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Article Masonic Notes and Queries. ← Page 2 of 2 Article Masonic Notes and Queries. Page 2 of 2 Article Masonic Notes and Queries. Page 2 of 2 Article LODGE OF BENEVOLENCE. Page 1 of 1 Article ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS. Page 1 of 1
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Masonic Notes And Queries.
vent others exercising . The words are " Werk in Massen oder auszug aus dem grunde zu nehmen . " It is doubtless a strange fact that not one German commentator or writer has ever grasped the meaning of this phrase , that every modern German version and every English translation has been not only radically wrong but glaringly absurd . The usual and only translation of this old German into either
modern German or English has been " work in large quantities or small quantities . " Now although the first part of the clause may be forced to this construction , I defy any linguist to fit the second part to the translation . The translators have simply decided in their own minds that " wejk in massen" meant work in large quantities , and have jumped at the rest of the phrase in order to give a
translation | of some sort or ( another , hoping against all their convictions that it might perhaps by some strange contortions of the original language be approximately correct . The absurdity is all the more patent when we consider that under these circumstances the very clause which was meant to define the special handicraft of our friends the " Steinmetzen " really defined nothing except that no one
was ever to work at anything at all , large or small , except themselves . Bro . Gould in the third chapter of his history has given the correct explanation , and for the purposes of this note he will perhaps permit me to claim the credit of the discovery , as it was I drew his attention to it . At the very first glance I realised the incorrectness , I may say the impossibility of the original translation . iand in view of the
context I was not long in coming to the conclusion that the German passage quoted above was couched in technical language . But here I stuck ; I could point out the fault , but could contribute nothing in its place . It took me six months' hard work in the British Museum to worry it out , which will show "Masonic Student" that I advocate and practice " pegging away . " 'Ihe second part of the sentence
" ein . auszug aus dem grunde nehmen , " means to draft an elevation or perspective view ( as the case may be ) , the ground plan being given ; in other words , the principles and practice of architectural drawing . This is sense , and we can understand that the craftsmen were not allowed to instruct strangers in this art . The first part , " werck in massen , " or as it is to-day denominated " masswerck , " is ,
as I have already stated , the art of working and carving stone to a definite design or measure ; from mass or mass , a measure , as see any technical dictionary . The secrets of the "Steinmetzen " therefore consisted of the arts of drawing architectural designs and fashioning the stones to these designs . But the artisan who executed " masswerk " was a " Stem / nets" and I think it highly probable , nay , obvious ,
, that in this case metz and mass must be referred to the same root . Do not let us forget that the simple stonecutter was a " steinhauer , " and if metz comes from meizen instead of messen , why was he not called a "Steinmetz ?" The answer is , provided I am right , that metz had nothing to do with meizen . And this is how the case stands now . I am conscious that " Masonic Student" and every
German authority is against me ; but remember that no German Masonic authority has ever vet translated " masswerk " correctly , and 1 venture to contend that had they known the true interpretation of " masswerk " they would probably have at once seen the connection between this word and " Steinmetz , " between the art and the artisan . The " Steinmetz " is not a stonecutter—he is more , he is a fashioner and
designer in stone . In further answer to " Masonic Student , " " maurcr , " a wall builder , is used in the "Steinmetzen " rules of 1459 , 1563 , & c . ; but as something very inferior , a class of workman to whom on no account any trade secret was to be confided . He might be employed by a "Steinmetz " for his own simple work , but a stonemason was on no account to take employment with him . The " maurer's "
term of apprenticeship was three years , the " Steinmetz s five years ; and it appears that a mason occasionally attempted to become a stonemason by serving two years with a "Steinmetz , " after filling his three years with a mason . But even this was forbidden , and in order to become a " Steinmetz" the wretched youth had to bind himself afresh for the full term of five years . The German craft
distinctions were as follows : the man who could only place the stones in position and fill up the spaces with mortar was a " maurer ; " the artisan who in addition could give the stones a face or a cubical form was a " steinhauer ; " and the one who united to all this knowledge the art of carving a stone to certain dimensions and shapes was a " steinmetz . " I was not aware that " dent de louve " ever meant a tack for carriage springs ; but if so it still seems to partake ht
of the nature of something that grips uncommonly tig , as we might expect a wolf ' s tooth to do . A further example ol this half-expressed idea of tenacity has just occurred tome . A " Loup marin , Loup de mer , " is an old salt , a sea dog ; and every term given by "Masonic Student" in his last note confirms this latent idea of a tight grip . Now , I don ' t know whether 1 have convinced " Masonic Student , " but I have done my best , and I only pray the Editor will forgive my inroad on his valuable space . G . W . SPETH .
149 ] A FREEMASON IN 1603 . Bro . R . F . Gould is not so accurate as is his wont , in his comment on some recent remarks in a leaderette in the Freemason . He is probably taken up with Vol . II . of his very valuable " History of Freemasonry , " so I excuse him fraternally . Nothing was said there directly or inferentially as to the antiquity of the word as applied to Speculative Masons in Great Britain , but in England . If
he will carefully look back to "text and context , " he will see that the "idea" in the writer ' s mind was entirely seventeenth century Masonry in England , not Great Britain , for the writer was perfectly acquainted with all the Scottish evidences on the subject , and was by no means anxious to apply to himself the " Dogberryan " formula . As regards Bro . Ryland ' s recent important contribution and extract , he had better answer , as he is well able , for himself . THE WRITER OF THE LEADERETTE .
, o ] SCOTS MASONS . Can any brother throw any light on the words " Scots Masons , " found in old minute books about 1746 ? It seems a sort of reproach to us that we are not able to explain them .
My attention has been called since I wrote the above to a passage quoted in a review of Bro . Golding's interesting " History of Wiltshire Masonry " elsewhere , where a variation of the term is found , "Scotts Masons . There is alsoanotherterm "St . John ' s Masons , " some times
Masonic Notes And Queries.
used about the same time , but it is generally held I believe , that such an expression refers to " Masons unattached . "
MASONIC STUDENT . 151 ] CHARLES SACKVILLE . In my latest contribution to this interesting little controversy I showed , I hope to the satisfaction of " Dryasdust , " that Charles Sackville , Earl of Middlesex , was in Florence in company with the Rev . Joseph Spence from the autumn of 1732 to the month of June , 1733 , the latter year being the date of Natter ' s medal . In the present state of our
information it is impossible to prove that this Charles Sackville was a Freemason and the Master of a lodge established by him at Florence , but I do not think we are justified in going the length of assuming he was not a member of the Fraternity , because there is no record of his membership . With all due deference to " Dryasdust " I attach only a negative kind of importance to the fact of
there being no evidence to show either that a lodge of l ' reemasons was established at that period in Florence , or that Charles Sackville , Earl of Middlesex , on his return to England , was ever present in any lodge of Freemasons as either a member or a visitor . It is well known that the early records of the Grand Lodge of England were but indifferently kept , and the absence of all mention of his name
in them is by no means conclusive as to his not having been a brother ; nor having regard to the fact I have already cited that a Lodge at rjordeaux , which is said to have ^ been founded in 1732 , is not mentioned in our list of lodges till about 1769 , is it by any means surprising that the Horentine lodge ( if there were one ) should have escaped notice altogether . It might have been only an occasional one ,
like that which was assembled at the Hague in 1731 , when Francis of Lorraine was initiated into our mysteries . At all events Freemasonry grew to be of sufficient importance to be thought worthy of excommunication by the Grand Duke Gaston de Medici in 1737 , and the probabilities are in favour of its having been introduced into Florence by Englishmen . Of course if there is no medal , the whole
controversy falls through ; but if , as I have said before , the medal is there , and it is shown that Charles Sackville , Earl of Middlesex , was in Florence in the year as commemorated on it , then , unless we have grounds for supposing that Natter invented Carolus Sackville as well as the medal , it is far from being an unreasonable presumption to suppose that Charles Sackville , Earl of Middlesex , had a
hand in introducing Masonry into Florence . ' Again , as to his not having shown an interest in the _ Craft , though his friend and patron , Frederick Prince of Wales , was initiated 1737 . The Earl of Middlesex was appointed Master of the Horse by his Royal Highness in 1747 and attended the Prince ' s funeral in 17 , 51—by an obviously clerical error these dates are given
by "Dryasdust" as 1741 and 1757 — in his othcial capacity as well as in the quality of a friend . But " Dryasdust" does not show , and I have nowhere read , that his lordship was a member of the Prince ' s household in ' 737 , though of course he may have been , for aught 1 know to the contrary . Again , the Prince ' s own Masonic record is of the most meaere character , and there is nothing
surprising in that of his Master of the Horse being a complete blank . As to Natter and the Strict Observance he is said to have introduced it into St . Petersburghin 1762 . If the medal exists and the date ( 1733 ) is genuine , I confess I cannot see how what happened in 1762 can possibly affect what is set down as having happened in 1733 , or close on 30 years previously . However , setting aside all arguments
founded on mere probabilities and possibilities , I have , I think , succeeded in establishing the fact that Charles Sackville , eldest son of Lionel , Duke of Dorset , and by courtesy known as Earl of Middlesex , was at Florence in company with his fellow traveller the Rev . Joseph Spence , from the autumn of 1732 till June of the year following . I am not aware of there having been any other Charles Sackville in
Florence at that time . The inference from such circumstantial evidence as this is that if the medal is not , as 1 have said , a myth , its " Charles Sackville" and "Charles Sackville Earl of Middlesex " are one and the same person . As to " Dryasdust ' s " more recent note the date " Turin , August 25 , 1740 " attached to the letter he refers to as having been written by Spence to his mother is correct . 1
have read it in the appendix orsupplement to Singer sedition of the " Anecdotes , " & c , and it contains an account of the "Adepts , " of whom he writes , "They are a sett of Philosophers , superior to whatever appeared among the Greeks and Romans . The three great points they arrive at is to be free from poverty , distempers , and death ; and if you will believe them , they have found out one secret
that is capable of freeing them from all three . There are never more than twelve of these men in the world at a time ; and we have the happiness of having one of the twelve at this time at Turin . " He goes on to say that " His name is Andrey , a Frenchman , of a Genteel Air , but with a certain Gravity in his face , that I never saw in any Frenchman before . " Mr . Spence asked him if he had been
in England and was answered in the affirmative . the last time I was in England , " added he , " there were Eleven Philosophers there , i told him I hop'd there might be more than Eleven in England . He smil'd a little and said : Sir , I don't talk of common Philosophers ; I talk of Adepts ; and of them I saw in England what I never saw anywhere else : there were Eleven at Table , I made the Twelfth , and
when we came to compare our Ages all together , they made somewhat upward of Four Thousand Years . " In answer to a further question , he said " he was not quite 200 , but that he was one of the youngest at the table , " that "the secret of carrying on their lives as long as they pleased was known to all of them , and that some of them perhaps might remove out of this world , but that he did not think anyone of them
would die , for if they did not like this globe they had nothing to do but to go into another whenever they pleased . How soon that might be he did not know , but St . John and theTravellingJew , "he said , "had staid in it about 1700 years , and some of his friends perhaps might stay as long . " The letter is too long to transcribe in full , nor will it in any way help towards the solution of the Sackville-Natter-Medal
controversy . The date I have said is correct . Mr . Spence made three tours , one with the Earl of Middlesex in France and Italy from the autumn of 1730 to beginning of July 1733 ; the second from about October 1737 10 February 1738 , in Holland , Flanders , and France , with a Mr . Trevor . This would have been continued to Italy , but Mr . Trevor was compelled to return home to stand as a " candidate for a borough . " The third was with Henry , Earl of Lincoln , from 1739 ; they reached Turin in October of that year and re-
Masonic Notes And Queries.
mained a full 12 months—to November 1740 . Of these " Anecdotes , " & c , two editions were published in 1820 on the same day ; one by Edmund Malone , which I have not seen , and the other , from which I have obtained my information , b y Singer . Of the latter , a second edition being a verbatim reprint of the first , was published in 1 S 59 ( see Athenaum , 1 S 59 , ' •>2 49- ) Spence figures in the Rev . James Ridley ' s "Tales of the Genii " as Phesoj Enceps ,
the Dervish of the Groves . According to Allibones' " Critical Dictionary of English Literature , " & c , he published in 1753 " Crito , or a Dialogue of Beauty , " under the pseudonym of "Sir Harry Beaumont , " and the year following under the same name , " Moralities . " According to the same authority he contributed to" Dodsley's Museum , " "Oxford Verses , " " Dodsley ' s Collection of Poems . " See also " Nichols ' s Select Collection of Poems . " G . B . A .
Lodge Of Benevolence.
LODGE OF BENEVOLENCE .
The monthly meeting of the Lodge of Benevolence was held on the 21 st inst ., at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . J oshua Nunn , P . G . S . B ., occupied the President ' s chair ; Bro . Jas . Brett , P . G . P ., Senior Vice-President , and Bro . Charles Atkins , Junior Vice-President , occupied their respective chairs . There were also present Bros . H . G . Buss , Asst .
G . Sec . ; A . A . Pendlebury , W . Dodd , G . P . Britten , W . Stephens , Thos . Cull , Herbert Dicketts H . Garrod , E . F . Storr , J . H . Matthews , H . Massey ( Freemason ) , and several other brethren . The brethren first confirmed grants recommended at the former meeting to the amount of £ 180 . The PRESIDENT announced that the lodge had received
several letters from petitioners relieved at the last meeting thanking brethren for the relief afforded . He said he was very happy to make this statement that brethren relieved had seen fit to thank the lodge lor its assistance , and he believed this was the first year he could remember when any acknowledgment had been received from petitioners after they had received assistance . The brethren then went on with the new list , on which
there were 34 petitioners . In the course of a long sitting two of these were dismissed and three were deferred . The remainder were relieved as follows : Four with £ 40 each ( 160 ); four with £ 30 each ( £ 120 ); one with , £ , 25 ( £ 25 ) j seven with , £ , 20 each ( £ 140 ); two with £ 15 each ( £ 30 ); ten with £ 10 each ( £ 100 ); and one with £ 5 ( £ 5 ) . Total , jfsSo . Lodge was then closed .
Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.
ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .
The Board of Stewards for the approaching festival of this Institution on the 9 th of May held their first meeting on Wednesday afternoon at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . Robt . Grey , P . G . D ., Vice-Patron of the Institution , occupied the chair . The brethren elected Bro . Grey President of the
Board of Stewards . They also elected Bro . Horace B . Marshall , C . C ., Patron , W . M . Brixton Lodge , 1949 , Treasurer , and Bro . F . R . W . Hedges , Secretary of the Institution , Honorary Secretary , and Bro . H . A . Dubois , Past Prov . Grand Warden Middlesex , Vice-President , Chairman of Ladies' Stewards . It was resolved to hold the festival at Freemasons ' Tavern . The Dinner and Music Committees were elected ,
and the usual resolutions passed . Before the brethren separated the CHAIRMAN drew their attention to the fact that the number of Stewards was very much smaller than usual ; but he expressed his conviction that those brethren who were Stewards would use every effort to ensure the success of the festival , and the more so that the number of Stewards was small . A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings .
The General Committee met at Freemasons' Hall , on Thursday , when Col . Creaton presided , and there were also present Bros . Frank Richardson , Frederick Walters , J . H . Matthews , James Peters , C . H . Webb , Robt . P . Tebb , and E . C . Massey ( Freemason ) . The minutes of the General Committee of 22 nd February were read and verified , and those of the Committee of 22 nd inst . were read for information . The Chairman was authorised and requested to sign cheques for various small
sums . Bro . RICHARDSON said that since the last meeting of the House Committee it had been reported to him that of the 14 pianos at the schools 12 required replacing with new ones , and he proposed that the House Committee be authorised to have them examined by a competent person , and to replace such as were found to be past repair . This would
not , in fact , be an expense from the funds of the Institution , as they had a fund of £ iS 6 in hand from the fees of 10 s . 6 d . a quarter paid by the pupils who learned music . The CHAIRMAN said that the House Committee were not aware of the condition of the instruments when they
last met , and he thought it was a very proper matter to be brought before this committee . He therefore put it to the vote , and it was at once agreed to . Three petitions were considered , and all being satisfactory the names of the children were ordered to be added to the list of candidates .
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Masonic Notes And Queries.
vent others exercising . The words are " Werk in Massen oder auszug aus dem grunde zu nehmen . " It is doubtless a strange fact that not one German commentator or writer has ever grasped the meaning of this phrase , that every modern German version and every English translation has been not only radically wrong but glaringly absurd . The usual and only translation of this old German into either
modern German or English has been " work in large quantities or small quantities . " Now although the first part of the clause may be forced to this construction , I defy any linguist to fit the second part to the translation . The translators have simply decided in their own minds that " wejk in massen" meant work in large quantities , and have jumped at the rest of the phrase in order to give a
translation | of some sort or ( another , hoping against all their convictions that it might perhaps by some strange contortions of the original language be approximately correct . The absurdity is all the more patent when we consider that under these circumstances the very clause which was meant to define the special handicraft of our friends the " Steinmetzen " really defined nothing except that no one
was ever to work at anything at all , large or small , except themselves . Bro . Gould in the third chapter of his history has given the correct explanation , and for the purposes of this note he will perhaps permit me to claim the credit of the discovery , as it was I drew his attention to it . At the very first glance I realised the incorrectness , I may say the impossibility of the original translation . iand in view of the
context I was not long in coming to the conclusion that the German passage quoted above was couched in technical language . But here I stuck ; I could point out the fault , but could contribute nothing in its place . It took me six months' hard work in the British Museum to worry it out , which will show "Masonic Student" that I advocate and practice " pegging away . " 'Ihe second part of the sentence
" ein . auszug aus dem grunde nehmen , " means to draft an elevation or perspective view ( as the case may be ) , the ground plan being given ; in other words , the principles and practice of architectural drawing . This is sense , and we can understand that the craftsmen were not allowed to instruct strangers in this art . The first part , " werck in massen , " or as it is to-day denominated " masswerck , " is ,
as I have already stated , the art of working and carving stone to a definite design or measure ; from mass or mass , a measure , as see any technical dictionary . The secrets of the "Steinmetzen " therefore consisted of the arts of drawing architectural designs and fashioning the stones to these designs . But the artisan who executed " masswerk " was a " Stem / nets" and I think it highly probable , nay , obvious ,
, that in this case metz and mass must be referred to the same root . Do not let us forget that the simple stonecutter was a " steinhauer , " and if metz comes from meizen instead of messen , why was he not called a "Steinmetz ?" The answer is , provided I am right , that metz had nothing to do with meizen . And this is how the case stands now . I am conscious that " Masonic Student" and every
German authority is against me ; but remember that no German Masonic authority has ever vet translated " masswerk " correctly , and 1 venture to contend that had they known the true interpretation of " masswerk " they would probably have at once seen the connection between this word and " Steinmetz , " between the art and the artisan . The " Steinmetz " is not a stonecutter—he is more , he is a fashioner and
designer in stone . In further answer to " Masonic Student , " " maurcr , " a wall builder , is used in the "Steinmetzen " rules of 1459 , 1563 , & c . ; but as something very inferior , a class of workman to whom on no account any trade secret was to be confided . He might be employed by a "Steinmetz " for his own simple work , but a stonemason was on no account to take employment with him . The " maurer's "
term of apprenticeship was three years , the " Steinmetz s five years ; and it appears that a mason occasionally attempted to become a stonemason by serving two years with a "Steinmetz , " after filling his three years with a mason . But even this was forbidden , and in order to become a " Steinmetz" the wretched youth had to bind himself afresh for the full term of five years . The German craft
distinctions were as follows : the man who could only place the stones in position and fill up the spaces with mortar was a " maurer ; " the artisan who in addition could give the stones a face or a cubical form was a " steinhauer ; " and the one who united to all this knowledge the art of carving a stone to certain dimensions and shapes was a " steinmetz . " I was not aware that " dent de louve " ever meant a tack for carriage springs ; but if so it still seems to partake ht
of the nature of something that grips uncommonly tig , as we might expect a wolf ' s tooth to do . A further example ol this half-expressed idea of tenacity has just occurred tome . A " Loup marin , Loup de mer , " is an old salt , a sea dog ; and every term given by "Masonic Student" in his last note confirms this latent idea of a tight grip . Now , I don ' t know whether 1 have convinced " Masonic Student , " but I have done my best , and I only pray the Editor will forgive my inroad on his valuable space . G . W . SPETH .
149 ] A FREEMASON IN 1603 . Bro . R . F . Gould is not so accurate as is his wont , in his comment on some recent remarks in a leaderette in the Freemason . He is probably taken up with Vol . II . of his very valuable " History of Freemasonry , " so I excuse him fraternally . Nothing was said there directly or inferentially as to the antiquity of the word as applied to Speculative Masons in Great Britain , but in England . If
he will carefully look back to "text and context , " he will see that the "idea" in the writer ' s mind was entirely seventeenth century Masonry in England , not Great Britain , for the writer was perfectly acquainted with all the Scottish evidences on the subject , and was by no means anxious to apply to himself the " Dogberryan " formula . As regards Bro . Ryland ' s recent important contribution and extract , he had better answer , as he is well able , for himself . THE WRITER OF THE LEADERETTE .
, o ] SCOTS MASONS . Can any brother throw any light on the words " Scots Masons , " found in old minute books about 1746 ? It seems a sort of reproach to us that we are not able to explain them .
My attention has been called since I wrote the above to a passage quoted in a review of Bro . Golding's interesting " History of Wiltshire Masonry " elsewhere , where a variation of the term is found , "Scotts Masons . There is alsoanotherterm "St . John ' s Masons , " some times
Masonic Notes And Queries.
used about the same time , but it is generally held I believe , that such an expression refers to " Masons unattached . "
MASONIC STUDENT . 151 ] CHARLES SACKVILLE . In my latest contribution to this interesting little controversy I showed , I hope to the satisfaction of " Dryasdust , " that Charles Sackville , Earl of Middlesex , was in Florence in company with the Rev . Joseph Spence from the autumn of 1732 to the month of June , 1733 , the latter year being the date of Natter ' s medal . In the present state of our
information it is impossible to prove that this Charles Sackville was a Freemason and the Master of a lodge established by him at Florence , but I do not think we are justified in going the length of assuming he was not a member of the Fraternity , because there is no record of his membership . With all due deference to " Dryasdust " I attach only a negative kind of importance to the fact of
there being no evidence to show either that a lodge of l ' reemasons was established at that period in Florence , or that Charles Sackville , Earl of Middlesex , on his return to England , was ever present in any lodge of Freemasons as either a member or a visitor . It is well known that the early records of the Grand Lodge of England were but indifferently kept , and the absence of all mention of his name
in them is by no means conclusive as to his not having been a brother ; nor having regard to the fact I have already cited that a Lodge at rjordeaux , which is said to have ^ been founded in 1732 , is not mentioned in our list of lodges till about 1769 , is it by any means surprising that the Horentine lodge ( if there were one ) should have escaped notice altogether . It might have been only an occasional one ,
like that which was assembled at the Hague in 1731 , when Francis of Lorraine was initiated into our mysteries . At all events Freemasonry grew to be of sufficient importance to be thought worthy of excommunication by the Grand Duke Gaston de Medici in 1737 , and the probabilities are in favour of its having been introduced into Florence by Englishmen . Of course if there is no medal , the whole
controversy falls through ; but if , as I have said before , the medal is there , and it is shown that Charles Sackville , Earl of Middlesex , was in Florence in the year as commemorated on it , then , unless we have grounds for supposing that Natter invented Carolus Sackville as well as the medal , it is far from being an unreasonable presumption to suppose that Charles Sackville , Earl of Middlesex , had a
hand in introducing Masonry into Florence . ' Again , as to his not having shown an interest in the _ Craft , though his friend and patron , Frederick Prince of Wales , was initiated 1737 . The Earl of Middlesex was appointed Master of the Horse by his Royal Highness in 1747 and attended the Prince ' s funeral in 17 , 51—by an obviously clerical error these dates are given
by "Dryasdust" as 1741 and 1757 — in his othcial capacity as well as in the quality of a friend . But " Dryasdust" does not show , and I have nowhere read , that his lordship was a member of the Prince ' s household in ' 737 , though of course he may have been , for aught 1 know to the contrary . Again , the Prince ' s own Masonic record is of the most meaere character , and there is nothing
surprising in that of his Master of the Horse being a complete blank . As to Natter and the Strict Observance he is said to have introduced it into St . Petersburghin 1762 . If the medal exists and the date ( 1733 ) is genuine , I confess I cannot see how what happened in 1762 can possibly affect what is set down as having happened in 1733 , or close on 30 years previously . However , setting aside all arguments
founded on mere probabilities and possibilities , I have , I think , succeeded in establishing the fact that Charles Sackville , eldest son of Lionel , Duke of Dorset , and by courtesy known as Earl of Middlesex , was at Florence in company with his fellow traveller the Rev . Joseph Spence , from the autumn of 1732 till June of the year following . I am not aware of there having been any other Charles Sackville in
Florence at that time . The inference from such circumstantial evidence as this is that if the medal is not , as 1 have said , a myth , its " Charles Sackville" and "Charles Sackville Earl of Middlesex " are one and the same person . As to " Dryasdust ' s " more recent note the date " Turin , August 25 , 1740 " attached to the letter he refers to as having been written by Spence to his mother is correct . 1
have read it in the appendix orsupplement to Singer sedition of the " Anecdotes , " & c , and it contains an account of the "Adepts , " of whom he writes , "They are a sett of Philosophers , superior to whatever appeared among the Greeks and Romans . The three great points they arrive at is to be free from poverty , distempers , and death ; and if you will believe them , they have found out one secret
that is capable of freeing them from all three . There are never more than twelve of these men in the world at a time ; and we have the happiness of having one of the twelve at this time at Turin . " He goes on to say that " His name is Andrey , a Frenchman , of a Genteel Air , but with a certain Gravity in his face , that I never saw in any Frenchman before . " Mr . Spence asked him if he had been
in England and was answered in the affirmative . the last time I was in England , " added he , " there were Eleven Philosophers there , i told him I hop'd there might be more than Eleven in England . He smil'd a little and said : Sir , I don't talk of common Philosophers ; I talk of Adepts ; and of them I saw in England what I never saw anywhere else : there were Eleven at Table , I made the Twelfth , and
when we came to compare our Ages all together , they made somewhat upward of Four Thousand Years . " In answer to a further question , he said " he was not quite 200 , but that he was one of the youngest at the table , " that "the secret of carrying on their lives as long as they pleased was known to all of them , and that some of them perhaps might remove out of this world , but that he did not think anyone of them
would die , for if they did not like this globe they had nothing to do but to go into another whenever they pleased . How soon that might be he did not know , but St . John and theTravellingJew , "he said , "had staid in it about 1700 years , and some of his friends perhaps might stay as long . " The letter is too long to transcribe in full , nor will it in any way help towards the solution of the Sackville-Natter-Medal
controversy . The date I have said is correct . Mr . Spence made three tours , one with the Earl of Middlesex in France and Italy from the autumn of 1730 to beginning of July 1733 ; the second from about October 1737 10 February 1738 , in Holland , Flanders , and France , with a Mr . Trevor . This would have been continued to Italy , but Mr . Trevor was compelled to return home to stand as a " candidate for a borough . " The third was with Henry , Earl of Lincoln , from 1739 ; they reached Turin in October of that year and re-
Masonic Notes And Queries.
mained a full 12 months—to November 1740 . Of these " Anecdotes , " & c , two editions were published in 1820 on the same day ; one by Edmund Malone , which I have not seen , and the other , from which I have obtained my information , b y Singer . Of the latter , a second edition being a verbatim reprint of the first , was published in 1 S 59 ( see Athenaum , 1 S 59 , ' •>2 49- ) Spence figures in the Rev . James Ridley ' s "Tales of the Genii " as Phesoj Enceps ,
the Dervish of the Groves . According to Allibones' " Critical Dictionary of English Literature , " & c , he published in 1753 " Crito , or a Dialogue of Beauty , " under the pseudonym of "Sir Harry Beaumont , " and the year following under the same name , " Moralities . " According to the same authority he contributed to" Dodsley's Museum , " "Oxford Verses , " " Dodsley ' s Collection of Poems . " See also " Nichols ' s Select Collection of Poems . " G . B . A .
Lodge Of Benevolence.
LODGE OF BENEVOLENCE .
The monthly meeting of the Lodge of Benevolence was held on the 21 st inst ., at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . J oshua Nunn , P . G . S . B ., occupied the President ' s chair ; Bro . Jas . Brett , P . G . P ., Senior Vice-President , and Bro . Charles Atkins , Junior Vice-President , occupied their respective chairs . There were also present Bros . H . G . Buss , Asst .
G . Sec . ; A . A . Pendlebury , W . Dodd , G . P . Britten , W . Stephens , Thos . Cull , Herbert Dicketts H . Garrod , E . F . Storr , J . H . Matthews , H . Massey ( Freemason ) , and several other brethren . The brethren first confirmed grants recommended at the former meeting to the amount of £ 180 . The PRESIDENT announced that the lodge had received
several letters from petitioners relieved at the last meeting thanking brethren for the relief afforded . He said he was very happy to make this statement that brethren relieved had seen fit to thank the lodge lor its assistance , and he believed this was the first year he could remember when any acknowledgment had been received from petitioners after they had received assistance . The brethren then went on with the new list , on which
there were 34 petitioners . In the course of a long sitting two of these were dismissed and three were deferred . The remainder were relieved as follows : Four with £ 40 each ( 160 ); four with £ 30 each ( £ 120 ); one with , £ , 25 ( £ 25 ) j seven with , £ , 20 each ( £ 140 ); two with £ 15 each ( £ 30 ); ten with £ 10 each ( £ 100 ); and one with £ 5 ( £ 5 ) . Total , jfsSo . Lodge was then closed .
Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.
ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .
The Board of Stewards for the approaching festival of this Institution on the 9 th of May held their first meeting on Wednesday afternoon at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . Robt . Grey , P . G . D ., Vice-Patron of the Institution , occupied the chair . The brethren elected Bro . Grey President of the
Board of Stewards . They also elected Bro . Horace B . Marshall , C . C ., Patron , W . M . Brixton Lodge , 1949 , Treasurer , and Bro . F . R . W . Hedges , Secretary of the Institution , Honorary Secretary , and Bro . H . A . Dubois , Past Prov . Grand Warden Middlesex , Vice-President , Chairman of Ladies' Stewards . It was resolved to hold the festival at Freemasons ' Tavern . The Dinner and Music Committees were elected ,
and the usual resolutions passed . Before the brethren separated the CHAIRMAN drew their attention to the fact that the number of Stewards was very much smaller than usual ; but he expressed his conviction that those brethren who were Stewards would use every effort to ensure the success of the festival , and the more so that the number of Stewards was small . A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings .
The General Committee met at Freemasons' Hall , on Thursday , when Col . Creaton presided , and there were also present Bros . Frank Richardson , Frederick Walters , J . H . Matthews , James Peters , C . H . Webb , Robt . P . Tebb , and E . C . Massey ( Freemason ) . The minutes of the General Committee of 22 nd February were read and verified , and those of the Committee of 22 nd inst . were read for information . The Chairman was authorised and requested to sign cheques for various small
sums . Bro . RICHARDSON said that since the last meeting of the House Committee it had been reported to him that of the 14 pianos at the schools 12 required replacing with new ones , and he proposed that the House Committee be authorised to have them examined by a competent person , and to replace such as were found to be past repair . This would
not , in fact , be an expense from the funds of the Institution , as they had a fund of £ iS 6 in hand from the fees of 10 s . 6 d . a quarter paid by the pupils who learned music . The CHAIRMAN said that the House Committee were not aware of the condition of the instruments when they
last met , and he thought it was a very proper matter to be brought before this committee . He therefore put it to the vote , and it was at once agreed to . Three petitions were considered , and all being satisfactory the names of the children were ordered to be added to the list of candidates .
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