester , in the cathedral , lhe executors mention in their account : " Kt computant libera , Magistro Johanni Linnomicensi pro tumba Episcopi Roffensis , " XL ., v ., VI . —a large sum then , and now probably £ Soo of our money . I find this in a note in Dallaway ' s large and valuable work on Heraldry . MASONIC STUDENT .
MASSONE . Under the above heading " Masonic Student " asks ( Freemason , August 131 I 1 ) for instances of the use of [ he term Massoned , or Masoned , in heraldry earlier than " Coate ' s New Dictionary , " & c , 1747 . It may assist him
in narrowing his field of search if 1 mention that in " Gwillim " edition of 1611 , which lies before me , although several instances of arms containing buildings are given , in no case is the epithet " masoned" applied to them . HER . ORD . TEMP .
HERMETIC BOOKS . I have been asked a question as to Hermetic Bcoks , what they really are , as the term is now of such general use ? Hermetic comes from Hermes Tresmcgistus who is held to be the father of all works and statistics relating to astrology , alchemy , theosophy , and magical formulae ,
since called Hermeticism . It also includes those students and adepts who sought for the Philosopher ' s stone . This is the original meaning of the word ; it has come to mean also anything occult , mysterious , cabalistic . The first book printed relating lo Heimes—though many MSS . existed—seems to have been his alleged work" De Polestate et Sapientia Dei , " in Latin , 1471 .
A second edition of this was published in 1554 , and a third in 1574 . A famous work was published in 1593 at Vienna , containing thc works of Franriicus Patrilius , the Oracles of Zoroaster , and lhe works of 1 Urines . The "Diviner I ' ymandcr , " afterwards trai . slalid as the " Divne Pymandcr , " was published al Cologne , ) fi ; o . MASONIC STUDENT .
FRATERN 11 Y OF Till' HOLY SEPULCHRE . It seems , according to Millin , in his valuable " Antiquites Nationales , " & c , published at Paris 1791 , that there was formally a fraternity of the Holy Sepulchre , to assist pilgrims to , and relieve those who had returned from , the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ad00605
GRAND LODGE OF MARK MASTER MASONS OF ENGLAND AND WALES , AND THE COLONIES AND DEPENDENCIES OF THE BRITISH CROWN . THE RIGHT HON . LORD HENNIKER , M . W . Grand Master . THE RIGHT HON . THE EARL OF KINTORE , R . W . Deputy Grand Master . A MOVEABLE GRAND LODGE Will be held under the auspices of the Britannia Lodge , No . 53 , at the FREEMASONS' HALL , SURREY ST ., SHEFFIELD , On THURSDAY , 22 nd inst . Grand Lodge will be opened at 2 . 30 o ' clock precisely . BUSINESS . Installation of V . W . Bro . J . W . Woodall as R . W . Provincial Grand Master of North and East Yorkshire ; and Installation of Bro . S . H . Gatty , Worshipful Master Elect of the Britannia Lodge , By the M . W . Grand Master , assisted by his Grand Officers The Banquet will take place at Five o ' clock . Tickets , 12 s . 6 d . each , inclusive of Wine , applications for which must be made to Bro . H . A . Styring , Freemasons' Hall , Surrey Street , Sheffield , on or before Monday , 12 th inst . By command of the M . W . Grand Master . FREDERICK BINCKES ( P . G . J . W . ) , Secretary . Office—Sa , Red Lion Square , London , W . C , ist September , 1 SS 1 .
Ad00606
£ 0 ffiorrcsuonocnts . BOOKS , & c , RECEIVED . "The Broad Arrow , " "The Citizen , " "Allen ' s Indian Mail , " " Voice of Masonry , " " The Freemason , " " The Craftsman , " " European Mail , " " Frcimaurer-Zcitung , " "The Chronology of the Bible , " "The Hull Packet , " " La Tolerance , " "The Masonic Eclectic , " " Der Long Islaender , " "The North China Herald , " "Masonic Advocate , " " New York Dispatch , " " Hebrew Leader , " "Bulletin du Grand Orient De FYance , " "The South Western Gazette , " " The Canadian . "
Ar00607
THE FREEMASON . S ATURDAY , S EPTEMBER 17 , 1 SS 1 .
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of , the opinions expressed by onr correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]
MASONIC BOOKS . To the Editor of thc " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I beg to call the attention of your readers to Mr . Bernard Ouaritch ' s Catalogue No . 5 S 0 , which contains some very curious Hermetic works , and some Masonic books from the library of our lamented Grand Secretary ,
Bro . John Hervey , of whom some of our brethren may like a " souvenir . " Mr . Quaritch has two fine copies of Dr . Plott ' s " Staffordshire , " in which allusion is made to the Freemasons , 10 SG . Both are in folio , large paper ; one is to be obtained for £ 10 , the other for £ 10 ios . Among other books I notice " Shakes peare a Freemason , " privately printed , by Bro . J . C . Parkinson , 7 s . Gd . I am , yours fraternally , BOOK WORM .
A QUERY . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Will you kindly inform me if it would be possible to form a lodge in Paris , under the auspices of the British Grand Lodge , specially intended for British residents here ,
and , if so , what formalities would be required to enable some very desirous brethren to attain this object . If not , why not ? as Englishmen residing here find it very difficult to perform their Masonic duties . Further , an Englishman—not a Mason— wishes to enter the Craft : he is introduced here [ to the authorities ;
the usual routine is performed ; he becomes initiated according to the French Masonic customs ; he thinks he is a Mason . He crosses " the ditch , " and , proud of his new honour , he presents himself at an English lodge . Either he is tiled at the first question asked him , or , if he should answer them in a manner sufficiently satisfactory to warrant his admission , he is told that the French Masons arc
excommunicated , and he is refused admission because his oath was not taken in the name of T . G . A . O . T . U . It is to obviate this I would wish to see an English lodge established hcic , for the neophyte does not know previous to the initiation of those questions which divide Mason against Mason . He thinks he has done his duty , and is regular ; and , when too late , he finds out that , even in Masonry , we are not exempt from internal dissensions .
Original Correspondence.
I shall be pleased to hear of a solution to the above ques tions , and am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , JOSEPH LAMBERT . 76 , Rue du Faubourg , Poissonniere , Paris , 13 th September , 1 SS 1 .
KING KALAKAUA . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Is anything going to be done by our esteemed authorities to give King Kalakaua a fraternal reception ? I think it is a pity that something has not already been done , and am only sorry that a more influential brother has
not " ventilated the subject in the Freemason . I understand that the King is a " working Mason " himself , and surely he deserves some friendly acknowledgment as such by our English Grand Lodge and brethren . And when he is received 1 hope the orator of the night , or the G . D . C ., will quote those famous lines of the pseudo prize poem descriptive of the land over which he reigns" When to his view
Slices of bread and meat spontaneous grew , The gallant Cook in ardent rapture smiles , And aptly named that spot the " Sandwich Isles . " I am , yours fraternally , ABORIGINAL . P . S . —Since I wrote the above I see that the King has started across the little millpond , so my letter is out of date . AB .
Reviews.
Reviews .
LES PLUS SECRETS MYSTERES , & c . Dcvoiles and Co ., a Jerusalem . MDCCLXVII . We were looking over some old books the other day , and we lighted upon this foreign work , not of itself of any real ' . value , but the counterpart and prototype of many similar worthless compilations . And then the thought came over 11 s ( and that is thc reason why we fill this
column to-day with the notice of a book published 111 years ago ) , how useless and how meaningless have all these " unfoldings , " and "revcalings , " and " exposures" of Freemasonry been . Freemasonry still endures , despite the attacks of the invidious , the incriminations of the unjust . Innumerable pretended " disclosures " and simulated " discoveries " come up before the Masonic Dryasdust
today , and in none is anything disclosed , in none is anything discovered . 1 hey have neither affected Freemasonry , nor influenced literature ; they are as if they had never been written , and though they may perhaps fill thc book-shelves of the Masonic collector , they are neither useful nor ornamental—they neither help the student nor benefit thc archaeologist . If , indeed , they could be trusted they might be taken for what they are
worth , as proving the existence of certain grades . But even for this they arc unreliable , and the stamp of treachery , falsehood , baseness being upon them , " ab initio , " as always happens , after all , in this world of ours , they are treated as works without reality , evidences without value , the "outcome" of hurtful venality , the production of an open or anonymous "deserter , " from the honest ranks and loyal banner of Freemasonry .
THE HISTORY , ART , AND PAL / EOGRAPHY OF THE MS . STYLED THE UTRECHT PSALTER . By W . De GRAY BIRCH , British Museum . Bagstcr and Sons , 15 , Paternoster-row , 1 S 76 . Palaeography has made great strides since this interesting " monogram " was composed and published . Those of us who have dabbled in the subject as " amateurs , " indeed
not " experts , " know how fascinating the subject is , and how full of interest and delight to the humble and persevering student . Some of us may recall pleasant hoursyes , very pleasant—spent with " Mabillon , " " Montfancon , " and with "Silvestre . " Some of us may have pored admiringly and untiredly over Schilter , Carpentier , the " Novcau I ' raite de Diplomatique , " & c , and the
" Dictionnaire Raisonne de Diplomatique , " & c , by Des Vaines . Not a few of us have been pleased when privileged to study the erudite Marini , or the industrious Kopp . The labours of Henry Shaw , of Heinrich Jaeck , the Grammatographieof Jeraud Cliampu )) ioii ' s"Chartes Latines , " Langlois and , Bastard ' s works in French , and last , not least . Professor Westwood ' s charming publications . The contributions of
Letronne , Pcrtz , the Hon . R . Curzon , Noel Humphry , Paul Pietsch , and Kircbhoff , and many others which might be named , have all tended to facilitate the pathway of students , to open out long-forgotten treasures of archaeology and chirograph }' , alike for the verification of truth , the certainty of history , thc illumination of art , and the confutation of scepticism . Who , for instance , can collate
the three oldest New Testament MSS . —the Alexandrine , Vatican , andSinaitic—without discovering how much of importance , happiness , verity , certainty for untold generations , is , so to say , wrapped up in the ardouus and often unrequited labours of humble palaeographers and patient collationists . Even at this hour , owing to the ingenious comparisons and researches of palaeography , we shall
probably owe the eventual clearer decipherment of the "Runes , " which have been such a " crux" to some , such a puzzle to more . How wonderful to-day are the triumphs of pakeology . VVe have lived to see the collation and explanation of the Rosetta Stone , of the Behistun trilingual inscriptions , of the Runic Monoliths , and now , again , we are on the eve of remarkable results from the
careful study of those old MSS . of the past , whose scribes are dead and gone and forgotten , but which still endure silent witnesses , but most emphatic , of the artistic skill , the faithful sacrifices , the undimiiied piety of our forefathers , telling on now dim parchment , or dirty papyrus of truths and realities invaluable to seeker and searcher , student and sage . But for all these pursuits there is no " royal road "
of learning or experience . It is well that amateurs should write and non-experts should seek , but it must be left for the expert to speak positively and decide dogmatically . A great deal may turn on the thickness and the colour of the parchment , the size , the turn of the letters ; and , once for all , we beg to repeat that palaeography , like all other sciences , requires humble , patient , watchful , faithful students ; it
Reviews.
cannot do with mere " words , " and , above all , it repudiates those sciolists of the hour who , affecting to judge from internal evidence or contemporary circumstances , partly pre-supposcd and self-assumed , give loud utterances when the real expert is silent or hesitating , because to him , like to the Indian on the trail , there " are indiciae patent , which none but he can discover ; the " empirics" doubts and assurance , are to him , on the contrary , accurate certainty , or indisputable negation .
CATALOGUE OF BOOKS . Bernard Quaritch , 15 , Piccadilly . VVe call attention to a most interesting catalogue—No . 3 . 39—because it not only contains a most interesting collection of Hermetic works , but also many works from the Masonic collection of our late lamented friend and brother , John Hervey , G . S . VVe hope one or two , at any rate , may be secured for the Grand Lodge library ; and , talking of that
library , surely something should be done to enable brethren to use it as well as to extend it . We must always bear in mind that there are those who understand books , those who don't , and those who think they do , but unfortunately have yet to master the rudiments of thc science of " bibliography . " It is a pure question for " experts , " and " experts " alone . No library can be conducted properly on " non-scientific '' principles .
EUCLIDIS ELEMENTORUM . LIBRI XV . GR / ECE ET LATINE . Paris , 159 S . A Greek and Latin Euclid ! VVe hear some of our young friends say— " Why an English Euclid is hard enough to understand , and the ' Pons Ansinorum ' difficult enough in English in all conscience , will be impassable in Greek or Latin . " Perhaps there is some truth in the remarks of
our sapient youth to-day , " utterly utter , " as they like to talk in fashionable " patois . " VVe were in an old house in the country , and we took up this old parchment-covered book , once belonging , moreover , to a diligent reader and student . The work itself , in its " ideas " and " memories" — we say nothing of its " contents "—for we might ourselves , if examined , to use the elegant metaphor of the hour ,
be ourselves ' spun , "—carries us back through many years to old teachers and vanished masters . Not that even in our davs we "did" Euclid in Latin , but that we find reproduced in Greek and Latin the very same words which puzzled and plagued us of yore . To some of us Euclid is a mine of treasure even now , fresh charming and endearing . To others it is theundeniabilityof "botheration , "
the absolute certainty of "despair . " To some of us its abstruse problems are a delight and a marvel easy to explain , and , above all , understand . To others they present unsuperable difficulties , and are only remembered as bound up with painful hours of hopeless mental toil . Still here we are to-day , after this lapse of centuries , studying the great - mathematican and problemist , our Brother Euclid to boot ,
mentioned in all our legends more or less , and still "old Euclid '' forms part of the "curriculum" of schools and universities , delights first classmen , and inspires wranglers , and is , as some would contend , the foundation of all connected thought and all logical conclusions . If any of our younger readers are frightened by our words , let
them take heart . If we go on as we are going , educationally , givingupall our fathers valued and approved , dispensing with this , and deprecating that , we shall have the pleasure of witnessing a still more ignorant and unlearned , generation , though in some respects they will have a hard race to run to beat , in this respect , that which now precedes them .
Masonic Notes And Queries.
Masonic Notes and Queries .
As it is always interesting to students to obtain the name of old Master Masons , 1 said one , who is called Magistro Johanni Linnomicensi , that is to say , Master John of Limoges , France , though whether he be the " Maistrc Mason" or " Mastre Enameller" does not appear . Limoges was formerly famous for enamel work , so far
hack , too , as 1197 . In a tomb erected , Walter de Mcrton , Bishop of Rochester , in the cathedral , lhe executors mention in their account : " Kt computant libera , Magistro Johanni Linnomicensi pro tumba Episcopi Roffensis , " XL ., v ., VI . —a large sum then , and now probably £ Soo of our money . I find this in a note in Dallaway ' s large and valuable work on Heraldry . MASONIC STUDENT .
MASSONE . Under the above heading " Masonic Student " asks ( Freemason , August 131 I 1 ) for instances of the use of [ he term Massoned , or Masoned , in heraldry earlier than " Coate ' s New Dictionary , " & c , 1747 . It may assist him
in narrowing his field of search if 1 mention that in " Gwillim " edition of 1611 , which lies before me , although several instances of arms containing buildings are given , in no case is the epithet " masoned" applied to them . HER . ORD . TEMP .
HERMETIC BOOKS . I have been asked a question as to Hermetic Bcoks , what they really are , as the term is now of such general use ? Hermetic comes from Hermes Tresmcgistus who is held to be the father of all works and statistics relating to astrology , alchemy , theosophy , and magical formulae ,
since called Hermeticism . It also includes those students and adepts who sought for the Philosopher ' s stone . This is the original meaning of the word ; it has come to mean also anything occult , mysterious , cabalistic . The first book printed relating lo Heimes—though many MSS . existed—seems to have been his alleged work" De Polestate et Sapientia Dei , " in Latin , 1471 .
A second edition of this was published in 1554 , and a third in 1574 . A famous work was published in 1593 at Vienna , containing thc works of Franriicus Patrilius , the Oracles of Zoroaster , and lhe works of 1 Urines . The "Diviner I ' ymandcr , " afterwards trai . slalid as the " Divne Pymandcr , " was published al Cologne , ) fi ; o . MASONIC STUDENT .
FRATERN 11 Y OF Till' HOLY SEPULCHRE . It seems , according to Millin , in his valuable " Antiquites Nationales , " & c , published at Paris 1791 , that there was formally a fraternity of the Holy Sepulchre , to assist pilgrims to , and relieve those who had returned from , the